allenh Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I went to a 2nd hand audio fair the other weekend and went in with some cash money and amongst other things exchanged it for this A Revox PR99 MkIII, it needed a little work but sounds silky smooth now, I can't turn down a Revox for the right money, I also picked up a scruffy B77 that is now working properly but needs a little cosmetic help. And this Micromega Stage 3 CD player. French made and well know for giving a Gallic shrug when you want them to do what you paid for like actually play a CD but stunning when actually working, the only little quirk this one has it that it refuses to shut the drawer when you press close but apart from that doesn't show any of the normal faults with the mechanism these usually have and of course sounds superb. I have had loads of Micromega's over the years and have always had a liking for them. The later Stage 4, 5 and 6 sorted out all the reliability issues but just don't have the vinyl like warmth of the Stage 1, 2 and 3 sadly. At the same fair I picked up a Tascam mixer to go with my Tascam 38, a Linn Basik arm that needs a little help and Revolver Rebel turntable for the arm (it has a nice Jelco on it), pity to break it up really though as it's in stunning condition so I might try and work out and rectify what ever it is that makes the Rebel sound so poor compared to how good it should sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 So you bought a ton of broken stuff? You limeys are weird. In the great country of Merica, we buy working stuff. Klefki 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 So you bought a ton of broken stuff? You limeys are weird. In the great country of Merica, we buy working stuff. moreover, we throw working stuff in the landfill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 So you bought a ton of broken stuff? You limeys are weird. In the great country of Merica, we buy working stuff. You forget I've been to the great country of Merica and seen what you call working stuff. moreover, we throw working stuff in the landfill. It's all to do with making sure good stuff don't end up in landfill and poison the planet man etc. etc. insert lots of green rhetoric you hear in trendy places in London etc, etc. Sounds good when you sell to the hipsters etc. etc. Or more accurately the fact I have the ability to take broken expensive stuff bought for little money and repair it to make valuable stuff I can sell to buy more shiny new stuff. Trouble is the broken stuff is now fetching nearer to the values of the working stuff so it's getting harder to turn a profit but it was fun while it lasted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabwalker Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I may have just purchased a van alstine 600r power amp. That goes along with my purchase of a wyred DAC 2 this week. My wallet hates me but my ears are going to love me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STÖNCÜLD Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Kenwood 1090VR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Not officially purchase, but I just set up a marantz TT15 in my home and am test driving it over the weekend. It's going to be a display model in the store where I work so I need to take it back sometime next week . Just put the first record on, and holy shit it sounds pretty awesome. I wish I had the money to actually afford one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Not officially purchase, but I just set up a marantz TT15 in my home and am test driving it over the weekend. It's going to be a display model in the store where I work so I need to take it back sometime next week . Just put the first record on, and holy shit it sounds pretty awesome. I wish I had the money to actually afford one! Get in the club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I wish.. Not cool enough though, unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Just bought a Yamaha RX-A830 from a chain store here in an open box deal for £315. I decided it was time to replace the Onkyo TX-SR705 in my AV setup, I've never liked it and always thought it sounded rubbish with an unusable phono stage. I had a Rotel before that sounded lovely but just didn't work hdmi wise so I recently went to listen to a few AV amps and liked the Yamaha sound, the one in the shop that I most liked was the Yamaha RX-A840 but didn't really want to spend just short of £800 on an AV amp. I looked around at the lower range models and manufacturer refurbs but felt it was the RX-A range I wanted so when I found the RX-A830 for that price metaphorically I bit their arm off as the 830 is basically the 840 but without wifi and as I have a network switch for everything else in my AV system to connect to the lack of Wifi for £450ish didn't seem to be a problem. I don't like the sound of a lot of AV receivers and Onkyo and Denon I find to be about the worst, I've tried Marantz and Pioneer and just don't find them to be as musical as the equivalent Yamaha's, I love Arcam but find I have to go a long way up their tree to get what I want feature wise so that had me pretty settled in the Yamaha range. To be fair to my Onkyo I think it's biggest problem apart from the phono stage was the front speakers I'm driving with it and even in Bi amp mode it's just not man enough for the job, which was also a concern looking lower down any of the manufacturers ranges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I wish.. Not cool enough though, unfortunately. So how much time are you now spending trying to work out what you can sell to buy one then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 So how much time are you now spending trying to work out what you can sell to buy one then?Haha not much at the moment. To be honest I still love my pioneer table and whether it's some kind of reverse placebo effect or not, the difference in sound quality to my ears between these two tables, while noticeable, isn't worth the difference in price in my opinion. I could sell the pioneer with the cartridge I have on it and with the discount I would get on a new TT15 not even have to come that far out of pocket, but something's telling me I would regret that down the road. I could technically afford this table pretty easy but for only having one turntable system in my home I think having two tables would be a bit of overkill. Maybe one day, when I have Shaizda money, just not anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Haha not much at the moment. To be honest I still love my pioneer table and whether it's some kind of reverse placebo effect or not, the difference in sound quality to my ears between these two tables, while noticeable, isn't worth the difference in price in my opinion. I could sell the pioneer with the cartridge I have on it and with the discount I would get on a new TT15 not even have to come that far out of pocket, but something's telling me I would regret that down the road. I could technically afford this table pretty easy but for only having one turntable system in my home I think having two tables would be a bit of overkill. Maybe one day, when I have Shaizda money, just not anytime soon. I know where you're coming from, with something like a turntable nothing has really changed design wise in a very very long time so if you already have something well engineered and well made then the law of diminishing returns is very apparent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wexzer Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I finally bought a proper system for playing my records. I just had a crappy turntable and set of speakers before, so I can't wait to hear the difference. I'm really looking foward to the things arrive and I can set it up. Anyways, I bought the following stuff:- Rega RP1 Performance pack (I actually would had bought a U-turn orbit plus if I could) - Yamaha A-S500- Monitor Audio Bronze BX5 Now I'm trying to figure out what speaker cables to buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Blue Jeans Cable LC-1s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wexzer Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Blue Jeans Cable LC-1s Cheers! It was actually the cable I've considered the most since I've seen that pop up on a lot of message boards. It's a little bit pricey (At least for my budget), but I decided to go with them. Oh man, I so hope I'll have received everything before the easter holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 You'll never buy another cable again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannibal Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 You'll never buy another cable again. UH, yes you will. Morrow Audio. My BJCs are now sitting on the floor. Even the MA1s will change what you think about cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 UH, yes you will. Morrow Audio. My BJCs are now sitting on the floor. Even the MA1s will change what you think about cables. Listen- not all of us can have the 2nd best system on the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannibal Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Listen- not all of us can have the 2nd best system on the board. No duh, but I say try it. BJC 3ft will cost you $31. The MA1 is $50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I bought a this set up (dirt cheap, $19 and it was charity) this weekend: Hitachi HT-300 TT Hitachi HRD-200 Tuner/Amplifier/Equalizer/Tape Deck Wharfedale Laser 40 Speakers Can anyone tell me anything about them? OK? Good? Garbage? I find no information on the internet, mostly stuff for sale only and expensive PDF manuals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 The speakers are probably the best thing about that set up and the amplifier is your weak link. If it sounds good though, hey, it was only $19. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Care to explain why the amplifier is the weak link? If I have an external pre-amp, would that help? I might use the amplifier with my Thorens player, until I find a better one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 All in ones are generally made to a price which is usually a low one and especially so when that was made plus Hitachi were not known for top end quality so the chances of it being stunning are pretty low. But for whatever portion of $19 it represents it will still outperform the amp in a Crosley and if working does represent extremely good value so it's all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Ok, thanks. I'm in search for "my" amp, so this is pretty much only a temporary thing until I find it. How about the Wharfedales, know anything about them, allen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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