[rob400]

Indeed Charlie. You are far from deaf. Thanks again for the A23 cable recommendations with my system. Superb! My dealer phoned me this morning. He's still trying to sell me the Audio Note CD11/ 4.1 DAC. At $23000 I'm just not won over good as it is.

John Burns is due a 400 Royale in July. I will be hearing it within a couple of weeks of that. Price around $10000 USD. Ive also suggested to my dealer that he listened to A23 when i audition the new deck. He has agreed. It will be interesting to see if he can remain impartial...

[threadkiller]

What does said dealer recommend?
And for what system, more importantly?
You know, just heard a quite lovely mid-priced AudioNote system ($80k..)
It seems with their gear it's all or nothing. I'd be careful.

So you Brits are getting another Royal in July? I heard in the news you just got one...
I know, flog me with some old Kimber..

[rob400]

The Audio CD player works very well with DV/SH. No question. I'm experienced at hifi comparisons Chaz so not easily led but I was very impressed with the CD11/4.1 Balanced with my kit. Ultimately still digital so not quite the same listening experience as my WT/XV1s but I'd put it ahead of an Amadeus/Versalex with a budget cartridge. Only with very well mastered CD's of course. Then again not all vinyl sounds great does it?

The dealer recommends Audio Note for everything with everything at the moment. Silly! So the AN Isis cables will be there for comparisons with my A23. I won't be moving on this one. The A23 is just so natural sounding. My type of presentation every time. Let's see what response I get from him.
 
The great Scot has heard the Royale and loves it! But I really like my Versalex so it will have to be a marked improvement over it for me to part with my money and then negotiate the dimension problem.

[threadkiller]

Interesting... Is the Isis some of Peter's fine silver? Not sure I'd use that with your combo, yet give it a whirl... Always fun to try stuff... I see your dealer has drunk the koolaid...probably hard to stay unbiased after two sips...

Ah, that great scot... He signed a Pear Audio t for me once. I had to wear the mark of excellence...

I'll spill... I'm already preparing the real estate for the Royale to land. At least in my mind. If you haven't tried one before, I can tell you it is fun to cue a long arm tube...non technical me will also say you'd think it would just be an elongation of the regular arm tube. Not so... extra damping and such is required. A bit tricky or so I'm told.

I'd say prepare to open the purse...

[sebrof]

Just to update on the original topic- I removed the platter and put it in the foam packing material cut out for the platter and then put the top foam on to cover the platter. Done with the platter.
I secured the arm with a bread tie and placed the table/arm into the foam packing material cut out for the table in the box. So the table was sitting in the foam with the arm on, in the bottom of the box. I taped the box so the flaps wouldn't drop onto the arm.
So I ended up with 2 big pieces to pack in the car - the box and the platter in the foam.

That was about it. Worked fine both ways. Thanks for the advice.

Here's a pic of the system in the room. It actually sounded quite nice considering it was comprised of different parts and pieces from 4 of our systems and we just plopped it down and started playing. We had free beer, so lots of friends 

[threadkiller]

Good job- especially the free beer.
What are the speakers?

[sebrof]

Good job- especially the free beer.
What are the speakers?

Those are one of the other guy's LSA 1 monitors. They were the right size for the room (and the car), plenty of bass and nice and smooth. That was the first time I heard them.
Rest of the system:
Media Server
Ayre QB9 DAC
Rega Apollo CDP
WTL Amadeus MK II
Klyne 6PE Phono preamp
DIY Passive volume control (I think it was Artimus Labs?)
DIY tube Gain Stage
DIY Pass F4 SS amp
(all the DIY stuff made by one of our group)

[threadkiller]

Was there any interest in the table? Or were most clueless goobs, as we politely call them...
I'm sure Rob flew in to guzzle that free beer...
Cartridge?

[sebrof]

Was there any interest in the table? Or were most clueless goobs, as we politely call them...
I'm sure Rob flew in to guzzle that free beer...
Cartridge?

Lots of interest in the table for sure (I knew I forgot to mention something). That's actually why I went through the trouble of bringing it.
I explained the golf ball bearing probably 10 times, showed my belt making jig and the 400 yard / lifetime supply spool of thread several times, and talked about the no muss no fuss headshell. One guy walked in and upon seeing the table said "Bill Firebaugh!" And after I lifted the needle at the end of the record one guy filmed me with his Go Pro camera dropping the needle to play another record. More than a few guys zoomed in on the golf ball and took pictures. It was a hoot.

Ortofon Rondo Red cartridge.

[threadkiller]

Nicely played, sir!

[rob400]

I'm sure Rob flew in to guzzle that free beer...

That just isn't me mate  Not one to waste money though like most Yorkshiremen. You Auditorium fans would love UK prices. $500 US for each 1m pair of A23 1C's. Got to be better than the $800 US of A price 

Regarding the Audio Note ISIS IC's, they are copper. I agree about silver cables. Never floated my boat either! Having heard a full AN system I love the CD players but simply prefer my DV amps and the latest spec Shahinan Obs/Diapason speakers to the AN equivalents even with the said CD players. Just my ideal Chaz

[rob400]

Lots of interest in the table for sure (I knew I forgot to mention something). That's actually why I went through the trouble of bringing it.
I explained the golf ball bearing probably 10 times, showed my belt making jig and the 400 yard / lifetime supply spool of thread several times, and talked about the no muss no fuss headshell. One guy walked in and upon seeing the table said "Bill Firebaugh!" And after I lifted the needle at the end of the record one guy filmed me with his Go Pro camera dropping the needle to play another record. More than a few guys zoomed in on the golf ball and took pictures. It was a hoot.

Ortofon Rondo Red cartridge.

Selling second hand is a hoot isn't it? The crazies come out in force. What a headache!

[sebrof]

Selling second hand is a hoot isn't it? The crazies come out in force. What a headache!

We weren't selling anything. We just went up to party.

[rob400]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. My frustrating experiences of selling hifi second hand doesn't apply here then 

[sebrof]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. My frustrating experiences of selling hifi second hand doesn't apply here then 

No worries.
It was funny at times because people would come in and be sort of hesitant. Once we told them we were just hanging out and not selling anything, have a beer, they loosened up and relaxed.