Just lost another whole post and it's gettin' late...  Much to report, but here's some pics for now...

 

 

 

I'm listening to files through the media player 3.5 out to RCA on a vintage Technics SU-7200 integrated, with 40 year old EV Interface 3, Series II speakers.

 

 

 

 

G'day Folks.

 

I've written this many times before, and feel the need to once again express my gratitude to the generous membership here.  I drove to Melbourne recently, staying in the beautiful mountains of Kallista.

 

While there I met another three members, helping me with speakers, repairs, time and storage.

 

Every time I meet with other members, the true value of SNA is re-confirmed...  and it's a joy to feel the passion we all share.

 

Members share their gear, knowledge, experience and time, donate items, and generally provide a secure platform for second hand trading.

 

I spend a lot of time here on SNA, I feel proud to be a member, and wish to thank you all for being a part.

 

Kind regards.

Ant.

 

I love my Optonica gear...  my Op Shop bargain find many years ago has served me well for twenty years.

 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optonica

 

 

With my 4100 & 5100 amps in for repairs...  blowing both with my new found enthusiasm for pulling speakers apart...  I was able to finally pick up some more Optonica gear.  I write finally as I've had to cancel three trips to Melbourne, the first with the initial covid lockdown, and the others with subsequent lockdowns.

 

This was bought off Gumtree as a system.  Technics SB-1950 speakers, Technics cabinet in excellent condition, Optonica RP-5200 turntable, Optonica RT-5200 cassette deck, and Optonica 4100 amp ( not pictured ).

 

 

 

Excuse the fluff.

 

 

When the first covid lockdown cancelled my journey to Melbourne, another very kind member @ThirdDrawerDown, offered to collect and store these at his place.  That was 12 months ago.  Two more planned trips cancelled, I was finally able to get there.

 

It was a pleasure spending a couple of hours with you mate.  Thanks for all your help.  

 

I also met @Tubularbells finally.  A man of many talents who serviced an old Technics amp for me.

Looking forward to having more time in the future to meet a few more southern members.

 

The Technics SU-7200

 

 

This amp was found in an old shed on an avocado orchard back in Qld.  In pretty good nic, as it was boxed up.  It's had a service and two caps replaced...  and sounding very nice.  Quite a solid little amp, driving the EV's nicely, and now running some modified Richter Dragons.

Edited May 17, 20214 yr by BuzzzFuzzz

Hi Ant - it was a pleasure to see you and to talk about music in common! (and stereo gear, who would have thought?)  Nice to see the Technics/ Optonica system in its new home.

 

Can I put in a request for a photo of the Dragons, please?

 

 

 

 

The Richter Dragon's were a pickup on the Pay It Forward thread.  Kindly donated by...  @ctguru...  Thanks very much mate, a pleasure meeting you.

 

The crossover boards were bare of components, but I got some pics of his re-worked ones.

 

I've hooked them up with a modest air coil inductor on the bass, and Jantzen cap both on the mid and tweeter.

 

 

 

 

The dust caps were damaged, but came back OK with a hair dryer and vacuum...  still needing a few little dents massaged. I may replace them...  I have to start doing it eventually.

 

There is a small amount of mould residue, or staining on the drivers.  Seems quite stubborn, and I may have to live with that.

 

Very well made cabinets, very sturdy.

Edited May 17, 20214 yr by BuzzzFuzzz

On 27/03/2021 at 6:09 PM, mkaramazov said:

How do they sound? I have been curious about them for a while, but could never fit them in my place. 

 

Hey mate.

I haven't looked inside these yet...  I did hook 'em up for a listen.  There is something going on with one of the woofers, it doesn't sound right.  

I'm on a bit of a quest to get things finished right now, but Covid has impacted financially.  Thankfully I have ample time, and can work with what I have.

I have the dust caps to replace on them and have taken the offending driver out, but haven't looked at it yet.  

I'm keen to set them up properly for a good listen, and will definitely report back.

 

Cheers.

Ant.

On 27/03/2021 at 6:09 PM, mkaramazov said:

 

Sorry @mkaramazov

 

My phone is playing up, not sure why it does that.  I lost a new post just now, and when I began again, your quote reappeared.

Frustration the waitress!

 

Here we go again...

 

I've made a few short posts lately, but time to go into more depth.

 

I'm devoting a lot of time to getting a few things finished.  I'm getting a little over having everything half done, the repairs are out and almost payed for thankfully.  But, it's time to get everything organised and in their intended places.  

I want to listen to music again.

 

Don't get me wrong, it's an absolute joy to modify, build and tinker.  But, I have so many projects going, nothing seems to get finished.  Although I'm realising, as I spend more time doing it, that many things are going to come to fruition around the same time...  patience Grasshopper.

 

Having written that, I'm ready to just sit down and listen too...  I want to sit back, relax...  listen and let the music take me away, rather than thinking about 'what needs to be done next?'

 

Once the Sansui AU-517 arrives, it's new rack will be ready and waiting.  The rack will also house the Technics SU-7200 amp and Music Hall TT.

 

I've changed the layout of the room once more.  There are three racks / systems, each with its own listening chair.  It's not a big room by any measure, think 2 bedroom plus hallway length, and master bedroom width.

The TV / Yamaha or Denon AVR surround in the centre. 

The Sansui / Technics / Music Hall with Technics speakers on the right.

The main Optonica 5100 amp and TT, with Rotel RA-971 amp, and Sony CD with EV Interface 3, Series II speakers on the left.

Off course the speakers will always be swapped in and out.

 

When everything is in place, the speaker measurement will begin.

glad to see you have found a place for the Ev's, must admit if they were still making speakers for the home I think I'd still be buying them 

15 hours ago, BuzzzFuzzz said:

Sorry @mkaramazov

 

My phone is playing up, not sure why it does that.  I lost a new post just now, and when I began again, your quote reappeared.

No stress! 

15 hours ago, BuzzzFuzzz said:

Hey mate.

I haven't looked inside these yet...  I did hook 'em up for a listen.  There is something going on with one of the woofers, it doesn't sound right.  

I'm on a bit of a quest to get things finished right now, but Covid has impacted financially.  Thankfully I have ample time, and can work with what I have.

I have the dust caps to replace on them and have taken the offending driver out, but haven't looked at it yet.  

I'm keen to set them up properly for a good listen, and will definitely report back.

 

Cheers.

Ant.

 

Look forward to hearing your review.  An interesting speaker

On 14/05/2021 at 11:16 PM, BuzzzFuzzz said:

 

 

 

Love the old EVs.  I used to have a pair of these 20 years ago... 

I had a little trouble posting pics yesterday, and I was going into more detail...  

 

Right now, on the 'to do' list...

 

Get the TT platform done and spin vinyl.  I made the first one from a bamboo cutting board, my first attempt at construction, and a bit rough.

The second has been made with an 18mm, ply platform and MDF skirts.

I'm thinking to make another platform with 18mm MDF, as the ply is a little light.

This platform rests on rubber balls in milk bottle lids, and the skirts are to hide that little eyesore.

 

Final coat on the new shelves for my third recycled rack.  It's ready to put together one this is done.

It will house the Sansui, Technics & TT.  

 

One more platform to glue and clamp into place for the Technics speaker stands, then they're ready for painting.  I still have to paint the speakers, they have been sitting in their undercoats for far too long.

 

Finish stands for the Sharp 'Optonica' speakers, making some dowel joints.

 

I'm making two MDF shelves for more gear in a Technics cabinet.  It's in excellent condition.  It will house a second Optonica system in the dining room, comprising amp, tuner, cassette & TT...  with my Tip Shop rebuilt speakers.  

I'm making some platforms for this cabinet to stand on, using thick,  laminated, very dense chip board, recycled from the tip shop 

 

I'm close to assembling a pair of 2 way bookshelves, using recycled Sony cabinets, HiVi drivers and Dayton coaxial driver / tweeters.  I have to route the driver hole edge, as the fit was a tad too tight.

I've made new baffles using the same very dense, very thick, laminated chip board.  

I've put a lot of work into these cabinets.  I've rounded all edges with a router and smoothed all exposed chip board with filler.  I decided to round with a little edge, but preferred a smoother finish, and had to back fill all edges.  It took a lot of time and patience.

I'm yet to do the internal bracing, but will pick up my mate's drop saw today or tomorrow.

I've recently picked up a Umik1 and MiniDSP and these speakers will be used as my first foray into speaker measurement.

 

In anticipation of the Sansui arriving, getting my other repairs back and getting everything organised, I can finally devote time to learning how to measure speakers.

 

More importantly, I can get back to listening to albums again.

 

 

The Tip Shop speakers have even stripped for finishing.  I'm using a 12 inch driver from my second pair of Technics speakers, and I'm going to try one of the Dayton coaxial drivers. 

They have a little painting to finish.

 

I need to remove the middle section of the upper area to allow centre placement for the Dayton driver.

 

These are the 2 way bookshelves...

I'm mounting the drivers on the outside purely because the driver hole cut is so rough, there was no saving it.

 

 

...  and these are also recycled, floorstanding Sony cabinets and will also house a Dayton coaxial, with a Dayton Designer Series 8" 

Yet to be braced, and I'm adding a piece at the top, from the inside, to allow more purchase for the top of the baffle.  I had to cut out a plastic housing for the original Sony horn, and it didn't leave much at the top...

 

 

These cabinets are not measured to fit the driver specs, but I'm curious to try my luck...  and I'll be measuring soon.

Edited August 3, 20214 yr by BuzzzFuzzz

G'day Folks.

 

Time for an update and a few pics.

 

The Sansui AU-517 has been opened on the work bench, some serious leakage and corrosion, but it will shine once again with some upgrades.

 

The Optonica amps will be a little longer yet, but the dining room, Optonica system is running nicely, although I'm running a Rotel RA-916 MkII, with no phono.

 

 

 

 

 

Howdy Folks.

 

I'm finally on the laptop again, it should make uploading my pics easier.

 

I made the most of our recent lock down, with a good three weeks out of four devoted to getting the finer details finished.  It's already a good feeling walking around and seeing it all come together.  A few adjustments to make, four amps,  a TT and CD deck, to return from repairs in the not too distant future. 

There are four systems, three in the main living room, side by side along the longest wall, and the fourth, pictured above, is in the dining room.  Having another system in the centre of the house, and facing the living room systems, is a good change for listening.

 

I've posted a few bits and pieces on the general build and system threads, but I haven't updated this thread for a while.  Here are the living room systems...

 

 

A Denon AVC-A1 for direct, digital stereo, a Yamaha RX-V861 for surround.  I've connected the Yammy, but havn't powered up yet, I've never had a surround set up before.  I have the Mission 782's set up next to my listening / viewing chair, for rears, and will change over to the Energy S10.2 sub, which usually runs off the Denon.

I've been listening to the Denon with the JBL 4301B Control Monitors, and the Energy sub.  I had a purchase fall through recently, when some Andrew Jones floorstanders were damaged before pick up, they were going to be my surround system main speakers, paired with the Mission rears and Energy sub.  There's an Axis centre speaker lurking under the TV cover.

 

 

Here you can see the mani listening chair, almost in the archway to the dining room, with the Missions and modified JBL Digital 12 sub...

 

 

After much too long, and prompted by a couple of things, the Music Hall mmf  2.2/le is back in action.  Prompted by the recent push to get the fine details finished, and the recent purchase of Iron Maiden's new record, which actually arrived today.  I've played the first disc of three, while making lunch, and I liked what I heard.

The first TT platform I made was a little rough and I was never happy with it. 

It has a skirt to cover the milk bottle lids with rubber balls sitting under the platform.

 

 

 

The Sansui AU-517 will be housed on the bottom shelf, the Sony CD deck and Rotel RA-971 MkII.  These are the Electro Voice EV Interface 3, Series II speakers.  Vincent PHO-8 Phono Stage.

 

Right now I'm listening to The Claypool Lenon Delirium's The Monolith of Phobos, and it sounds fantastic.  But the TT is hooked up to the Technics SU-7200 amp, with modoified Technics SB-2755 speakers, at the other end of the room...

This rack will house the main Optonica amp and TT when repaired.

 

I've moved up a little as far as crossovers are concerned, I'm now using a first order on the woofers, and second orders on the mids and tweeters.  I've played some Maiden, Muse, some Leonard Cohen and The Angels, all sounding very nice.

 

 

 

 

It's all a nice relaxed set up, and feels good to call it home.  One of the pro's of single life, but evenly balaced by many con's.  Lol.  But it's not really a feminine vibe, I do live with a male cat & dog, and I don't like clutter or objects sitting on furniture, I can't stand trying to keep up with the mother f#*king dusting.  I don't think many share accomodations could get away with garden pavers and wooden pallets on the floor.

 

I haven't assembled the Dayton 2 way floorstanders yet.  I'm making new baffles from 18mm MDF, and my Makita Trim Router has just arrived, so that won't be far away.  I just need to make a simple, metal circle jig.

I'm also re-modifying some Sony 3 way floorstanders, rounding the cabinet corners and finishing the chip board cuts with filler and sanding.  This takes a bit of time, one consequence of using cheap matrials, but I can get a pretty good finish.

I have the Dayton / HiVi 2 way bookshelves ready to test and measure.

 

I've mentioned elswhere that I'm a little anxious about the computer related skills required for speaker measurement, but I'm getting great help from @Janus77, thanks mate, love your threads.

 

I've also found Audio Judgement on Youtube to be very helpful and accessable.

 

I'm putting it off, but now that things are being finished, I can devote the time to my speakers and the measuring process.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 20214 yr by BuzzzFuzzz

Nice Ant, looking good, it's all coming together.  You must love eggs!

I'm far from being any kind of expert on things sound related, but maybe we can pull each other through the learning process

 

@BuzzzFuzzz looking at your thread title, Way Out West, wondering if you have this album among in your vinyl collections?

 

46 minutes ago, vinilink said:

@BuzzzFuzzz looking at your thread title, Way Out West, wondering if you have this album among in your vinyl collections?

 

Nah mate, not in my collection.  Although, I did use the name from electronic / DJ / producer duo Way out West.