Given I've already been posting on another thread, I thought I should introduce myself.I'm a Kiwi , but currently working in Australia to help out at an interesting time. So I'm currently sans music but not sans hope.
I've been a music lover for 40 years. Not sure where that came from, my father loved the Russian composers but I didn't see much of him growing up.Its only been in the last 20 or so years that gear has become of interest.
My major musical tastes are classical and jazz , al;though I'm partial to acoustic Springsteen- go figure
. Mainly vinyl if I had a choice but i reckon that good music is good music no matter what the media so I am quite happy to listen to digital. I haven't embraced streaming yet.
My first proper system was an Onkyo based system with some early Monitor Audio speakers. I went from there to a taste of higher end ( and my first exposure to tubes) with a system based around the ARC LS15 pre with a Plinius SA100 amp. I still remember walking to the dealers and chatting to them about speaker options. They had the exact electronics in store and set them up with a pair of Shahininan ARC's. I was smitten. Ordered a pair on the spot. they let me take the shop pair of Obelisks home to tide me over- they never got them back ;-).I lived with that set up for many years.
I shifted towns at that point and established one of the great friendships of my life with a dealer in my new city. We shared a love of Mahler which helped.But with his guidance, my system shifted around a wee bit ( always with ARC gear, culminating in a full reference set up of pre, phono and power). Speakers ended up with Thiel ( he was a big fan , so I started with 2.4's them the 3.7's). Again, lived with that for a good few years. Again, due to his help , sources shifted ( vinyl from Thorens to my current SME30 , CDP from an ARC CD9 to a meridian 808 to my current Esoteric KO1X. He also showed me how much difference a good mono cart can make- it's a while ago now but I can still vividly remember one evening he brought over a Dynavector XV1S mono cart- we sat utterly transfixed listening to Walters' Das Lied van Erde. We both had tears in our eyes.He's retired now but we're still great friends.
A change of house necessitated a move to a slighty smaller listening room. This proved an opportune time to scratch an itch I'd had for some time- low power amps with sensitive speakers. Much research and trips to hear options , and establishing a relationship with new dealers who were of massive help . But finally a decision made.
So , for this who have made it this far
Sources: SME 30/V , Esoteric KO1X, Aurender W10
Amps: Shindo Monbrison , Shindo Cortese 300B ( also an Auditorium 23 Hommage SUT)
Speakers: Auditorium Hommage Ken
Cabling: Auditorium 23.
I'm the happiest I've ever been with this set up. End Game? No, I lust after a Shindo Vosnee Romanee pre and I'd love to hear a pair of Shindo field coils but if I did nothing else I'd still be happy.
My room was modified extensively in the usual way but I always had the feeling it was slightly over treated. I read somewhere where a forum luminary ( Peter A I think) took advice from DDK so I thought what the hell. Ripped all the acoustic treatment out , replaced with 2 panels form Stillpoints and was just stunned at the difference. Less is more. So to those two gentlemen, many thanks !
I have most of the music I want- there is one Holy Grail LP I'm after, been looking for for years. I have it on CD but would love to have it on vinyl;. Chances of finding it are close to zero but I'll keep hunting.
Apologies for the length. When I get back home I'll post a few photos.
I've been a music lover for 40 years. Not sure where that came from, my father loved the Russian composers but I didn't see much of him growing up.Its only been in the last 20 or so years that gear has become of interest.
My major musical tastes are classical and jazz , al;though I'm partial to acoustic Springsteen- go figure
. Mainly vinyl if I had a choice but i reckon that good music is good music no matter what the media so I am quite happy to listen to digital. I haven't embraced streaming yet.My first proper system was an Onkyo based system with some early Monitor Audio speakers. I went from there to a taste of higher end ( and my first exposure to tubes) with a system based around the ARC LS15 pre with a Plinius SA100 amp. I still remember walking to the dealers and chatting to them about speaker options. They had the exact electronics in store and set them up with a pair of Shahininan ARC's. I was smitten. Ordered a pair on the spot. they let me take the shop pair of Obelisks home to tide me over- they never got them back ;-).I lived with that set up for many years.
I shifted towns at that point and established one of the great friendships of my life with a dealer in my new city. We shared a love of Mahler which helped.But with his guidance, my system shifted around a wee bit ( always with ARC gear, culminating in a full reference set up of pre, phono and power). Speakers ended up with Thiel ( he was a big fan , so I started with 2.4's them the 3.7's). Again, lived with that for a good few years. Again, due to his help , sources shifted ( vinyl from Thorens to my current SME30 , CDP from an ARC CD9 to a meridian 808 to my current Esoteric KO1X. He also showed me how much difference a good mono cart can make- it's a while ago now but I can still vividly remember one evening he brought over a Dynavector XV1S mono cart- we sat utterly transfixed listening to Walters' Das Lied van Erde. We both had tears in our eyes.He's retired now but we're still great friends.
A change of house necessitated a move to a slighty smaller listening room. This proved an opportune time to scratch an itch I'd had for some time- low power amps with sensitive speakers. Much research and trips to hear options , and establishing a relationship with new dealers who were of massive help . But finally a decision made.
So , for this who have made it this far
Sources: SME 30/V , Esoteric KO1X, Aurender W10
Amps: Shindo Monbrison , Shindo Cortese 300B ( also an Auditorium 23 Hommage SUT)
Speakers: Auditorium Hommage Ken
Cabling: Auditorium 23.
I'm the happiest I've ever been with this set up. End Game? No, I lust after a Shindo Vosnee Romanee pre and I'd love to hear a pair of Shindo field coils but if I did nothing else I'd still be happy.
My room was modified extensively in the usual way but I always had the feeling it was slightly over treated. I read somewhere where a forum luminary ( Peter A I think) took advice from DDK so I thought what the hell. Ripped all the acoustic treatment out , replaced with 2 panels form Stillpoints and was just stunned at the difference. Less is more. So to those two gentlemen, many thanks !
I have most of the music I want- there is one Holy Grail LP I'm after, been looking for for years. I have it on CD but would love to have it on vinyl;. Chances of finding it are close to zero but I'll keep hunting.
Apologies for the length. When I get back home I'll post a few photos.
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