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ursus262
12-06-2011, 09:36 AM
Phew! What a performance! :arf:

Anyhow, my name is Dave and I am from Luton, in the UK, about 30 miles north of London. I thought I'd give this forum a try, as I find that the UK-based forums can be a bit stuffy at times, so I look forward to making many new friends in a better atmosphere.

I'm 49 years old and I work as a Quality Systems Engineer for a medical devices manufacturer and speak English, Dutch and French. I was born in Luton, but lived in Belgium for some time before returning. Never been to the US before, so I'm hoping for an excuse to go sometime in the future.

I have a Naim Uniti, driving a pair of Monitor Audio RS6 floorstanders, with a Cambridge Audio UDP and a Philips DCC recorder. I also have a Thorens TD165 turntable, a Humax PVR and a Samsung LED monitor screen.

I love music and sing as a Tenor in the Luton Choral Society, an organisation that is over 120 years old. But I also like dance music, and I especially like the Prodigy!

I also like cars, and I drive a Smart Roadster Coupe sportscar, and drive over to France twice a year. Last year, I drove down to Spain before sailing home on the car ferry.

So, that's a sort of potted introduction. I look forward to contributing in the months and years to come.

Dave :20:

JohnMichael
12-06-2011, 10:11 AM
Welcome to AudioReview. I am also an owner of the RS6's and have mixed feelings about them. They alternate between Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs OML1's and the RS6's are currently in the closet.

Where in France do you visit? I have only been to Paris and fell in love with the city. I have a friend in Manchester, England and planning my first visit to England.

We enjoy many different perspectives on audio, music and any number of issues that might be discussed. Oh and we are not stuffy. All are welcome.

ForeverAutumn
12-06-2011, 10:20 AM
Hi Dave. Welcome to AR. You will find no stuffiness here. Occasional beligerence perhaps (:)), but mostly the folks here are pretty easy going. It's great to have you here.

ursus262
12-07-2011, 10:35 AM
Thank you for your welcoming posts. I usually visit the Normandy region when I visit France as we have friends who live there. It's a beautiful place, and there are lots of fascinating places to visit. I have been all over Europe, and last year, I took the ferry from Portsmouth down to Santander in Spain and drove to Pamplona (where they have the annual bull runs). We then drove up through the Pyrenees mountains into France and traversed the entire country.

I must admit, I haven't been to Manchester for a few years now, but it is a very nice city and the people there are very friendly. Well worth a visit.

I do actually like the RS6s and they were a definite improvement on the TDL Transmission Line speakers I had before. I auditioned them at a local hi-fi dealer and did like the sound very much, although they do sound a bit forward sometimes and they don't flatter poor recordings. I am considering an upgrade next year to a pair of Neat Momemtum 4i speakers. They use isobaric loading and I am interested in discovering what these are like, and if they are likely to be a worthwhile upgrade.

I admit I did have a chuckle to myself when I read on here about arguments regarding interconnects and cables - living proof that this subject is contentious and controversial wherever you live! I try to take a balanced approach which is that a reasonably well-designed and -constructed cable will always perform better than bell wire or mains flex, but am sceptical about how much things improve as you go up the price scale. And that is only for the analogue domain!

I do, however, have a keen interest in mains supplies and mains-borne noise. I use a balanced mains transformer for the Naim, and it makes a huge difference in sound quality! I wonder how many of you use these in the US and if they are popular there.

The other thing I do is use UPNP/DNLA streaming of music throughout my home, as the Naim Uniti is ideal for this. I use my laptop for this purpose, running Rhythmbox as the server on Linux. It works very well.

And finally, if you do come over to the UK, do drop by for a cup of tea and a biscuit! :)

JohnMichael
12-07-2011, 12:10 PM
A proper cup of English tea and a tea biscuit sounds wonderful. When I travel I want to try all the local specialties. I might even try spotted dick.

I am a rather obvious tourist with cameras around my neck. I love architecture from ancient to modern. I would love to live in a small cottage with a thatched roof.

If you would, tell me how you have the RS6's set up. I do like them as I do my other speakers but each has something about them that makes me switch between them. I am trying to find speakers that will stay in place and I stop dragging them back and forth. You are right about our cable discussions being contentious.

Poultrygeist
12-07-2011, 01:34 PM
Welcome to AV,

I was in London a few years ago and needed directions. I stopped four people on the street before finding someone who spoke English.

Hosternokke
12-08-2011, 10:25 AM
Hi there and welcome!
I hope you will find a lot of knowledge and wisdom here, just like I did.

ursus262
12-08-2011, 11:05 AM
A proper cup of English tea and a tea biscuit sounds wonderful. When I travel I want to try all the local specialties. I might even try spotted dick.

I am a rather obvious tourist with cameras around my neck. I love architecture from ancient to modern. I would love to live in a small cottage with a thatched roof.

If you would, tell me how you have the RS6's set up. I do like them as I do my other speakers but each has something about them that makes me switch between them. I am trying to find speakers that will stay in place and I stop dragging them back and forth. You are right about our cable discussions being contentious.

Spotted Dick? :yikes: A heart attack on a plate lol

The trouble is, us Brits are becoming very lazy about food and it's an attitude that you don't find in mainland Europe where the standards are generally much higher. That said, one thing we did import from the old days of the Empire was Indian cuisine, and the standards of Indian/Bangladeshi/Pakistani food is excellent in the UK.

I would avoid pub food, as it's generally poor quality and my best advice would be to rely on local recommendations for restaurants - you can't go far wrong that way.

Yes, the RS6s are strange beasts. They do perform very well, but they are very fussy about positioning and it takes ages to get them right. My experience is that there's a fine balancing act between imaging and bass response and it takes ages on setting the right amount of toe-in. I've marked the floors so if I move them, I can put them back in exactly the right place! I've got them placed about a metre from the rear wall, with both bungs removed.

My main issue is that we live in an eco-house, which has a strange type of suspended floor - there are no joists or piles holding it up. Quite how we've not fallen into the depths of hell is a mystery to me! What this means is that I can't use spikes, because if I do, the entire floor vibrates with undesirable effects on sound quality. The current thinking is to use soft feet, and to allow the speaker to become de-coupled from the floor so that it floats mechanically. Evidently, this makes a big difference and am looking for some sorbothane feet.

My advice is to keep on trying, and get a mate round to give feedback as sometimes a sounding board can be very useful.

Dave

manlystanley
12-09-2011, 04:57 AM
Welcome Dave!! One of my daughter's and her new husband are aspiring singers as well: THE ANGEL CONCERTS-Natalie Naudus (http://swedenborgcenter.org/TheAngelConcerts/NatalieNaudus.html)

We look forward to hearing more about you and your interests.

Best Regards,
Stan

ursus262
12-12-2011, 10:07 AM
Welcome Dave!! One of my daughter's and her new husband are aspiring singers as well: THE ANGEL CONCERTS-Natalie Naudus (http://swedenborgcenter.org/TheAngelConcerts/NatalieNaudus.html)

We look forward to hearing more about you and your interests.

Best Regards,
Stan

Hi Stan

I've told a bit about myself on my first post above. Last weekend, we sang Bach's Christmas Oratorio, accompanied by an orchestra that was playing period instruments. We sang it in an old medieval church that was converted from a monestry during the Reformation.. We had a full house, and the atmosphere was magical.

If anybody comes over here, then do drop by. It would be nice to meet people with the same interests :thumbsup:

Hyfi
12-12-2011, 11:47 AM
Hello and welcome!

Have you been to the Lowlander at Longacre and Drury Lane? That was my favorite pub in London, while The Raven in Bath is next in line.

ursus262
12-13-2011, 11:52 AM
Hello and welcome!

Have you been to the Lowlander at Longacre and Drury Lane? That was my favorite pub in London, while The Raven in Bath is next in line.

Hi Hyfi

I'm afraid I'm not a pub sort of person really - too spit and sawdust for me! I'm more of a restaurant sort of bloke, and prefer hotel or other bars :aureola:

Bath! :eek6: What is it with you guys? :eek6:
Let me explain:

Americans are a pretty earnest, hard-working sort of bunch really - hard working and good at saving for a good holiday. Then you shell out thousands of dollars to fly thousands of miles to our (admittedly beautiful) country, and then you go to Bath! By the Busload! :lol:

I can't think of a more depressing, smelly and damp place than Bath. It's dirty, busy, miserable place. Now London is well worth a visit, but there are so many lovely places to visit. Just not Bath :lol:

Hyfi
12-13-2011, 12:03 PM
Hi Hyfi

I'm afraid I'm not a pub sort of person really - too spit and sawdust for me! I'm more of a restaurant sort of bloke, and prefer hotel or other bars :aureola:

Bath! :eek6: What is it with you guys? :eek6:
Let me explain:

Americans are a pretty earnest, hard-working sort of bunch really - hard working and good at saving for a good holiday. Then you shell out thousands of dollars to fly thousands of miles to our (admittedly beautiful) country, and then you go to Bath! By the Busload! :lol:

I can't think of a more depressing, smelly and damp place than Bath. It's dirty, busy, miserable place. Now London is well worth a visit, but there are so many lovely places to visit. Just not Bath :lol:

Lowlander is a Belgian Cafe with all but 2 non belgian beers.

LOL on Bath. I'll do ya one better, Chippenham. I work for a global company and we had a development and support office there. I spent a week training others there so my wife and I went to Bath, but specifically to go the the Raven for the Meat Pies. It surely was not a tourist destination and the only places I spent money was at the Raven for lunch, and Sally Lun Bun for dinner.

Chippenham is pretty dead but I did get to eat at the Castle Comb Inn and saw the old clock in the church there. All in all I did enjoy the week in the countryside but I will take London over New York any day. I could stare at the Canaletto's at the National Gallery til I pass out.

ursus262
12-13-2011, 01:55 PM
Well, I used to live in Belgium, and am familiar with the beers, which are to die for. And every Friday, I used to eat Mussels and mashed potato, the staple Belgian dish.