2 hours ago, THOMO said:

Chances are those $15,000 used speakers would not sound as good as your Gravesen kit speakers....anyway!

I'm absolutly sure you are right...

 

But I want them, they are silver and they are shinny, who cares how they sound!!!😭😭😱.

 

 

Well I’ve been in the UK helping

my sister renovate her house.

I thought I would be ok without a HiFi, just using my headphones.

But as the weeks went on I really wanted something to listen to, I don’t want to spend much as it will just stay here. 
But of course I still need decent quality.

I carry the Fosi with me for Oz and I have the topping here too.

So that’s source and amp

sorted.

I said to Jo (my sister) I can’t find any speakers, even the DIY ones I build are costly.

She said build cheaper DIY ones, so I started to look around and discovered a new world of decent exciting options. 
In the end I went with these Mark Audio drivers.

I have removed the old kitchen so I quickly smashed these crude but effective boxes together out of the old work top. Don’t judge the quality, I have limited tools here.

The drivers turned up too late to fit them in the box, but after being starved for a few weeks I was keen to hear them.

Even out of the boxes and out of the box I can hear they have potential.

This is the attic room, pretty nice for a little HiFi room, smells a bit of rats as the last tenants were filthy and had stay infestation, they are gone now but it still smells a bit.

My dad had an old box of cables so I found a video cable that will work.

Ive also been doing the electrics here so I had so 1.5mm twin and earth, seems to work ok for speaker wire.

lots of fun making do, with limited time and a limited budget. 

What I love about a project like this, is the incremental gains along the way, I first put them in the box, a few days later i added the transmission line, and now i have lifted off the floor.

There are still so many steps to go, but that won’t happen now this trip.

But the whole set up sounds great, and each change brings something new.  

I believe the Sibelius sells for about $12k not 100% sure, I haven’t heard them, I did mean to go and have a listen while I was hear, it’s about an hour away, but i did not get chance, but i would really like to know what they would improve on over these drivers.

These have filled a gap for me while I have been here and produced a sound that far exceeds my expectations, and I look forward to my further adventures with this box and other similar discoveries I have recently made.

In a few days I leave for Vietnam for a month and then the next time you will hear from me will be with my Perth set up.

 

Well another 9 days in Perth before Bali and then back to Skiing and the snow. That has flown by.

Had some major hold ups on my building project, so never got anywhere near what was planned done.

Not to worry the girls like it better here and the lifestyle is better so we will be back here to live some time in the middle of next year.

Anyway last time I was here I was surprised that I didn’t post a picture of my set up.

Its normally a mess as this trebles as listening room, store room, office area, but it’s reasonable today so i thought I would take the opportunity.

It’s a bit space tight but sounds very satisfying. .  

I’ve been looking into seeing if I can improve my music streamer for a while.

I’ve been using some sort of computer into my PS Audio dac, with JRiver or Audirvāna with pretty good results. Sometimes Roon and Tidal mostly Qobuz.

My Mac book works well, as does my PC with SOTM sound card.

Anyway to cut a long story short I decided to go the Rasberry Pi, Ian Canada, Gabster route.

Mick from Supratek was using Ian Canada when I visited about 7 or so years ago, I took note of that, if he thinks it’s good there must be something going on there.

It all seems a bit more accessible these days.

After a bit of messing around I managed to load Volumio onto the Pi and then my local library.

I didn’t realize you have to pay to use Qobuz with Volumio. I mean I pay for Qobuz, Audirvāna, Roon, so I’ll have to find another way, there are plenty of options.

What I was not ready for is the significant improvement In sound just with these very basic beginnings.

This is vey promising and considering all the possible ad ons, I’m looking forward to what it may sound like.

If you listen with your ears and not your wallets this competes even in this guise very favourably with the so called ultra high end.

And in a domain where the technology will be obsolete in 5 or less years that’s what we all need.

Do you remember that big panel behind my system from before. I took it down, that’s all it was covering that waste pipe, I will move the equipment back later.

My raspberry pi is hiding in the back, into my PS Audio dac, running Qobuz through Volumio, (don’t get excited, I didn’t pay the $12 for it, I got the free trial, and I’ll make sure I cancel before it finishes 😵) as a digital front end it is very satisfying to say the least.

This is as good as I have got out of the Harbeth’s as well.

I had to move them around a fair bit to get that bass to really lock in, but now it has it’s really good for a smallish speaker.

Weather has taken a bit of a turn as well compared to what I was experiencing a few weeks ago, only -6 today though so not too bad

Why are all snowmen white? Aren't there diversity requirements?

15 hours ago, THOMO said:

Why are all snowmen white? Aren't there diversity requirements?

The girls got snow paint for Xmas, you can see a bit of blue if you look closely. But I’ll be sure to get them coloured next time so you feel included. 😜

That sinking feeling when your enjoying your new double album, and you get up to play side four but you didnt really concentrate on all the content😫

That Record pic of yours mnnn.

She looks uncut , un printed Russell , odd unless it’s me old eyes playing tricks…

12 hours ago, La scala said:

That Record pic of yours mnnn.

She looks uncut , un printed Russell , odd unless it’s me old eyes playing tricks…

Yep completely blank and smooth, you get it sometimes if the content all fitted onto three sides. If I am understanding your observation correctly, nothing wrong with yours eyes.

So we had the idea we wanted to head back to Oz sometime soon, a date in April has been decided on. So now the culling of my HIFi here is being ramped up. All my lovely turntables will have to go. as will nearly everything else.

Kinki pre amp, Audio Research VS60 and Linn 242 - All amazing products that have been compared to the ultra high end, the Linns were the state of the art benchmark when they came out. For some reason priced at the top level along with B & W, Wilson Audio and other top brands they did not hold their value as much, the replacement is like $150K or something.

Anyway point is at this level the set up creates an easily believable experience and an emotional connection that I have not heard bettered at any price.

The voltage makes bringing the electronics back difficult but if I don’t sell the Linns i will see if I can ship them.

According to Helen Keller “life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” and that’s how i live and coach but i will still be sad to leave this basement behind.

This chapter has been fun and awesome but it’s time for another chapter to begin.

Here’s the current state of my gear.

Sold the Harbeths last week, it wont be my last encounter with that brand I am sure.

It’s an absolutely incredible experience here when the weather breaks. If you have never seen it you really should make the effort at some point.

Last week it was in the minus 15 with snow still falling, then one day the temperature just raised above zero, the sun came out and the rain began.

And that was it just like that the banks of show slowly disappeared.

The frozen over river starts to flow again.

Life, Sun, Animals, People, Transformation, Possibility, Freedom, Opening.

All these things fill the air. It feels to me like the human equivalent of the sun hitting a rose bud and the bud fully stretching and opening.

Just blows me away.

The girls are typical Aussie, a bit of sun and they are in there shorts, I mean it was still only 2 degrees.

Do you think my HiFi knows I am coming back to Australia and it is being sold off.

This amp is saying take me with you, I’ve earned it, I’ve been good to you, I promise I won’t make my voltage conversion to hard.

I really do think I need to ship the amp and speakers back I can’t explain how good this combination is for me, but it just draws me in and keeps me listening night after night.

Booked my flights and accommodation for Axpona yesterday. Chicago is an 7 hour drive which I was thinking about doing but the flights just an hour, I need the time right now so went that way instead. Very excited.

Hey Russell, just drop me a line when you're back in Perth. Things are changing again, and I'd love to catch up with you and a few others at my usual cozy spot this time.

On 9/3/2026 at 1:44 AM, AccMagi7s said:

Hey Russell, just drop me a line when you're back in Perth. Things are changing again, and I'd love to catch up with you and a few others at my usual cozy spot this time.

Middle of May mate, i will be calling.