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Post by ChrisB on Nov 29, 2014 13:24:03 GMT
Just for a bit of fun, I'm going to take you shopping at HiFiDo. So, it's 3 million Yen, rather than Pounds I want you to build a single source system of your choice for 3 million Yen. That's £16,163, at today's exchange rate. You'll be using your own cables and tables so you don't need to budget for them. What can you come up with? Make a list with prices and piccies. Maybe the odd descriptive quote or two from other sites or reviews? Let's see what interesting systems we can build! |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 29, 2014 14:25:37 GMT
Here's my list, I've come in at just over ¥2M.
For two fine front ends, I've gone for an original SP10 with a rather nice look Fidelity Research FR-54 arm, AT ART-7 cartridge, AT headshell and a Primare phono stage. For CDs I could hardly better an Esoteric SACD player at a bargain price.
For the core of the system I've decided on a top end Sony preamp and Pass Labs power amp to give some serious grunt.
Speakers - how could it not be those mega JBLs with the potential to move air in a very controlled way?
This system would seriously rock. |
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Post by ChrisB on Nov 29, 2014 19:18:09 GMT
I think I'd have to see what the following system would sound like: Turntable: Victor (JVC) TT-101 and SAEC WE-308 Tonearm 158,000 Yen   Cartridge: Ortofon SPU Reference G at 74,800 Yen  Pre-amp: I couldn't walk past a Mark Levinson JC-2 without snapping it up - 580,000 Yen This is a John Curl and Tom Colangelo masterpiece from 1974(ish). This one only has the MM phono stage modules, so I'm going to need a little soething extra to goose it up for the SPU.  Head amp: Mark Levinson JC-1 at 99,800 Yen. There's a choice of three! I'll go for the battery powered version  Speakers: I fancy having a go with some ribbons and what do you know, there's a pair of Apogee Divas there for a mere 598,000 Yen  Power amp: Since the Apogees need lots of juice and can be bi-amped, I think it might be best to take an alternative approach to power amplification. The Threshold Model 800A is a bit of a beefcake. I rather think it can be bridged for mono operation, so I'll take some of those! They have three Thresholds in stock, which is handy as two Model 800As can be bridged to sort out the bass and the third, which is a Model 400A will handle the rest of it. 348,000 & 378,000 Yen for the 800As and 148,000 Yen for the 400A. Threshold Model 800A  Threshold Model 400A  That ought to do it! Total costs: | Victor TT-101 | Turntable | 158,000 | | SAEC WE-308 | Tonearm | N/A | | Ortofon SPU Reference G | Phono cartridge | 74,800 | | Mark Levinson JC-1 | Head amp | 99,800 | | Mark Levinson JC-2 | Preamplifier | 580,000 | | Threshold Model 800A | Mono bass power amp | 348,000 | | Threshold Model 800A | Mono bass power amp | 378,000 | | Threshold Model 400A | Mid/treble power amp | 148,000 | | Apogee Diva | Loudspeakers | 148,000 |
| Total Cost | 2,384,600 |
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Post by MartinT on Nov 29, 2014 21:34:08 GMT
No CD then, Chris?
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Post by ChrisB on Nov 29, 2014 22:09:25 GMT
No, I need to save the change in case I hate the Apogees!
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Post by MartinT on Nov 29, 2014 23:34:44 GMT
Thought you'd go for the ML kit. The Divas? I wasn't sure about them and repairs could be next to impossible.
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Post by ChrisB on Nov 29, 2014 23:54:28 GMT
Yeah, I was seriously tempted by the ML 3 power amp too!
It was a toss up between some even bigger JBLs than the ones you went for and the Divas. But then again, I could have gone for a full Altec amp and speaker combo too....
It's a well stocked dealership isn't it?!
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195 
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Post by Barry on Dec 2, 2014 2:17:58 GMT
Oh goody – can I play? Given a limit of ¥ 3,000,000 to purchase a single source system from this particular Japanese audio emporium, I would be interested in the following items for a record based system: Front endGarrard 401 turntable with an EMT 929 arm (¥178,000)  A bit scruffy cosmetically, but nothing to worry about. At least it come in a plinth. with an EMT TSD-15 cartridge (¥ 89,800)  Alternatively, there is: Thorens TD124 Mk.I turntable with a SAEC WE-407/23 arm (¥ 348,000)  also in a nice plinth, to which I would fit an Ortofon SPU–GE cartridge (¥ 55,000)  PreamplificationFor the head amp I would choose the Mark Levinson JC-1AC, with selectable gain settings (¥ 118,000)  which would feed either a Yamaha C2a preamp (¥ 138,000)  or, not surprisingly, a Mark Levinson JC-2 preamp (¥ 198,000)  or even a Mark Levinson (Madrigal) ML 380 SL preamp (¥ 398,000)  I like this one as I like to use balanced line connections as much as possible. Power amplifierWell it would have to be the 200W/channel Mark Levinson ML-3 (¥ 448,000)  Capable of driving just about anything, I believe it has a current capacity into 1Ω of 80A. Not so much an amplifier more a welding set! SpeakersOf those advertised for sale the following interest me: Apogee Diva (¥ 598,000)  These have an insane impedance (< 1 Ω), so would need to be powered by the Levinson ML-3. Tannoy Autograph (¥ 1,580,000)  I’m not a fan of horn-loaded speakers, but I would love to hear these. Tannoy York (¥ 745,000)  More to my taste - 15" dual concentric drivers or the Tannoy Lancaster (¥ 238,000)  Smaller than the Yorks, and thought by some to be too small a cabinet for the 15" dual concentric drivers. So out of the above what would I put together? Well if it is to spend as close to ¥ 3,000,000 then it would have to be the Garrard 401/EMT front end with Levinson JC1–AC/ ML 380SL/ ML-3 amplification and the Tannoy Autograph speakers. Total cost ¥ 2,811,800. But personally I would go for the Thorens 124/ SAEC/ Ortofon SPU-GE front end with the same Levinson electronics feeding the Apogee Diva speakers. Total cost ¥ 1,979,000. That would leave me with just over a million Yen, with which to buy some lovely Japanese pressings. Of course all of this is dependent on the above items being available at the used prices quoted – but it’s a nice game to play nonetheless! |
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Post by MartinT on Dec 2, 2014 7:59:49 GMT
I missed the 401 in the listings.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 2, 2014 8:22:42 GMT
There were a couple but when I saw that one with the EMT arm, I immediately thought of Barry!
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Post by ChrisB on Feb 5, 2016 20:15:07 GMT
Having recently been reminded on another thread about the delights to be found on the HiFiDo website, I'm going to breathe some life into this. As per the thread starter, the budget for a single source system is 3 million Yen ( that's £17695.40 - an extra fifteen hundred quid over last time!). If you have any change you can get yourself another source or two. Back later. In the meantime, I'm off to see what they've got in the shop! |
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Post by ChrisB on Feb 6, 2016 1:21:32 GMT
Oh what fun searching the shop with 3 million in your pocket! I'm going for an open reel tape player as my main source here. Denon DN-3302RGJPY 118,000  Preamp will be something I've lusted over for a long, long time. Mark Levinson ML-6JPY 718,000 Phwoar!  Speakers will be these rare in the UK beauties. Pioneer S-1000TWIN/AJPY 118,000  ...and for power amp duties.... Accuphase A-60JPY 598,000  That leave me with just a smidge over half my budget, so I'm going to have a turntable as a second source - the Levinson pre has one line input and one phono cartridge input, so that will do fine. I'd take the EMT turntable, but it busts my budget by a few quid, so I'll go with.... Nottingham Analogue MentorJPY 558,000  Leaving me with a million yen or so to purchase a cartridge and some juicy tapes to play on the Denon. |
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Post by MartinT on Feb 6, 2016 1:30:18 GMT
Nicely different, although goodness knows how many decent tapes you could get for the Denon. I'd jack that in for the EMT.
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Post by ChrisB on Feb 6, 2016 1:39:08 GMT
I was thinking master tapes, so you probably wouldn't get many!
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Feb 6, 2016 23:49:17 GMT
Oh what fun searching the shop with 3 million in your pocket! I'm going for an open reel tape player as my main source here. Denon DN-3302RGJPY 118,000 Preamp will be something I've lusted over for a long, long time. Mark Levinson ML-6JPY 718,000 Phwoar! Speakers will be these rare in the UK beauties. Pioneer S-1000TWIN/AJPY 118,000 ...and for power amp duties.... Accuphase A-60JPY 598,000 That leave me with just a smidge over half my budget, so I'm going to have a turntable as a second source - the Levinson pre has one line input and one phono cartridge input, so that will do fine. I'd take the EMT turntable, but it busts my budget by a few quid, so I'll go with.... Nottingham Analogue MentorJPY 558,000 Leaving me with a million yen or so to purchase a cartridge and some juicy tapes to play on the Denon. Those Levinson ML-6s with the silver fascia are extremely rare. Expect they are a custom job fitted with the front panel Camac sockets (for a tape machine?). Also, the double wooden case for the pre-amps is rare. What is the EMT deck they have for sale? |
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Post by Slinger on Feb 6, 2016 23:58:49 GMT
Can I just get a cheap(ish) system and spend the rest on guitars?  |
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Post by ChrisB on Feb 7, 2016 0:42:28 GMT
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Post by ChrisB on Feb 7, 2016 0:44:04 GMT
Can I just get a cheap(ish) system and spend the rest on guitars? :D That'll do it! |
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Post by Tim on Feb 7, 2016 14:23:09 GMT
If I'm in Japan with 3 million yen on the hip, I ain't buying Hi-Fi dudes 
(just back from happy hour at the Hilton!) |
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Feb 7, 2016 15:31:19 GMT
The ML-6s were said to be the best preamps Levinson made. But I would pass them up for two reasons: (1) I would find the separate volume controls a pain in the arse, and (2) much of the circuitry consists of modules that plug into a motherboard. These modules are sealed in epoxy resin and so are impossible to repair. That EMT deck is the same as mine, save for the fact it uses an Ortofon RMF arm used by EMT before they developed their own 929 arm. 1.68 million yen translates to ~ £13,500! That's an absurd price - I paid £2,500 for mine, complete with a very heavy plinth. The high price asked might be due to it being an early version with the Ortofon arm. Also the cream paint finish is unusual, very unusual - until I saw the photo I had assumed all EMT930s (and its forerunner the 927) were finished in silver-grey hammertone. |
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