Hi James,
Under the Garrards Slatedeck and its feet is DIY equipment base made out of solid maple and then it's resting at the Yamamoto MGB-1 magnetic feet providing mechanical isolation of the rest of the system.
Printable View
Hi James,
Under the Garrards Slatedeck and its feet is DIY equipment base made out of solid maple and then it's resting at the Yamamoto MGB-1 magnetic feet providing mechanical isolation of the rest of the system.
Here we go again..
..as stated at 80s hit by Whitesnake :D
Have been for years trying to establish second TT to my system but always have somehow felt uncertain of this move. So after the latest technics SL-120MKII decided to go for a second arm for my Garrard when see suitable candidate for sale. Well, now is the time as bought the 12"Alfred Bokrand tonearm sold here at AoS.
*pic stolen from the seller*
http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSC_0122.jpg
In principle this is heavily modified or rebuild Ortofon tonearm and should be pretty good match for Denon DL-103 variants which I'm pretty fond of. At the moment I'm at the drawing board for stand alone pod or tonearm base as my Slatedecked Garrard cannot have second arm mounted. Also have to get me some nice headshell to get things rolling to right direction..
Hello Mika
How effective do you find the Yamamoto magnetic feet?
Actually at our current house I have not tested the impact at all but in our old house with uneven and bit floating floor these made huge difference. Their main purpose at the time was to eliminate the physical connection for the vibrations as the floor rocked and caused some problems for the playback e.g. when kids were playing at the room or running pass the equipment rack. The magnetic feet did eliminate that 100%. Also otherwise the feet did had impact to the sound making it more accurate with improved noise floor. So have kept those under my TT since :)
Great pictures as usual Mika, thanks for sharing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mika K
Funnily enough I am just starting a restoration project on a 401 and would love an Eames chair one day too, so that room would suit me just fine as I know I like a lot of your music ;)
Thanks Mika - I've enjoyed following the thread.
Great system, great room, great photos.
Lovely little girl, too!
:thumbsup:
Indeed Mika.
An amazing space... I just 'luuurv' your room.
I just love the Eames chair... May I ask, is that an original one? - I once saw one in an antique shop for £150... I should have bought it... Grrrr! lol - Very rare and with a price tag to match these days.
One thing I'd be really interested in knowing is the methodology of the acoustic panels and the placements you have decided on. Also, what kind of bass traps are you using behind those monsters? Do the panels help focus the bass more to the listening position?
Superb... really well done. - More pics please.. :)
A little warning about Eames chairs.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Black Adder
I had one (from Blue Sun Tree - can't tell the £5,000 difference from my mate's original from Heals) and it gave me terrible back and neck ache. You are leaning back more than in most chairs and, if like me, you prefer to sit more upright ... Like audio, best to try before you buy.
Anyway it found a nice home is a friend's apartment in Knokke la Zoute and it doesn't mean Mika K's room isn't the best looking one on this forum by a stretch.
p.s. I'm listening to Solo Monk at 2am, browsing AoS, chilling out, and I'm looking for some porn, you know, the normal audio porn. Is there a thread of random audio pics to get the blood running in the middle of the night?
+1 (with big bells on)! His room (particularly the relaxed and cosy ambience it creates) and system are drool-worthy in the extreme. Mika is a star on AoS, in every respect! :youtheman:Quote:
Originally Posted by jandl100
Marco.
Yep, that room is just beyond this world. Great system too!
Come on guys, I'm starting to blush in here and that ain't pretty :D
The Vicoustic acoustic panels are just placed to the front wall with the intuition and to the locations they seem to fit well as the room is not 100% symmetrical anyway. The ones at the right are set to eliminate the first reflections and then I have few extra ones that I can set to similar location to the left side above the sofa to cover the lower part of the window. This is something I do only for very critical listening. The bass traps at the corners are from GIK Acoustics and covered with some additional dampening panels to make their volume and impact big bigger. The surface of the panels is diffusing material so that they do not dampen the mids and highs too much. Have been planning to have some removable panel for the small window and something for the ceiling also but still undecided as the current setup works really well and I don't want to dampen the room too much. The house is made of wood, so the acoustics are pretty ok even without any heavy modifications.
The story for the chair can be found from http://theartofsound.net/forum/showt...949#post508949. In brief no, it's not the original one. I was planning to buy the original meaning the vintage Herman Miller but those are darn hard to come by. Somehow I feel the ones made in Europe by Vitra are just as fakes as these China ones and their quality does not match the price tag, so..
Great album you have there! BUt here is one link to similar thread at main finnish forum HH.org..Quote:
Originally Posted by SLS
http://www.hifiharrastajat.org/fooru...interiööreistä
Cheers for that, Mika.
Go on... blush.. you deserve it. lol
Then have a Tee-Hee at the Ha-Ha - (Have a drink at the bar)
Good Lord! - Now that's what I call audio porn. There must be a lot of wealthy audio enthusiasts in Finland.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mika K
As stated those are random pics from everywhere and not in Finland (despite there are few finnish systems there). The local picture thread with some discussion is this one http://www.hifiharrastajat.org/fooru...leensä/page394
Holy moly !!! I can type but I can't speak as my jaw just hit the floor.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mika K
My question about the first photo - who gets a pair of Wilson Alexandria's and let's their wife take the hot seat?
The next system looks like the Tardis and Vaiski's pictures seem to have a hoover wired in between the amp and speakers. Any idea what it is?
In homage to the frozen north and the billions in audio that they seem to have hidden away, I'm off home to listen to some Arvo Part. I know he's Estonian, but his music sounds more like I imagine Finland than Sibelius. As I always thought of Sibelius as a poor man's Mahler, I will now have to dream about Finland, having insulted their national hero.
Half way through an excellent new biography of John Ogdon, came out the other day. Well worth a read.
Lovely room Mika and some "proper" speakers with those lovely JBLs.
We're not worthy. Well I'm not anyway, must get some furnishings for my monastic style room.
Hi Mika
I was just wondering about your opinion of the Yam Ns1000M vs the JBL. Do you still have the Yams or did you sell them to get the JBLs? Are they comprehensively outclassed by the JBLs or do you just prefer the JBLs despite there being some trade-offs with the NS1000M?
Apples and oranges :)
I still have the NS-1000s. The McIntosh amp is match made in heaven for them and the combo works extremely well. And the JBLs driven with that amp are not as transparent, neutral or accurate despite being monitors as well. However they do have some realism, scale and dynamics that NS-1000s cannot reach even when biamped (my friend has this type of system with optimized amps) with upgraded crossover. Overall I think I prefer the JBLs at the moment.
I'm bit undecided should I keep NS-1000s around or not. One pair of standard NS-1000M models I already sold but these domestic ones in near mint condition is something will not depart so lightly. I guess I should put some more effort to see what I could achieve with JBLs with other amps, and then make my decision as do not have space to keep both around, so that they could be easily swapped. I think the JBLs will be absolute killers with right amp and updated crossover as at the moment everything is original from the 1973..
Interesting answer. Thanks Mika
No problem. Sometimes feel life would be easier in B&W and without all the shades of grey :)
Long time no updates, so perhaps it's time to write something again :)
Sometime ago I bought from AoS member Alfred Bokrand rebuilt Ortofon AS 212 12 inch tonearm as this should be very good tonearm and ideal match for my Zu modded Denon DL-103 cartridge. The only problem here is that my current Slatedeck plinth does not have possibility to mount other arm to it and I'm definitely not going to give up my SME V tonearm with Transfiguration cartridge. So have been planning some sort of pod or standalone tonearm base to be used with the rest of the system, and this is now under manufacturing by one of my friends who is working in metal industry. We'll see how it turns up.
http://www.thesoundpractice.com/imag...ages/Denon.jpg
Also last week there was suddenly A23 SUT for Denon 103 for sale at the biggest forum in Finland, and I decided to byu also that one as my McIntosh integrated has MM phono input free at the moment, and think that this SUT will be much better match for the rest of the system than the old Technics battery powered headmap have been using so far for the 2nd system. The main system still has Ensemble Fonovivo connected.
I hope that in few weeks I can get the second tonearm mounted and will then report how does the system work. Exciting times.. :eyebrows:
^Ha! Still waiting for the other tonearm to be mounted to my Garrard :D
Not many changes here during the summer. Tested new active Avantgarde Zero1 Pros but unfortunately they could not match to McIntosh/JBL combo have in the house. Sold my trusty Sansui TU-9500 to clear some space for the Ensemble phonostage as that was having quite tight space at the rack. Now can add there the A23 SUT also when needed. Also added proper spikes to the JBLs, that have also found their place at the listening room. Sounds pretty damn good if I may say so..
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5554/...ae30924c_c.jpg
Have friends Thorens TD-850 there also as promise dto put that on sale after making sure it works ok. After that has been done there might be some space for some new stuff again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mika K
Which model are those JBL speakers Mika? They look superb.
Nice one, Mika. I always love looking at pics of your room and system, as they never fail to portray a lovely warm & cosy feeling (together with a sense of calm relaxation), which is right up my street! :thumbsup:
Marco.
Thanks! And Marco I think we're living at the same street then ;)
The speakers are JBL 4341 Studio Monitors, the original 4-way models with AlNiCo magnets dating somewhere from the 1973.
Nice, Mika... Very nice indeed, as always.
One question, what's the view out of the window?... lol, just being nosey.
That's the evening sunset behind the forest, Joe :)
Quick shot from mobile as have the Thorens TD-850 up and running. Now I can act as a DJ too :D
*and don't say anything about the dust*
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5565/...16a9fa2a_c.jpg
Nice, but 'no cigar'. The Garrard gets that. ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mika K
Thats a lovely room Mika; I couldn't have done it better...just my taste.......fancy a house swap:eyebrows:
Didn't see any dust Mika... Sorry.. ;)
Whats the cart on the Rega? Looks like a big ass Allaerts or similar?
Your'e using a Transfiguration on the SME/Garrard, right?
Very nice piccies as usual!
Damn, I do not see the pic at all! I guess Flckr is having some sync issues again with my macbook :(
The cart on the Rega is Zu Audios improved DL-103 and as phonopre I use Technics SU-300MC headmp or A23 SUT with McIntosh MM-input. And the SME on Garrard is having T'fig Phoenix and phonopre is Ensemble Fonovivo with their own upgrade PSU.
Hey Mika,
Do you know anything about JBL 4410 studio monitors and whether they are any good? There is a set for sale near me. They look like a pretty basic monitor from JBL.
Thanks,
Nathan
I think I have heard those long time ago in some friends house but cannot say to have experience about those. What I've read good basic monitors without any special features. If they're cheap might be a lot of speaker for smaller rooms. As always with older speakers please remember to check the condition of the speakers as I think those might require new foams/surrouds for the cones.
http://www.stephenrklein.com/JBL_441...er_review.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by RochaCullen
Snap them up like a snappy thing. Unless they are asking silly money.
Last week sold the Thorens TD-850 and the Rega arm, and as a partial payment received sturdy japanese deck Sony PS-X75 with the controversial robot arm. Zu Audio cart works surprisingly well with this combination despite does not really challenge my Garrard with the treats. Still, I'm planning to keep the Sony for a while to play around a bit as really think have to have one DL-103 based cart in use. Keeping it, until I find the other japanese TT I'm actually looking for that it :D
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3899/...ff566db0_c.jpg
Lately have been also trying to negotiate my trusty local carpenter to book some time for the renovation of my JBLs, and most likely at the same time will also try to upgrade the caps to the crossover as the original ones are already over 40 years old. Cannot really tell that from the sound as these are surprisingly modern in many ways. Better to safe than sorry still with these..
Found it :eyebrows:
It's large, heavy, beautiful and pretty rare at Europe. What is it? I'll come back to that perhaps later. Anyway the Sony TT has now been sold to a local guy replacing his old and bit worn Thorens and I have reserved my new pride and joy. Hopefully will get the thingie to Finland before christmas and have possibility to install minty Fidelity Research tonearm purchased to complete the system. Really have the hogh hopes on this one.. :cool:
Ps-x9 ?
Tt8000 ?
I'll wager you've sold your soul to the Technisatan! SP10?
No Technisatan worshipped here (despite SP10 was one of the choices).
Today had few hours to be home alone and just for fun tried to set JBLs near the room corners. The end results is a bit surprising really, the system does not sound bad at all! The resolution is worse than earlier but on the other hand the sound is more big, bold and relaxed, reminds me actually of the large flush mounted Genelecs listened at the factory monitoring room few years back, or then the legendary Klipsch corner horns had change to hear back in the days.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7493/...fa29e960_c.jpg
Im pretty sure I will at some point return to the usual setup that have marked to the floor but while waiting (it's the hardest part) the new TT to arrive decided to try some very different speaker positions just to get some experience of the room and how things work. I guess will also test removing the corner bass traps at some point and see what that does..
Looks a very relaxing room to listen to musac.
Yep ! Looks like a wonderful room to listen to music in.
As usual; first class photography and aestetics!
Would you care to put some words to paper regarding your Mac's MM phono input when used with stepup? I have a friend with an MA-7000 who has recently aquired a Kuzma Stabi/Stogi combo for enjoying vinyl.
He runs a Benz Micro Ace H at the moment but is looking into other LOMC carts. I have advised him to try a stepup first as i have a feeling the builtin MM is not a bad sounding solution.
Also curious whether you are letting your Yammies go?
Atb from Sweden, Mike
PS regarding your turntable, could it be an L07?
A nice room indeed. And a decent Eames copy.. not the worst I have seen.
Yes, the chair was originally imported from China by one IT professional who lived there for some years. Said he spent some hours to look for the best one when bought that from him. Perhaps will have original one some day.. :)
As plain MM phono I was not so impressed of the McIntosh but it is not bad at all when used together with quality SUT. It cannot not compete with my Ensemble Fonovivo in resolution, dynamics or rhythmic accuracy but I would say it's worth of try! When used with my Zu DL-103 and A23 SUT it's a pleasure to listen to especially some jazz/blues etc. music. However please remember that my McIntosh is filled with tubes inclusing the MM phono. I do not know is that the case with the MA-7000?
Thanks Mika, i was obviously mistaken! I thought your Mac was either an MA-6900 or MA-7000... And you are quite right, the MA-7000 is solid state through out.
/Mike
No problem, the model I have is MA-2275.
http://www.inner-magazines.com/news/...cIntosh-MC402/
Beautiful system and really nice pictures - I really like the shots of the ZU DL 103 - I've always wanted to pick one of those up.