a bit of fun

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Charlie1
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a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

just a bit of fun for anyone bored of lockdown

what system would you like to build if you were limited to a specific point in time?

in other words, you can only pick new kit what was on sale at the same time

it could be anything from a budget system or top of the range
Last edited by Charlie1 on 2020-04-21 16:57, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

in honour of our host, i will kick off with a system available today:

Oak Linn LP12 / Karousel / Lingo 4 / Kore / Akito / Adikt
Lejonklou Slipsik 7
Lejonklou Boazu
Oak Linn Majik 109
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Spannko »

This is something I sometimes think about too.

For me, it would have to be a system built around the Troika, so it would be pre-circus LP12 + Lingo 1 + Ekos 1 + Kairn + Aktiv x/o + 3 off LK280/Spark + Isobariks + loads of great vinyl and music from the pre-loudness war days.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

I bet that would have sounded good. Would love to hear active Briks! I never really got to know the Troika either.
Spannko wrote: 2020-04-21 03:41 This is something I sometimes think about too.
I've only done this once - i.e. bought a complete system at once that lasted 10+ years. Some people then repeat the process, especially if they've left it much longer. After 30 odd years, the previous owner of my Briks was buying one last system, starting again from scratch.

It certainly has merit and keeps the focus on the music instead of kit. I suppose what intruiges me is that there are points in history that would have worked better than others.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by tokenbrit »

If only for the impression it made on me at the point in time that I heard it: CD12; Kairn; Klout(s)
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

Nice - what speakers would you use?

Released in '97, the CD12 design must have been quite a shock compared to LK and AV boxes of the day.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by tokenbrit »

Charlie1 wrote: 2020-04-21 17:01 Nice - what speakers would you use?

Released in '97, the CD12 design must have been quite a shock compared to LK and AV boxes of the day.
Speakers? I don't know that I heard anything in the late 90s that wow'd me, so would have to time-machine back, and audition speakers with the system... Not sure of availability new but maybe listen to something like Spendor BC-1, Epos ES11, and Yamaha NS1000 to see what the fuss is/was about. 'bariks were discontinued by then...
All that said, with the above system, I'd be happy with anything musical, speaker-wise, depending on the room, whether it's old-me house, somewhere in-between, or student-me bedsit ;)
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Lego »

Spannko wrote: 2020-04-21 03:41 This is something I sometimes think about too.

For me, it would have to be a system built around the Troika, so it would be pre-circus LP12 + Lingo 1 + Ekos 1 + Kairn + Aktiv x/o + 3 off LK280/Spark + Isobariks + loads of great vinyl and music from the pre-loudness war days.
I'm going with this, though I'd have aktiv klouts instead, this setup was the most enjoyable setup I've heard at any of linns demos . Listening to Linns Malt turntable digitally whatevered at the Linn Home was akin to the guy in the Maxell advert.... Astringent was the adjective that popped into my head though :0) https://youtu.be/RBauT4ADKbw
I know that tune
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

Lego wrote: 2020-04-22 08:45 I'm going with this, though I'd have aktiv klouts instead
You're limited to '92 for Klouts and Briks, although I seem to recall mention of a limited production run of Briks a few years later, similar to what they did with the CD12.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by David Neel »

A good bit of nostalgia! I'd go back to 80/81 and re-create a system I had then, but with three changes. The turntable would be the same, LP12 with DV505 and FR-7, the speakers would be Saras, and the amplification Naim.

First change from then-reality would be proper speaker stands and cable, no more bell-wire and speakers sat on chairs (yes, really, at one point!). Second change would be to have a Naim 160 instead of my 250, inspired by Charlie1's recent clips. The third change is a complete cheat, but would anyone actually see a Karousel inside the LP12?

Finally, I'd have a Yamaha T1, and be grateful for proper FM radio.....
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

David Neel wrote: 2020-04-22 12:51 The turntable would be the same, LP12 with DV505 and FR-7
Very unusual looking arm - don't think I've ever seen one before.

For anyone interested:
https://www.dynavector.com/etechnical/505manual.html
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by David Neel »

Charlie1 wrote: 2020-04-22 14:16
David Neel wrote: 2020-04-22 12:51 The turntable would be the same, LP12 with DV505 and FR-7
Very unusual looking arm - don't think I've ever seen one before.

For anyone interested:
https://www.dynavector.com/etechnical/505manual.html
Thanks for the picture, Charlie1!

Just to round out my system, I'd add a Nakamichi 1000 cassette deck, and a Nakamichi deck for the car as well... and while I'm at it, can I make the car a Maserati Khamsin please?
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

David Neel wrote: 2020-04-22 20:10 Just to round out my system, I'd add a Nakamichi 1000 cassette deck, and a Nakamichi deck for the car as well... and while I'm at it, can I make the car a Maserati Khamsin please?
Wow, you're on a roll.

I was more of a fan of the Merek, at least from a styling perspective as Top Trumps was about as close as I ever got.

Jay Leno's Garage on YouTube recently reviewed the Alfa Romeo Montreal which you might enjoy - nice car!
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by ThomasOK »

I'll play - with three different time periods. I've thought about this from time to time. If I had unlimited space and resources I'd love to put together a system from the mid to late 60s just to show how little the vast majority of equipment has improved from a purely musical standpoint. The system would be:

Marantz Model 10 tuner
Marantz Model 7c control center (preamp)
Marantz Model 9 mono block power amps
Quad ESL speakers

The problem with this system is when we come to the turntable. I have a hard time imagining any top system without an LP12. Since it came out in 1973 and the Marantz tube gear stopped production around 1968 I suppose I'd have to go with a Garrard 401 and some good arm and cartridge. But if I were going to do it as the exercise I mentioned above, I would slip in an LP12 with a Grace 707 and a Supex 900 (I'd love to stick in a Breuer, and I might given the chance, but that is stretching things even more as I'm not sure they were around before the late 70s).

If I was going later I'd have to side with Spannko:
"This is something I sometimes think about too.
For me, it would have to be a system built around the Troika, so it would be pre-circus LP12 + Lingo 1 + Ekos 1 + Kairn + Aktiv x/o + 3 off LK280/Spark + Isobariks + loads of great vinyl and music from the pre-loudness war days."
I basically owned this system, except I used 4 LK280/SPARKs with one for each woofer driver a'la Keltiks. I also had the Dirak for the crossover and the Bingo board. My Isobariks were 1988 vintage, before the monolithic crossover, but if I was buying it altogether it would be a 1992 pair. Then within a year I would have installed the Cirkus. It was a very, very good system.

Then we have now. This gives me the opposite problem to the 60s system was I know the source, but not the speakers. The system:
Klimax/Karousel LP12
SINGularity pair
Sagatun Monos
Tundra Monos

But what to do about speakers? I can't use the Quads (although I obviously do use the Quads) as they haven't been made since 1982 and I'm not fond of the current ones. I honestly haven't listened to many new speakers with an eye (ear) as to putting them in my system. I'd still love to hear the Vandersteen Model 7s or the new Kento on the end of my system but haven't had the opportunity. The new Dynaudio Confidence series sound promising as the 20 stand mount seems pretty good, but I haven't heard the 50s or 60s floorstanders. I have liked DeVore Orangutans at shows but again have not heard them in my system or a similar one. There are also the SoundLab full range electrostatics, which have a good reputation, but I have only heard them at shows and a fair time back as well. So if I needed to go with current speakers I'd have to pull a Music Lover and go on a hunt among current offerings. But since I don't have to go with current speakers, I think I'll just stick with the Quads! ;-)
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

ThomasOK wrote: 2020-04-22 20:49 I'll play - with three different time periods. I've thought about this from time to time. If I had unlimited space and resources I'd love to put together a system from the mid to late 60s just to show how little the vast majority of equipment has improved from a purely musical standpoint. The system would be:

Marantz Model 10 tuner
Marantz Model 7c control center (preamp)
Marantz Model 9 mono block power amps
Quad ESL speakers
I do like the look of those mono blocks - very nice! Hard to believe they date back to the '60s. Here's a pic for anyone interested.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aViP5Nlpb94/maxresdefault.jpg

Ref Model 7c, you might find this brief interview of interest (under 'Interview' tab):
https://www.marantz.com/en-gb/aboutus/kenishiwata
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by V.A.MKD »

Very interesting issue ... dreams ...

I will go with 2 options ... One from the past, one actual ...

Nostalgia maybe, but ... even today it will sound / sing with I lot of emotions ...
LP 12/Valhalla/...
LK1 / LK2
Isobarik

New ...
Linn LP12 / Top Spec ...
Lejonklou SINGularity pair
Lejonklou Sagatun Mono pair
Lejonklou Tundra Mono pair
Speakers BIG BIG ? ... Linn, BBC XY model, JBL ?, Lipinski, Strauss, Manger, Kiso, But most important Stand Mount Mini ...
Music First ...
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

V.A.MKD wrote: 2020-04-24 09:13 Linn LP12 / Top Spec ...
Lejonklou SINGularity pair
Lejonklou Sagatun Mono pair
Lejonklou Tundra Mono pair
Speakers BIG BIG ? ... Linn, BBC XY model, JBL ?, Lipinski, Strauss, Manger, Kiso, But most important Stand Mount Mini ...
Nice!

With Linn dropping out of the passive market, there appears to be no obvious replacement although plenty of contenders. Whenever I've tried non Linn at home it's been a dissapointment in terms of coherence and musical flow.

Would like to hear Grahams of course but not familiar with the other names, except JBL.

As for a stand mount mini, heard some good things about Guru speakers (Junior and Q10). I heard the latter very briefly in someone's home and it seemed good. The designer is a firm believer in single wiring so that's a start in the right direction. But I've had high hopes before so who knows. M109s are not a favourite Linn speaker but they will be hard to beat I think.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by V.A.MKD »

Charlie1 wrote: 2020-04-24 12:01
V.A.MKD wrote: 2020-04-24 09:13 Linn LP12 / Top Spec ...
Lejonklou SINGularity pair
Lejonklou Sagatun Mono pair
Lejonklou Tundra Mono pair
Speakers BIG BIG ? ... Linn, BBC XY model, JBL ?, Lipinski, Strauss, Manger, Kiso, But most important Stand Mount Mini ...
As for a stand mount mini, heard some good things about Guru speakers (Junior and Q10). I heard the latter very briefly in someone's home and it seemed good. The designer is a firm believer in single wiring so that's a start in the right direction. But I've had high hopes before so who knows. M109s are not a favourite Linn speaker but they will be hard to beat I think.
Thank you Charlie1,

Guru Speakers ... 1st time hear ... will search ...

Since day 1, when I first time hear Briks (I post that here) I'm very big fan of Linn Isobarik system so ... 109 is I believe you hard to beat, but I will like to have Akudorik (I think they are stand mount, not Akubarik), they are I think OK for my room and music preferences ...

I didn't mention in my first post, Kudos Titan 505 is maybe good option ... They are somehow in Linn, Naim, Exposure ... and are also Isobaric System ... as far as I understand ... but never hear them ...
Music First ...
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

V.A.MKD wrote: 2020-04-24 15:12 but I will like to have Akudorik (I think they are stand mount, not Akubarik), they are I think OK for my room and music preferences ...
At least one person on the forum has passive Doriks. They certainly sound good in the clips. I did hear them once but they were brand new out the box so a bit stiff.
V.A.MKD wrote: 2020-04-24 15:12 I didn't mention in my first post, Kudos Titan 505 is maybe good option ... They are somehow in Linn, Naim, Exposure ... and are also Isobaric System ... as far as I understand ... but never hear them ...
I heard Kudos for the first time at the Bristol show this year. It was one of the few systems that engaged me. It was quite a strange setup though, active 707s with Supernait 3, NAP250, HiCap and some other boxes.

EDIT:
Here's a link instead:
https://kudosaudio.com/join-kudos-audio ... show-2020/

That reminds me, the Exposure system was good too.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by V.A.MKD »

Hi Charlie1,

Thank you for your help.

I Check the link that you send me. 707 are really good / promising ... small footprint & flagship performance is maybe option, but have to do little work with furniture ...

I Check Guru Audio also ... small, promising and as you say musical ...

This terrible situation to finish and everything will be ...
Music First ...
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by beck »

Just to blow my own system out of the water I would like to have this setup:

https://youtu.be/IN1lE3Om8Z8

A Pioneer SX 1980 Receiver (the king of receivers) and Tannoy Arden HPD 385 speakers. Top it with a 1980 Sondek. This one would be nice:

https://youtu.be/jmFjye9LVVA


My older brother had the small Pioneer SX 434 with the lovely blue dial screen for radio and some home build speakers. He used it with a Technics direct drive turntable.
Playing cd’s…………
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by lejonklou »

Charlie1 wrote: 2020-04-24 12:01 As for a stand mount mini, heard some good things about Guru speakers (Junior and Q10). I heard the latter very briefly in someone's home and it seemed good. The designer is a firm believer in single wiring so that's a start in the right direction. But I've had high hopes before so who knows. M109s are not a favourite Linn speaker but they will be hard to beat I think.
Scammers. I have a customer on the other side of the planet who paid in advance for a pair of Guru speakers. Didn't get anything. More than a year later I helped him get in contact with them (their old phone number and email address went cold) as their headquarters is here in Uppsala. He finally received a reply. They said they were really sorry and that they'd make sure he'd get the speakers he'd paid for. After that: Silence. No speakers, no reply.

The products themselves are decent. One of my retailers used to sell Q10 - he and virtually all of his customers thought Linn Majik 109 was clearly better (at half the price). I know that several people who read this forum (but rarely contributes) have owned a pair of Guru's, but I don't know anyone who's actually kept them.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

Oh dear. That's a shame but thanks for highlighting. I didn't realise they were so local to you.

Oh well, another one bites the dust.
Last edited by Charlie1 on 2020-04-25 21:38, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by Charlie1 »

beck wrote: 2020-04-25 16:03 A Pioneer SX 1980 Receiver (the king of receivers) and Tannoy Arden HPD 385 speakers. Top it with a 1980 Sondek. This one would be nice:
In the late 80s I hated things like that but now really like them.

Amps like that are quite expensive now.
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Re: a bit of fun

Post by V.A.MKD »

lejonklou wrote: 2020-04-25 18:33
Charlie1 wrote: 2020-04-24 12:01 As for a stand mount mini, heard some good things about Guru speakers (Junior and Q10). I heard the latter very briefly in someone's home and it seemed good. The designer is a firm believer in single wiring so that's a start in the right direction. But I've had high hopes before so who knows. M109s are not a favourite Linn speaker but they will be hard to beat I think.
Scammers. I have a customer on the other side of the planet who paid in advance for a pair of Guru speakers. Didn't get anything. More than a year later I helped him get in contact with them (their old phone number and email address went cold) as their headquarters is here in Uppsala. He finally received a reply. They said they were really sorry and that they'd make sure he'd get the speakers he'd paid for. After that: Silence. No speakers, no reply.

The products themselves are decent. One of my retailers used to sell Q10 - he and virtually all of his customers thought Linn Majik 109 was clearly better (at half the price). I know that several people who read this forum (but rarely contributes) have owned a pair of Guru's, but I don't know anyone who's actually kept them.
Hi Mr. Lejonklou,

Thank you very much for Excellent information ... Scammers ...
What ever is quality of speakers ... Scammers ...

Thank you again.
All the best and keep safe you and your family.
Music First ...
Vlado
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