System Pics 2018

Dave***t posted:

rjstaines posted:

Is there a prize for identifying the equipment in this pic?   ..and perhaps a bonus for getting the boxes in the right vertical order?

I'd be saying the top box is a NAC52... but I got confused after that, even after looking up your profile, Mort 

I'll try.

52

Snaxo.      HC

NDX

Supercap

XPSDR

250

250

Could benefit from swapping SC and XPS to bottom two rows with 250s above, but my order may be wrong, and there's also cable length to consider.

Very close Dave, just drop the noisey XPSDR to the bottom. Was going to drop the SCap as well but found the current best for cables. 

Rob

S3 posted:

 

Is the radiator behind the racks ever on, if it is does it affect the equipment?

Hi Charles, No the radiator is permanently off. If I need heat in there I have a small electric heater.

Regards

David

Happy New Year gents! Lovely set-ups and I alway swing by for a bit of audio voyeurism.  Still using most of the same old gear.  VPI turntable, 47 Labs phono stage, Nait 2, ProAc speakers.  Also been using (and loving!) a Cyrus 8xpd integrated.  Not that anyone here is interested, but it's quite the amp.  

Lo-Fi , a pleasure to look at. A very focused and elegant system.

Looks great, Seakayaker. Bet those are some happy Ovators. Did you trade in the cuddly toy as well? I assume with Robert and the gang at Hawthorne?

Love it Lo-Fi

ATB,

Mark

dav posted:

My two best friends, my  Linn LP 12 and David Crosby.

Leaving the Patek-Philippe affair alone (which is a very little bit 'casually' ostentatious, let's admit it), what I find really interesting in this post and, most of all, in the subsequent comments, is that a) a lamp with the very look of having its own SMPS in the base is directly on top of the Naim box which looks like a pre or a first gen. Nait2 so a noisy PSU is close to either a transformer or signal boards, and b), that the avatar of DAV is very much looking like Jimmy Page. I expected that someone – at least on of those who rebuff you for not having suspended wires from the floor or not having checked an 8th of turn of the woofers' bolts – commented on a) at least.

Another interesting point is the use of the word 'friend': while it is obviously metaphoric about the LP12, it may not be about David Crosby, but literally used instead, which would be another 'casual' element of ostentatiousness. But I don't know DAV, I have nothing to do with him or vs him, I limit myself to remark that in this simple and elegant pic there is enough visual and conceptual stuff to differentiate it 'vertically' – and unnoticeably – from almost all the rest of the pics and homes in this thread.

Congratulations (and a tiny pang of envy) to the owner.

Max

S3 posted:

I like those racks, for the same reason I chose my Isoblue racking (apart from budgeting considerations).

Aesthetics. They look like furniture, not laboratory shelving units...

By the way, that white carpeting. Is it new? If not, then your cleaning method must be little short of heroic!

Or is it strictly shoes outside the door time?

My dark rack...LP12, Superline & Hicap2, Mober DC, Naim DAC & XP5XS, Krell KPS20i, Panasonic Blu-Ray Player, Whest DAP10 & ATC SCA2, Naim R-Com Remote.

That’s very kind Mike. I do love the look of the rack and IMHO it looks right with the Naim boxes. However, whether I’m giving my equipment the very best chance to perform to its optimum on it is a question I do wrestle with from time to time.

The cream carpet has held up well but, as you say, it tends to be socks only up in the loft so no cleaning heroics required other than the dog occasionally!

Regards

David

Am enjoying my newly restored spinner, a 1958 Thorens TD-124 Mk I with original RMG-212 tonearm.

For now, I am using a Dynavector XX-2 mounted in a modern Ortofon head shell, but they will soon be replaced by an Ortofon SPU Royal GM MkII.

Mike1951 posted:

S3 posted:

I like those racks, for the same reason I chose my Isoblue racking (apart from budgeting considerations).

Aesthetics. They look like furniture, not laboratory shelving units...

+1. Being on a search for a rack that does look like furniture but also provides sonic benefits I have recently come across a couple of firms (all from continental Europe) that seem interesting: does anyone have experience with Roterring from Germany (I like their Amitara series and in particular model 23) or Rogoz from Poland (I like their 4RP3 model...)? Their prices are not that different from the Hi Fi rack ones but seem a bit more “thought over”.. I post some pics below, hope this is within forum rules.

..

Hook posted:

Am enjoying my newly restored spinner, a 1958 Thorens TD-124 Mk I with original RMG-212 tonearm.

 

What a beauty - nice one Hook 

That Polish one doesn’t fit well with Naim socket locations by the look of it.

Hook, that is one gorgeous turntable- looks so well made.

David

Great looking TT Hook!

Michael Mccullough posted:

Looks great, Seakayaker. Bet those are some happy Ovators. Did you trade in the cuddly toy as well? I assume with Robert and the gang at Hawthorne?

Thanks Michael!

 I only traded in the ND5XS and XS 2 and will run the NDX & SN2 bare for the time being. I want to have a chance to listen to the new combination for a few months and get accustomed to and appreciate the music they present. The Ovators over the past few days have been singing like a new pair of speakers, the upgrade certainly has me smiling and quite happy with the decision.

The two folks I have been worked with at Hawthorne is Matthew & John. Both have been quite helpful and a pleasure to work with, a great dealership.

Erich posted:

seakayaker posted:

Just a few hours into the upgrade.  It is sounding quite nice, deeper bass, improved detail, a tighter grip are first impressions. Brand new out of the box so they will need time to settle in but I was pleasantly surprised how good they do sound from the get go. The first listen to something new is always tough for me, the psychological effect of wanting it to be better has to be taken into consideration. Right now I am very happy with the NDX/SN2 combination.

I think it was a great upgrade for me. I purchased the last week of December and the boxes arrived in the shop on Tuesday and were delivered and set up this afternoon. The heavily discounted pricing for the end of year sale on the NDX, plus avoiding the projected 2018 price hikes were two incentives. The third incentive was the trade-in value of my two boxes, so from a monetary point of view it worked out well for me.

I am looking forward to the next 30/60 days for everything to settle in (including me).

Good idea to have the fireplace in the back of your kit to speed up the warming process when powering after a shutdown. Where  I live, we are not allowed to use the fireplace (pollution), it is disabled and for long time I had a kit inside it.

Very nice upgrade, enjoy!!!

Thank for your kind words, they are appreciated.  

The fireplace in the photo has also been disabled and has not been used for past 15+ years.

I've just spotted the single birthday card, very sad ????. Actually my very organised sister is a week early, honest!

That's a jaunty angle to have your equinox shelves at. Any reason for the side saddle approach?

Purely practical Dave. The Ikea chopping boards are a bit too deep and the angle was easier than taking a saw to them but I wouldn't change it now.

I was considering the Atacama bamboo version but this turned out to be an effective upgrade alternative for very little cost.

S3 posted:

It does like very nice aesthetically and very well made : )

but i'd be wary about placing it so snug up to a radiator if it's made of solid wood 

Debs

Hi Debs, Thanks. Just curious; what should I be wary of as the radiator is permanently off?

Regards

David

Radiators are really convectors and radiate heat poorly so a few cm is probably ok anyway. Unless you paint them black of course! Easy enough to check with your hand if you ever turn it on.

Stu