A couple of weeks ago I finally added the final piece of the jigsaw that my system has become - I bought a TT. This is after selling most of my records, ripping all my CD's to a HDD and vowing never to play vinyl again! I found I had a few albums that were not available on CD and a couple of others that commanded silly money. It seemed strange to handle vinyl again after an absence of a couple of years.
Still here is my system as it stands now and no tittering at the back:-
SOURCES
Asus Ultrabook laptop with 2 x external HDD's and DVD drive using Windows media Player and CD's ripped in WAV format. Why bother compressing files when storage is so cheap?
Pioneer PD 7700 Stable Platter CDP used as a transport connected to the DAC optically
Audio Technica AT-LP 1240 USB DD TT with cheap AT cartridge at present and using the in-built phono stage. I am surprised at the sound and build quality of this unit. The build quality certainly puts the Rega/Project TT's I was considering into the home made catagory IMHO. Trouble is I have started on the slippery slope of mods with this unit - I have already bought a record clamp and am considering phono stage/cartridge upgrades etc. The guy I bought this off even included a styus so I can play 78"s!! My only criticism of this TT is that it includes DJ features such as reverse! Still a bargain at $300. I do not think I shall be ripping my vinyl via the USB feature though.
DAC/Pre-amp
Maverick D1+ with factory upgraded Op amps and valve. This unit has got to be the best $100 I have ever spent on Gumtree. It sounds stunning, has enough inputs for my purposes with exceptional build quality. I still pinch myself - what a bargain.
AMPLIFIERS
Audio Innovations P500 Integrated Valve amp with 5998 tubes. I am amazed how good this old girl sounds. It operates in Class A mode so runs a bit hot but does a sterling job on the treble side of things. Bought from Caxton St Audio.
Onkyo M5056R SS Power Amp. A dual mono beast of a thing which keeps a firm grip on the bass. I would really like to mod the Onkyo ie new binding posts, phono sockets, IEC socket and replace a blown meter bulb but I cannot be bothered! While its still sounding great I will leave well alone.
SPEAKER
Linkman K9. These 55Kg Chinese monsters were purchased from WOW Sight and Sound approx 6 years ago on a whim to replace a much abused pair of Pro-Ac Tablettes. Talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous! These cost the grand sum of $799 and have been worth every cent. They sound great and have provided many an entertaining hour in experimentation. A great build quality together with an attention to detail (speaker cables and white gloves provided) complete the picture. The supplied instruction manual written in Chinglish was worth the price of admission alone!
I think I have ended up with a great sounding system on a strictly beer budget. I can listen for hours without getting fatigued which to me is always the sign of good audio.
