Gear you are glad you didn't move on

[Toontrev]

I never get rid of owt. Well, with a farm to store all your junk you just tend to hold on to things.

In 1997 I went to an audio store (Image Audio Leeds) to buy some serious sound reproduction equipment after years of bargain basement uninspiring Richer Sounds offerings. I knew next to nothing about hifi apart from how to turn it on, put a cd in, press play and turn the volume up to uncomfortable levels.

I was only 23 years of age, drumming in five bands, overflowing with testosterone and I wanted to fight the world. What better thing to do than go waste your money on over priced image based hifi (made a change from pissing it up the wall). I auditioned many things in the same price bracket and ended up with Naim CD3.5, Nait 3 and a pair of B&W P4 speakers. Headache inducing if i played that system now but at the time i wanted something exciting and then some.

As the years went by I foolishly embarked on climbing the upgrade ladder. Sold the Nait3 (no i don't regret selling that), bought a Nac72 & Nap140 combo and quickly add another Nap140. Then came a couple of hicap psu's bought second hand. Eventually the dissatisfaction crept in so I joined the Naim forum but quickly heard people talk of this dark mysterious place called Pinkfishmedia where it was ok to like other stuff apart from Naim and there was diy room where knowledge less numpties like me could attempt to improve things.

I ended up modifying everything I owned and as my confidence grew I eventually turned my attention to my Naim CD3.5. It's a very diferent player now to what i started with (for the better) and i am so glad I never sold it. It is staying with me until it breaks and I can't repair it.

But the item of sound reproduction that I am most glad that I kept is the pair of B&W speakers. About 12 years ago I replaced the electrolytic caps for films and the sand cast padding resistor for a Mills part that was just expensive enough to provide satisfaction. Had them playing for the first time today since I joined this forum and built my first Doc inspired creation. Never had them on the end of NVA amplification before and bloody hell, I really like it.

Many of the little niggles I had back then have disappeared although not all of them. Here they are https://stereonomono.blogspot.com/2014/06/b-p4.html Only 81cm tall x 20cm wide x 24cm deep but they just seem to please me even in the bass region. That would be due to the tapered quarter wave loading otherwise known loosely as transmission line. With only a single 6.5 inch woofer the reinforcement down below is very welcome. Not a match for a 12 incher by any means but if space is at a premium then they are more than adequate.

They don't have the effortless qualties of a large bass driver but it always comes down to space. Big bass drivers need big ugly enclosures that sometimes not even us sound system bores can accommodate. No I amnot giving up on my speaker building adventures but these small MLTL (look that up if you don't know what it means - I didn't until about a couple of years ago) are going to be brought back into service until my speaker project is finished. They are never leaving my possession, after all they were my main speakers for 20 years.

[Latteman]

Thorens TD321
Bought as my first major league table early 90’s from Moorgate acoustics in Rotherham.
It’s had many arms and cartridges and been in storage as others pass through.
The basic bearing, sub & main platter survive as the ac motor control died so is now dc driven
I’ve modded the suspension, arm board etc etc.
Currently rehoused the bearing and platter in a diy effort- will never sell it and have been tempted several times to get another that often appear on eBay.de

[Latteman]