[covermye]

Huge news that doesn't apply to anybody else:  As of this week, I'm President and CEO of a fairly substantial manufacturing corporation.  Good news:  I have a bigger, more private office.  Bad news:  I'll be spending lots more time here than ever before.

To lessen my stress, I was going to piece a stereo system together from current "surplus" components.  However, what I don't have is a pair of speakers that wouldn't be too obtrusive in an office environment.  Current equipment that I'll probably use here:

 - Modified Music Hall 25 CD player
 - Channel Island passive pre (will be replaced with a remote controllable pre within the next few days so I can mute during important events... I plan on adding a tuner too, so just pausing a CD isn't good enough).
 - Odyssey Stratos Extreme amplifier.

First question:  Suggestions for a preamp with remote capability.  I see a couple of used Odyssey Tempests on Audiogon... May not be a bad place to start from the reviews I've read about them.

Second quesion:  Speakers.  Office is ~14' wide x ~18' long, 9 foot ceiling.  Trimmed in light oak.  I know a pair of 626R's in light oak (or light cherry) would be just great for not being too obtrusive.  My question then becomes stands.  What are people using for stands with these rather large monitors?  Obviously being solid and "bearded" is important.  I just don't know where to look...

The other argument is that by the time one spends the dough required on a "good" set of stands for the 626R's, one may as well buy the RM30's and be done with it.  Knowing what you know about my rather modest, but capable hardware, what would you recommend for speakers/stands?

Thanks in advance!

[warnerwh]

Welcome back, haven't seen you for some time.

If you get a tuner please get a vintage Kenwood or Sansui and have it modded. You will get exceptional sound for the money. An outdoor antenna would be nice if that's possible. Quality broadcasts are very enjoyable to listen to.

Being as you want a remote why not just get something like one of the hybrid integrated amps with tubes in the pre stage? Just a thought but in an office where space can be at a premium it may not be a bad option.

Congratulations on your new position.

[covermye]

Hey... thanks for the reply old pal.  I guess the new position speaks for itself in terms of why you haven't seen me around here much.

What are these stands shown in this picture on the VMPS website?  These would be perfect...



As far as hybrid integrateds, give me a suggestion

I've got a good outdoor FM antenna for the tuner... just no tuner yet.  Don't fault me for being tuner-ignorant, but would I really be better off with one of the vintage models you mentioned over, say, a later model NAD with remote that could be easily changed from the desk too?

[John Casler]

Hey... thanks for the reply old pal.  I guess the new position speaks for itself in terms of why you haven't seen me around here much.

What are these stands shown in this picture on the VMPS website?  These would be perfect...



As far as hybrid integrateds, give me a suggestion

I've got a good outdoor FM antenna for the tuner... just no tuner yet.  Don't fault me for being tuner-ignorant, but would I really be better off with one of the vint ...

The stands in the picture are "custom" 626R stands I have made by Sound Anchors.  They can be ordered in 3-4 posts, and most any height.

They also have a top plate that fits the size of the 626R.

However the key element is that Bob adds a "beard" to the front.

They are made of welded steel and "very heavy'.

Also designed to have sand or shot placed in the hollows, if desired.

[John Casler]

 I've got a good outdoor FM antenna for the tuner... just no tuner yet. Don't fault me for being tuner-ignorant, but would I really be better off with one of the vintage models you mentioned over, say, a later model NAD with remote that could be easily changed from the desk too? ...

While nothing replaces the quality of the best FM tuners, you might look into "internet radio".

I recently have been exploring such since the OLIVE media Servers (see the GROUP Deal) has internet radio.

If you plan on simply "casual" listening, the quality is fine and the selection of stations is alsmost overwhelming.

But you don't need the OLIVE to tune in, all you need is your computer and an internet connection.

To try it out, simply go to www.ShoutCast.com and select a station or two to listen to.

To connect to your audio system simply run from your soundcard output to an input on your system.

I'm listening right now, through cheap computer speakers and it sounds great.

[Doublej]

Just remember that Internet radio uses small but constant bandwidth so your network folks may not like it. But if you are the CEO you can almost do whatever you want.

You can pick up a great vintage tuner for around $100. Check out

www.fmtunerinfo.com for full details.

I am curious as to what size qualifies as substantial in the manufacturing business. $50 Million, $500 Million?

My recollection of working for a few small manufacturing shops is that the headaches mount very quickly and the entire world thinks whatever you make costs too much (yet they have no problems with a $80 haircut or a $4 cup of coffee at Starbucks)

[covermye]

Well, all things are relative I guess.  I'm "only" 31 years old, and we have annual revenue of somewhere upward of $20M per year.  Plastics extrusion is what we do, in general terms.  It's substantial in value using my measurement system.  

I thought about the internet radio idea... I have a Siris subscription and listen to it a lot on my laptop as well (I got it for the NFL network, NOT Howard!).  I'm an old-school Blues/ R&B kind of guy, so it's nice to have subject specific channels that stay in that genre.  

Anyhow, I'm leaning toward the 626's currently, unless one of the two guys in the Chicago area has a pair of light oak RM30's available immediately... I'll give them a ring today and find out.  I'm about 2 hours south of Chicago.

My recollection of working for a few small manufacturing shops is that the headaches mount very quickly and the entire world thinks whatever you make costs too much (yet they have no problems with a $80 haircut or a $4 cup of coffee at Starbucks)

You nailed it there, pal.  Plus we're in the plastics business, where raw material prices have more than doubled over the past two years.  Makes for an interesting way to spend my free time.

[Doublej]

Hoepfully your parts are selling for more than the $12 per 1000 they were selling for when I worked for a place making plasttic fasteners for cars.

I got there just after the failed union drive and before the business was shut down because of the overseas competition. Fortunately, I was only on a 6 month assignment.

[warnerwh]

As mentioned above fmtunerinfo.com is an excellent place to get an idea of what you can get.  If you have stations like PBR that broadcast a high quality signal it would be a good idea to mod a vintage tuner.

Forget the NAD of Magnum Dynalab tuners.  You can have near cd quality from a good tuner with an outdoor antenna and a good tuner.  4-500 is plenty of money to get sound quality that literally rivals tuners costing thousands.

Getting a vintage tuner modded isn't something your local tech can do btw. You'll probably need to send it to someone to have it done. It's a rare breed that can properly align an analog tuner and few people have the proper equipment to do it right.

Until I had a my modded Kenwood KT 7500 I had no idea how good a tuner could sound. I've owned alot of the better tuners over the years but the modded Kenwood sounds much better.