30 + years in the making

Clarkey_71

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Oct 12, 2007
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I've always loved music and as a young boy I remember being fascinated my parents stacking Dansette. I then got my own Akai stack. Very cheap, but also very cheerful!
After my parents separated, my dad got into hifi and I eventually received his hand me down system as my first proper system.
It comprised a Linn Axis with K9 cartridge, Arcam Alpha integrated amp, Heybrook HB1 speakers and my love of hifi was born!
My dad and I became lifelong hifi buddies. More often that not, as he upgraded, I would buy his old equipment. Though as I got older and income increased, I was able to hold my own!
Between us, we had all manner of different components over the years.
I'd got to the level where I would need significant investment to improve what I had, but I was as happy as you can be as an audiophile! I didn’t stop me looking and dreaming.
Without warning, my dad died suddenly 2 years ago. My hifi buddy was gone.
The inheritance allowed me to upgrade/replace most of my equipment to level I could hardly dare dream of.
It's bitter sweet. My system is perfect to me and just sings, but the one person I'd love to hear it, can't.
I'll always be grateful to him for getting me started and when I listen, I think fondly of him often.
My hifi has always brought me huge joy and it has always been about the music for me.
My system comprises:

Linn LP12 with Lingo 4, Ekos arm and new Karousel bearing
Lyra Kleos MC cartridge
EAT E- GLO S phono stage
AUDIO research Ref 3 pre amp
Burmester 036 power amp
All housed on or in a Hifi racks rack
PMC25/26 speakers on Gaia III supports
Chord Company Signature cabling throughout, including tone arm cable


I also have a speaker splitter to divert to a ceiling mounted speaker in another room
 

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Very sorry to hear about your dad passing. In a way your journey sounds very similar to mine (including the HB1's :) ).
Mine stayed pretty constant until I left polytechnic and got a job and was built from then on.
Like your rack as mine to is from HiFi Racks only in maple.
I get everything from the turntable through to the preamp but interested in why you selected the Burmeister power amp rather than an Audio Research one. Was it to stay away from valves?
I went the other way and, after moving to the Welsh valleys and reading reviews of Tom Evans' amplifiers then getting to meet the great man himself, my path was clear.
I was fortunate to be able to buy from him direct and so ordered a Linear A power amp to be built for me there and then. Having to lug it down his steps in a kit bag will be something that sticks in my mind forever :)
It is indeed unfortunate that the one you really want to hear your system now cannot but I feel sure you can rest assured that he would certainly approve of it.
 
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AVDude

Well-known member
Oct 17, 2020
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I've always loved music and as a young boy I remember being fascinated my parents stacking Dansette. I then got my own Akai stack. Very cheap, but also very cheerful!
After my parents separated, my dad got into hifi and I eventually received his hand me down system as my first proper system.
It comprised a Linn Axis with K9 cartridge, Arcam Alpha integrated amp, Heybrook HB1 speakers and my love of hifi was born!
My dad and I became lifelong hifi buddies. More often that not, as he upgraded, I would buy his old equipment. Though as I got older and income increased, I was able to hold my own!
Between us, we had all manner of different components over the years.
I'd got to the level where I would need significant investment to improve what I had, but I was as happy as you can be as an audiophile! I didn’t stop me looking and dreaming.
Without warning, my dad died suddenly 2 years ago. My hifi buddy was gone.
The inheritance allowed me to upgrade/replace most of my equipment to level I could hardly dare dream of.
It's bitter sweet. My system is perfect to me and just sings, but the one person I'd love to hear it, can't.
I'll always be grateful to him for getting me started and when I listen, I think fondly of him often.
My hifi has always brought me huge joy and it has always been about the music for me.
My system comprises:

Linn LP12 with Lingo 4, Ekos arm and new Karousel bearing
Lyra Kleos MC cartridge
EAT E- GLO S phono stage
AUDIO research Ref 3 pre amp
Burmester 036 power amp
All housed on or in a Hifi racks rack
PMC25/26 speakers on Gaia III supports
Chord Company Signature cabling throughout, including tone arm cable


I also have a speaker splitter to divert to a ceiling mounted speaker in another room
Lost my dad last month, I understand perfectly well the bittersweet aspect of inheriting stuff when you'd rather just have them around.
 

Clarkey_71

Well-known member
Oct 12, 2007
245
120
18,970
Visit site
Very sorry to hear about your dad passing. In a way your journey sounds very similar to mine (including the HB1's :) ).
Mine stayed pretty constant until I left polytechnic and got a job and was built from then on.
Like your rack as mine to is from HiFi Racks only in maple.
I get everything from the turntable through to the preamp but interested in why you selected the Burmeister power amp rather than an Audio Research one. Was it to stay away from valves?
I went the other way and, after moving to the Welsh valleys and reading reviews of Tom Evans' amplifiers then getting to meet the great man himself, my path was clear.
I was fortunate to be able to buy from him direct and so ordered a Linear A power amp to be built for me there and then. Having to lug it down his steps in a kit bag will be something that sticks in my mind forever :)
It is indeed unfortunate that the one you really want to hear your system now cannot but I feel sure you can rest assured that he would certainly approve of it.

Cheers for showing an interest.
I've never had a valve power amp.
I came close to buying an AR power amp once, but it didn't quite come off.
I'm kind of glad I didn't. The Ref 3 gets hot enough as it is. I think a valve power would make my room uncomfortably hot.
I had a MF P270 for years. It was paired with an AR SP9. I had the 9 for over 25 years. Great amp.
I moved to a Bryston 3b, but quickly upgraded to a 4b ST. I had that amp for years. I was just about to purchase a new 4b3, but my local dealer (the excellent Criterion Audio) had the Burmester on a demo and it was coming up to being listed as ex dem. I had a home demo and just never took it back. ( I did pay for it!).
I had a bit of a result, as it developed a buzz that we just couldn't get to the bottom of. Burmester took it back for what I thought was a repair, but they replaced with a brand new unit. Result!
Prior to the 25/26, I had PMC OB1s for years. I just like the PMC sound. I've also used Chord Company cables for years, but I had all different models, so it's good to get them all the same.
Before the Kleos I'd used a Delos. I did look at the EAT Jo 8, but there was some question that it might not fit in my arm.
The phono stage is an upgrade on my previous EAT petit. These 2 phono stages are just lush.
 
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A-Line

Well-known member
Feb 3, 2022
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I've always loved music and as a young boy I remember being fascinated my parents stacking Dansette. I then got my own Akai stack. Very cheap, but also very cheerful!
After my parents separated, my dad got into hifi and I eventually received his hand me down system as my first proper system.
It comprised a Linn Axis with K9 cartridge, Arcam Alpha integrated amp, Heybrook HB1 speakers and my love of hifi was born!
My dad and I became lifelong hifi buddies. More often that not, as he upgraded, I would buy his old equipment. Though as I got older and income increased, I was able to hold my own!
Between us, we had all manner of different components over the years.
I'd got to the level where I would need significant investment to improve what I had, but I was as happy as you can be as an audiophile! I didn’t stop me looking and dreaming.
Without warning, my dad died suddenly 2 years ago. My hifi buddy was gone.
The inheritance allowed me to upgrade/replace most of my equipment to level I could hardly dare dream of.
It's bitter sweet. My system is perfect to me and just sings, but the one person I'd love to hear it, can't.
I'll always be grateful to him for getting me started and when I listen, I think fondly of him often.
My hifi has always brought me huge joy and it has always been about the music for me.
My system comprises:

Linn LP12 with Lingo 4, Ekos arm and new Karousel bearing
Lyra Kleos MC cartridge
EAT E- GLO S phono stage
AUDIO research Ref 3 pre amp
Burmester 036 power amp
All housed on or in a Hifi racks rack
PMC25/26 speakers on Gaia III supports
Chord Company Signature cabling throughout, including tone arm cable


I also have a speaker splitter to divert to a ceiling mounted speaker in another room
Nice set-up.
 
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Reactions: Clarkey_71

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