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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 8, 2014 14:02:42 GMT
My system from mid 80s onward (as I can't reliably remember what came before)
I've looked up spec and pictures for this first instalment and think I have it right
Fons CQ30 / SME arm / Shure cart (?)
Akai GX265D Tape Deck
Revox B760 Tuner, which I still have. Used to have one of Ron Smith's Galaxie aerials with a rotator
Rotel RA-1412 Integrated Amplifier
Monster Speaker cables
Leak 2075 speakers (the Daleks)
The Akai, Rotel and Leak 2075s bought because (even then) I was printing manuals for Rank Audio Visual.
Great deal on the Akai and Rotal. Laskys doing the 2075s for a staggeringly cheap price - I had heard them in the RAV dem room and lusted after them but not at anywhere near list price
I taped a lot onto reel to reel and listened a lot to tapes.
If I wanted 'more music' then it meant turning up the volume
After I set up my own company and had been trading for a few years I thought I could warrant spending out on a real hifi so started research.
A lot of reading hifi mags - which, yes, I discovered was probably not the very best way to go.
I narrowed it down to
Meridian
Linn/Naim
more to come.......
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Post by MartinT on Dec 9, 2014 3:35:56 GMT
Bet you wish you had kept that Fons deck.
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 9, 2014 7:34:36 GMT
I wish I'd kept the lot at least until now to compare with what has been and currently installed.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 9, 2014 7:53:14 GMT
That Rotel amp was a bit of a monster sized thing. Many gallons of schoolboy drool were produced by the view of those things in shop windows up and down the country at the time!
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 9, 2014 8:14:30 GMT
The first dem, Meridian
Trying to remember the name of the Meridian dealer I went to
Think it was Howard Popeck running it.
North East London, not far from where Grahams was, bit more North and a bit more East
(anyone ? I can edit in later)
Took along a pile of LPs I knew well and we listened to various on
LP12, probably Ittok and Asak ...? I think
Meridian 101 Pre Amp ?
I remember very well the stunning active M10s.
There was volume available that sliced the top of your head off, cleanly
Possibly the first time I have ever said "ok turn it down"
We had a long session in there playing various LPs.
The sheer power of the thing almost had me reaching for my cheque book - awesome
Apart from that wonderful power I wasn't stunned by anything else and had already arranged to go to Grahams the following week to hear the classic Linn/Naim set up.
With the experience I have had in the past few years I think it was better than what I already had, but no quantum leap.
Certainly did not come anywhere near the shock I had when hearing Martin T's system 2=3 years ago
Before we left we had another set up to hear.
I remember sideways Gale speakers, probably Meridian amp/s and LP12 front end.
Not as good sounding as the M10 set up. Not sure why they wanted us to hear that too, maybe less money
Overall effect of the Meridian system was the ability to go LOUD of course. Very clinical perhaps tending to brittle, spiky.
Fair bit of money, good looking speakers those M10s
The system could be used as a PA
What I didn't have was a home audition, perhaps that was not so common then. Don't think it was offerred.
Anyway Grahams suggested I bring my system to them which is next ........
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Post by John on Dec 10, 2014 15:35:56 GMT
Nearly bought a pair of M10s years ago was impressed when I heard them
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Post by MartinT on Dec 10, 2014 15:40:22 GMT
Grahams - not my favourite dealership!
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 10, 2014 15:42:46 GMT
Nearly bought a pair of M10s years ago was impressed when I heard them I was impressed out of my skin (with the volume up)  |
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 10, 2014 15:43:09 GMT
Grahams - not my favourite dealership! My next post or two will probably not change that |
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 16, 2014 18:03:33 GMT
Grahams
Dem arranged with all my kit into the back of my Saab 900.
Leak 2075s taking most of the space with the seats down.
Set up and plugged in my system.
Listened a bit.
Started at the front end and moved through
Swapped Fons for LP12
Didn't hear that much difference. Surprised me. Didn't even tap me toes !
Next up the Rotel split so we only heard the Naim 32
Noticeable improvement, not night and day
Rotel power out for Naim 250
Noticeable improvement, not night and day
2075s out and Isobariks in
This made a big difference and was a big surprise as they are half the size.
Michael Lewin I think, was selling the 'system' so I was buying the system and the deal was done.
I really should have put that Fons back in to the Naim / Isobarik set up.
Was the Fons that good or did the rest of the kit allow the LP12 to work ?
There is a track on Mahavishnu, Visions, Faith with a descending bass line that sold it to me. Never heard a bass so good and so deep.
Played it recently to hear a 'normal' sound - such have been the improvements in the system.
Still wonderful album and track.
When we fist started Michael told me to signal to him for volume.
It was low so I signaled up and up and up.
He lifted the stylus and said I should not be playing at that volume and there was no point carrying on.
I should have walked, but I stayed.
Twas nowhere near as loud as we had listened to the Meridian system.
Grahams then was a little bit like going into a church or some place of worship - of Linn and Naim gear.
Deal done.
Installation a couple of weeks later
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Post by John on Dec 16, 2014 18:22:50 GMT
I kind of escaped all the Naim and Linn worship thankfully
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 16, 2014 19:15:18 GMT
I never really actively went for it either. I had a Naim CDI for a long time, which I won in a competition. I quite liked that, but I've never felt that Naim amps were for me. I owned a Linn LVX. It came on an AR turntable which I used for a long time. I kept the arm too..........for about 3 weeks - moved it on fast!
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Post by MartinT on Dec 16, 2014 21:42:15 GMT
I booked a demo with Grahams because I wanted to know what all the fuss was about with Naim. I told them I had substantial speakers (Cambridge R40s) so they set it up with ProAc Tablettes! First mistake, they sounded pathetic. I had brought along a friend's Croft Micro preamp to compare with the Naim pre (I forget which model). They turned their noses up at it despite it performing at least the equal of the Naim. When towards the end I said I had a Michell Syncro turntable, one salesman replied with "I have every faith in Linn", straight out. Since I wasn't looking for religion, I walked out of there never to return. One lost customer. Cretins.
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 17, 2014 9:17:27 GMT
Think they were following the Linn/Naim creed.
Can you believe at the time I was really glad to be in one of the top Linn / Naim dealers in the country.....
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Post by MikeMusic on Jan 1, 2015 12:42:53 GMT
After waiting a couple of weeks along came what was the most wonderful hifi system in the world. (David ?) Graham himself, son of Graham(s) senior came to install Along with the LP12, Naim 32, Naim 250 and Isobariks he brought a surprise in the form of a Sound Organisation table. This was a problem as I had my lovely Shreiber white, hifi unit all cleared ready to take the new gear. You will notice a difference he said so I listened and blow me down I did. Bit odd that a small coffee table made up welded together speedframe should have any influence on sound - this was mid 80s. 'Course it was black so I should have known Naim NACA4 cable as that was 'part of the system' and that's what I was buying. Compared to my old complete system it was a definite step up. Should have mixed and matched the components to see what the mix was like but I'd bought the ultimate, top end hifi system in the world - hadn't I ? That's what I was told by all the places I was in touch with, magazines, mates, Grahams Even now >In 2002 Arena magazine described Grahams Hi-Fi as "One of the five best hi-fi shops in the world". So all must have been wonderful. I was 'sold' and a believer. None of that Jap crap in my house mate. All British and wonderful. Now I had the very best hifi in the world I wondered if I might be taken, having achieved my life's ambition Well I'm still here...... |
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 17, 2015 13:35:18 GMT
Some memory has come back to my brain.
All the above was after I upgraded tape decks
I listened to John Peel a lot.
A Revox tuner was brought in as we had no TV and listened a lot to radio.
I recorded the JP programmes as I wanted to go to bed well before he finished.
After while I realised I wanted to keep some of the music, lose some of it so I re recorded it from tape to tape deck.
This was 3 and 3 quarter speed on quarter track so not so hifi.
After a while I realised I could get a better sound if I went to 7.5 ips still quarter track - then a half track Revox B !
A lot of what JP played wasn't easily available so I have some rare stuff, becoming less rare wit t'internet.
After the Linn / Naim set up arrived I played more LPs, but still played a huge amount of tapes as that was where the music was.
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 19, 2015 15:19:22 GMT
Next stage/s
Grahams told me about Naim 135s being better than a 250.
Good deal on the swap as (I think) they paid me back what I paid for the 250 and I got more oomph.
Think I had an Asak cartridge (correct me or suggest if I have that wrong anyone please)
Grahams suggested I go for a Karma and have the Naim 32 upgraded to a 32.5 - with BNC sockets !
Can't remember if I had a dem
As I had the best system in the universe there couldn't possibly be anything better could there <cough>
And that was that for quite a long time.
Still played a lot of radio and tapes on the system.
Discovered Archive records in Chertsey and started stocking up on some more vinyl
This was still in the 80s
As we get closer to today I promise to remember better !
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Post by Tim on Mar 19, 2015 21:00:40 GMT
Not wishing to be picky Mike, but isn't the thread title a tad misleading? I just popped in here for the first time thinking, 'Oooo great, Mikes talking about music' only to find information about Hi-Fi gear and nothing at all about music  (I used to work for Trading Standards . . . . hehe)
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Post by ChrisB on Mar 20, 2015 6:13:59 GMT
Well there was such a thing as a Linn Asak, but as for whether you owned one, well....that's what you're here for!
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 20, 2015 9:00:39 GMT
Not wishing to be picky Mike, but isn't the thread title a tad misleading? I just popped in here for the first time thinking, 'Oooo great, Mikes talking about music' only to find information about Hi-Fi gear and nothing at all about music (I used to work for Trading Standards . . . . hehe)
See your point Ok The search for more music via kit do better ? |
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