Senior Member
Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...
Posts: 14,535
I'm David.
Jez, we bought the little integrated, but it failed to sell with us, possibly because it looked different, or maybe wasn't powerful enough for the boxes we sold at the time. It WAS a lovely little thing though, especially in the midband. Maybe we met back then, I can't remember - sorry!
Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me
Banned
Location: Torquay, Devon.
Posts: 5,684
I'm Shane.
Are you talking about the Kraken? I think it looks lovely & odd...Bit like meOriginally Posted by DSJR
Banned
Location: NE England
Posts: 4,173
I'm Jez.
If you came to the factory we would have met but I was on the technical side so didn't go round hifi dealers etc.. There was a guy who's surname was Woods (sorry can't remember his first name right now... thinking Steve.. or Nick but not sure) who was the sales rep and most likely the guy you may have dealt with.... Either him or the original distributors "Picture the Sound" or the later ones Henley Designs. Guessing you would have known Indra at Musical Fidelity as well back then? Nearly all of us at Alchemist were ex MF.....
Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)
Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco
Banned
Location: NE England
Posts: 4,173
I'm Jez.
Tim Woods! That was his name.... remembered now
Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)
Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco
New Member
Location: Hicksville NY
Posts: 8
I'm Dan.
Hi, i heard the Alchemist' APD27A power amp, Alchemist APD24 Preamp, Alchemist Forseti APD33A CD Transport & Alchemist APD34A DAC on Dunlavy Audio Labs SC-IV speakers at the 1996 Stereophile show in NYC.
The system was set up in this audotorium at the show.
This system sounded incredible. The late John Dunlavy was at this show so i got to talk to him.
This system had this amazing soundstage and the bass was fast and tight. It's one of the best systems i've ever heard.
The Alchemist equipment on the Dunlavy speakers was really top notch.
Member
Location: Ealing
Posts: 36
I'm John.
I can remember in the mid-late 90's visiting a friend who made/sold car HiFi at a warehouse on an industrial estate in Potters Bar, we crossed a roadway & went into a corner premises i.e. Alchemist. The place was full of the most beautiful amplifiers etc with very neat component layout's being constructed, their silver & gold exteriors I thought a perfect visual match for my Hydraulic Reference turntable, there was a frenetic air pervading the workshop at the time I believe they were working to fill an export order. I had a bit more disposable income at the start of the naughtie's having heard some Alchemist amps at shows sounding very good, after reading they had problems with low impedance I was trying to find out whether they would drive my Quad 57's, unfortunately they stopped trading before I found out.
Last edited by palace; 25-03-2022 at 08:57. Reason: phone call
The Supernatural Anaesthetist
Location: North East
Posts: 3,675
I'm Steve.
Vampire audio ha ha. These could have been sold in Whitby. I honestly think with my steam punk tendencies that they have a certain appeal to the hammer horror fan. Definitely niche they steered away from the flat earth Naim/Cyrus/Arcam stables. I commend them for it and glad they made these funky products and having heard the integrated version at one of our NEBO meets i shook my head at the sound that came out of it. They are powerful little buggers for their size and put many of their contemporaries to shame at the time. Goths and steam punks form a disorderly queue.
Don McCorleone
Location: Galashiels
Posts: 13,696
I'm inthescottishmafia.
Yeah was mine at the time I think Steve. Really nice little amp, and I always liked the way they looked. If Dracula was looking for some hifi, this is what he’d buy. :-)
“Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”
Hunter S Thompson
Fount Master & Moderator
Location: Essex
Posts: 32,051
I'm openingabottleofwine.
So do I, but then there is no accounting for taste or aesthetics.
Barry
New Member
Location: Hicksville NY
Posts: 8
I'm Dan.
Picture of the Alchemist APD27A amplifier
You can see how nicely this amp is built.
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