Endowment policy matures; mortgage already paid!

[awkwardbydesign]

Alright then, a letter just landed on the mat; my endowment matures (unlike me) on the 1st of August. £17,863.38p paid into my bank. Imagine I could spend most of it on hifi, what should I do? Bear in mind I prefer to build or modify, not box swap. My room is about 5m x 4m, with lots of acoustic trapping done already.

I intend to keep my Oracle Delphi Mk1, but might upgrade the bearing and motor, and modify the chassis to Mk5 spec with a counterweight; I already have the Mk6 dashpots and Delrin feet and tower shafts.

Everything else COULD change, but not just for the sake of change.

Arm and cart at the mo are Decca International and Decca Supergold.

Phono stage is a Yaqin MS-12B, heavily modded. That should change, maybe get Coco to build an LCR?

Pre is a Promitheus standard TVC, that would certainly change, but maybe to a better version. Or a valve pre; Bottlehead maybe?

Active crossover is a 1981 Ben Duncan design, upgraded several times. If that goes then it's passive speakers.

HF amp is either a Ming Da MC84-C (EL84 PP) or funky little SET -http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121041038118?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

MF amps are Ming Da MC845-C monoblocks.

LF amp is a Parasound HCA-1205A 5 channel power amp; that definitely needs changing anyway as I no longer need more than 2 channels. I do wonder about the Parasound Halo power amps.

Speakers are a mix of EJ Jordan drivers and 10" SEAS bass units. I think I would prefer to make my own here, especially as I have just ordered a Behringer ECM8000 mic.

CD transport is an old Meridian 200 and the DAC is a Teradac Chameleon NOS. I like the look of the Oracle CDPs, but don't know too much about them.

I also have Qnap NAS + laptop, but prefer records and CDs.

Cables..... well we won't go there, eh?

I have no particular objection to Chinese or 2nd hand. 220v gear is OK, I have 2 variacs, or bucking transformers are dead easy to make up.

I would prefer not to have subwoofers, and I want fast open bass more than extra deep. Oh, and I quite like ribbons. Not to wear though.

Any chance of some sensible suggestions? :upgrade:

And don't worry about racks, etc; I'll make them.

 

[russ abbott - royds broth]

Massive speakers

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Shut up. It was bad enough taking YOURS to Scalford. And which part of "sensible suggestions" did you not understand?

Although these appeal. Could I get a matched pair?

 

[Purite Audio]

Reinvest it into your pension.

Keith.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Nah, I intend to drink or drug myself to death pretty quickly.

BTW when I said sensible I meant in 'Wam terms, not normal people! :doh:

 

[Guest]

Save the 38p and blow the rest on women and fast cars:^

 

[AmDismal]

What a lovely problem

Stick with active, I suggest a Najda digital 4-way as the first thing to build. Dead easy - you add a PSU, box and buttons.

Sort the speakers first. A big J-horn could do down to 50Hz; lower than that would need something quite big - Lab sub style, or tapped horns. Then decide on what goes above; the J-horns would go up to 300Hz or so, so you could get a 160Hz horn (Stereolab?) above that, followed by S2s and a Raal ribbon - what a great 4-way system that would be. If you go for more bass, you need a mid-bass solution (build it big) for 100-500Hz, then some 2" compression drivers and Raals from 5k up, if you didn't want to go five way.

I currently use a big pro SS power amp for the bass, but I don't think it's needed - PP valve would be fine. Choose your amps based on the needs of the speakers, but generally SE would be fine except for the lowest stuff.

Sounds like fun :^

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Save the 38p and blow the rest on women and fast cars bikes :^

Fixt. I'm off to Pembrey tomorrow for a track day. Back on Monday. I hope! :nerves:

 

[Guest]

Fixt. I'm off to Pembrey tomorrow for a track day. Back on Monday. I hope! :nerves:

Oooh, sounds like fun! get that knee down!

 

[russ abbott - royds broth]

Fair do's.

Get some pretty big speakers that are not quite massive. :^

 

[awkwardbydesign]

What a lovely problem Stick with active, I suggest a Najda digital 4-way as the first thing to build. Dead easy - you add a PSU, box and buttons.

Sort the speakers first. A big J-horn could do down to 50Hz; lower than that would need something quite big - Lab sub style, or tapped horns. Then decide on what goes above; the J-horns would go up to 300Hz or so, so you could get a 160Hz horn (Stereolab?) above that, followed by S2s and a Raal ribbon - what a great 4-way system that would be. If you go for more bass, you need a mid-bass solution (build it big) for 100-500Hz, then some 2" compression drivers and Raals from 5k up, if you didn't want to go five way.

I currently use a big pro SS power amp for the bass, but I don't think it's needed - PP valve would be fine. Choose your amps based on the needs of the speakers, but generally SE would be fine except for the lowest stuff.

Sounds like fun :^

Thanks for the first nearly sensible reply; however I'm allergic to digital processing (yes I know that's probably illogical, but hey, that's the kind of guy I am, even the DAC is NOS), and the room is only 5 x 4, not speedysteve's dedicated room (better curtains, too. ), and it will need space for people as well. Also, even if I CAN spend the money on hifi it will need at least a nod in the WAF direction. I managed to get the acoustic tailoring past SWMBO by hiding it behind fabric walls.

 

[cjr]

Spend the whole shebang on the highest cost cables you can afford.

 

[russ abbott - royds broth]

Thanks for the first nearly sensible reply; however I'm allergic to digital processing (yes I know that's probably illogical, but hey, that's the kind of guy I am, even the DAC is NOS), and the room is only 5 x 4, not speedysteve's dedicated room (better curtains, too. ), and it will need space for people as well. Also, even if I CAN spend the money on hifi it will need at least a nod in the WAF direction. I managed to get the acoustic tailoring past SWMBO by hiding it behind fabric walls.

Put a plant on top of the pretty big speakers should sort that problem. :^

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Oooh, sounds like fun! get that knee down!

That's me, that is. Knee down is no problem, getting it back up might be!

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Put a plant on top of the pretty big speakers should sort that problem. :^

Haven't you got some work to do, or something?

 

[russ abbott - royds broth]

:nup:

Bad back.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Spend the whole shebang on the highest cost cables you can afford.

Now you're just being silly. I make my own. With batteries in them.

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:nup: Bad back.

Lol, I had to think about that; I thought you meant me, as your post is just under that picture!

 

[cjr]

Now you're just being silly. I make my own. With batteries in them.

Pah! you know and I do, that the most expensive cables you can afford will be much better.

 

[russ abbott - royds broth]

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Lol, I had to think about that; I thought you meant me, as your post is just under that picture!

Bupa said they can sort my back,but it will cost £17,863.38p :roll:

 

[crimsondonkey]

Treat yourself to 17 nights with a £1000 per night hooker.

Use the £863.38 for sundry expenses and discretionary tips.