System Photos!

Late night eye candy - behringer digital chain, dcx, and dynamics, arcam mid 90s power amps, Monitor Audio and Richard Allen speakers. 4am, time for bed :slight_smile:

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Is that a Garrard turntable?

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Ha yes - I focused on digital but got the urge to play a few of my old vinyl - so picked up an old 125SB for 50 quid, ripped out all the auto hardware from underneath, put a switch for the motor on the front, and cleaned up the tonearm bearings. Doesn’t sound too bad (though def not “high end”!) rebalanced and with a new elliptical stylus :slight_smile:

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My first own turntable was a Garrard, the shape of yours looked familiar. Man I did enjoy that piece of equipment it served me throughout my entire youth.

My dad had a better amplifier and great 12” bookshelf speakers, so when he was out of town I high jacked his system.

A couple of years ago he gave me that Thorens TD105 MKII, built in Poland and still turning after 40 years of active service. Not high end either, but a lot of fun. I’m of the lazy sort of listeners and enjoy being able to fall asleep and not wake up hearing the needle hitting the end of the record ;-).

I look forward squeezing a bit better sound out of my records, the New Thorens TD1601 ranks on the top of my list because of the non mechanical auto stop and unique lift for the tonearm without adding junk that might resonate, the subchassis principle and balanced (preferred) and RCA connections.

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Ah yes a friend’s dad had a nice HiFi with a Thorens in the late 70s - when I decided recently to try and pick up an old TT I looked for those too - found one boxed NOS but it was 400 quid, tempting, but beyond my sensible price range. Had some fun with this one though :slight_smile:

Back in the day I had a JVC LA-55, which wasn’t bad, and after that was given a Garrard Lab 80 in perfect condition, wish I still had that one, even if it was a bit of a beast :slight_smile:

I should do a daytime shot really, but the pre amp / line switcher is still in its cardboard “prototype” case so looks pretty naff (sat on top of the TT at the moment).
I do have 2 nice cases for its two parts 6 channel volume, and line switcher to switch between amps (and hence of course speakers), just gotta get the time and inclination to do some drilling and such like so I can do it. Should actually look quite nice then :slight_smile:

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You guys are kind, I know most have rather more impressive systems than my humble effort.

In fact, one if my aims was to get as good a sound as possible whilst spending what some spend on a pair of speaker cables - it’s a journey:)

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Nice looking system. I like the switchbox like it is. Shows a lot of class. I will show my ignorance and ask what the stack of 4 rack mount components is in the next to last picture?

Thanks!
The rack it is the behringer digital processing set - src2496, deq2496, dcx2496. The top one is a dual compressor limiter gate de esser that has been lying around my house for a decade or so.
Not in the main signal chain but useful on the second amp speaker combo - the Richard Allen’s- for speaker protection (rated 15 watts), and in poor condition records the de esser has helped a few times too :slight_smile: rest if the time its eye candy or switched off ( it has auto bypass using relays during power failure).
The src 2496 upsamples all digital inputs to 24/96 and also digitised the analogue input from the pjono stage in one if the 90s arcam amps (,until I build a phone stage).
Source selection by optical 4 way switch on top. Main source is raspberry pi with added optical output board.
Doesn’t sound too bad for a grand or so total :slight_smile:

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I’m lazy so I suspect the line switcher and vol control will stay in cardboard for some time yet…

Thanks for the explanation. I will check out the Behringer components just out of interest.
I don’t know if you are a hot rodder or not but Don Garlits always said" if it will run then its done". No sense in doing any final finish if it will go down the road.There used to be a lot of really fast / cool hot rods running around in primer paint or with Bondo showing. I had a few myself. Your switchbox is a good example.

Hmmm you may be right! Just a nagging feeling I should finish it but I doubt it will be this year :wink:
The behringer gear is very impressive on the digital side (think pro studio) its analogue ins and outs are less impressive (rather more “budget demo” studio) and has some reliability issues but for the prices it is well worth it, until I can spend thousands, and that is very unlikely ever to happen, even if I had that sort of budget it would go on speakers first I think.
But I am enjoying the challenge and engineering required for this route :slight_smile:

I do like it all… Question: The speakers stands ? What are they ? They look like humongous wire bobbin inductors for the biggest speakers ever made… :slightly_smiling_face:

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Yeah maybe I should redo the crossovers and use the stand for big air cored inductors using mains cable :smiley:
They are MDF and 2 x 4 and a bit of paint from the local DIY emporium - great fun with a jigsaw one weekend…

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Before I had the dcx I put these xovers in the monitor audio speakers, rather smaller bobbin though

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Man after one’s own heart.! I spend most days in my workshop building and rejigging something or other. Most of the music I post is me listening to it on the workshop system.

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A few years ago we managed to get a house with 2 living rooms. Marriage quality improved significantly!

front room is her TV/Lounge. Back room is my Music room / office / workshop / parts store / “man cave”, it all happens in there :slight_smile:

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Her dog visiting my room for some Jazz…

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And finally- the “prototype” remote control for volume up down and the amp line switching
Old pill bottle, this really does need replacing, though it does fit the hand rather well.
I’ll stop now :slight_smile:

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