NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

New Guitar Day? Obsessed with tone? 10 on the volume dial not enough? Celestion vs. Electrovoice? Cum in, feel the noize.
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rayc
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New Amp Day

Post by rayc »

Well, in a way.
Each of my HiFish amps have carked it over the last month - both JVC 4 channel amps have speaker protection and a channel drop problem, the Yamaha amp has lost a side completely and the NAD phono preamp has taken leave of its senses.
I did buy a cheap external Phono Pre to test the NAD & it worked well but a $30 pre wasn't quite up to spec - & it worked best with a battery - less noise but forget to turn it off & the battery drains overnight - Not optimal.
I ordered a Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 - only 35 watts into 8 Ohms but I have a nice pair of old, old Bose 4Ohm speaker so will get a little more volume from it.
It arrived today. Set up & tested turntable as well as CD. I haven't tried tuner or take yet but I'll get around to hooking them up in a day or so.
This unit has a remote which is very nice - I can adjust balance from my listening position etc. ALL remote functions can be done on the front panel as well which is a good thing in this day and age.
The unit was designed/engineered in the UK then assembled in China.
Testing done with a pair of AR4x as they're 8ohms. Lacks a little bass at very low volume - wife is sleeping so I can't give it a real test - no surprise there.
I look forward to turning it up and playing a couple of well recorded, mixed and pressed LPs.
So far, so good.
Last edited by rayc on Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Greg_L
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Re: New Amp Day

Post by Greg_L »

rayc wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:13 am Well, in a way.
Each of my HiFish amps have carked it over the last month - both JVC 4 channel amps have speaker protection and a channel drop problem, the Yamaha amp has lost a side completely and the NAD phono preamp has taken leave of its senses.
I didn buy a cheap external Phono Pre to test the NAD & it worked well but a $30 pre was quite up to spec - & it worked best with a battery - less noise but forget to turn it off & the battery drains overnight - Not optimal.
I ordered a Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 - only 35 watts into 8 Ohms but I have a nice pair of old, old Bose 4Ohm speaker so will get a little more volume from it.
It arrived today. Set up & tested turntable as well as CD. I haven't tried tuner or take yet but I'll get around to hooking them up in a day or so.
This unit has a remote which is very nice - I can adjust balance from my listening position etc. ALL remote functions can be done on the front panel as well which is a good thing in this day and age.
The unit was designed/engineered in the UK then assembled in China.
Testing done with a pair of AR4x as they're 8ohms. Lacks a little bass at very low volume - wife is sleeping so I can't give it a real test - no surprise there.
I look forward to turning it up and playing a couple of well recorded, mixed and pressed LPs.
So far, so good.
:coolstorybro: :coolstorybro:
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rayc
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by rayc »

A Ramones LP would be good for the blast test - well recorded, mixed and, most of the ones I have, pressed.
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Bubba
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by Bubba »

I want this. Or one exactly like it.

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooy8wzVmW9c[/BBvideo]
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Lt. Bob
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by Lt. Bob »

That's one of the most annoying to watch guys I've ever seen


I had a couple of those Tokais ..... a '52 and a '62 (maybe '64?)
I sold them long ago but friend that bought the red '62 still gigs with it to this day.

Cambridge Topaz!!! .... congrats rayc ..... that's some good stereo stuff!
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Bill L
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by Bill L »

So I picked up this Keeley compressor a couple of weeks ago. I only use it when playing slide and want that really long sustain that Lowell George used to use. Though he used 2 compressors (one pushing, one pulling as was described to me). Nice sounding pedal, very clean and quite.
Keeley Comp.jpg
And here is the whole pedal board as it sits now.
Full Board.jpg


And yesterday I went looking to try out some reverb pedals (Hall Of Fame V2, MXR M300, Boss RV-6 and a Holy Grail) as I need something for 1 song. I was not impressed with the Hall of Fame. Very digital sounding. We couldn't get the MXR to work properly so I couldn't comment, the Boss had a decent Spring reverb sound but the rest was kind of meh and the holy grail had a couple of settings that were cool but it was tough to get a tone with only 1 pot that didn't seem to have an even sweep. Looks like I'm heading to the other shop next week to try out some boutique pedals. I've heard the Strymon is the way to go but we shall see. It's either that or Lester G or Tech 21 Roto Choir as I need a good quality rotary speaker simulator (to replace the Boss RT-20) for a couple of tunes. So if anyone has a recommendation, that would great.
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liv_rong
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by liv_rong »

Nice! Those are bargain IMO!

For reverb yes the Strymon Blue Sky is pretty fucking awesome. I had one. The Ventris stuff is pretty baller as well. I dont know exactly what you are looking for but the Keeley Omni Reverb is pretty good too, I also had one lol. I was just taking about this in another thread but the Digi Tech Polara is supposed to be good, havent played it but I had their delay the Obscura and it was shockingly awesome.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... verb-pedal
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Bubba
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by Bubba »

Lt. Bob wrote: Thu Mar 08, 2018 2:34 pm That's one of the most annoying to watch guys I've ever seen


I had a couple of those Tokais ..... a '52 and a '62 (maybe '64?)
I sold them long ago but friend that bought the red '62 still gigs with it to this day.

Cambridge Topaz!!! .... congrats rayc ..... that's some good stereo stuff!
Yeah, I have one of these already, but the rosewood version. The Squiers came out in a '57 a '62 and a '70s version. I love the '70s one because it has a modern fretboard radius. Fender don't make this combo except in the Squier VM series and those guitars aren't a patch.
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rayc
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by rayc »

Seeing the pedal board reminded me - some fellow on an Australian musician page on facebroke was asking if a person or business "can" set up his pedal board for him, correct sequence, nice and tidy.
He blocked me when I responded that they most certainly "can" but that he'd not asked the question properly AND how sad it was that he was asking for the task to be done for him.
FX with Presets, VSTs with presets and now pedal board with presets.
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liv_rong
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by liv_rong »

Oops. Ordered the Boss RV500.
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JD01
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by JD01 »

Hoping to go amp shopping in the morning. I've booked the morning off work but I know that Anderton's only have one H&K Tubemeister 40 Deluxe in stock. Bet the fuckers sell it today - I'll be checking with them at the end of the day and getting there at opening time tomorrow!

EDIT - they take a refundable holding deposit so won't sell it before I have at least tried it!
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rayc
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by rayc »

JD01 wrote: Mon Mar 19, 2018 8:05 am ...H&K Tubemeister 40 Deluxe...
Wow, expensive...
h&K.jpeg
and sparkly.
From Black Start to Blue Star
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rayc
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by rayc »

Does that ACTUALLY have Tube Meister on the plexi?
Hey JD - you'll have a plexi - of sorts.
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JD01
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by JD01 »

I have a new amp!
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liv_rong
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by liv_rong »

JD01 wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 9:26 amI have a new amp!
:illdrinktothat:
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rayc
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by rayc »

You bought the H&K I presume OR did you get swayed by something else whilst "in store"?
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JD01
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by JD01 »

I did get the H&K in the end. Tried the mini jube again but went right off it.
I really loved the Victory this time but it's too loud for what I need without the versatility of the H&K. If I didn't have a wife of neighbours I'd have got it!
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Greg_L
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:14 am I did get the H&K in the end. Tried the mini jube again but went right off it.
I really loved the Victory this time but it's too loud for what I need without the versatility of the H&K. If I didn't have a wife of neighbours I'd have got it!
:coolstorybro: :coolstorybro:
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by Greg_L »

I ordered a 22 watt Fender Deluxe Reverb kit to be built as a head yesterday and an upgraded output transformer that will work with my Marshall cabs.

No instructions and no idea, but I'm gonna make it happen anyway.
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JD01
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Re: NEW GEAR!! Buying anything?

Post by JD01 »

Cool! Are you gonna do a full build thread?
Do you get all the enclosure and stuff are you going to build and tolex something yourself?
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