Frankyc2003 - System update! long overdue...

[Frankyc2003]

Afternoon all, it is after a very long hiatus that I take my pen again to post an update on my system and whereabouts.

After moving to France back in 2018 and getting settled in my wife's birth place in lovely Dordogne, hifi got pushed back to the very low priority list.

But now, that things are settling again, the old bug has bitten again and I have been putting together (cobbling together might be more appropriate) a new system. I sold most of my gear when we left London 2 years ago. So I had to start from scratch pretty much apart from my cartridge, my tone arm and some interconnects and power cables. Basically anything that was easy to transport.





Basically I have put an AUDIO NOTE OTO PP at the heart of the system. And I haven't been disappointed!
A Croft Basic 25 is only used as phonostage. The turntable is an AVID Ingenium with 2 arm mounts. At the moment only the 9" slot is occupied by an Audio Note Arm One ii and a IQ3 cartridge.

Digital side is made up of RPI with Allo Digi One feeding a Musical Fidelity M1 DAC (5th rev). All is driven via ROON and I have a QOBUZ subscription. There is also a SONY SCD-XE800 for SACD and CD replay duties.

Speakers are TRIANGLE COMETE ES with some Belden wiring.

I have a less than forgiving room to work with... Floating wooden floor, square dimensions, etc.
But I have NO NEIGHBOURS!!!

So I have pretty much free rein on the volume pot!

Happiness!

PS. I realise I need to update my signature... dohhh

[Puffin]

Bonjour Francois, I sometimes wondered where you went. I would assume that don't still have the Fostex "Coffins" Are you finished with Valves?

Since the coffins went I have been playing with various speakers, some Lampizator Open Baffles, some Heybrook HB3's and some EAR Primary drive open baffles.

I would not think there is any contest between Battersea and The Dordogne? I will always have an affection for Battersea having been brought up there.

Rob.

[Frankyc2003]

Hey Rob! So glad to hear from you.

I actually gave the coffins to a recording studio back in London where a friend of mine used to work. The guys there were ecstatic about the sound these produces. And I do regret them, but I honestly couldn't bring them over... You built them so well they had to stay in London!

No, I am still very much into valves. In the 2 to 3 years interlude, I had a Marantz amp, and a couple of Class D amplifiers. None could really put a smile back on my face.
Do you still use some Pass Labs clone to power your speakers? I remember them sounding very right.

Audio Note gear is very very high quality and incredibly well made. It weights a ton and the look is simple and unassuming! It uses some little know 6005 valves but it just feels and sound right to me.

I think one day I will re-explore the single driver, full range speaker option as I have very fond memories of it.

I also miss Battersea a lot, especially the boozers... I hooked with some expats here in Bergerac which used to live in Putney, so we reminisce about our fave watering holes in SW11 and SW15!

Actually time to pour myself a drink!

Cheers to that!

[Firebottle]

Hi Francois, great to see you on here again and hear that you are up and running with a system.

As I recall things went pear shaped so I hope things have improved drastically since then. My system has come on leaps and bounds in the last 2 years, it really is singing now.

Ahh, the Dordogne, otherwise know as Dordogneshire with all the expats

[Frankyc2003]

Hey Alan!

Yes, all good now, thank you.
I have tried to keep as many clients back in the UK, and I am also doing quite a bit of teaching here too.

Yes, leaps and bounds, exactly!

My system as it stands now is much more revealing and involving. So like they say, sometimes it pays to take a pause. Resets your expectations and refreshes your music choices too!

So far I am a happy bunny!

I can see you have done quite a few revisions on the phonostage you designed and that you kindly lent me.
Maybe one day I shall give that another listen!

[Puffin]

Hey Rob! So glad to hear from you.

I actually gave the coffins to a recording studio back in London where a friend of mine used to work. The guys there were ecstatic about the sound these produces. And I do regret them, but I honestly couldn't bring them over... You built them so well they had to stay in London!

No, I am still very much into valves. In the 2 to 3 years interlude, I had a Marantz amp, and a couple of Class D amplifiers. None could really put a smile back on my face.
Do you still use some Pass Labs clone to power your speakers? I remember them sounding very right.

Audio Note gear is very very high quality and incredibly well made. It weights a ton and the look is simple and unassuming! It uses some little know 6005 valves but it just feels and sound right to me.

I think one day I will re-explore the single driver, full range speaker option as I have very fond memories of it.

I also miss Battersea a lot, especially the boozers... I hooked with some expats here in Bergerac which used to live in Putney, so we reminisce about our fave watering holes in SW11 and SW15!

Actually time to pour myself a drink!

Cheers to that!

I had nearly forgotten that I had made a hernia inducing Pass F2! It was a lovely amp, but at only 5W and when I moved from full range drivers I sold it to a mate. I am glad that the coffins live on! I remember lugging them up the stairs to your appartment. Look forward to seeing more posts from you.

[Frankyc2003]

Dussun V6i in the house!
150W of Hyper Class A...






I need to readjust my ears...

(more to follow when I pick up my jaw from the floor)

[Puffin]

No internal pics!! Hyper Class A? Does it run cooler than fullfat Class A?

[Macca]

Looks like it is similar to the Krell plateau-biasing system, same objective anyway. So will run a lot cooler than 'full fat' class A. Handy in the summertime.

[Frankyc2003]

Indeed Rob, it runs very cool. Cheers for the internal shots. Tbh I haven't had the curiosity to peep inside yet... Just been listening to music in whole different way.

I keep on putting my hand on the top of the amp, and it just sort of matches my own temperature. Never hot.

But wow the performance is simply staggering...
It has made me realise that I was missing a whole lot of bass in anything I was listening to before on the OTO.

Don't get me wrong, the OTO is a fantastic amp with the right speakers. But I never fully realised that potential as Audio Note speakers are very dear.

With the Triangle Comet the Dussun simply opened the windows and threw me off the balcony...

Still early days, but Wow, wow... Solid state correctly implemented is just awesome! And I barely pass the number 2 on the dial! My floor is shaking at 2.5...