Radical System Change

[Bob]

I sold everything except my turntable over the last two days.
My stand alone dedicated listening room is about to become my wife's antique store. So, I would say this was the first piece of equipment that went. It is replaced with a "sun porch" that I just finished building. I went for a cowboy or lodge look. Pine planking of various widths for the floor, 1x12 planking for the walls. A rustic looking, real stacked stone fireplace at one end. Cedar shingles on the interior wall attached to the house. Antler and rawhide lights, southwest rugs, pendleton couch, molesworth chair, etc. Very cozy but, not a dedicated listening room.

Vandersteen 5As will become Wilson Duettes. If there is another true bookshelf speaker that can compete with these, I couldn't find them. And I looked.

Audio Research Ref 3/Manly Steelhead phono gets combined into one Hovland 100 with built in MC phono. I had this before and was always sorry I sold it. I took a listen to the more expensive Hovland 200 and prefered the tube phono stage over the solid state that comes in the 200. Plus, I'm not a fan of remotes if they can be eliminated.

Audio Research VTM 200 mono blocks become the new Audio Research VS155.

The Granite Audio CDP with tube outputs becomes nothing. I have had it for years and doubt if I have listened to more than a dozen cd's.

I would call this a pretty radical change. A full assault system with all individual components, dedicated audio room, and substantial room treatments becomes a TT, two components, and bookshelf speakers. I am actually excited about it. My TT will be right next to my chair, I am no longer isolated from the house, and I have no problem giving up acoustics for the ability to watch the wildlife in my backyard while I listen to records.

[H.T.C]

I think that lodge idea is cool !!! Now all you need is shortwave receiver with am,fm and of course being connected to your stereo equipment and have a fine time dxing stations around the world and local in the summertime with a nice cool breeze running through the windows and a single serve beverage maker right there for a cup of coffee ,green tea or whatever.

Well,anyways,good luck :T

[Chris D]

Wow, Bob!

[Bob]

Now all you need is shortwave receiver with am,fm

I'm intrigued by this. Is this your hobby?

[dknightd]

I hope it works out for you. You can or course treat the room to make it sound better
Maybe one day the wife's business will pay for a new room - in the mean time yours doesn't sound too bad, I hope.

[David Meek]

Bob, you weren't kidding about "radical" were you? 8O

[H.T.C]

I'm intrigued by this. Is this your hobby?

Yes,sort off,there is a variety of flavors or shows such as broadcasting from montocello main comes the popular wbcg 7.415 on the dial which includes shows like new york international (which can get adult at times)with john paul lightening on sunday nights from 8 to twelve midnite/ meriams attic (ederly women but some say is a man in cognito) which plays old wax albums from 1900's to 1920's/fred flintstone (rock 'n' roll)/old gene shephard shows/apocalypse cronicals which deals with the end times/cut the crap with aj (political) who is a professer from columbia university/radio caroline which tranmits from a ship and of course with his own show none other than the voice of ned flanders from the simpsons and spinal tap.

From ontario canada on 900 khz (am) broadcasting from hamilton or cambridge which includes politics,sports and a old radio show red ryder? just some examples.

[Bob]

I should have everything up and running in about 4-5 weeks and will take some pictures. I think the Vandersteen 5As are the best speaker you can find under $25,000 and will miss them. Especially their dynamic bass control.

However, the Duette's are really remarkable for what they are. But then, for almost $13000 they better be more than just another bookshelf speaker.

I will miss the Manly Steelhead but not the ARC REF 3. No, there are no issues with the REF 3 but, the Hovland 100 is really something else. I'm surprised how few people have considered it. Let me take you back a couple of years and go into the politics of audio reviewers. Hovland gave both Stereophile and The Absolute Sound a Hovland 100 to try out. Of course in their arrogance, both rags thought they had an exclusive. The same month both magazines gave almost identical rave reviews. Both declared it to possibly being the best preamp ever made at any price. Each mag. and reviewer was miffed when they saw how similar their reviews were, and punished Hovland by seldom mentioning the company again. Good luck ever finding one used. I seem to be the only owner that was stupid enough to let one go.

[twitch54]

I will miss the Manly Steelhead but not the ARC REF 3. No, there are no issues with the REF 3 but, the Hovland 100 is really something else. I'm surprised how few people have considered it. Let me take you back a couple of years and go into the politics of audio reviewers. Hovland gave both Stereophile and The Absolute Sound a Hovland 100 to try out. Of course in their arrogance, both rags thought they had an exclusive. The same month both magazines gave almost identical rave reviews. Both declared it to possibly being the best preamp ever made at any price. Each mag. and reviewer was miffed when they saw how similar their reviews were, and punished Hovland by seldom mentioning the company again. Good luck ever finding one used. I seem to be the only owner that was stupid enough to let one go.

The Analog shop in Victor, NY carries the Hovland, yes indeed very nice sounding "pre", but to say it's better than the Ref-3 ??..... system/room dependent I suspect. BTW, FWIW, reviews were a year apart(2000 & 2001) with repect to TAS and Stereophile.

[Bob]

but to say it's better than the Ref-3?

No, not better than the REF 3. A preamp rather than a line stage. At 1/3 the price of the REF 3 plus the Steelhead. If the REF 3 was a preamp instead of a line stage I would not have sold it. The whole object was to minimize to fit the new space while still having the best system I could come up with. I think I did it.

[twitch54]

No, not better than the REF 3. A preamp rather than a line stage. At 1/3 the price of the REF 3 plus the Steelhead. If the REF 3 was a preamp instead of a line stage I would not have sold it. The whole object was to minimize to fit the new space while still having the best system I could come up with. I think I did it.

Gottcha ! Is not the base Hovland100 compatible with higher output (med MC and above) only, thus requiring an additional 'step-up' component for low-output MC's ???

[Bob]

The Hovland can be configured for low output cartridges. My original one was and I had a Lyra Helikon and then a Titan with it and had no problems.