I am as I am sure you can figure out an analog freak, I have over 2000 records and still buy new releases on a regular basis. I thought you might get a chuckle out of my home brew speakers! The pictures really don't do them justice.(Yes,they are red).I am 52 and have been playing with this stuff for fourty years (hence the title). Maybe I am regressing,but this sounds as good to me as anything I have owned.With the exception of the tube amps this is all American made.The showcase piece is the Audionics pre which is one of 50. It is signed and numbered by Jim Fosgate.I am a tinkerer,this is probably more than most people would care to deal with. Not a very high WAF either. Tucked away in a pretty good size family room I also have video (100' front projector),but my emphasis is definetly on two channel audio.The pre has 7.1 pass through inputs so I am able to keep the two completely seperate. Not one part of the audio portion of this is remote controlled! I have the Ipronto for video and lights (X10). Its all fun.
African rosewood. I have owned about a dozen Sotas.
Oracle Audio Technologies Delphi mkII
Has an SME III currently.
Luxman PD-300
Vacuum hold down
Sumiko MMT-classic
I use a pair of these quite frequently. Handy for swapping cartridges quickly.
Syrinx PU-2 Gold
One of a dozen arms
Helius Scorpio
I use this every once in a while
SME 3009 mkIII
I have a couple of these,great for low mass high compliance cartridges like B+O, ADC XLM,etc.
Dynavector Karat Ruby
One of about two dozen cartridges I have hoarded over the years
Sumiko Bluepoint Special
I have three of these
Fosgate Audionics FAP-V1
Serial number 24/50.
TDM Active crossover TDM
For bi-amping my home brew speakers
Ming Da MC-805 mono pair
I use these (single ended triodes,about 30 watts each) into my planter horns
Chiro C-500
I use two channels of this (120w each) to bi-amp the woofer sections (JBL 2205 15")of my home brew speakers
Pioneer CLD-97
Laser disc player that I use as a transport.I am not as serious about digital!
Home Brew Altec 902 /JBL 2205/ APT supertweet
Got some large planters fron Loews home improvement store and adapted them to Altec 902B compression drivers. JBL 2205 woofers in a pair of Altec Santana cabinets that I found on Craigslist.Apt 80 supertweeters. Most natural sounding horns I have ever heard! Not the least bit brash or colored,efficiency matches the woofers better. Bi-amping makes all the difference. Single ended triodes on the horns,SS on the bass.Total investment about $600. not including the electronics/active crossover.I cannot afford Avant Gardes,and these are much better than I thought they would be! BTW,I have owned Merlin VSM Ms,Apogee Duetta Signatures,Magnepans,Sonus Faber,Green Mountain Diamantes,Rogers LS 3/5as,and many other top notch speakers.
Sumiko Ocos
On the horns, Apature wire on the woofers
Sharp DLP
Front projector with 100" motorized screen
Altec Lansing 846b
Altec Valencia B center speaker
Philips Ipronto
Touchscreen remote. I have programmed this to operate all video sources only,lights and fans(X10),and the motorized projection screen.
System edited: Recently updated the speakers to a more modern look. Still using the Apt tweeters, the only thing in common with my previous experiment.
UPDATE! NEWS FLASH! I have changed the Altec drivers to full range Fostex 8" banana pulp whizzers with Planet 10 phase plugs. I bought a Levinson system on my local Craiglist which included another Delphi with a Mission 774 tonearm. The ML- 12A has replaced the Mod Squad Phonodrive temporarily and I have swapped out the racks for nicer taller ones. Updated pictures to follow.
Underdog,the Sotas work great. The one item missing from the pictures and description is an Earthquake Supernova sub.I left this out so as not to jade anyones opinion but it is very much in use and sits fairly close to the racks.I need a floating subchassis table for obvious reasons. I sold a friend my Micro Seiki RX-1500fvg because as massive as it was it still howled.I also have had three LP12s,I currently have the Oracle,Lux Pd-300 and other tables as my description shows.Sitting in the wings just from a collectability standpoint are a Yamaha PX-3,Thorens TD-125,ERA 444 (French),and another Luxman DD table. Sotas can be had relatively reasonably on the second hand market,I have owned about 7 or 8 over the years and these are the nicest two. A word to the wise though- they are not cheap to repair. You are better off buying spare tables for parts than dealing with the manufacturer. $600. for a motor! You can buy an older Sapphire for that.
"Wife? Naaaaaaaa. Thank you for your kind words,though.Family room is mine, girlfriend hangs out upstairs. Non audiophile,got her down there once and the best comment I got was "I can understand the words they are singing for the first time". This beats any complimentary adjective anyone else could ever come up with."
Veritas.....boy you do have it right....nice system.
Wife? Naaaaaaaa. Thank you for your kind words,though.Family room is mine, girlfriend hangs out upstairs. Non audiophile,got her down there once and the best comment I got was "I can understand the words they are singing for the first time". This beats any complimentary adjective anyone else could ever come up with.
Love, love, love the system. I've always wanted to hear the Fosgate, I was really sorry to see them go out of business. Your wife is a saint, as is mine!!
Hey it looks great and I bet it sounds sweet also . I also have about 2000 records and been at this 40 + years it looks like that may be a basement room me to. I have no video in my sound room but that may change I have a spot for a 50 inch plasma with the jacks all ready for it. Funny I think mine is all American also except the cartridges and my phono pre and records from everywhere as i said bet it sounds great nice job. Marc
