Relatively new to Audiophilia, I have finally reached financial comfort to slowly replace vintage audio equipment that got me through college and grad school. Although I loved the sound and look of my old school JBL 4311b studio monitors and Marantz 2238B receiver, the second-hand replacements have increased my appreciation for the quality of music produced by modern audio equipment.
All pieces were picked up on Audiogon or Craigslist sans the Maven receiver that was a splurge. Occasionally, I hook up a Sophia Baby tube amp, but finances prohibit me from exploring tube gear seriously.
I like the soft sounds of tube and analog. Listening to records in this age of MP3s has made listening to music a dedicated experience, not just listening as background music while commuting, doing chores etc. I originally bought the Thorens TT to play the LPs that I was accumulating at garage sales at bargain basement prices.
Everything is held together by modest power chords, Blue Jeans analog cables, and Belkin digital cables. Maybe I should think about replacing cables as my next investment, and I am always open to advice from the community.
The vintage Thorens sounds great with a Grado Blue cartridge but I haven't really experimented with other options but have heard good things about the Denon cart. Besides, the Thorens plinth is cosmetically pleasing and prevents me from upgrading...
Thanks for stopping by and having a look. Please feel free to make suggestions or ask questions:)
Finally, hard drive size on laptops accommodate uncompressed digital uploads! Although I can hear a drop in quality even through the BurrBrown Upsample DAC in my Maven, I listen to long forgotten CDs that have made listening more diverse and convenient.
Marantz SA 8260
Audiogon pickup for SACD play
Musical Surroundings Phonomena
Audiogon purchase. Switchable gain and input loading.
Thorens TD-145
Grado Blue cartridge, grey sweden turntable mat, replaced drive belt, and deltron RCA plugs
Denon DL-110
Replaced Grado Blue. My first MC cartridge and sounds great listening to An Evening With Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea.
Music Hall Maven
100W/Ch. Tuner. Upsampling Burr Brown DAC, 1 Coaxial and 1 Optical digital inputs, 5 analog inputs, 2 pairs of speaker inputs. Handsome remote. Note: to switch upsampling for DAC press button then button on remote. For some reason, Music Hall left this important detail out of their manual.
Rega R3
Front bass port, allowing for positioning near walls.
System edited: Changed cartridge to Denon DL-110. Phonomena settings changed to accommodate the MC cart. It was a little difficult to mount with the provided screws, so went to 101 Music in San Francisco for some help. Thanks guys.
Thanks for the words of encouragement Glenfihi and Guystp. And thanks for the heads-up with Grant Fidelity.
The MacBook is a great one solution transport for my digital music library because I do not have a visual display hooked up to my audio system. The transport is relatively quiet and it does not have the overheating issues of the older Mac laptops that induced very loud fan noises. Additionally, use the Remote application (free from the Apple website) with my iphone to it works as a remote control for the Macbook.
I thought about configuring an old MacMini to my audiosystem, but the lack of a video screen would be a hassle for importing new CDs.
Hello, nice system. I've recently gone from vintage to current in a lot of my equipment, but like you , the Thorens is still the centre of my system. How do you like using the MacBook as a transport? If you're contemplating some tube stuff check out on Grant Fidelity website.
Thanks Mjcmt. The Maven is the right blend of performance and utility. It has an excellent upsampling Burr Brown DAC that improves the sound quality of my MP3 files. With 100w/channel and a built in tuner, it is built like a tank in an all aluminum case, reminding me of the 70s Sansuis and Marantz. Other than not having a phono preamp, it's a great one-box solution at a reasonable price. I live in an apartment in San Francisco, so space is a premium. However, giving up the JBL 4311b was difficult.
You commented on my bedroom system and so I thought I'd take a look at what you have. Very nice indeed.
Funny how you have upgraded from vintage to better modern gear. I have gone the other direction, from modern high-end to vintage to recoup funds. (I still have an Audio Electronics tube power amp and Technics TT for sale to complete the downsizing)
I have been intrigued with the MH Maven off and on for some time. What are your impressions of it? Eventually I'd like to return to modern gear again in the living room system for movies and cds.
I like the title of your system; after all, fun and musical enjoyment is the ultimate point of all this audiophile insanity :-) ! Happy listening! Please post some pics....
