Listening Space update

[poppachubby]

Sounds good. I would agree with your sentiment regarding the hierarchy of Adcom. You are now knocking on the door of "the next level". The next step will require more skilled hunting and cash on hand to jump when needed. I can say this because I am there, however almost done.

I will be adding an Ariston RD-11s, and that willl be it...no really it will. From that point I will put cash into maintaining or tweaking my existing set up. Better tubes, carts, etc. I would recommend if you are at a TT crossroads to look at a cart upgrade.

[thekid]

Sounds good. I would agree with your sentiment regarding the hierarchy of Adcom. You are now knocking on the door of "the next level". The next step will require more skilled hunting and cash on hand to jump when needed. I can say this because I am there, however almost done.

I will be adding an Ariston RD-11s, and that willl be it...no really it will. From that point I will put cash into maintaining or tweaking my existing set up. Better tubes, carts, etc. I would recommend if you are at a TT crossroads to look at a cart upgrade.

I am surfing Needle Doctor right now and need to which Dual I want to use in the system. Most likely going to put the 1019 back in place as it is built like a tank. The 622 has a lower profile and would be cheaper to get running.

[poppachubby]

I know nothing about Dual, but if you want help with a cart, I am there.

Speaking of Needle Doctor, check the closeout for the Ortofon 530 MKII. This is a nude fine line, a HUGE step up from a typical entry level tip. It specs almost the same as the 2M Bronze, which sells for $350! For $140, the value is thorugh the roof. Perhaps this exceeds your budget, but I would say splurge and you'll be rewrded beyond expectation.

[Feanor]

Posted a picture of the new amp in the "New Finds" thread but here is picture of it in its new home. As I mentioned in previous thread I was impressed enough with the Adcom GFP-555 that i started searching for a matching amp. They are common enough on the Bay but the 555's still go for a healthy amount. Managed to combine a weekend getaway with a CL score of GFA-545 II.

...

Kid, with your recommendation I'll be watching eBay, etc., for a good GFP-555 for a back up preamp.

I think the GFA-555 and 555 II are pricey because they're so good! I had 555 II for while and really liked it.

[thekid]

Kid, with your recommendation I'll be watching eBay, etc., for a good GFP-555 for a back up preamp.

I think the GFA-555 and 555 II are pricey because they're so good! I had 555 II for while and really liked it.

I do recommend the GFP-555, my Kenwood Basic C2 is close but the 555 just seems to be a bit more solid with better overall build quality. The selector switch seems to be a better option than the push button method used by the C2. Plus the Adcom has a couple of cool features such as 2 separate amp connections depending on the quality of the amp you are using. My guess though is that you paid for those differences back in the day with the Adcom listing for about $500 while I am sure the Kenwood was probably half of that. In the secondary market the price of the two seems close but I got mine for $25 and then sunk another $120 getting the guts restored so I think I am set with a very solid pre-amp for the next couple of years.

[thekid]

Played around spacing things out a bit.
High WAF

[dakatabg]

Great set up thekid. I like the pictures you have

[thekid]

Great set up thekid. I like the pictures you have

Thanks Dak!

If you are referring to the pictures on the wall, the narrow one is by my favorite artist-my daughter.......

The picture is actually what she would call one of her "doodle's". She is an Art major but is majoring in photography. She only draws to kill time or when she is bored. This "doodle" is painted on a piece of wood.

[pixelthis]

So my question is...
How do you handle switching chores , what with several of everything?
How do you choose? I don't understand how you keep from having burnout, honestly.
Glad you liked the Adcom, they make nice gear, and for serious listeners, separates
are really the way to go, even classic receivers and gear has a hard time measuring up to
a separates setup.

[thekid]

So my question is...
How do you handle switching chores , what with several of everything?
How do you choose? I don't understand how you keep from having burnout, honestly.
Glad you liked the Adcom, they make nice gear, and for serious listeners, separates
are really the way to go, even classic receivers and gear has a hard time measuring up to
a separates setup.

How do I avoid burnout??? Simple.... I have no life......

Actually I am trying to simplify things a bit and have been selling things off about equal to what I have been picking up. I am in the process of cutting things down to a few systems. At this point the Adcom, Kenwood Basic and Sony ES set-up are staying for the long haul. Vintage wise I am going to hang onto the Pioneer SX-850, Kenwood KA 8100/KT8300 combo and the Sansui AU-505/TU-555 combo. The Luxman and Marantz are most likely going to go with everything else in part because I know they will sell the fastest.

Speaker wise I am going to keep the Klipsch, EV Leyton's, KLH 5's, Dynaco A-25's and probably the Genesis 10's, KEF's and EPI 100's. That is enough speakers for all the 2-channel systems with a few left over to rotate in and out if I get bored. With equipment this old if it fails it will become cost prohibitive at some point to fix it and so eventually I am sure I will be down to a few systems.

By the time everything is too costly to fix or parts are not available gear like Pioneer Elite's, Rotels etc will be filling the thrift store shelves and the whole process will start over again until one day I will suffer the ultimate burnout and one of my great grandkids finds me slumped over a speaker.... connecting wires in hand.......

[luvtolisten]

Keep them coming Kid! (And Dak. Poppa C too!). Variety is the spice of life, and since both you guys have tons of gear, to pick from and compare, I know your opinions are not biased, just honest
A truly enjoyable read!

[dakatabg]

If it vintage, in great condition and valuable, I don't sell it. I prefer to keep it. Just wrap it up and put it somewhere. With the time the price is going up and with the time good stuff gets harder and harder to find.

[poppachubby]

I have decided to add some digital to my listening room. For now, my Magnavox CDB-482 will be buffered by my EICO HF85. It's not the end in transparency, but man oh man it's really sweet.












Of course, what's a system if not kid approved?!?

[luvtolisten]

It looks really sweet too! VERY nice! I was curious, what albums do you have on the wall (nice touch by the way) behind it? What speakers are those? They look familiar.

[frenchmon]

Pops...I see a Ortofon Black box and Bronz Box. Do you have them?

[poppachubby]

Thanks L2L. The LPs are all 25cent losers. The 3 in question are Bing Crosby, Glen Campbell and Al Martino. My wife is a banker and one of her customers gave me a free box full.

The speakers are in my sig, 3A Apogee.

[poppachubby]

Pops...I see a Ortofon Black box and Bronz Box. Do you have them?

I bought the Red when it first came out. I don't know what the box looks like now, but the original box had each stylus on each side of the box. The dealer would then put whichever one you bought and sticker the box accordingly.

Ortofon 2M Black!?! Oh baby I wish!

[frenchmon]

I bought the Red when it first came out. I don't know what the box looks like now, but the original box had each stylus on each side of the box. The dealer would then put whichever one you bought and sticker the box accordingly.

Ortofon 2M Black!?! Oh baby I wish!

Oh...I see. My box just has the Red.

[thekid]

Great pics PC things are really coming together in that room.

Love that last pic.
Looks like they are both rocking out-come clean what was playing when you took their pic Barney's Greatest Hits or Mister Roger's Rockin' Hood.....

[thekid]

Thought I 'd engage in my other music hobby today- moving all the stuff.....

I will be adding some excercise gear to the garage so went ahead and moved things around again. Mostly the same gear you all have seen before just in a new set-up in the garage.
Needs some tweaking but overall the sound is more than adequate. I can say with confidence I have the best garage set-up in the neighborhood.....

[luvtolisten]

First of all, Nice garage! Nice setup too.Those speakers on the bottom, are those Polk Monitor 10's?

[poppachubby]

Holy chit!! Nice...

How is the echo in there kid? Try hanging some carpet on the walls or even rubber mats from your car. Hit up the thrifts for a end roll of carpet.

[thekid]

First of all, Nice garage! Nice setup too.Those speakers on the bottom, are those Polk Monitor 10's?

LTL- Yes they are chillin in the garage since I got the Heresy's and they too big to go elsewhere....for the moment

How is the echo in there kid? Try hanging some carpet on the walls or even rubber mats from your car. Hit up the thrifts for a end roll of carpet.

Thanks Pops.

There really is no echo in part because what you can't see in the photo is alot of furniture that is in storage so it deadens the space pretty well. Debating whether to use some concrete paint to cover the ugly bare floor or just put in a section of indoor/outdoor carpet. Our one cat used to have a "thing" about that type of carpet but she is not in there that often so it might be worth a try.

[poppachubby]

LTL- Yes they are chillin in the garage since I got the Heresy's and they too big to go elsewhere....for the moment



Thanks Pops.

There really is no echo in part because what you can't see in the photo is alot of furniture that is in storage so it deadens the space pretty well. Debating whether to use some concrete paint to cover the ugly bare floor or just put in a section of indoor/outdoor carpet. Our one cat used to have a "thing" about that type of carpet but she is not in there that often so it might be worth a try.

Without a doubt carpet. It will look better and help to further the sound cause. Garages can be deadly for slap echo, that awful and distorted type. It would render your gear unlistenable unless at really low volumes, but what would be fun about that?

Life is good when you have stacked Genesis/Polks, and can only find use for them in your garage!!

[manlystanley]

Pops and Kid: Great looking listening space (and great looking children to!!)

Best Regards,
Stan