maxg Posted November 25, 2002 Share Posted November 25, 2002 OK - in no particular order: 1. My TT. I am going to upgrade the standard K4 cartridge this week - everyone says it is a good idea so what the hey - give it a go. I am thinking of the Eroica cart - highly recommended by my local project dealer - thoughts? Oh its MC and high output (1.6 mV?) - supposed to work fine with my phonobox. 2. My TT 2. As many people are now saying I should upgrade this unit I went off to the show to investigate options. The show was littered with some seriously fab tables (with equally serious $$ costs) that would be lovely except for the additional costs of the divorce if I spend that kind of ducats. The one table that might be a possibility is the Pro-ject 9. The dealer will take my table, arm and stage in for 90% of what I paid for it (I kept the original box which helps) and bung in the upgraded Project phonobox SE and a Clearaudio cartridge (MM) - the Viruoso Mk2 I think - all for $1500. Not a bad deal I thought. 3. Wilson's new speakers. At the show I heard these mated to a Krell amp and a variety of Krell and I think ATC components. the CD player was Krell (who knew they made one?). Anyway these were pure audiophile stuff and therefore left me completely cold - not unpleasant but hardly emotionally involving - a bit like needlepoint. 4. I am now fully recovered from my daliance with Avantegard Solo's. I think I would love to have these speakers in a system I could listen to once a week or so - but not every day. I would recommend anyone who can to listen to these - especially those of you with KHorns. there are not many speakers that are faster than a KHorn but if any are they are these. 5. Lots of vinyl buying lately - my classical collection coming along really well now. New purchases include: 1. Vivaldi - 4 seasons on decca jubilee series - UK print - staggering. 2. Mahler - Symphony no 3 - Decca, double album - UK print - even better. 3. Beehoven Symphony 9 - CBS master works - Germany - not bad - not as good as the others. 4. Strauss - Also sprach Zarathustra - Living Stereo/RCA Victor red seal - excellent. 5. Rachmaninov 3rd piano - ashkenazy playing - Super analogue Japanese disk - oh yeah baby!!! 6. Orpheus in the underworld - Offenbach - Phoenix edition - German - yup again. There were several more but most were not all that good. I got one Deutche Grammaphone that isnt bad (Mendelsson 3rd symphony) but I have never been a big fan of DG. 5. Tsakiridis Devices. He was at the show big time with a huge selection of amps ranging from his 300B at 8 watts up to his monster 300 wpc amps with armfulls of KT88's on them. Most impressive was his celebration amp with 100 watts of pure class A triodes on them - but you need a lot of floor space. Anyway it seems a couple of the kinder ACA members told him all about my system and how good it sounded, one going completely overboard on it. So now he wants to come over to hear my setup. This is ideal - he will being various of his goodies with him for us to play. One concern over the 300B amp. It seems he is using Chinese tubes and I have never heard good things about them. He swears that these ones are great, of course. Are there any good chinese tubes out there? That will do for now - there is bucket's more but who is going to read this stuff all in one indigestible sitting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invidiosulus Posted November 25, 2002 Share Posted November 25, 2002 Nice vinyl, Ashkenazy is one of my favorite pianists. He did a set of Beethoven pieces that are really great. Have fun showing off your system Peace, Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted November 25, 2002 Share Posted November 25, 2002 Max, sounds like you are getting more and more into vinyl. I am doing the same (but on a much smaller scale -considering prices) but around here it's difficult to get any classical LPs - the only exception being reissues by Speakers Corner Records (the missing apostrophe is theirs, not mine!) which I can order (but they are around EUR 22 or more). I wish you luck with your TT project. Will you be able to listen first before you cut a deal? Make sure the money spent will satisfy your needs. When it comes to tubes I'd consider the vintage path as well. This weekend I got my rebuilt Eico (more on that later) and this baby really makes me smile right now LOL. So again, don't rush but consider options (and $$$s). My SET amp came with Chinese tubes and they are all gone! I still have a pair of Full Music Mesh Plates (not bad) but I think there are alternatives out there. Once I reconnect the 300B, I shall give this tube another go, though until now I have preferred the AVVT 300B (C37 and Mesh) every time. But had I started my tube journey with the Eico, I don't think I would have felt the urge to go for any other amp (just different tubes to the one's inside). Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 26, 2002 Author Share Posted November 26, 2002 Wolfram, Developments on the vinyl side now happening so fast even I am having trouble keeping up. Aside from my TT upgrade plans I have now found this amazing source of classical vinyl (a tiny shop in Piraeus - the port of Athens). In the shop he has mainly classical (about 300 titles) some good (actually fantastic) and some very average. I was very pleased to find what I did and counted it as a result. Then I got talking to the owner and he has invited me to his warehouse after he closes his shop on either Friday or Saturday. In this warehouse he claims he has 20,000 classical records!!!!!!!!! Anyway I am calling round my friends with vinylitus and I am hoping a troup of us will head up there on one of the days. If you have any particular favorite pieces let me know (I know - I have been such a dismal failure on the DSOTM front, but it cant hurt to try!!) BTW - DSOTM front. According to my mate Tony my copy is worth serious money, I am trying to get hold of the dealer to check it out - we may be talking over $1500 here!! For that kind of money I will definitely sell it (and live with my French version for a while). Post just arrived - more albums!! Love ebay. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arco Posted November 26, 2002 Share Posted November 26, 2002 Max, You can find cheap, dependable and nice sounding sino 300B's (rarely the case!) at http://www.diyparadiso.com. Enjoy, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 26, 2002 Author Share Posted November 26, 2002 Knew I could depend on you. I will check it out once the amps have arrived and been tested out a bit. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted November 26, 2002 Share Posted November 26, 2002 Max, so have you made up your mind to go for the SET amp? I certainly don't want to miss my SET experience, but I surely love the Eico! I also found that my amp improved a lot when I started to change tubes. Unfortunately that wasn't exactly cheap, but definitely worth it - so keep those exra costs in mind. Your vinyl connection makes me really envious. I suppose if I seriously started to think about possible vinyl candidates my list would not only be rather long, but also costly LOL. But in case you stumble about the following (for a decent price) I wouldn't mind some news: Brahms - Piano Concertos (especially No1) with either Curzon, Serkin or Fleisher - all orchestras conducted by George Szell Verdi - Requiem (cond. by Fritz Reiner) Beethoven - Piano Concertos -Fleisher-Szell gee....this will get out of hand so I better stop!!! Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 27, 2002 Author Share Posted November 27, 2002 OK - that is quite specific - I will have a look and see. On the subject of amps one of my KT88's just went belly up = loud humming and a sudden blue tinge... Right now I am running the original Sovtek 6550 WE's that came with the amps - not too bad. Now the question is, is it worth getting the KT88's again or better to wait a few weeks until the 300B's are ready... Decisions, Decisions.. BTW - Wolfram - mail me your address so I can ship to you if something comes up (maxg@hol.gr) Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted November 27, 2002 Share Posted November 27, 2002 I personally would wait and put some money into 300B /NOS driver options. The great thing is that the Western Electric 300B has come WAY down in price in the last year. Also, the new TJ Music Meshplate 300B is getting a lot of praise. Before it's over, I see you having a pair of each with your Chinese options as backup. So wait till you get the 300B amps before heading down the KT-88 trail. IT might save you some money. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 28, 2002 Author Share Posted November 28, 2002 Kelly, the amp in question has 3 tubes on it: (1 x 300B & 1 x 6SL7 & 1 x 6AG7). If I upgrade the 300B at some point to a better version than the chinese tube it ships with what about the other 2 tubes. I do not know what these are but I would guess from the pricing that they too are chinese in origin and probably not the best of breed. If I get this amp it will be the first I have owned with a multiplicity of tubes on it. I am wondering on the interaction between them. For example if I were to get a general electric 300B should I get similar for the other 2 tubes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.