[Redrocket]

Hi All

Here to find a friendlier forum than another well known forum. Love 2ch, quite interested in DIY audio kits. Looking to build a good tubed preamp and bookshelves at some point.

Thanks

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome to AC 

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Welcome to AC from a fellow former New Yorker.

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[Redrocket]

Thanks very much for the welcome!

[Redrocket]

Welcome to AC from a fellow former New Yorker.

Since I was looking for DIY Tube preamp options, I came across the VTA SP14 and the Don Sachs Model2, did you eventually order one to replace you BAT VK-51?

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC Redrocket   

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Since I was looking for DIY Tube preamp options, I came across the VTA SP14 and the Don Sachs Model2, did you eventually order one to replace you BAT VK-51?

No I did not.  My system is fully balanced including my DAC. I am going to focus on getting new speakers as my wife is getting  tired of having Door panel Magnepans in the family room for 20 years.  Once I have new speakers (Fyne Audio 702/502sp or Monitor Audio 5G 300 gold) I will start making electronic changes, probably starting with a new DAC since my Luxman DAC is getting long in the tooth (2013 it came out on the market).

The DS model 2 is still not out of the question though.

Larry

By the way, I grew up in uptown BKLYN and went to South Shore HS.  Eventually moved out of state for College and now live in the Twin Cities.

[Redrocket]

No I did not.  My system is fully balanced including my DAC. I am going to focus on getting new speakers as my wife is getting  tired of having Door panel Magnepans in the family room for 20 years.  Once I have new speakers (Fyne Audio 702/502sp or Monitor Audio 5G 300 gold) I will start making electronic changes, probably starting with a new DAC since my Luxman DAC is getting long in the tooth (2013 it came out on the market).

The DS model 2 is still not out of the question though.

Larry

By the way, I grew up in uptown BKLYN and went to South Shore HS.  Eventually moved out of state for College and now live in the Twin Cities.

Those Fyne Audio floor standers look really nice, first thought when I saw them was that they look like Tannoy's, turns out that they do have connection with Tannoy. When I was in my teens, I was lucky to be able to listen to a really nice system that my uncle put together, at the time it was more about how it sounded than what components made it up. Only many years later did I realize that it was pretty high end in its day, Mark Levinson 333, Mark Levinson 30.6/31.5 as source, Martin Logan reQuests, Audio Research LS5 MKII or MKIII. Since then I still dream of owning an ARC LS5 MKIII, but I got busy and couldn't afford it. They also seem to be hard to find, that's the reason why I'm looking at either a SP14 or Don Sachs Model 2.

My own system in my early 20's was Rotel / Martin Logan Aerius i 'cause thats what I could afford at the time, DIY'd a Rythmik Audio Servo Sub. Then later, Rotel, Martin Logan Electromotion, then DIY bug bit again and built a pair of Linkwitz Riley LXMini's, those sounded way better than they should have, it was uncanny, I miss them. Have a pretty rare Conrad Johnson Premier One, what a beast and boy it sure sounds great with the Martin Logans, but a beast it is with the electric bill and heat.

I landed on your wonderful shores from South Africa almost 4 years ago, lived in Brooklyn where I had some space and started putting together a system again, a Yamaha integrated and Elac bookshelves because they were hot at the time. Then moved onto Nord Acoustics NC-500 mono blocks and Elac's Adante AF-61's, those sounded okay, but I think they were ultimately a flop.... then I moved to midtown and had less space, back to bookshelves. Will be moving back to a larger space and the itch is growing to put together a nice system, needing to scratch the DIY itch too. So much to try... would love to hear the LRS's or a pair Martin Logans again, but alas... I think I'll DIY a CSS Audio / GR Research kit, or even those LXmini's again.

[JLM]

Had a brief chance to recently hear CSS's newest monitors (not yet available), sounded very good and reasonably priced as I understood.  A far different alternative is the JBL 708P ($3900/pair, active 2-way so no power amp needed, the best all around loudspeaker I've ever heard, would work in a smaller or very big room). 

The best setup IMO is monitors plus 4 subwoofers to combat inherent in-room bass peaks/dips.  So the monitors would only need to reach down to ~100 Hz and the subwoofers would be setup in the corners or mid-wall.  Check out Audio Kinesis swarm for a commercial offering (Duke LeJeune is a nice guy and the real deal). 

[rif]

Welcome from a former NYC -- Manhattan (midtown west, hells kitchen, Clinton whatever its called now) and Queens (forest hills)