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System Pics 2018

Posted by: hungryhalibut on 17 December 2017

Welcome to System Pics 2018.

To start things off, here are a couple of pictures of my setup. There have been some big changes over the past year; a 300 and a 555PS, and some extra shelves to accommodate them. 

Posted on: 14 November 2018 by Ian G.
Lewis posted:

I've had a reshuffle, picked up a nice Isoblue rack for the lounge and the Fraimlite is now in the other room

 

 

There is something timelessly cool about a classic chrome bumper set up 

Posted on: 14 November 2018 by james n
Ian G. posted:
Lewis posted:

I've had a reshuffle, picked up a nice Isoblue rack for the lounge and the Fraimlite is now in the other room  

There is something timelessly cool about a classic chrome bumper set up 

Yep - nice setup there Lewis. The CB era matches the Isoblue well.

Posted on: 14 November 2018 by Lewis

Thanks fellas, i certainly never tire of the design, I just love it.  Simple and perfect.  Luckily it sounds alright too!

Posted on: 14 November 2018 by Clive B
james n posted:
Ian G. posted:
Lewis posted:

I've had a reshuffle, picked up a nice Isoblue rack for the lounge and the Fraimlite is now in the other room  

There is something timelessly cool about a classic chrome bumper set up 

Yep - nice setup there Lewis. The CB era matches the Isoblue well.

And of course any system picture showing a fine pair of SBLs is automatically onto a winner. 

Posted on: 15 November 2018 by Richard Dane
JimDog posted:

Well, here is a nasty system pic/confession.

A dusty rat's nest of cables - telly in the middle - boxes in a pile - TT wobbling on a tall table with bits of cardboard under the feet on a thick spongy carpet - speakers also wobbling on roof tiles spiked thru bits of underlay - and toed in which is illegal!

The 2nd hand Quadraspire rack I bought has been sitting in my sister-in-laws house for months - it is finally being delivered on Saturday by a friend who is attending the Kendal Mountain Film Festival. Then I will sort it all out! Finally find the sweet spot and try spiking the speakers into the concrete floor with the Naim 60mm spikes I bought...

Even so it sounds great after half a bottle of red!

Jimdog's HiFi

Nice to see a pair of Arivas in the system Pics. 

Posted on: 15 November 2018 by JimDog

Yes, and after a 15 year journey, they have just got a new lease of life from being sent lovely sound signals by a 272 and a serviced 150x.

I had no idea all these years what they are capable of.

Posted on: 15 November 2018 by yeti42
Richard Dane posted:
JimDog posted:

Well, here is a nasty system pic/confession.

A dusty rat's nest of cables - telly in the middle - boxes in a pile - TT wobbling on a tall table with bits of cardboard under the feet on a thick spongy carpet - speakers also wobbling on roof tiles spiked thru bits of underlay - and toed in which is illegal!

The 2nd hand Quadraspire rack I bought has been sitting in my sister-in-laws house for months - it is finally being delivered on Saturday by a friend who is attending the Kendal Mountain Film Festival. Then I will sort it all out! Finally find the sweet spot and try spiking the speakers into the concrete floor with the Naim 60mm spikes I bought...

Even so it sounds great after half a bottle of red!

Jimdog's HiFi

Nice to see a pair of Arivas in the system Pics. 

I had to look twice to see they weren't Thiels.

 

Posted on: 15 November 2018 by hungryhalibut

It’s good that all our messages to and fro have borne fruit. With the new rack is in place you’ll have a super system, which will sound even better. 

Posted on: 15 November 2018 by JimDog

Yes, I must say there are a lot of very clever and extremely helpful people on this forum - and I'm very grateful for the all advice I've had since joining.

My first foray into social media has been a delight.

cheers

Jim

Posted on: 15 November 2018 by Guinnless

We're happy to help

Posted on: 15 November 2018 by Bart
Lewis posted:

I've had a reshuffle, picked up a nice Isoblue rack for the lounge and the Fraimlite is now in the other room

 

 

I love the 'retro' look here - well done!

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by Lewis
Bart posted:

I love the 'retro' look here - well done!

Thanks Bart.

I do like the look of those Arrivas.  I'd actually really like a nice pair of wood finish IBL's but I have never seen a nice pair for sale in all the years of looking.  They're like mini SBL's I really like their design, and they are supposed to sound great too.

Anyone on here got a set in their system?

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by hungryhalibut

The IBL is considered a mini DBL rather than a smaller SBL. They are wonderful speakers. I had a lovely cherry pair for a while. 

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by Beachcomber
hungryhalibut posted:

The IBL is considered a mini DBL rather than a smaller SBL. They are wonderful speakers. I had a lovely cherry pair for a while. 

Is that because they were the same tweeter and mid?  I have often wondered what the DBLs would sound like if they had the SBL drives instead (with suitable crossover changes, of course).

I still have a pair of IBLs (piano black).  Don't use them anymore, though.

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by JimDog

Yeti - yes, the Thiels are uncannily similar. (The Ariva's bass driver is lower and the middle and tweeter are higher up in the cabinets.) I'm really enjoying them since I got the 272. What helps me not yet get the itch to upgrade them is that I have never heard any other Naim speakers - so I don't know how much better Naim speakers can be. Also, I like the 3-way sound. (Also, my wife will kill me if I buy speakers in the next year). Ignorance of what I'm missing is bliss.

Also, Mike B's brilliant tip of aiming them at your head is a revelation!

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by Bob the Builder

IMG_3026

LP12 lid off.

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by james n

Looks good Bob - plenty of music to keep you amused too 

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by HiFiman

Lewis, Jimdog and Bob great pictures of nice individual systems, bit of the CB, Olive and new stuff and I bet all sound great in their surroundings.

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by garyi

I have heard a number of IBLs and frankly did not get it.

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by HiFiman
garyi posted:

I have heard a number of IBLs and frankly did not get it.

Some say JVs favourite speaker 

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by TOBYJUG
Bob the Builder posted:

IMG_3026

LP12 lid off.

Awesome. What a distinguished little fireplace. You could paint the domed pediment in the top middle a luminous green.

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by ngarritson
Lewis posted:

I've had a reshuffle, picked up a nice Isoblue rack for the lounge and the Fraimlite is now in the other room

 

 

Lewis, your system looks fantastic.  Did you switch from a 250 to 135s?

I happen to be waiting on a full rebuild of a CB hicap and CB 250 from AV Options to complete the 32.5/hc/250 trifecta.  Your picture has me feeling the anticipation. 

Posted on: 16 November 2018 by Bob the Builder
TOBYJUG posted:
Bob the Builder posted:

IMG_3026

LP12 lid off.

Awesome. What a distinguished little fireplace. You could paint the domed pediment in the top middle a luminous green.

Unfortunately the only one left in the house now I do think sometimes that I might open them up again and find period replacements but I suffer from the incurable disease of not letting another builder near his house with a ten foot barge pole and so have a 3/4 finished kitchen, a bathroom to rip out and replace and two bedrooms to plaster but no time or energy left to do it, it's taken me 16 years to get to this point so if my amazing other half doesn't murder me before that I may well die before it gets done. The shelving you see here was supposed to be a temporary measure 18 months ago until I got round to fitting bespoke ones myself.

Posted on: 17 November 2018 by JimDog

Talking of system pics, Racetripper donated a rather fine one on the track 'Play across or along a long sitting room?' - including white-pomegranate tea on his coffee table (a Track which also delves into the mysteries of the Sonic Triangulation Ratio or STR).

Posted on: 17 November 2018 by Dan.S
Anto68 posted:

My new Hugo 2 added to my set up

Sir Francis Drake smiles even though it seems to be too serious

 

 

Nice to see other people loving the high end elacs. Gorgeous 314s.