A Little Personal Background

ddk

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May 18, 2013
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Ah Thank you for that--yes I lived in the UK 84 to 86-- my second time After Art Schooling there 59to 66---WE met in 84 when I bought some ARC gear and we became good friends like wise with his then sec Debbie--

OK so that explains the SLs--he never mentioned them so maybe they gave him a bad memory ha!--I've owned

A1 s and been through all the trials and tribulations of those panel--frankly not for me sorry!

Yes the Divas were up against the Glass doors(UGH!) facing into the lounge driven by Krells at the time-- pooff!!--out went two panels KK was there for Dins and we looked at one another and hid our heads while the smoke cleared--ha!

Ricardo is changed today-- not the as then longhaired Rockstar--more Mafia boss look -new family/etc

Still makes me laugh tho!

Wow! what story on the speaker--yes been similar--when I was assignment in Japan mid 70's I convinced my employer there--Dentsu Advt to locate this mystery Sugano-san as I wished to buy his "new"cartridge -as I already owned Supexes

same thing we went to his house --winding coils with the family on the kitchen table-- took me 2weeks for him to make me a K--one of the first outside Jp

Great times!

BruceD

Its over 30 years Bruce, we've all changed. At least Ricardo still has his flair… I loved those old Supexes too, small world!


david
 
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LL21

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There was a vintage audio dealer in Hiroshima that I used to visit to buy speakers and tts from. He also had a vintage whisky bar that we'd hang out at, one night after a few hours of drinking he took me where to he kept his personalcollection. Basically a container behind the store. I had no idea what the speaker was nor had I never seen anything like it before so I asked him for a demo. He hooked up one bass horn and the hf horn, outside, in front of the container, that was his mistake!:D

david

What a great story...and for some of us, these can be some of the best moments in audio. Coming across those treasures which stay with us for years. I remember the day i picked up a demo pair of SF Strads, telling the owner whom i'd known for years that the only speaker i could conceive of trading the Strads in for would be the Wilson Grand Slamms. It was an off-hand remark.

12 Months almost to the day i think...i get a call from my dealer. An owner of Slamms had bought his pair in 1994, moved country and left them in storage without ever really setting them up...16 years later his wife insisted he stop paying for storage (in another country) and just sell them.

...after a bit of haggling (i ended up with a cashless trade on SFs, and paid shipping), and they arrived with the plastic not yet peeled off the laminate and the spikes had apparently never been put in according to Absolute Sounds. Pretty much mint, even on the cabinet lacquer, other than foam surrounds on 2 cones which Abs Sounds replaced.

I have since changed the TWeeters to the latest Focal Tis and added a few 'tweaks' here and there (Stillpoints and TA RefMM Jumper cables) plus some mass damping on top...but they are a wonderful speaker and a great find by my dealer.
 

LL21

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another one is how i came across Zanden. Had always used a $60 Daewoo DVD player as my source...and struggled to find an upgrade that economically made any sense to me. so many $1000 players were 'just ok' in comparison. I had been looking at DCS Elgar Plus 2nd hand at the time, and after 3 different auditions, i was struggling to convince myself to put up the money. I knew it finally made a significant enough difference and that it was 'mainly' what i had been looking for...but the money even 2nd hand was tipping balance against the buy.

I walked in to the dealer on a Saturday afternoon to say hi to the guys just before closing. Like 4:55pm. Spied a little gold box...
..."hey Steve...what's that?"..."its called a Zanden"..."oh...never heard of it, could i hear it?"

Magic...it was everything i wanted in the Elgar plus...and much more. And it was TWICE the price 2nd hand of the Elgar Plus i'd been struggling to convince myself to buy.

...after setting up an audition the next weekend, i bought it. Had i not done so, the owner of the store had already decided he was going to keep it for himself personally. That was over 7 years ago which is an age in digital. I have since gotten the latest spec version and matching transport, all 2nd hand.
 

Ron Resnick

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Lloyd,

Both of those are great, fun stories of how you came to own your equipment!
 

LL21

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Lloyd,

Both of those are great, fun stories of how you came to own your equipment!

Hey Ron, Happy July 4th...are you in CA or here?
 

Ron Resnick

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I was in London. Now I am in the Hague until Tuesday visiting my girlfriend's family and friends.

I can celebrate July 4 outside of America by reminding all the British people that they lost!
 
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LL21

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I was in London. Now I am in the Hague until Tuesday visiting my girlfriend's family and friends.

I can celebrate July 4 outside of America by reminding all the British people that they lost!

;)
 

microstrip

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(...) My first brush with real high end was about 35 years ago at the home of my friend Ricardo Franassovici, Absolute Sounds UK, and his magnificent Sound Lab A1 speakers. The sight & sound of those gorgeous A1’s in his beautiful English country home are still with me. (...)

David,

I feel ashamed I missed your great post. You were luckier than me - the first time I was at Ricardo's the A1's were hidden behind the curtains, we could not listen to them. The most memorable session I had at his large room was carried with the large Belgian Etude speakers and Audio Research electronics, listening to Erik Clapton "Unplugged" recording. Double trouble was never the same again ...

However a common friend, perhaps influenced by Ricardo, got a pair of Soundlab A2's - the smaller model - that many years later came in my possession, followed by a pair of A4's I got from the then UK distributor, Branko Bozic. Later a friend was contaminated by my enthusiasm for the brand and even became distributor of Soundlab in my country. With regular intervals for experiences with other less "obtrusive" brands, A1's have been part of my audiophile life for 25 years. Although they are not distributed anymore, thanks to the excellent service and friendship of Sounlab's Roger West, my A1 PX's have now all the possible upgrades, including the Toroid 2.
 

ddk

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May 18, 2013
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another one is how i came across Zanden. Had always used a $60 Daewoo DVD player as my source...and struggled to find an upgrade that economically made any sense to me. so many $1000 players were 'just ok' in comparison. I had been looking at DCS Elgar Plus 2nd hand at the time, and after 3 different auditions, i was struggling to convince myself to put up the money. I knew it finally made a significant enough difference and that it was 'mainly' what i had been looking for...but the money even 2nd hand was tipping balance against the buy.

I walked in to the dealer on a Saturday afternoon to say hi to the guys just before closing. Like 4:55pm. Spied a little gold box...
..."hey Steve...what's that?"..."its called a Zanden"..."oh...never heard of it, could i hear it?"

Magic...it was everything i wanted in the Elgar plus...and much more. And it was TWICE the price 2nd hand of the Elgar Plus i'd been struggling to convince myself to buy.

...after setting up an audition the next weekend, i bought it. Had i not done so, the owner of the store had already decided he was going to keep it for himself personally. That was over 7 years ago which is an age in digital. I have since gotten the latest spec version and matching transport, all 2nd hand.

You lucked out with both your speakers and digital front end. I'm not a Zanden fan but their CD player was one of the best I ever heard. You made a wise choice compared to the dCS.

david
 

ddk

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May 18, 2013
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Utah
David,

I feel ashamed I missed your great post. You were luckier than me - the first time I was at Ricardo's the A1's were hidden behind the curtains, we could not listen to them. The most memorable session I had at his large room was carried with the large Belgian Etude speakers and Audio Research electronics, listening to Erik Clapton "Unplugged" recording. Double trouble was never the same again ...

However a common friend, perhaps influenced by Ricardo, got a pair of Soundlab A2's - the smaller model - that many years later came in my possession, followed by a pair of A4's I got from the then UK distributor, Branko Bozic. Later a friend was contaminated by my enthusiasm for the brand and even became distributor of Soundlab in my country. With regular intervals for experiences with other less "obtrusive" brands, A1's have been part of my audiophile life for 25 years. Although they are not distributed anymore, thanks to the excellent service and friendship of Sounlab's Roger West, my A1 PX's have now all the possible upgrades, including the Toroid 2.

I knew Ricardo was the most influential personality in UK high end, sometimes I wonder if high end would have ever come to England without him, but I'm amazed how many others he's touched in different places. I don't have any experience with other Soundlab speakers but Roger's A1 and B1 never gained the popularity and recognition that they truly deserve, with the right electronics they're nearly impossible to match.

david
 
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Detlof

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Sure you know it by now TBone, our systems are anything but chick magnets:(!

david

Perhaps a little story which came to mind here is allowed:
Years ago I sat down a lady in front of my rig and wanted to soften her heart towards me with some Mozart. Of no avail: She looked at my rig and complained of "electro smog". She didn't stay for long......

Besides that, I love this thread. It brings back so many memories in me. I also grew up with live music, played the piano until the war and Hitler threw everything off course for a while.Later and in a new country I discovered the Quads with their electronics and fell in love with their sound. Went through all their iterations, tried the Servo Statics, later stacked Quad 62s with Sequerra tweeters and those great Maggie subs, soon to be reinforced by Entecs until I discovered the Sound Labs and had my amp problems solved for good by Ralph Karstens wonderful Atma-Sphere MA-2s. Only exchanged speakers 2 years ago for the German Physiks Emperor Mk2s, but kept the Atmas for the top end. Don't remember all the turntables I went through unti I found Reverchon's Golmund Reference used and hated it until I had it modded. Listened to that with an equally modded arm and a highly modded Souther until the Kronos pro came along and now the AFO. Don't remember how many carts and of what make I busted, settled with Peter Suchy's stuff finally, in spite of that stupid and snobby diamond in front of it and have learned to be careful. Was taught how to solder by a master craftsman and made my own cables until I discovered those made by Serguei. Another Russian ended my quest for a front end which would finally put my mind at ease: Vladimir Lamm. Before that I loved the soft euphony of Jadis, the magnificent richness of sound from the Wavacs and the high precision and delicacy of the Zanden. The Lamms to my ears simply have all that put together.
I am a tube and analog man, always have been, but can certainly also be taken by digital and solid state. In fact I have a pair of AVM monos which drive the bass side of the Emperors with both punch and delicacy. I also enjoy Jazz from ripped cd through my MSB dac connected to 'the Beast" from Request Audio. But as a lover of classical music, I think it will always be analog and tubes until my ears shut down for good.
 
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Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
ended my quest for a front end which would finally put my mind at ease: Vladimir Lamm.

Like you I was on a similar quest until I discovered Vladimir's products-for both front and back end

I went all tubes approximately 12 years ago and after a 30 year absence from tape and vinyl I got back into tape with a Studer A810 like you and only this year bought an AF0 and have only been playing classical music since then

So I too know it will always be analog and tubes until I too ride off into the sunset

Bravo to you Detlof
 

Detlof

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Thanks Steve. Feels good not to be alone. Feels good to be here.
Detlof
 

andrew_stenhouse

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Oct 26, 2015
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What a wonderful thread. Made my ( early) morning, reading this over my tea, while listening to some Bach oboe concertos.

A real slice of living history.

Thank you.

Edit: never heard a Lamm I haven't loved, or a Shindo either, for that matter. Both wonderful kit that connects you to the music. For me tubes and vinyl is the ultimate.
 

analog brother

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very true, andrew.
valves and vinyl, are indeed, a most fabulous combination.
together, they have a sense of 'body' that is just so palpable.
 

ddk

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May 18, 2013
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Hi Detlof,
I was traveling last week and missed your post, its always nice to hear from others! Quite a journey you've had and looks like you electrostatics and now on to very complex speakers. With your love of analog you have to get Vladimir's LP1, you won't believe how wonderful it sounds :)! Out of curiosity do you still have your Goldmund & Kronos or are they gone after the AF-1.

david


Perhaps a little story which came to mind here is allowed:
Years ago I sat down a lady in front of my rig and wanted to soften her heart towards me with some Mozart. Of no avail: She looked at my rig and complained of "electro smog". She didn't stay for long......

Besides that, I love this thread. It brings back so many memories in me. I also grew up with live music, played the piano until the war and Hitler threw everything off course for a while.Later and in a new country I discovered the Quads with their electronics and fell in love with their sound. Went through all their iterations, tried the Servo Statics, later stacked Quad 62s with Sequerra tweeters and those great Maggie subs, soon to be reinforced by Entecs until I discovered the Sound Labs and had my amp problems solved for good by Ralph Karstens wonderful Atma-Sphere MA-2s. Only exchanged speakers 2 years ago for the German Physiks Emperor Mk2s, but kept the Atmas for the top end. Don't remember all the turntables I went through unti I found Reverchon's Golmund Reference used and hated it until I had it modded. Listened to that with an equally modded arm and a highly modded Souther until the Kronos pro came along and now the AFO. Don't remember how many carts and of what make I busted, settled with Peter Suchy's stuff finally, in spite of that stupid and snobby diamond in front of it and have learned to be careful. Was taught how to solder by a master craftsman and made my own cables until I discovered those made by Serguei. Another Russian ended my quest for a front end which would finally put my mind at ease: Vladimir Lamm. Before that I loved the soft euphony of Jadis, the magnificent richness of sound from the Wavacs and the high precision and delicacy of the Zanden. The Lamms to my ears simply have all that put together.
I am a tube and analog man, always have been, but can certainly also be taken by digital and solid state. In fact I have a pair of AVM monos which drive the bass side of the Emperors with both punch and delicacy. I also enjoy Jazz from ripped cd through my MSB dac connected to 'the Beast" from Request Audio. But as a lover of classical music, I think it will always be analog and tubes until my ears shut down for good.
 

ddk

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2013
6,261
4,040
995
Utah
What a wonderful thread. Made my ( early) morning, reading this over my tea, while listening to some Bach oboe concertos.

A real slice of living history.

Thank you.

Edit: never heard a Lamm I haven't loved, or a Shindo either, for that matter. Both wonderful kit that connects you to the music. For me tubes and vinyl is the ultimate.

One of these days you have to make a trip to Lamm heaven Andrew :)!

david
 

Detlof

Member Sponsor
Nov 5, 2015
307
3
0
Hi Detlof,
I was traveling last week and missed your post, its always nice to hear from others! Quite a journey you've had and looks like you electrostatics and now on to very complex speakers. With your love of analog you have to get Vladimir's LP1, you won't believe how wonderful it sounds :)! Out of curiosity do you still have your Goldmund & Kronos or are they gone after the AF-1.

david

Thanks David for your response,
Yes I still have both the Godlmund as well as the Kronos. There is no help where I live if something goes wrong. Must be "redundant". Could not bear to be without music and yes, I bought the LP1 together with the LL1 and as you say, the LP1 is an "earopener". Have never been more happy than with Vlad's frontend!
 

dcathro

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Sep 16, 2016
571
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228
Melbourne, Australia
Wow, what a great thread!

I loved reading these stories about the early days of Ricardo Franassovici.

I lived in the UK (Cambridge and London) from 1990 to 2006 and met him many times at the London shows. He was a larger than life figure - I love the mafia boss description.

Loved the story of how to find a pair of Bionors.

Also loved the story from Lloyd about the NOS Wilson X1's

I remember reading a story on the JBL Audio Heritage forum of someone finding a set of field coil Voice Of the Theatre speakers that were going to thrown out. The story went that he told them he would arrange transportation and collect them if he would hold onto them for a day, but when he came the next day they had gone to the tip. Almost made me cry :)

It would be great if there was a thread on stories from the old days of audio.
 
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