Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Nov 12, 2015 23:46:05 GMT
Martin this is a timely statement as an enthusiastic member of HFS and NVA owner (not me) will be operating a loan scheme to try NVA product. He is offering to pay trade fee on other forums (although not strictly trade) but since we don't have trade here I hope he will be allowed to publish information and contact details of this scheme here. Might benefit members of TAS and AOS in trying NVA product as it is deemed unmentionable on certain forums. An unfortunate over reaction to personal differences with Mr Dunne. Unfortunate that he won't be let back unless Marco is allowed as he has at least a host of technical knowledge to contribute if only people who know nowt wouldn't insist on trying to rubbish him. MODERATION: See belowNVA make some fine-sounding audio gear for a very reasonable price. They can do this because they have chosen to eschew any dealership agreements. As such, NVA can only be easily bought through contact via their official website, or through their ‘shop’ on eBay. The loan scheme is thus a very good way for those interested to audition NVA equipment without commitment. MODERATION: Thank you for pointing out the presence of unwanted baggage in Paul's post above Barry. However, the rest of this post must be deleted as it compounds the problem.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Nov 12, 2015 2:44:45 GMT
The only thing I have in common with the author is we both use the same Nitty Gritty RCM.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Nov 12, 2015 2:39:51 GMT
Whilst I have several LPs worth over £100, I think the most I have paid is £20 for a US import pressing of Janis Ian's debut LP: 'Society's Child'.
I buy LPs to listen to, not as an investement - I loath record fairs with the sellers clutching their copies of the Record Collectors Guide!
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Nov 12, 2015 2:27:26 GMT
Enjoyed this week's show ... and enjoyed the rather wacky Caravan Palace. Thought Caravan Palace were great - brilliant to see an act that were really enjoying themselves in an age when all musicians want to look so serious/tortured ! Agreed!
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Nov 12, 2015 2:20:44 GMT
That effing song by The Pogues played every Christmas. It makes me want to wreak extermination on every band member, especially the drunken singer, for inflicting that shit on our radio waves. EDIT: I would definitely be doing the world a favour. But that's how you know it's Christmas! Christmas wouldn't be the same without it: Anyway if it were me I would consign everything by T-rex to Room 101!
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Nov 12, 2015 2:16:40 GMT
The entire Beatles catalogue De gustibus non disputandem - suum cuique!
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Nov 12, 2015 2:13:11 GMT
There is one song that even if I think of it (like now ) I get an ear worm , too late Brimful of Asha by Cornershop . Here you go
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Nov 1, 2015 1:30:37 GMT
Can't say I was impressed - in fact I got bored after 3 minutes! But then I find listening to percussion boring. I don't even listen to the Kodo drummers of Japan anymore, since I saw them play in London a few years ago. The operative word here is saw - you just have to see them to understand the visceral and physical effort the drummers put in to their playing as well as the choreography between the players. None of this come across if you just hear them on CD.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 19, 2015 11:14:25 GMT
Don't see the point in staying there you may aswell stay in Padova & just visit {If you really must}, Padova is a loverly place to stay. "If you really must"? Whilst I agree Padua is a lovely city, and cheaper than Venice, the latter is unique and I can't see the point in staying in Padua and not visiting Venice.
It's a bit like staying in Crete and not visiting Santorini.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 18, 2015 23:37:15 GMT
Just returned from Venice today. It was a surprise trip for my girlfriend, who like all women seem to harbour romantic images of the city.
Enjoyed my time there: was impressed by the Doge's Palace and some of the smaller churches; eat and drank well way from St Mark's square and didn't pay ludicrous prices. Certainly didn't use a gondola - much cheaper and convenient to use the 'vaporettos' to get around and to visit the other islands in the lagoon.
Something 'ticked off the list' but I'm not sure I would return. Florence on the other hand ....
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 13, 2015 22:00:34 GMT
I've never heard an ADC 25 but I know of its reputation. How good is it compared with modern carts? To be honest Martin, I haven't heard a modern fixed-coil cartridge; all my newer cartridges are moving-coil designs. However to answer your question I would say the ADCs do not disgrace themselves when put up against newer designs. They are smooth, clear and transparent, with acceptable detail retrieval and transient attack.
The Deccas display a presence, air and transient attack to die for; no other cartridge comes close in conveying a feeling of 'being there'. But they do have their problems and shortcomings. I have promised myself I shall hear a Decca (London) Reference cartridge before I shuffle off this mortal coil.
Mind you the ADCs are not without their difficulties. They have an absurdly high compliance (quite the opposite of the Deccas): the 10E has a compliance of 35cu, and the 25/26 has a compliance of 50cu (Stereo Sound magazine measured a figure of 120cu!). So they can only be used with arms having low effective mass. The SME 3009 (Improved) can be used, though the fixed headshell version is better. I used my 25 in either a Breuer Dynamic Type 5A arm (effective mass 4g), or a Infinity 'Black Widow' arm (effective mass 3g) with secure tracking at 0.75g.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 13, 2015 16:58:03 GMT
There are some very good fixed-coil cartridges out there. Here are some (vintage) designs I still enjoy listening to:
ADC 10E Mk. IV ADC 25 (with either elliptical stylus) AKG P8ES
B&O SP12 and SP14 B&O MMC20S, MMC20E and MMC20CL
Plus, of course the incomparable Decca designs:
Decca Mk. III, Mk. IV, Mk. V and Mk. VI.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 5, 2015 14:42:17 GMT
The item is now spoken for.
Thanks for the interest.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 5, 2015 12:15:12 GMT
Surplus to requirement and offered gratis is a Cobonic Spirig 30x Lightscope FF-393 stylus inspection microscope. Bought thirty years ago and now replaced by something more powerful and convenient to use. It comes complete with operating instructions and carrying pouch. Uses two AA size batteries, which will need replacing. First come, first serve – PM me if interested.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 3, 2015 18:22:59 GMT
Suspect they are nothing more than a simple Zobel network, probably consisting of a 1uF oil-filled paper capacitor in series with a 10 or 15Ohm 5W resistor.
All that blurb about Fleming's left hand rule and speakers being generators of back-EMF, whilst true, has been known about for ages. To damp out the back-EMF all one needs is for the driving power amplifier to have a very low output impedance, and for the speaker cables to have very low loop resistance. A good reason to use monoblock amplifiers placed directly behind each speaker, so minimising the length of the speaker cable
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 3, 2015 13:20:13 GMT
Loved his defintion of art: "All those things you don't have to do." Talk about lateral thinking!
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Oct 1, 2015 15:00:06 GMT
For Sale: Shure M75E Mk. II with brand new, unused Ed Saunders stylus. Selling on behalf of a friend, his Shure M75E Mk. II cartridge fitted with a brand new and unused Ed Saunders stylus. Information taken from 1971 Hi Fi Year Book and vinylengine.com: Stereo Dynetic magnetic cartridge. Moving magnet. 1/2" fixing centres. Mass: 6g Stylus: 0.7 x 0.2 thou (18μm x 5μm) bi-radial diamond Compliance: 25cu (dynamic) Playing weight: 0.75 – 1.5g Trackability at 1g in SME 3009 arm: 400Hz 20cm/sec, 1KHz 28cm/sec, 10 KHz 18cm/sec. Frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz. Separation at 1KHz: > 25dB Channel balance: 2dB Output: 1mV/(cm/sec) Coil impedance: 630 Ohm Recommended load: 47K per channel. Ed Saunders styli are made in Switzerland and are hand fitted to the cantilever using a shadowgraph, rather than machine fitted as is done for the replacement styli made for Shure in Mexico. www.edsaunders.com/shurestylus.htm. I have not included a close-up photo of the stylus, simply because the stylus is mint and unused, so such a photograph is unnecessary I do not have the original packing, but the cartridge will be carefully and securely packed. Asking £30 , delivered.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Sept 30, 2015 14:43:35 GMT
For Sale Sony CDP-XB720 CD player Surplus to requirement is my Sony CDP-XB720 CD player. I bought this Sony some time ago to replace a previous player (a Philips) that had become unreliable. This is a solid well-built, good sounding player, coming from the middle of the Sony range of players, and as such would make a fine source for a second system. For those who like to read specifications, they are as follows: Frequency response: 2Hz to 20kHz +/- 0.5dB Signal to noise ratio: > 102dB Dynamic range: > 98dB Harmonic distortion: 0.0035% Channel separation: > 100dB Outputs: Line out: 2V at 50kOhm Digital optical: –18dBm (wavelength 600nm) Digital coaxial: 0.5V pk-pk at 75 Ohm Dimensions: 430mm (W) x 115mm (H) x 290mm (D) Mass: 4.8kg There is one feature that some may find useful – the ability to switch between four different digital filters. According to the user instructions, the four types of filter are: STD (Standard) – “wide ranging, ample spatial representation” 1 – “clear, smooth sound reproduction” 2 – “high clarity, strength” 3 – “warm, deep” These filters operate outside the audible frequency range, but their effect is audible, subtle and not easily described. I used the STD setting for all of my listening, but you can have endless fun trying the other settings. Designed in Japan and built in Poland, this player has proved to be highly reliable. The only reason I’m selling it is because I have two other players, and need to clear up some space. The player is in perfect, full working order, and in good cosmetic condition, though there are some small areas on the rear corner edges where the paint has worn through, as shown in the following photographs. It comes complete with the remote control and a copy of the operating instructions. I don’t have the original packaging, but the player will securely packed. Asking £50 plus carriage.
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Barry
Rank: Trio
Posts: 195
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Post by Barry on Sept 11, 2015 10:59:46 GMT
Ah, the "dead flesh" keyboard! No thank you.
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