bonzo75 HiFi System

XV-1

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May 24, 2010
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Hi Ked

You have been travelling the world listening to many glorious hifi systems for several years now you have gathered an encyclopaedic knowledge of many systems and what works and doesn't work to your musical tastes .

If you had to make a choice this week and within your own budget, what system would you buy? source, amps, speakers cables etc.

after all you can't listen to bluetooth speakers forever. :p


and why?

over to you bud.

@bonzo75
 

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Hi Ked

You have been travelling the world listening to many glorious hifi systems for several years now you have gathered an encyclopaedic knowledge of many systems and what works and doesn't work to your musical tastes .

If you had to make a choice this week and within your own budget, what system would you buy? source, amps, speakers cables etc.

after all you can't listen to bluetooth speakers forever. :p


and why?

over to you bud.

@bonzo75

My budget progression is already there in my signature.

This week, I already have Lampi, had sold the Mayer pre and phono but can buy another, at least for the pre, possibly Allnic for phono, I already have Altec and TAD drivers that i need to put together with a bit of additions. My thoughts on why dual woofer FLH, why Altec woofers and why TAD 4003 are well documented http://zero-distortion.org/tad-4003-dual-woofer-flh-leifs-system-norway/

For analog, I will add brinkmann balance with a vdh strad on aa pivot, could be brinkmann arm or 3012r or SME V (I have heard the latter two work very with the strad) and a linear tracker like Bergmann Odin arm on the brinkmann with red sparrow. Many times documented and part of signature.

About cables I do not know. Leif's DIY silver cables probably. I have friends around who could bring some over to try and I will see what works.

Don't hold your breath. I am directing my budget to crypto, and will continue for music with live shows. If, by some luck I became a crypto millionaire (after paying crypto tax and accounting for potential downturn, that is twice millionaire) I will add a system. I am quite clear this hobby is about curiosity of gear, nothing more. Someone in London does not need gear to listen to music. In the meantime, I will try to sell down as well to enhance crypto exposure. That's why I sold the Mayer pre and phono, I had got them with fantastic collectible valves that would have been an end destination.

I will keep buying some gear to send around to try in friends' system and sell like I still do.
 
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Zero000

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Jul 28, 2014
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Speculate to accumulate.
Invest for interest.
Takes money to make money.

Meanwhile Ultimate Ears Boom will have to do...

IMG_20220110_111738.jpg

Jordan has it sussed. Watch for ultimate wealth. If you watch a lot of YT crypto videos, Jordan is the ultimate piss take.

 
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XV-1

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May 24, 2010
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the question that is on the tips of everyone's lips is , who will have a working system first?

Ked or Ron? :p
 

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Hi Ked

You have been travelling the world listening to many glorious hifi systems for several years now you have gathered an encyclopaedic knowledge of many systems and what works and doesn't work to your musical tastes .

If you had to make a choice this week and within your own budget, what system would you buy? source, amps, speakers cables etc.

after all you can't listen to bluetooth speakers forever. :p


and why?

over to you bud.

@bonzo75

Additionally one thing since you are an analog guy, personally I think the TT should have no vacuum and suspension because I prefer TTs with the Dalby working on them. So I would choose Vyger over brinkmann without the clamp, but as the Dalby works with brinkmann and not with Vyger, I would choose brinkmann over Vyger since the end sound with the dalby is better. Yes I am well aware of tweak skepticism/importance from usual sources that has already been covered

I bought a Dalby and have sold it to my Brinkmann friend in London, agreement being I can buy it back when I want. I also own a Shun Mook clamp that I need to verify a bit more.


But I don't want to do without the linear tracker on red sparrow, hence the Odin on Brinkmann.
 

XV-1

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May 24, 2010
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Additionally one thing since you are an analog guy, personally I think the TT should have no vacuum and suspension because I prefer TTs with the Dalby working on them. So I would choose Vyger over brinkmann without the clamp, but as the Dalby works with brinkmann and not with Vyger, I would choose brinkmann over Vyger since the end sound with the dalby is better. Yes I am well aware of tweak skepticism/importance from usual sources that has already been covered

I bought a Dalby and have sold it to my Brinkmann friend in London, agreement being I can buy it back when I want. I also own a Shun Mook clamp that I need to verify a bit more.


But I don't want to do without the linear tracker on red sparrow, hence the Odin on Brinkmann.

totally agree re vacuum. although the Tech-Das is extremely well designed and works perfectly.

IMO, you need some sort of suspension with your turntable. part of the design or separate.
 

bonzo75

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the question that is on the tips of everyone's lips is , who will have a working system first?

Ked or Ron? :p

Not me, happy to drop out of the race. I love being a dedicated audiophile on a few travel days, and like the social aspect of forumming and the to and fros, but utterly dislike staring day in and day out at stuff when at home and wondering how I could adjust it to get it to sound exactly like I want. There are under 10 systems I heard where you could sit in your chair all day and listen without requiring a need for a change. And given my style I am out more than in, so that doesn't work for me. In fact, if I could manage the space in London, I would rather have a squat rack with a bench.

I am a guilty audiophile, i.e. too addicted to get out of the hobby, but sane enough to recognize the pitfalls.
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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Kedar, I find your rather unique approach to the hobby extremely refreshing. Not a word about record collecting or sonic goals.

I am quite clear this hobby is about curiosity of gear, nothing more. Someone in London does not need gear to listen to music.

I will keep buying some gear to send around to try in friends' system and sell like I still do.
 

bonzo75

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Kedar, I find your rather unique approach to the hobby extremely refreshing. Not a word about record collecting or sonic goals.
Is this my first post that you have read? I have added 100:1 posts that you have on records and originals, and have over 500 LPs without a TT, and have helped others pick out good performances and pressings that I couldn't afford. All credit to the General on recordings leaning. No one else I visited had 1 percent of that knowledge on original LPs, as well as on musical performances. Larry had some but haven't visited him

XV-1 asked me to state gear choice to buy as of this week, not system philosophy
 
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PeterA

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Is this my first post that you have read? I have added 100:1 posts that you have on records and originals, and have over 500 LPs without a TT, and have helped others pick out good performances and pressings that I couldn't afford. All credit to the General on recordings leaning. No one else I visited had 1 percent of that knowledge on original LPs, as well as on musical performances. Larry had some but haven't visited him

XV-1 asked me to state gear choice to buy as of this week, not system philosophy

Yes I have read your many wonderful music suggestions and bought a few of them that I treasure. Thank you for those.

I was simply quoting your most recent rather strong statement that goes beyond what is asked in the OP. In your words, the hobby is about curiosity of gear, nothing more. Perhaps I don’t understand what you mean then.
 

bonzo75

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Yes I have read your many wonderful music suggestions and bought a few of them that I treasure. Thank you for those.

I was simply quoting your most recent rather strong statement that goes beyond what is asked in the OP. In your words, the hobby is about curiosity of gear, nothing more. Perhaps I don’t understand what you mean then.

Yes. I don't see any reason to have a hifi system for music. The most sensible system I have heard is by Montesquieu. Please note I used the word sensible and not the best. It is a vintage tannoy with TD124. Everything is relatively low priced and it can sound good with normal digital or 1 quid non collectible LP and fit into a normal living room. There are better systems but they would require you to lose so much money that you would have eventually been better investing in real estate and getting a steady return, or in crypto and chancing big money, or for those who have that, simply gifiting to charity.

I totally understand those living in cities with no concert halls, if they like live music they will need a system. But then there is the vicious circle of if there are no concert halls, chances are they might not be exposed to much live, and so don't really require one.
 

PeterA

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Yes. I don't see any reason to have a hifi system for music. The most sensible system I have heard is by Montesquieu. Please note I used the word sensible and not the best. It is a vintage tannoy with TD124. Everything is relatively low priced and it can sound good with normal digital or 1 quid non collectible LP and fit into a normal living room. There are better systems but they would require you to lose so much money that you would have eventually been better investing in real estate and getting a steady return, or in crypto and chancing big money, or for those who have that, simply gifiting to charity.

I totally understand those living in cities with no concert halls, if they like live music they will need a system. But then there is the vicious circle of if there are no concert halls, chances are they might not be exposed to much live, and so don't really require one.

I agree with this Ked. Each of us decides value and where we spend our discretionary income. Montesquieu's system sounds wonderful. It reminds me to touch again on Jeff Day's wonderful piece about the "Listening Window". I have been thinking a lot about that lately having now lived with my new system for a while and not really being able to hear much live music these last few years. I don't want to have to wear a mask at the BSO so will wait some more.

Having answered the question posed in the OP, I think it would be wonderful if you expanded on why you have made the choices for gear that you have. I really think your perspective on this hobby is refreshing and somewhat unique. I enjoy the travel log and appreciate that you are so willing to share it here. I also do really like your music recommendations, but when I look them up, like I did recently for your Hoelscher/Dvorak choice, I was disappointed that early pressings in good condition cost so much. This is yet another aspect of what one values, money spent on media or on gear, and what ratio is best for the individual.

I spent the weekend visiting Madfloyd. I heard the latest iteration of his system, we did some fiddling to improve the sound, but we mostly just hung out listening to music and socializing. I drove home the next day and spent eight hours listening to my own system alone. The hobby can be so many things, IMO, and I enjoy reading how others approach it.
 

bonzo75

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I agree with this Ked. Each of us decides value and where we spend our discretionary income. Montesquieu's system sounds wonderful. It reminds me to touch again on Jeff Day's wonderful piece about the "Listening Window". I have been thinking a lot about that lately having now lived with my new system for a while and not really being able to hear much live music these last few years. I don't want to have to wear a mask at the BSO so will wait some more.

Having answered the question posed in the OP, I think it would be wonderful if you expanded on why you have made the choices for gear that you have. I really think your perspective on this hobby is refreshing and somewhat unique. I enjoy the travel log and appreciate that you are so willing to share it here. I also do really like your music recommendations, but when I look them up, like I did recently for your Hoelscher/Dvorak choice, I was disappointed that early pressings in good condition cost so much. This is yet another aspect of what one values, money spent on media or on gear, and what ratio is best for the individual.

I spent the weekend visiting Madfloyd. I heard the latest iteration of his system, we did some fiddling to improve the sound, but we mostly just hung out listening to music and socializing. I drove home the next day and spent eight hours listening to my own system alone. The hobby can be so many things, IMO, and I enjoy reading how others approach it.

Ok will expand later today
 
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Mike Lavigne

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Yes. I don't see any reason to have a hifi system for music. The most sensible system I have heard is by Montesquieu. Please note I used the word sensible and not the best. It is a vintage tannoy with TD124. Everything is relatively low priced and it can sound good with normal digital or 1 quid non collectible LP and fit into a normal living room. There are better systems but they would require you to lose so much money that you would have eventually been better investing in real estate and getting a steady return, or in crypto and chancing big money, or for those who have that, simply gifiting to charity.

I totally understand those living in cities with no concert halls, if they like live music they will need a system. But then there is the vicious circle of if there are no concert halls, chances are they might not be exposed to much live, and so don't really require one.
you gotta be Ked. the Ked we all need.
 
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iaxel

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Oct 25, 2016
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I also do really like your music recommendations, but when I look them up, like I did recently for your Hoelscher/Dvorak choice, I was disappointed that early pressings in good condition cost so much.
There are so many great performances of classical music pieces, that I would not go "hunting" for rare and record collectors performances that cost an arm and a leg. BTW, most of the rare recordings are available on digital.
I own multiple sources to have an option to listen to any performance on the media it's available upon.
 

bonzo75

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There are so many great performances of classical music pieces, that I would not go "hunting" for rare and record collectors performances that cost an arm and a leg. BTW, most of the rare recordings are available on digital.
I own multiple sources to have an option to listen to any performance on the media it's available upon.

Most original performances are available in lower priced represses. And yes many are available on digital. It is knowing which ones. Knowledge of both performances and pressings makes the collectible collectible, it is just not rare or sonically good sounding with crappy performance or great performance with crappy sonics. Those can exist too, but that is where the collector's knowledge is key.
 
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iaxel

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I was not referring to sonically good sounding performances, only the aspect of the classical piece performance.
Peter was "complaining" about the high prices of rare collectors recordings.
BTW, my "mode of work" is that if I listen to a great performance and find it's worth investing in a NM/M pressing of it, I will look for such a pressing.
 

PeterA

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I was not referring to sonically good sounding performances, only the aspect of the classical piece performance.
Peter was "complaining" about the high prices of rare collectors recordings.
BTW, my "mode of work" is that if I listen to a great performance and find it's worth investing in a NM/M pressing of it, I will look for such a pressing.

I have bought quite a few of Bonzo‘s recommendations. I was simply pointing out that one of his most recent ones, the Dvorak concerto was a little more expensive than I was hoping. It’s not a big deal and it’s not a big complaint. Prices are what they are based on market conditions.

I listen only to vinyl, and I prefer original early pressings to reissues in general. These are choices I make and it is fine.
 

iaxel

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Oct 25, 2016
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I listen only to vinyl, and I prefer original early pressings to reissues in general. These are choices I make and it is fine.
I was only mentioning that there are many great performances that don't cost an arm and a leg.
I own multiple performances of classical pieces that I love and I enjoy listening to different performances and explore them. For me that's one of the highlights of this hobby.
 
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