An odd collection...

[hoopsontoast]

My current system-

Philips CD850

TA2020 based T-Amp / Bantam Gold (both on loan)

Keesonic Kolt / Target R1 Stands (and Atacama SE24's)

Since the photo was taken, the Sony amp and ATC SCM10's have been sold.

Just bought one of these-

So there will be a power amp (TBD) soon to replace the two loan amps.

Its been through numerous stages, in different rooms and many many different speakers, in the space of around 6-7 years.

Plenty of DIY speakers, based around full range drivers, and commercial speakers as well-

Technics SCHD70 speakers
Tannoy Mercury MX1
Tannoy DC1000 - http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/5402/pict03193qw.jpg
Tannoy Sensys DC1 - http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/2761/pict03896tu.jpg
CSS FR125S (DIY) (Full range driver)
Rega R3 - http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1816/pict1169tb7.jpg
KEF XQ1- http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/661/pict1184xq2.jpg
Tannoy HPD315's in OB (DIY)
Tannoy Cheviots - http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/10/photo0163vh9.jpg
Omnes Audio L8 (DIY) (Full range driver) - http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2295/diyfullrangeph5.jpg
Silver Iris 10" Coaxials in Open Baffle (DIY) - http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/2673/pict0055xn9.jpg
Rega Jura - http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/7637/pict0108tj4.jpg
Bandor 50mm (DIY) (Full range driver) - http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3195/2892233349_211f2d7e28_o.jpg
Veravox 5S BiB (DIY) (Full range driver) - http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3109/3309367302_49ce0ce92a_b.jpg
Veravox 5S Bipoles (Full range driver) - http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3618/3667098657_6ae824528a_b.jpg
Rega R7 - http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2788/4025625598_c45f2455b4_b.jpg
Tannoy Mercury S - http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4006/4417804166_c587cf0525_b.jpg
ATC SCM-7 - http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4111/4838505309_d89b96830c_b.jpg
Fostex FF225K Jericho Horns (full range driver horns)
Kord Tornado (Volt based Studio monitors) - http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5305/5626691587_6c98f3acac_z.jpg
Veravox 3 (Omnes Audio BB3.AL) (DIY) (Full range driver) - http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6059/5901853764_fb7623527f_z.jpg
Keesonic Kolts - http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2012/5763824175_b3f455375e_b.jpg
Rega R1 - http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/5729799840_242795cbc3_z.jpg
ATC SCM10 - http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6113/6328852217_89f192ab24_b.jpg

And out of that whole lot, my fav's were the Tannoy Cheviots, Rega R7s, Veravox 5S's, Kord Tornado, ATC SCM7's and the Keesonic Kolts!

Had a few CDPs- Rega Planet Mk1, Teac VRDS 10SE and this CD850, a few Amps - Teac A-BX7R, Marantz PM7200, Consonance CYBER 10SE USB, Sony TA-F770ES, Primare A20 and a Rega Brio3.

Well thats a bit of an intro!

 

[chebby]

I'll have the Keesonic Kolts (sealed enclosures?) and that Sony TA-F770ES amp please! (Especially if it has the lacquered wooden ends.)

A shame the Sony doesn't have those (pointless but lovely) baclklit VU meters of it's earlier brethren. (I like gear from that era that lights up like a Christmas tree.)

 

[hoopsontoast]

I'll have the Keesonic Kolts (sealed enclosures?) and that Sony TA-F770ES amp please! (Especially if it has the lacquered wooden ends.)

A shame the Sony doesn't have those (pointless but lovely) baclklit VU meters of it's earlier brethren. (I like gear from that era that lights up like a Christmas tree.)

Yes the little Kolts are gems, much better now the previous, previous owner re-capped the crossovers. This is the second time I have owned this pair! Much improved!

The 770ES was without the wooden side cheeks, beast of an amp though!

 

[hoopsontoast]

All change, just about sorted now :dance:

The SCM10s were sold, and kept the Kolts.

The Pre-Amp got lost in the post, so decided to go back to an integrated and found a Sony TA-F670ES, the smaller brother of the 770ES that I had before.

Before Xmas, a Luxman PD272 was found, and a Sure M97xE was added from eBay. To go with it I found a Rotel RQ970BX locally which is doing its job nicely!

Overall I am pretty satisfied for the moment, and probably for the foreseable future. Trying as a challenge, to keep it all under £500. So far so good!

If anyone is interested, the system will be set up at the HifiWigwam Scalford Hall show in March, its worthwile a visit to hear around 50 systems that people have actually bought, no commercial interest at all!

http://www.thehifishow.com/

 

[hoopsontoast]

Some big changes-

New house, new Living room-


7 by hoopsontoast, on Flickr

Had a play with a Decware Zen SET 2wpc amp-


Decware Zen by hoopsontoast, on Flickr

Denon DL-103 added to the Luxman-


Luxman PD272/ DL 103 by hoopsontoast, on Flickr

New 'DIY' project with some rare 80's Studio monitors - Kord Vulcan's (Smaller version of the Kord Tornado I had before) that need new veneer-


Beauty and the Beast by hoopsontoast, on Flickr


Kord Vulcan by hoopsontoast, on Flickr

Denon PMA-2000AE added instead of the AVR200/Sony TA-F670ES/Decware Zen -


System by hoopsontoast, on Flickr

So thats where we are atm :rofl:

 

[hoopsontoast]

Some big changes-

New house, new Living room-

Had a play with a Decware Zen SET 2wpc amp-

Denon DL-103 added to the Luxman-

New 'DIY' project with some rare 80's Studio monitors - Kord Vulcan's (Smaller version of the Kord Tornado I had before) that need new veneer-

Denon PMA-2000AE added instead of the AVR200/Sony TA-F670ES/Decware Zen -

So thats where we are atm :rofl:

 

[CnoEvil]

Lovely, it's like "back to the future" for me.

I think those Kolts need a more robust stan though!

 

[hoopsontoast]

Back to the Future?

Yeah the Target R1's are a bit overkill! Will need some larger top plate/shorter ones for the Kords though!

 

[CnoEvil]

It transported me fondly back to the sort of kit I had in the early 80s (without a Delorean).

Trio 1033 / Sony TA-F4A / Keesonic Kubs

 

[hoopsontoast]

Ah cool, nice kit, not heard the Kubs though, maybe one day for a second system.

 

[hoopsontoast]

All stripped-

Veneering on its way with the Kords-

Almost there-

Walnut Iron on Veneer, Solid Walnut 3mm trim with 3mm Cork Sheet for the Baffle

 

[hoopsontoast]

AE2's came in and out, along with the Denon PMA-2000AE.

Vulcans finished-

But back to the old combo Keesonic Kolt / Sony ES :rofl:

 

[hoopsontoast]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoopsontoast/7442589360/

Back to the Kolts, Sony ES amp and a Sony DVP-S9000ES SACD/DVD player.

Soon to have another change on the amp front, new pre in the next week then who knows....

Keesonic Kolts and Sony S9000ES are keepers.

 

[eggontoast]

Is that a pair of Pioneer SE-L40's I can see

 

[hoopsontoast]

Close, Teac HP-100 headphones

 

[hoopsontoast]

Vulcan Monitors finished and up for sale-

Quite pleased with the results.

One of two new amps to grace Hoops Manor, a pair of Antique Sound Labs (ASL) Wave 8wpc PP Valve Monoblocks.

And an Icon Audio LA3 pre-amp which arrived today :dance:

 

[hoopsontoast]

The stunning (even after a hour or two) Icon Audio LA3 Pre-Amp slotted in-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoopsontoast/7774631746/

 

[CnoEvil]

Hoops.....you know how to put together a very musical system.....and your DIY speakers are something to be proud of.

:cheers:

Cno

 

[hoopsontoast]

Cheers, really chuffed at the moment. The DIY speakers (Kords??) were just a refurb job. Next on the list will be the Kolts, although as they will be lifetime keepers, I may spend more and get a professional to do them in a nice Santos Rosewood!

This, bar possibly the power amps if it does not work out, will be at the Scalford Hall show in 2013.

 

[CnoEvil]

Cheers, really chuffed at the moment. The DIY speakers (Kords??) were just a refurb job. Next on the list will be the Kolts, although as they will be lifetime keepers, I may spend more and get a professional to do them in a nice Santos Rosewood!

This, bar possibly the power amps if it does not work out, will be at the Scalford Hall show in 2013.

Vulcan monitors (assumed DIY).

 

[hoopsontoast]

They were not DIY, they were made by Kord in the 80's who made studio Monitors. The larger Tornado I had before are very similar, same drivers just the Vulcans are a smaller sealed box.

The Tornado design was bought by Wilmslow Audio in the 90's which then became their HSM kit.

My old For Sale thread, including a pic of them at the Scalford Hall show back in 2011-

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?53851-FS-KORD-TORNADO-Monitors

 

[hoopsontoast]

I may be home -

Audion Sterling Plus power amp with KT120 (also takes KT88 and EL34)

Helps it being on the top shelf, gets a bit hot!

 

[toyota man]

I may be home -

Audion Sterling Plus power amp with KT120 (also takes KT88 and EL34)

Helps it being on the top shelf, gets a bit hot!

Hi if your gear sounds as good as it looks it must sound amazing

 

[hoopsontoast]

I'm getting there, almost done I think :dance:

 

[hoopsontoast]

Well some big changes in the past few months.

I moved things about and added a new rack, as well as a Heed Questar MC for the Luxman/DL103 combo:

Then a rather large change, where the Kolts (my long time love) were put aside for a radical change in direction.

The arrival of some Magnepan MMG's, they had been on my radar and 'to do list' for a good few years, but not many turn up on these shores so when I came across a pair BNIB I jumped ship.

Little and Large!

The downside that this change meant that the Audion had to leave hoops towers as it was not really suitable for the MMG's and the sale went most of the way in paying for the Maggies.

The Audion was replaced with a cheap Quad Elite stereo which was designed as a stop gap. It did remarkably well, a great little amp IMO and would probably be a great match for most speakers that dont need massive power.

It went quite well but I wanted to go back to an all integrated route and had planned to buy either one of the big Sony ES amps again like the TA-F770ES or buy back my old Denon PMA-2000AE, but the sale fell through.

The Luxman/DL103/Heed combo was sold to free up some funds for a new long term DIY TT project, based on an old Sony TTS-3000 and Rega RB300 arm:

So this left me without an amp, I still have the Icon Audio LA3 on long term loan so was not sure weather to go for another power amp or stick with the Integrated route, and another item that was on my radar for a few years was offered to me on another forum. A Restek Challenger, its a German powerhouse integrated with a beefy power supply and 130w/8Ohms and 200w/4Ohms, just what the doctor ordered for the MMGs.

The new slimline system:

This is where we stand today. Not foreseeing anther change anytime soon, but when has that ever stopped me! :dance: