Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Well, folks, after 6 years here in the "think tank", I think I have a 2 channel system worth showing off a little.....[] Here, the electronics "core": Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Control center: Above: The Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000, loaded with Siemens gold pin E188CC/7308 tubes. This deck has me in no hurry to get a turntable. Below: The completely rebuilt McIntosh MX-110, shiny like new. Loaded with Telefunken 12AX7 and Amperex 6U8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Close up of one of my babies: A completely restored McIntosh MC-30, lovingly rebuilt with Sonicap Platinum capacitors, and stuffed full of vintage tubage - Tele 12AX7s, Amperex 12AU7 (from 1960), RCA/Seeburg 12BH7A (circa 1960), and GEC KT66 outputs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 One of the Belle Klipsch. All stock drivers and horns, with DeanG built V-Cap OIMP AA networks. My wife did the trimmings[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Interconnects are a "home brew" version of pure solid copper leads with Cardas ends. In a multi-cable contest involving several formulas and models, these were the winners. Cables mattered more once the internals of the components were fitted with high resolution caps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Sonic comments: This kit was built for midrange, as a Mac familiar reader might expect. But I NEVER expected it to be THIS good: An SET like performance in push-pull, offering an excellent combination of detail, natural tonality, and musicality. Listening to Miles Davis was the knockout punch, having proven sufficient standing to have me happy as hello with the results. NO haze, NO fuzz, just MUSIC. And the system synergy is as good as can be imagined - even after rebuild, these components are a perfect fit with one another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 I also find it necessary to give thanks to the following forum members for making this possible: Joe Auwen NOS Valves DeanG m00n Terry DeWick The MC-30/Klipsch forum crew (Dubai 2000, Ben, DFlip, Allan Songer) Mobile Homeless (whose prose inspired me to check out tubes in the first place). It's been a long road here, but without your kind assistance none of this would be possible. THANK YOU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyhambone Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 nice looking setup. i just experienced my first tube amp (scott299A). i can't wait to hear mac tubes. is the angel behind the belle a painting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyhambone Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 pardon my ignorance......is the (The Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000) the marantz cd player??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 The Marantz is the Ah!.....this is an early version of the Njoe Tjoeb 4000. Identical component as the current version, just having the OEM nameplate. The angel is on cloth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Lessons learned: Use of premium components, especially the coupling caps and crossover caps, was of particular importance here. I have always read of vintage Mac users using "vintage" caps, or those that give a "vintage" quality to the sound. In MY world, the "vintage sound" lies in the transformer and circuit, and NOT in the "hazy/veiled/shrouded/chocolatey" nature of some vintage gears and builds. Use of carbon comp/film resistors did much to keep the sonics "easy" enough on the horns to sound properly voiced - but it was the super-transparent nature of the Sonicaps and V-Caps after full break in that brought forth the sound I am now getting. They let the music flow and the sound of the music and gear (and yes, gear does have a sound) come through. One thing I do know is those MC-30 trannies are special.....and thanks to Joe and Craig found out just how good they can be when taken "all the way". Using such high performance/"revealing" parts seems counter to conventional wisdom when discussing vintage gear, but I found superb results, given that the goal was to clean up and open up the circuits sonically and see what was inside. This in turn allowed the true nature of the various NOS tubes to be fully realized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyhambone Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 The Marantz is the Ah!.....this is an early version of the Njoe Tjoeb 4000. Identical component as the current version, just having the OEM nameplate. The angel is on cloth. Ah! i see...... i have never listened to a tube cd player. have you listened to the mcintosh mcd7009? do you think there will be a marked difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
two dot Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 You have a beautiful system. You clearly enjoy quality sound... therefore.... YOU NEED A TURNTABLE.........STAT!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 VERY NICE SYSTEM, indeed...............Lucky Man........redheaded stepchild, snicker,snicker.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Couple questions: 1. Are you going to the gathering in Indy this weekend? 2. Have you finished taking/sending all your goodies to Terry for fixing? 3. If you ARE going to Indy or someone near you is... if you care to bring anything that you were going to send to Terry to Indy, I'd be more than happy to hand deliver it to him for you & save that shipping risk. You can then either have him ship them back to you or you can make the trip down that you were otherwise planning to make however, it would be to pick them up rather than to deliver them. Just a thought/offer. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 Coytee - Unfortunately, I am not going to make it to Indy this weekend (grrrrrrrrrr). I keep thinking I'm like the Chicago Cubs in that regard.........CURSED. I do still have business to do with Terry on my SS amps, as well as needing his assistance on equipment appraisals. It doesn't look like I'm going to be able to make any progress towards any of this over the coming weekend, though..... Appreciate the thought, however.....maybe that means I'll end up making a trip down there, which wouldn't be all bad, I suppose......might be the only way I get to hear the Jubs[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 Funky, I haven't heard a McIntosh CD player in quite some time. I recall the one I did hear being a good sounding deck, but it would be hard to make the comparisons you would want me to make. I am particularly fond of the Ah! because I can "flavor" the deck through tube selection, and it is a very good sounding deck that does my tube system sonic justice. It is also a steal pricewise - sonics beyond it's price. Very hard to beat for a sub-$1000 component. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 You have a beautiful system. You clearly enjoy quality sound... therefore.... YOU NEED A TURNTABLE.........STAT!!!!! I suspect that this system would very much welcome a turntable. There are several problems with this, however....... First, it would be difficult to isolate that table in this room. I don't expect this room to be permanent, so that will be solved in due time. But the biggest impediment to getting a table is COST. I am sooooo kicking myself for not obtaining a Thorens TD124 several years ago when they weren't as ridiculously expensive as they are now. If I ever find a deal on one of these, I'll bite if finances allow. And I do not want to get a "stepping stone" table: If I do this, it will be a proper quality table from which excellent results can be expected. In the meantime, I'll be perfectly happy with the Ah!. I have noticed that I really haven't thought much about vinyl since getting the Ah! - it's only forums like these that remind me........[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 [Y] Looking good. Check your PMs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 might be the only way I get to hear the Jubs Pffft... think outside the box man... Just give me a call and I'll hold the phone up to them! [6] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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