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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 2:53 pm 
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Joined: January 7th, 2018, 2:45 pm
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I first got involved with audio at age of 14, and built my first loudspeaker out of ¾” plywood based on KEF Kit #1 bought from the importer. It was not until my freshman year that I’ve built my first pre-amplifier and class AB amplifier. Once you have the hook, you can’t stop it.
I am strong analog believer, but jumped to any new technology, curious like many. And like many, this curiosity lead to more and more discoveries…
I was able to join the North Carolina Audio Society as it started in the late 1998, until its slow ending in 2006. The group had a strong core of 8 peoples, and its membership reached 30 for a short period, just more curious peoples.
Today, my system is based on analog playback, on my first DIY turntable: from an Ariston RD-11S donner, got the bearing and the platter, the 24-pole synchronous motor, the pully, the belt and the hinged dust cover. Built a solid 2” plinth (Purpleheart), and re-assemble everything to it. I made a quadrature sine wave generator, and amplifying the output back to 120 Vrms using a small audio amplifier pushing two step-up transformers. The amplitude, frequency and phase between the quadrature signals are all adjustable, and monitoring my speed with an Allnic Speednic. It sports a Triplanar IV with a ZYX R100, running fully balanced (via XLR-3) to my DIY phono-preamplifier. I’ve built this one over the last year, and is a fully balanced (virtual ground) solid state design, two stages with passive RIAA correction. I used a low impedance LCR network (yes, balanced), have no capacitor in the signal path, and no overall negative feedback. My line stage is a Classé CP-35 (next project for me), running long XLR cables, to a modified Rane MX-22 crossover (2 channels, 2-way, + mono sub below 100 Hz), driving a Classé CA-200 (above 150 Hz) to the electrostatic panel of the original Martin Logan Sequel, and through an Emotiva XPA-2 (below 150 Hz) to the 10” woofers. The summed sub-woofer signal is pushed through an Emotiva XPA-1 to a DIY Maelstrom 18 + 2 PR 8 ft3 monster, tuned at 19 Hz. I am using a Velodyne to tune the subwoofer into the system. I have no equalization whatsoever, and I am listening in a trapagon (could do a golden ratio one, but I am pretty close) shaped room with minimal room treatment. Using an OKKI NOKI cleaning device, with VPI liquids. Recently added a SweetVinyl SugarCube-2 (beta) in the tape loop (Classé CP-35 has a single ended tape loop, and the SC-2 is also single ended). Currently, I am having the most fun ever with this system.
I integrated these two channels as the main front of my home theater setup, using the Emotica UMC-1, a five-channel Rotel amplifier, pushing inexpensive Magneplanar front, side and rear surrounds. Using an OPPO UPD-83 and a 1080P Epson projector. I witch the subwoofer from the Rane to the UMC-1 in home theater mode, using the Emotiva equalization.
My interest to join your group has multiple folds, the first one is there is nobody in Harrisonburg that I can tag along, I am recently excited with Streaming technology (including MQA), and planning to acquire a good Head Phone Amplifier and headphones. Always like the technical discussions, but also enjoy tweaking discussion and finally speak about great recording and great performances.
:character-oldtimer: Marc


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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 3:11 pm 
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Joined: July 24th, 2015, 4:17 pm
Posts: 1701
Location: Parkville, Maryland
mycom57 wrote:
I first got involved with audio at age of 14, and built my first loudspeaker out of ¾” plywood based on KEF Kit #1 bought from the importer. It was not until my freshman year that I’ve built my first pre-amplifier and class AB amplifier. Once you have the hook, you can’t stop it.
I am strong analog believer, but jumped to any new technology, curious like many. And like many, this curiosity lead to more and more discoveries…
I was able to join the North Carolina Audio Society as it started in the late 1998, until its slow ending in 2006. The group had a strong core of 8 peoples, and its membership reached 30 for a short period, just more curious peoples.
Today, my system is based on analog playback, on my first DIY turntable: from an Ariston RD-11S donner, got the bearing and the platter, the 24-pole synchronous motor, the pully, the belt and the hinged dust cover. Built a solid 2” plinth (Purpleheart), and re-assemble everything to it. I made a quadrature sine wave generator, and amplifying the output back to 120 Vrms using a small audio amplifier pushing two step-up transformers. The amplitude, frequency and phase between the quadrature signals are all adjustable, and monitoring my speed with an Allnic Speednic. It sports a Triplanar IV with a ZYX R100, running fully balanced (via XLR-3) to my DIY phono-preamplifier. I’ve built this one over the last year, and is a fully balanced (virtual ground) solid state design, two stages with passive RIAA correction. I used a low impedance LCR network (yes, balanced), have no capacitor in the signal path, and no overall negative feedback. My line stage is a Classé CP-35 (next project for me), running long XLR cables, to a modified Rane MX-22 crossover (2 channels, 2-way, + mono sub below 100 Hz), driving a Classé CA-200 (above 150 Hz) to the electrostatic panel of the original Martin Logan Sequel, and through an Emotiva XPA-2 (below 150 Hz) to the 10” woofers. The summed sub-woofer signal is pushed through an Emotiva XPA-1 to a DIY Maelstrom 18 + 2 PR 8 ft3 monster, tuned at 19 Hz. I am using a Velodyne to tune the subwoofer into the system. I have no equalization whatsoever, and I am listening in a trapagon (could do a golden ratio one, but I am pretty close) shaped room with minimal room treatment. Using an OKKI NOKI cleaning device, with VPI liquids. Recently added a SweetVinyl SugarCube-2 (beta) in the tape loop (Classé CP-35 has a single ended tape loop, and the SC-2 is also single ended). Currently, I am having the most fun ever with this system.
I integrated these two channels as the main front of my home theater setup, using the Emotica UMC-1, a five-channel Rotel amplifier, pushing inexpensive Magneplanar front, side and rear surrounds. Using an OPPO UPD-83 and a 1080P Epson projector. I witch the subwoofer from the Rane to the UMC-1 in home theater mode, using the Emotiva equalization.
My interest to join your group has multiple folds, the first one is there is nobody in Harrisonburg that I can tag along, I am recently excited with Streaming technology (including MQA), and planning to acquire a good Head Phone Amplifier and headphones. Always like the technical discussions, but also enjoy tweaking discussion and finally speak about great recording and great performances.
:character-oldtimer: Marc



I can sign you up for a 12-step program for rabid audiophile addicts. :think:

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Walt


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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 3:22 pm 
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Joined: February 28th, 2013, 3:31 pm
Posts: 1780
Welcome and trust Walt. He has been through the program many times and still is trying. I have given up and am resigned to my DIY disease.

Tom


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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 5:09 pm 
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Joined: July 24th, 2015, 4:17 pm
Posts: 1701
Location: Parkville, Maryland
tomp wrote:
Welcome and trust Walt. He has been through the program many times and still is trying. I have given up and am resigned to my DIY disease.

Tom



They say you are never cured of an addiction. Well -- I am proof of that. I've been fussing with this hobby since age 16 and have sniffed enough rosin to make a cigarette smoker's lungs look good. :sick:

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Walt


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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 6:09 pm 
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Joined: December 22nd, 2017, 9:25 pm
Posts: 90
SoundMods wrote:
mycom57 wrote:
I first got involved with audio at age of 14, ...My interest to join your group has multiple folds, the first one is there is nobody in Harrisonburg that I can tag along, I am recently excited with Streaming technology (including MQA), and planning to acquire a good Head Phone Amplifier and headphones. Always like the technical discussions, but also enjoy tweaking discussion and finally speak about great recording and great performances. :character-oldtimer: Marc


I can sign you up for a 12-step program for rabid audiophile addicts. :think:


Be careful - Walt is an enabler ... and he's quite persuasive!


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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 6:28 pm 
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Joined: July 8th, 2016, 4:34 pm
Posts: 570
You are probably too young but Heathkits were a great introduction to diy especially if you were crazy enough to built their color tv set or digital fm tuner (it used plastic punch cards for channel presets).


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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 6:43 pm 
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Joined: July 8th, 2016, 4:34 pm
Posts: 570
If you are interested in some free headphones I have a pair of old Koss EPS-9 electrostatics. I don't known if they still work (they did the last time I used them several years ago) and you would have to come to Silver Spring to pick them up.


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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 6:49 pm 
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Joined: January 14th, 2015, 11:15 pm
Posts: 499
If our new member does not want them, can I have them? I will be away in Oz for three months later this year and am planning how I will deal with the music issue. I heard the Koss electrostatics a few years ago and loved them..

ray


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PostPosted: January 7th, 2018, 6:57 pm 
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Joined: July 8th, 2016, 4:34 pm
Posts: 570
If the newbie doesn't want them you can have them.


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