Greetings

[Tim Symons]

Greetings from Hereford, UK. Just thought I'd pop in and say hi. My approach to hi-fi is 'high end on the cheap' which usually means buying 2nd-hand or building from a kit and modifying. My current system comprises:

Teac VDRS-T1 with Audiocom Superclock II and PSU. The clock upgrade is a big improvement of the standard model. This feeds an Assemblage DAC-2 which I built from a kit with Signature parts upgrade and a few of my own too. This in turn goes through a Glasshouse Transformer Volume Control, again built from a kit. Seriously good - incredibly transparent. Power amp is a WAD KAT 6550. Another kit-build, also modded with Black Gate caps etc. Speakers are a pair of large 3-way floorstanders I took a punt on on eBay. Apparently they were the prototypes built by someone who wanted to start his own company which never got off the ground. Really solidly made out of 1 inch ply with Vifa and Morel drive units. Not the prettiest things to look at but what a sound - real in the room stuff. Best £300 I ever spent. Vinyl comes from a Pro-ject Xpression 1 feeding the phono section of a 2nd-hand Conrad-Johnson PV6. Headhones are a 2nd-hand pair of Stax Lambda Signatures with the SRM-T1 valve energiser. Tried them in my local dealer on a whim. Once I'd heard them I just had to buy them. The most transparent-sounding headphones I've ever used - fantastic bit of kit.

I think it's a pretty good-sounding system. With a good recording it really shines. Only downside is that bad recordings can sound truly horrible.

When I've got the cash I quite fancy a PS Audio Power Plant Premier, but that'll probably have to wait a while...

OK, that's enough rambling from me. Bye for now.

Tim

[Steve Toy]

A couple of weeks ago I borrowed one of those Glasshouse TVCs and I agree that it is incredibly transparent. I prefer my Spectral for its involvement factor though.

I bet your system sound bloody good.

Welcome to AOS btw.

[Filterlab]

Welcome Tim, and good choice on the Glasshouse TVC - superior passive.

[Beechwoods]

Welcome, Tim. Hereford is a lovely part of the world. Trying to put together a nice system without spending a fortune is where all the fun is, IMO!

[shane]

Welcome! I'm intrigued by your speakers. Any chance of some pics?

[Tim Symons]

Thanks for the welcome, guys. Re my speakers, a pic is attached. They're 102 cm high, 29 cm wide, 36 cm deep at the base and 21 cm deep at the top. The tweeter is a Vifa unit and the other 2 are Morel. They're bi-wired and have those really chunky WBT terminals. Nominally 8 ohm impedance. They seem to be a fairly benign load and quite sensitive (the sheet that came with them gives 88 dB) as I hardly ever get the volume control past half way and my power amp is only rated at 40 wpc. Apparently they are by R M B Designs, but that doesn't mean anything to me. Like I said, they have a great sound. With the right recording, you can shut your eyes and the musicians seem like they're in the room with you. Only slight downside is there can occasionally be a fraction too much bass (yes, it is possible...).