Hello from New Zealand

[Sub]

My name is John, and my user name Sub is the first three letters of my surname.
I am retired, in my 70s. I used to work as a social worker in mental healthcare.
I live in the Far North of NZ, in the countryside near a small harbourside village of Mangonui, within the general area of Doubtless Bay. Mango=shark and nui=large in the Maori language. The name Doubtless Bay was given by CPT Cook, when sailing past, looked landward with his telescope and said, “Doubtless it is a Bay”.
Have been listening to music seriously since the mid 70s, but could only afford quality equipment from the mid 90s. I have an eclectic taste, with no real favourites. Have gone through phases of only listening to classical, or blues, or jazz, but now it is whatever I am listening to is what I enjoy.
Mostly play LPs - have about 3000, but have about 500cds I also like to dip into.
Current setup - Linn LP12 circa 1984 with Valhalla power supply, Ittok LVII arm, Ortofon 2M Black cart, PureAudio Vinyl phono pre, Plinius 8150 integrated amp, Rotel RCD990 CD player circa 1997, Oppo 103AU Bluray universal player (mostly used for movies and streaming YouTube). Have been using Mission 753 speakers for many years, but recently bought a pair of KEF Reference 104/2.
Will be having the KEFs refurbished - replacement set of capacitors ordered from Falcon Acoustics, and new donuts to be installed.
I also have a Yamaha YP-D9 direct drive turntable circa 1978. Not sure which TT I prefer. The D9 is better built, especially the arm, than the Linn, and the Linn has just a tad more “air”. Will have to sell one shortly to fund speaker refurbishment!

[southall-1998_mk2]

Howdy! Welcome to AOS.

Have fun.

S.

[Sub]

Thanks for the welcome. My iPad battery went flat, so couldn’t finish discussing my system.
I also have an ultrasonic record cleaning machine, made from a kitset that converts a standard 6L ultrasonic cleaner to deal with LPs, using a BBQ rotisserie motor to turn up to three LPs at a time in the cleaning solution. I use TritonX detergent, no isopropyl alcohol. Dry the LPs off using an old Nitty Gritty manual vacuum.
I buy a lot of second hand LPs, and the RCM is magic - makes old better than new. In fact I also clean new LPs before playing them. The best addition to my system I have ever had.
I will put up photos when I have mastered the process!

[walpurgis]

Hello John. Welcome to AOS.

If you want to discuss turntable choices, you could start a thread in the Analogue Arts section and outline your thoughts. I'm sure you'd get plenty of opinions.

Feel free to join in the chat, there's a lot going on and it's a friendly place.


Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.

[struth]

welcome john. sure you will enjoy the forum sounds like a good project; using a barbie motor is clever

[Spectral Morn]

Welcome to AoS

[Crackles]

Hi John

Welcome to AOS.

Out of interest, when you dry records from the ultrasonic on your Nitty Gritty what do you do about the bottom side of the record still being wet? Does it not soak the platter?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[MrB71]

Hi John,

New member here also.

All the best

Wayne

[Sub]

T

Hi John

Welcome to AOS.

Out of interest, when you dry records from the ultrasonic on your Nitty Gritty what do you do about the bottom side of the record still being wet? Does it not soak the platter?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

The Nitty Gritty doesn’t have a platter, except for a small one that the record label sits on, and the label doesn’t get wet while cleaning. The record is rotated by hand on the small platter, and the vacuum aperture on the NG dries the down side of the record, meaning I have to turn the record over to clean both sides.

[Crackles]

T

The Nitty Gritty doesn’t have a platter, except for a small one that the record label sits on, and the label doesn’t get wet while cleaning. The record is rotated by hand on the small platter, and the vacuum aperture on the NG dries the down side of the record, meaning I have to turn the record over to clean both sides.

Ah I see. I wasn't familiar with the design, it is obviously very different from my Okki Nokki. Sound like a good solution you have got there.

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