System Pics 2019

Apart from getting back into headphone listening at home not much changed in 2018. The Shahinians, which were supposed to be a stop gap whilst Grandchild no1 was a bit too interested in speakers, have sort of stayed and with Grandchild 2 soon to appear they may be around a while longer yet. I've also discovered the delights of Roon so a Nucleus has been a recent addition to the rack.

Plans for 2019 - Just enjoy the music (and maybe get a Tidal subscription...) 

Not something as fancy as most of you guys have but I am really happy with the speakers which I have bulid for a kit (the artwork is not mine). They work perfectky with Uniti Star.

james

amongst all the toys on the rack the one in the bottom right is quite nice

regards

Thanks. I bought it a long time ago (when I had one of the original TTs). It now serves as a useful distraction from the more expensive bits for inquisitive young minds  

HiFiman posted:

???? Hifiman,....An advice,replace your Linn Skeet to Naim Fraim Chips under your rack and speakers..,it sounds better.

Naim Fraim Chips have a completely different design than Linn Skeet,and let your spike's work as it was intended.

I always get amazed when I see Linn Skeet in a music-system,..I think then,don't people listen before they buy.
Everything matters,..think "Attention To Detail"

/Peder ????

HiFiman posted:

You seemed pretty chuffed with your Tab 10s just before Christmas IIRC, what prompted the change?

I must say, I didn’t notice the change, I just though how nice it looked. I’d certainly be interested in the reason for the change to Allaes. I’ve been inspired by HiFiman’s one speaker portrait to do the mirror image. I picked up an extra Fraim shelf and a 2008 NAT05 very recently, which has made itself very much at home and sounds delightful. 

james n posted:

Thanks. I bought it a long time ago (when I had one of the original TTs). It now serves as a useful distraction from the more expensive bits for inquisitive young minds  

I've just realised that TT here doesn't mean turntable and this now makes sense. I'm not very good on cars.

Congrats on the NAT-05 Nigel,  nice.      I see you have a Preset LED showing meaning you have a Philips tuner head unit.  Later models as I have with the ALPS head don't illuminate the Pre-set LED;  & to me its mildly irritating to have a LED that does nothing.      Anyhow,  good move & lots of good listening ahead.  Here's hoping we get to keep national broadcasting FM for a long time into the future.

Nigel, as the nat05 is a new addition I presume you have had to have an aerial installed? Anyhow, looks rather nice

Eoink posted:

james n posted:

Thanks. I bought it a long time ago (when I had one of the original TTs). It now serves as a useful distraction from the more expensive bits for inquisitive young minds  

I've just realised that TT here doesn't mean turntable and this now makes sense. I'm not very good on cars.

Ah - Got it. The other silvery thing near the floor!

Phil

Gazza posted:

Nigel, as the nat05 is a new addition I presume you have had to have an aerial installed? Anyhow, looks rather nice

We have had an aerial on the roof for ages, which we used with the 272’s FM module. It’s a five element, pointing to Rowridge on the Isle of Wight, from which we get a really good signal. The tuner cost me the princely sum of £240, which seems good value considering that the interconnect that comes with it would cost £115 if bought by itself. It’s a 2008 serial, which means that as the 05 was replaced with the 05XS in 2009, the Alps head to which Mike refers wasn’t in the 05 for very long at all. 

Very good, bargain, it would have been rude not to have jumped at that price.

Dave***t posted:

HiFiman posted:

 

You seemed pretty chuffed with your Tab 10s just before Christmas IIRC, what prompted the change?

Its a long story Dave but here goes.

About 2.5 years ago I downgraded my system and sold my Allaes after 13 years of ownership from new.

Moved my existing UQ Mk1 (192) into the main living room with a set of AE301 speakers, lived with this setup for a few months then purchased the Proac Tab 10 in white.

Chopped and changed a few things then ended up with 272/XP5xs/250DR/Fraim with the Proac Tab 10 in white.

Wife decided to move things around and decorate the whole house, system ended up in the old play room. Thought I would try some floor standers again, tried a used pair Proac D20R in cherry but the boom drove me nuts, tried everything to make these work but in the end moved them on.

Changed my Proac Tab 10 white for a signature set in cherry (still have these by the way) but I missed the bottom end grunt.

Then a few days ago spotted a used late pair of mint Allae's and took a punt, spent sometime on careful setup but after 13 years of previous ownership I know how these work. 

Overall I'm over the moon, no boom, lovely bottom end and they work beautifully with my 250DR and more importantly work in the new room.

Woj posted:

Not something as fancy as most of you guys have but I am really happy with the speakers which I have bulid for a kit (the artwork is not mine). They work perfectky with Uniti Star.

IPL S2TLK? I used to have some of those, very nice, but my room proved to be too small for the amount of bass they kick out.  That ribbon tweeter is very nice though. 

hungryhalibut posted:

.........    the Alps head to which Mike refers wasn’t in the 05 for very long at all. 

.......  ???? ......... something a little odd.    Its my understanding it was the Philips head that wasn't around long.  It became hard to source & the NAT-05 was redesigned around an ALPS tuner head.  The easy check is the “pre-set” LED on the tuner display will not illuminate with the ALPS head.    My NAT-05 is serial number 239769 made in 2006, & as it's Preset LED does not light so it means it has an ALPS head.    

The NAT-05 history .........  Introduced in 2001,  I have nothing firm on when the ALPS head was embodied,  but believe it was sometime around 2003/4.  It was replaced by NAT-05XS in 2009 & that remained unchanged up to end of production in 2017. 

Nigel, will you be rebooting the system pics thread on the new forum? It will let everyone try out the new picture posting protocol.

Stu.

I won’t be joining you on the new Forum so it’s time for someone new to take it on. I suspect Richard will start it off. 

[@mention:4804681823084713] If I've just read  your above post correctly, just to say I'll miss you on the new forum.

Mike-B posted:

hungryhalibut posted:

.........    the Alps head to which Mike refers wasn’t in the 05 for very long at all. 

.......  ???? ......... something a little odd.    Its my understanding it was the Philips head that wasn't around long.  It became hard to source & the NAT-05 was redesigned around an ALPS tuner head.  The easy check is the “pre-set” LED on the tuner display will not illuminate with the ALPS head.    My NAT-05 is serial number 239769 made in 2006, & as it's Preset LED does not light so it means it has an ALPS head.    

The NAT-05 history .........  Introduced in 2001,  I have nothing firm on when the ALPS head was embodied,  but believe it was sometime around 2003/4.  It was replaced by NAT-05XS in 2009 & that remained unchanged up to end of production in 2017. 

Mike, I don’t really know what’s going on, but mine is a 257xxx serial from 2008 and as you can see, it has an illuminated preset light. The box does have an RMA sticker so I guess it may have ended up with a different head or wiring or display or something. 

Pictures please!

Ardbeg10y posted:

Pictures please!

Appreciated, however, just quickly - 

Eoink posted:

[@mention:4804681823084713] If I've just read  your above post correctly, just to say I'll miss you on the new forum.

Likewise.

Mike-B posted:

hungryhalibut posted:

.........    the Alps head to which Mike refers wasn’t in the 05 for very long at all. 

.......  ???? ......... something a little odd.    Its my understanding it was the Philips head that wasn't around long.  It became hard to source & the NAT-05 was redesigned around an ALPS tuner head.  The easy check is the “pre-set” LED on the tuner display will not illuminate with the ALPS head.    My NAT-05 is serial number 239769 made in 2006, & as it's Preset LED does not light so it means it has an ALPS head.    

The NAT-05 history .........  Introduced in 2001,  I have nothing firm on when the ALPS head was embodied,  but believe it was sometime around 2003/4.  It was replaced by NAT-05XS in 2009 & that remained unchanged up to end of production in 2017. 

Correct Mike.  It was the original Philips head (and daughter board) that didn't last long in the NAT05, mainly tanks to being discontinued by Philips not long after the 05 launched. 

Eoink posted:

[@mention:4804681823084713] If I've just read  your above post correctly, just to say I'll miss you on the new forum.

You are very kind. I hadn’t intended to say anything, but it would have been rude not to reply to Stuart. I’ve really enjoyed starting System Pics for the last nine years. Seeing inside people’s houses is great for my natural nosiness.