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  1. je2a3

    Hopkins' System

    Wow! You built the OB at lightning speed. :) Have a great holiday Stephane!
  2. je2a3

    Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

    Thanks! Just like my open baffle project, that tonearm board was inspired by Stereo Sound Tube Kingdom... ...I just extended the front. :) Twin-armed Thorens TD124-II
  3. je2a3

    Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

    Holiday season music via Lycan R&R WP12024 prototype horns + Altec 802 compression drivers on top of recycled ~ 3.5 cf ported Madrid cabinets loaded with Altec 414As driven by my DIY choke-capacitance coupled 750mW per channel single-ended 71A triode amp. Wishing everyone a great holiday!
  4. je2a3

    Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

    That must be G.I.P. Laboratory.
  5. je2a3

    Anyone using a Gray 108?

    I met jc morrison at Fi in SoHo in the early 90s. He's an audio design wizard! I attended ny noise 1999 and 2000 which he used to host at his Hoboken loft. I learned many things there. Jackson and Slagle have invited me a couple of times to attend ETF. Hopefully one of these days I'll make it...
  6. je2a3

    Anyone using a Gray 108?

    I've been using 600,000 cst ever since I started using viscous damped tonearms because that's what gives me a couple of secs. drop. IME, anything lower doesn't give a delayed drop no matter how I adjust it. Here's a video of my Velvet Touch from over a decade ago.
  7. je2a3

    Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

    Thanks! Being a classically trained violinist, it's always been difficult for me to verbalize music or sound. That's why I tend to be more technical in my blog. It's much easier to express myself through the instrument which won't be appropriate in this case, so I'll try... This was my second...
  8. je2a3

    Ortofon-style 12" tonearm by Karmadon

    I discovered Serge's work a few years back in Lenco Heaven, I was about to order his Gray 108 clone when I suddenly got lucky with an original. He occasionally posts in a couple of idler turntable-centric groups on Facebook. If you're there maybe you should search him out. For the DIY...
  9. je2a3

    Ortofon-style 12" tonearm by Karmadon

    I recently noticed this tonearm posted on Facebook . It's the creation of Serge Rogozyansky of Ukraine. He's known amongst idler driven turntable aficionados as a restorer as well as for his viscous damped unipivot tonearms inspired by the classic Gray Research 108. Having been an early adopter...
  10. je2a3

    Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

    Thanks! I'll look into this.
  11. je2a3

    Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

    IMHO, even if Western Electric (later Altec) engineers from that era had access to the finest test equipment, they used their ears as the final arbiter in sound system design. They were also exposed to/familiar with the sound of acoustic instruments being performed without amplification as...
  12. je2a3

    Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

    Congrats! Before I acquired my 755As, I was already listening to 755Cs in G.A. Briggs inspired open baffles. They're also in Silbatone boxes now. I'm glad you found a nicer unit! 755Cs and 755Es with original cones and voice coils aren't as affordable nor are they as easy to find nowadays...
  13. je2a3

    Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

    Back in the 90s, I was fortunate to have heard a pair of Western Electric 753As, 753Cs + a single 757A. All of these classic monitor speakers left a profound imprint in my sonic memory. However, even then, they were already beyond my budget. All I could afford then was a pair of Altec 755As. I...
  14. je2a3

    Audio Note UK vs Audio Japan Sonic Differences

    Wow! This looks like a Western Electric 753A monitor. An earlier version with a super tweeter.
  15. je2a3

    Audio Note UK vs Audio Japan Sonic Differences

    G.I.P. Laboratory Monitor 1s?
  16. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    That was a link to wayback machine. :) Thanks! I've uploaded contents of the the old website in this blog archive and click here for my recent adventures.
  17. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    SME 3012 + DL103 Over a decade ago, I wrote about microphone transformers for MC step up duty in my defunct website. Back then there were no cast aluminum boxes. Now I've updated them inspired by Nate's (Redboy) idea.:)
  18. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    Twin-armed Thorens TD124-II
  19. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    I experimented a lot with mats back in the 80s when I had 3-pt/suspended belt-drive turntables - a Merrill modified AR + a Thorens TD150. I tried felt, rubber (Platter Matter, AQ Sorbothane, etc.) and then acrylic - SOTA and Sumiko Counterparts with their corresponding reflex clamps. I remember...
  20. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    I haven't encountered cork dust issues after using the mats for almost two years. Curiously, I never encountered the static issue with the G301 and G401 in heavy plinths. It's also not an issue with the TD124 since the cork mat is attached just like the original rubber mat on the light outer...
  21. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    Cork mat from Amazon, $12 for a 3-pack. :)
  22. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    Nice! My G301 and 401 are on heavy layered plywood plinths. But I've also used the G401 plinth-less... ...as well as my TD124. Assuming that the turntable is adjusted/tweaked for lowest noise, IME, plinth-less (or a lighter plinth) project a more laid back, natural and airy sound albeit...
  23. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    Glad to see another G401 + AB309 pairing! As a long-time DIYer, I appreciate this aesthetic. Congrats! What's the cool looking tonearm at the back?
  24. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    IMHO, these Japanese idler-driven turntables aren't quite the equal of the Garrard 301, 401 or Thorens TD124 sonically. But with a bit of DIY, these are viable alternatives to those who want the idler sound but can't quite afford the aforementioned classics.
  25. je2a3

    What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

    Lafayette PK300 - Japanese idler-driven turntable from the late 50s + Tokyo Sound ST900 tonearm + SPU#1s
  26. je2a3

    Anyone using a Gray 108?

    Too bad we didn't cross paths. Although I didn't live in NYC anymore, I was there frequently for gigs. Hence, the opportunity to hang out at Fi during down time. I remember hearing jc's pipe dreams and open baffles, both with Focal drivers. Fi was an audio art gallery ran by an artist!
  27. je2a3

    Anyone using a Gray 108?

    Nice piece to own and listen to. Congrats! I had very fond memories hanging out at 30 Watts St! I saw a few ST70s in the shop but remember Don demo'ing Nori's DC coupled ST35 amp. Very nice! Thanks! :)
  28. je2a3

    Anyone using a Gray 108?

    I have a couple more GE RPX bodies in nickel, which have a yellowish hue depending on the lighting conditions. But I can't claim to have seen all versions. Anyway, it seems like we share a couple of common equipment and interests like the Bokrand tonearm, Thorens TD124, photography, Leitz, etc. :)
  29. je2a3

    Anyone using a Gray 108?

    I hope that works out! Mounted on the tonearm is a GE RPX Pro (shiny chrome), the metal/red is a VRII Pro and beside it is a "single stud" RPX fitted with a 78 rpm stylus. Also In the foreground is a Karmadon slide from Serge, which can also be used with Japanese clones.:)

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