jt1stcav Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 I tried my old Sumiko Blue Point high-output MC with the SL-1700MK2, but with the inexpensive Music Hall phono pre, the overall sound was rather harsh and thin (it could very well be a worn stylus...I'm gonna trade up my P-mount Blue Point for a new one eventually). So I tried out my trusty '83 Stanton 981HZS pro calibrated MM cartridge, and I was blown away by the sonics! I had forgotten just how good this once high-end Stanton had sounded, and from Dire Straits to Fleetwood Mac to Jimmy Rogers et al, I rediscovered how much I still enjoy great MM cartridges. Spinning vinyl once again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 Looks nice in the dark, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 Eventually I'll do some tweeking here and there, but for now it's just nice to dim the lights, sit back in my chair, prop up my feet, and watch the records go 'round and 'round! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 Very nice and good photography too! What kind of interconnects are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 Thank you. Cardas QuadLink 5-C between the amp and pre. For all the sources I'm using MagWire Naked interconnects. My brother bought a boatload of this stuff last year on AudiogoN, but now I can't find any info on them. Think they're made up of extremely thin OFC magnet wire. All I know is they were very affordable, like around $42 each for one meter length...maybe less! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 hmmm, they do look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 3, 2005 Author Share Posted July 3, 2005 A closeup of the MagWire Nakeds when I used my bro's Magnavox 6BQ5 SE console amp. The ICs are made up of a twisted pair (brown and green) of stiff OFC magnet wire, which I reckon is supposed to be sonically superior to other types of copper wire...who knows! All I do know is they don't sound any worse than the Cardas CrossLinks they replaced, so I'm quite content (plus they were free, courtesy of my kid brother)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 30, 2005 Author Share Posted July 30, 2005 ---------------- On 5/14/2005 4:14:00 PM Marvel wrote: It keeps going because he keeps getting different equipment. ---------------- Looks like Marvel's got me figured out! I guess I'm never satisfied (are any of us, really?). I go and buy Athena AS-F2s to replace my venerable Cornwalls (that sound less than spectacular in my smallish room), and then I trade the F2s for my bro's used Triangle Zephyr towers, which sound even better than the Athenas and are the closest to musical nirvana that I've ever reached in this little room (and I'm still totally satisfied with their sonic characteristics, and like the Cornwalls I have no intentions on ever selling them). Well, over a month ago my brother sold some Infinity bookshelf speakers, to be replaced by a new pair of single-driver bookshelf monitors that were deeply discounted by an ex-retailer on eBay. This monitor was from a now-defunkt German-owned loudspeaker and audio manufacturing firm founded in 1998 by Lothar Sander, and its manufacturing facility was based in Singapore. Loth-X Audio was known for its line of rather expensive single-driver horn-loaded towers, tube amps, and high-end acrylic turntables, and they also designed and built the "Amaze" (like the far-out names credited by Bob Carver for his many components). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted July 30, 2005 Author Share Posted July 30, 2005 The Amaze is a transmission-line loaded bookshelf cabinet made from solid cherry, slot loaded on the bottom (similar to an RB-75), and fitted with a Stefan Stamm-custom designed, Fostex-built 6" single unit tri-coned full-range paper driver with cloth surround, impregnated with a special proprietary polymeric resin for lightness and stiffness, with an alloy phase plug, and a 23,000 gauss Alnico magnet. *Frequency range: 55Hz - 20kHz +/-3dB. *Sensitivity: 96dB/2.83 V/m. *Impedance: 8 ohms. *Weight: 6 kg (13.22 lbs). *Cabinet finish: Solid cherry. *MSRP: $1050 a pair. So what's my brother's new Loth-X Ion Series Amaze have to do with me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 6, 2005 Author Share Posted August 6, 2005 The same seller who sold my bro his new Amaze had a near-mint demo pair that he was letting go for $350 shipped, which I just couldn't pass up. They're about a year or so older and aside from a few miniscule nicks, they're in excellent condition. Since they're already broken in with well over 100 hours of use, they sound spectacular right out of the box and image like crazy! Damn if they don't have that "you-are-there" horn presentation that I love so much...wonder just how close these single-driver Amaze sound to a pair of RB-75? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 7, 2005 Author Share Posted August 7, 2005 The 28" Canadian-made 3-tier Atlantis speaker stands work perfectly with the Amaze and bring their whizzer cones right up to ear level. Later I may add small spikes or even a maple platform underneath the cabinets to help dampen anymore vibration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 7, 2005 Author Share Posted August 7, 2005 They put out little in the way of useful bass (down only to 55Hz), but on great sounding CDs, LPs, and even cassettes, if the original content was well recorded, then these Amaze do amaze me with their bass extention! With excellent source material, these monitors sound much bigger than they really are. A sub is still needed, though...won't be anytime soon I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 7, 2005 Author Share Posted August 7, 2005 They really are horn-like in their interpretation of live music, and they're not underachievers in the highs at all. They're well balanced and full in the mids...you'd think you were listening to seperate drivers. At 96dB, they're super efficient, and an easy load for my 8 WPC amp. Vocals are life-like and float in air, and on excellent recordings sound very live and dynamic! Once I can add a good quality subwoofer, then I'll have a first-rate loudspeaker system that actually blends well in my tiny music room...very impressive indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 The audio buddie of mine has been spying these with interest lately. http://cgi.ebay.com/Audio-Nirvana-8-Full-Range-Spkrs-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ5795001765QQcategoryZ3276QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem They look like some nice eight inch full-range drivers for the cash. We are both curious. You sure are burning up some bandwidth on this thread. Excellent pics as always... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 7, 2005 Author Share Posted August 7, 2005 Thanks for the compliments, Mike. You and your friend should order yourselves a pair and build your own cabinets for them from one of their plans (or your own DIY designs). I'm simply amazed at the fullrange sonics (minus the lowest bottom octave) from these custom-made Fostex crossoverless drivers...cymbals sound crisp and clear, like I had a 1" tweeter instead of that alloy phase plug (looks like a miniature sideway's cone from underneath my CD player) and outer dispersion ring just around the plug (not the whizzer). For the price you couldn't go wrong IMO; I need to check out Audio Nirvana's website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 29, 2005 Author Share Posted August 29, 2005 It's the first post on this thread with the new forum format...I noticed all my previous posts with images attached that were done on the old forum are depicted with double images. Obviously the old software doesn't mesh with the new (or is this only something I see and no one else?). Just thought I'd try adding a file attachment to see how it looks on the new system format. Here's a weird ultra-wide angle shot of my Loth-X and triode audio system just for $hits and giggles...[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 You still livin' with the concrete floor in your house? Maybe we should send you some remnants! They have been carpeting at the school where I work. Great looking stuff [NOT].[] Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 29, 2005 Author Share Posted August 29, 2005 Thanks for the offer (not), Bruce. But since my insurance won't cover the repairs to fix the cracks where it leaks into the room, then I'll either have to find an affordable contractor (again, not) or do the work myself (my bro's and I are clueless on that type of repairs). After any repairs are made, then we'll install wood or tile flooring (no carpeting, except for throw rugs). Either that, or maybe just paint the concrete floor battleship gray like in the garage...[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted January 1, 2006 Author Share Posted January 1, 2006 Since I last posted here, I've been needing a decent subwoofer to add to all the bass-shy loudspeakers I've been using in this room since my Cornwalls have been packed away. I'm still not completely financially stable even after being laid off almost 3 years ago, so everything I've bought since then has been either quite affordable, on sale, a demo/clearance, or given to me (freebies are nice)! Even the least expensive SVS sub that I could use with my 2-channel system was $599 too much (and that's crazy-cheap for the high quality you'd get with the PB12-ISD). And since the AC in the house died last spring and my folks paid the entire cost, my bro's and I are giving them our income tax refunds next month to help curb their expenses (my refund was going towards an SVS...oh well). My brother came across a PartsExpress.com sale a few months ago for a 10" powered sub for only $99. Yeah, right...must be a real piece! I never gave it a thought and was looking at subs online for around $250 (which is the most I could afford if I saved up a little here and there). One day I came home from work to discover a large carton in the foyer from PartsExpress with my name on it (I had no clue what it was...I didn't order anything). I opened it up, only to discover this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted January 1, 2006 Author Share Posted January 1, 2006 It's a now discontinued Dayton Audio DLS300-632 powered subwoofer with a downfiring 10" driver and a 100 watt amplifier. Designed and engineered by the Dayton Loudspeaker Co. and assembled in China (where else?), it's a solid 3/4" MDF enclosure with a flared front port, some internal bracing, and loads of damping material. The driver is a coated paper long throw design with a beefy voice coil and magnet, and the class-A/B amp is well built with gold plated low level and speaker level ins/outs (with 3-way binding posts and not spring loaded tabs) and all the usual features...crossover control, phase switch, auto on/off switch, and level control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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