How is it ? that a tuner smokes the table ???

Well sorry if raising this issue is nothing new, but it was an eye opener for me, and thought it would be interesting for others too.

You wanted to know what I'm listening for a stereo system,
no problem here goes, but Don't judge me on how deep my pockets are, but rather I call tell you i have building stereo systems for about thirty years and have alot of general audio experience.

My system is going thru a transition because I sold my house and am now in a smaller apartment.

Also I would like say, I build most of my stereo
components to save cash!
For example it my opinion finished speakers are the biggest
waist of cash, they are marked up big time.

I'm not so concerned with looks as sound, so I buy the best drivers available and connect to an electronic crossover
and anyone can compete with the very best for a song and a dance.
I do alot of dancing especially after visiting stereo salons or audio shows. :>)

my hunble system consists of
CD player- audiolab DCM8000 transport
Benchmark DAC

turntable-transrotor megnetic bearing Turntable
Shroder tonearm
Bluenote Boboli Special cartridge
Benz Lukaschek PP-1 Phono Preamp

Preamp Built by me but designed by an article in glass
audio, it was a stereo version so I doubled this
design to make a fully balanced vacuum tube
peamp. It uses a single 6080 triode tube but has
vacuum tube regulation and seems to be similar
in sound to something like Audio Research Ref.3
but without fancy enclosure or remote control :<(

Ampifiers; Three stereo amplifiers driving my three way
speaker system.
here is a big tip! for those who suffered me
this far.
Jeff Rowland uses class D modules like ice-modules if you heard of them and puts them in fancy enclosure and charges crazy money!
I found better modules and put together my own amplifiers
from a company in Europe called Hypex. They sell amplifier modules and power supplies that will render all Class A amplifiers obsolete in a few years. IMHO.
these amplifiers are incredible value.

If any one is thinking of buying a Mark levinson, Jeff Rowland or Krell, would be crazy because the reviews have
agreed that these modules sound similiar to accuphase classA amps but uses little power and run very kool.

Speakers; There again homemade, sorry
My house speakers were refridgerator size
double wall boxes that housed four 13 focal
woofers, tuned to 28 hz. four scanninng 2" domes
and a scanspeak
revelator tweeter in a MTM configuration.
Marchland 44 electronic crossover, 3-way.

All wires are the latest Cardas reference interconnects
and speaker wires, fully balanced.

My new apartment speakers will be a bit of a downsize but
believe I can save the same flavour using four 10" woofers
tuned to 28 hz. with a killer killer 10" volt midrange driver, and the scanspeak revelator tweeter.

Here another huge speaker tip!
For all you midfi guys looking to jump up to the big leagues

get a volt 10" midbass driver for midrange I believe model BM2500. Put it in a small sealed box just big enough to
physically insert the driver and add a scanspeak softdome
tweeter with capacitor for a 6 db crossover at 2000hz add
any subwoofer or bass boxes you like and you will be barking with the big dogs guaranteed!

the 10" Volt speaker is vary smooth so crossover doesnt need to be complex.
please us a softdome tweeter and leave those metal ribbon
things for keeping sandwiches fresh and not for music, ok.

This driver is very dynamic, transparent, very fast,depth thru your back walls, this ten inch driver uses the same magnet drive system as there 15 " woofer!!!
If you want to get really crazy buy two per channel and go
MTM and your done for life.

$100,000 speakers rarely use drivers of this quality
bloody shame.

Sorry for rambling, audio is my passion.

Dear Jim: Thank you for share your system and thank you for the wide explanation, I don't have any doubt that you really enjoy what you have: congratulations, a real passion for audio.


Btw, why no tuner?

regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Hi Jimpcn,
I enjoyed reading about your system! Thank you for sharing your speaker design; it sounds like a good future project.

Something that came to mind about your friend's tt is about the cartridge and its set-up. Perhaps it is an intrinsically laid back cartridge in its sound characteristic. An analogous situation happened to me with rolling some 12ax7's. I found Telefunkens to be laid back and thus lacking the sparkle of Bugle Boys. During a-b listening, I concluded that I would not buy more Telefunkens because of their sonic character. Other people have reported that they really like this characteristic.

Another thing that came to mind was that perhaps the vta needed tweaking.

Just thoughts...

Your pre-amp sounds really interesting! What issue of Glass Audio was it from? I am actually interested in trying it out. Alternatively, do you have a schematic that you would not mind sharing with me? I, too, am more of a DIY'er. I have old tube equipment that I modify and repair.

Thank you, in advance for any further information you can provide me!

Best regards.

like I said previously, I am not a tuner guy !!!

but because of the sound quality at my friends I'm saving to buy a used Dynalab 109 tuner!

Do not have a tuner at the moment, had a top of the line sansui 9900, and various macintosh tube tuners, even once had the dynalab 102 but the remote drove me crazy, ended up sell them all and listen very little to them because I prefered CD's and my vinyl collection to the commercial crap
they mostly play radio.

Never really missed the tuner.
Now just recently there are stations with new management playing better material, and the quality of the 109 is staggering, IMO.

So I am saving up for a used unit.

That's why I did not list a tuner, because I don't have it as yet, maybe in summer time if one comes up?

Bicycle_man I will be glad to share the article and schematic
but it's late tonight, promise to get back to you tomorrow.
I'll have to dig it out and will take time.

Regarding your point about his turntable setup, thats a grey area that I cannot vouch for.
he has a 12 " arm and there is no mistracking what so ever,
dont tell anyone I said so but he using Dynavector XV-1s
I do know that VTA is critical; that most cartridges will lock in at a certain sweet spot, but the
tuner just destroys that vinyl front end so bad its embarrasing!!!

My friend is not an idiot, so I'm assuming VTA is adjusted correctly. ???

later,