Mikel, we very much enjoyed your visit Saturday. It had been awhile since I visited your virtual system, I forgot the true extent of your top-flight system. Incredible!

islandmandan September 05, 2017 15:13

Good to from you, Mike. Hey, don't forget about me in your travels! Glad to hear things are moving along well on your island project.

islandmandan May 06, 2017 14:40

Hi Guys
Have'nt been here for a long long time.
The Island is moving forward, slowly but surely. Have decided to work there for the next three month to give it a big push. We are now shoring inside for the concrete roof which will take 60 Meters.
Window fabricated and will install once roof is completed.
Stairs from dock to house poured as is the heated crawl space.
Can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Haven't bought any music since last year but am enjoying the collections that I have purchased.
Think it's time for a road trip both south and east....... stay tuned.

rugyboogie May 06, 2017 10:24

Hello Mike,

islandmandan June 06, 2016 15:33

Outstanding system!

robforst1 June 06, 2016 10:56

Mike

Congrats on your new speakers.

electricity will be generated from solar panels along with micro hydro stations.

Can't help but wonder how mature the micro hydro station technology is.

Leading or bleeding edge? As an audiophile you are at the forefront of this for sure from people I know.

Very interested in learning more as you make the move.

Cheers Chris

Hey Dan - you need to go easy on Mike. He is dealing with work schedules, deadlines, work stress ....hah hah :^)
oh sure we have similar stresses brought on by our wives but we have a sub conscious natural filter we can turn on.

Cheers

ct0517 February 08, 2015 10:19

Hi Dan

Thank you for the kind words and the nudge,nudge, wink wink
know what I mean.
When we go on our next road trip south you will our first stop.
Heading to the Island to get some work done as we are supposed to get a break in the weather today and then back to heavy rain again. At least it's not snow.
Take care and all the best,
Mike

rugyboogie February 08, 2015 10:09

Hello Mike,

Glad you finally found the right speakers for the island retreat. I will have to chide you a bit, though, because you have not come for the visit I was expecting from you.

Don't get me wrong, consider it a very mild chastisement, and of course, of no consequence. I was really hoping for, and looking forward to, your visit. I hope you may still be considering it, at some future time. I know you are quite busy, and not a retired old fart like me.

Enjoy yourself wherever you may be, at home, or at your retreat.

Regards,
Dan

islandmandan February 05, 2015 14:50

System edited: Purchased the JBL Hartsfield locally for my Island retirement home which is off grid. These will require very little power to drive as electricity will be generated from solar panels along with micro hydro stations.

rugyboogie February 05, 2015 08:44

Hi Jeff
Both tables provide great music.
The Verdier was my first table after I gave up on Vinyl in the 90s.
The Platine is a tweakers dream as there are so many ways to improve or tailor the sound to your choice. Back when I bought the table I had lots of time to tune the table. Have to check the table's speed with the Sutherland Timeline and adjust table speed before playing. Simple ritual but it does take a few minutes. Vary happy with the Verdier.
Having said that the Beat provides me pure joy without a lot of table tweaking. Table speed is dead on.
It's almost set and forget.
The Beat gets most of the play time.
Hope that helps.

rugyboogie October 19, 2014 08:41

Absolutely beautiful system. I'm contemplating moving to a DD turntable. As you own two world class examples of belt/string drive and DD, would you mind giving impressions of both?

Cheers

jeff1225 October 11, 2014 22:30

Sad to Report that Mr JC Verdier has passed away.
RIP

rugyboogie October 07, 2014 08:40

You're quite welcome, I'm also looking forward to August. Glad you're having fun and trying new gear, good to change things up once in a while.

Regards, and enjoy,
Dan

islandmandan May 24, 2014 22:28

Thanks Islandmandan
Thank you for your kind words and help on the phone. Looking forward to coming down to meet you in August.

Received a new RCM made by KL Audio.
What a revelation this cleaner is.
Convenient and the cleanest/static free that I have ever had my Lps.

Purchased some new speakers KEF LS50 (great speaker), also a minty Classe DR3b and a McIntosh MX 110.
Realized that my photos are very out of date. Will work on this as time allows.
Thanks for reading.

rugyboogie May 24, 2014 15:59

Hello Mikel,

You really are richly endowed with fine audio gear. I see your involvement includes the finer points of analog playback, sure keeps things interesting doesn't it?

I enjoyed our conversation today, hopefully we can chat when we get more time. In the meantime, enjoy your fine, diverse, system.

Regards,
Dan

islandmandan April 23, 2014 22:06

System edited: ET-2.5 finally arrived yesterday and will get a chance to set it up on the weekend. Will post pictures as well .

rugyboogie December 18, 2013 08:24

Hi Mike
being the past race car driver that you are, I think you will really enjoy how you are able to tune the ET 2.5 performance, to gel with your room and gear; using any cartridge MC or MM; low or high compliance; as little as .5 gm VTF or above 2.0; just by changing out the leaf spring suspension from single, to double to triple.

Me thinks you are going to have a lot of fun. :^)

You have so many analog choices.

Looking forward to your impressions.

Cheers Chris

ct0517 October 30, 2013 17:39

Hi Sunny

Getting my ET-2 brought up to the 2.5 version..... yes tangent tracking arms.....
Bruce T is almost done, fingers crossed that I get it in the next few weeks.
Couple of cool finds, picked up a Garott Brothers P77 MM along with a minty Sony MC 44-XL.
FR66s is mounted but need to make another armboard in order to get more range for the VTA, just never enough time in a day.

Say hi to Sam from us.

rugyboogie October 29, 2013 09:50

Hi Mikel,

A friend recently purchased a Kuzma Airline...he's running it with a SOTA Millennia.

Tangential arms...aah :-)

-Sam

c1ferrari September 19, 2013 21:22

Hi Sam and Mike, thanks for the notes.

Here is what I have been up to lately.

Three weeks ago I came home only to discover a small noise coming from within my listening room. Traced the noise and found that it was air leaking from one of my air filters that came with my Kuzma Airline arm. Tried sealing the filter but it didn't work. Ran into the attic where the compressor sits in order to turn it off.
The compressor must have been running non stop for hours as it was extremely hot.
Back in my music room the first water/oil filter-canister had almost one inch of fluid in it, second filter had nothing.
After several hours of waiting till the compressor came back to normal operating temp, started it back up and attempted to re-seal to filters, but no go.
Turned filters upside down in an attempt to reseal filters as per instructions from Frank Kuzma (thank you for numerous emails) but it didn't work either.
Further investigation showed that the filter housing broke up inside of the canister.
Well this was a first for me, so I have made some big changes to my " air system" for the Kuzma. Purchased an ET 2 recently which will need an air source as well.

The new Air System consist of the following.
20 gallon Air compressor with an output of 4.2 cfm.
Wilkerson particulate filter, which then leads to a large CAMAIR CT30 air dryer.
Then a manifold which has three air outlets.
Two regulators, one for the Kuzma set for 65psi and one for the ET set for 10psi. These air lines run from my garage through the attic and then to the music room.
From there each line has additional three stage and two stage filters before the air reaches the arms.
On the compressor I installed an auto bleed off valve.
Every 45 minutes the timer bleeds off air from the bottom of the tank for 6 seconds. The moisture is piped into a clear plastic catch can so I can see the water accumulate.
All this for tangent tracking arms....... it all worth it.
It is our hobby after all.
Take care

rugyboogie August 25, 2013 00:45

Thanks on the Beat. You are a bad influence......lucky for me. Take care.

completely my pleasure, Mike......happy to help out a friend in need. :)

Excellent, Mikel...you are definitely -- 'in the groove!'

Vbr,
Sam

just enjoying the music and friends, Sam.....like you do.

mikelavigne July 12, 2013 23:12

Excellent, Mikel...you are definitely -- 'in the groove!'

Vbr,
Sam

c1ferrari July 10, 2013 01:28

Hi Mike
Thanks on the Beat. You are a bad influence......lucky for me. Take care.

Hi Sam and Sunny
Lack of room in the music room forces me to keep the Studer in the Living room. Never far away, easy to wheel into the room.
Spinning a lot of vinyl on my new Beat. Tonight it's the DCD Spiritchaser and some Roger Waters Amused to Death.
The Beat is addictive as it is able produces music so effortlessly. The music makes me smile every night.
Bought a large Lp collection (over 3000 Lps) is proving to be a great way to spend the evenings unwinding and learning about new music.
Take care and all the best.

rugyboogie July 10, 2013 00:36

"Studer Tape deck plays a role too...out side of the music room."

WHAT? Sacrilege! ;-)
Hi Mikel!

c1ferrari June 24, 2013 19:03