Until a few years ago, I had a mostly tube system based on a Dynaco PAS pre-amp and VTL compact 100 monoblocks feeding into a pair of Dahlquist DQ-20i mains.

Unfortunately, the "fire bottle" amps were just too much of an attractive nuissance for my toddlers (lots of heat + lots of high voltage + occasional power tube flame out = annoyed wife). So I went through a series of "mid-fi" Sony ES gear with an outboard Adcom GFA-5802 amp. A few months ago, I just decided life was too short to spend it using cheesy equipment and mediocre sound so I put together the system you see below. I went with an Outlaw amp/pre-amp as buying more Adcom GFA-5802s + Lexicon processor seemed both expensive and overkill for my child-filled environment.

So back to vintage....I'd love to find a way to continue using the Dahlquists, but I think the woofers are just tired (had them reconed a few years ago, but I think the motors are just too long in the tooth to do the kind of bass that I like without bottoming out). If I could find a source for a suitable replacement woofer, I'd probably set up a separate listening area for 2-channel audio, get some VTL Wotan monoblocks and enjoy my new space heaters. 8-)

One of these days I've got to dig the Dynaco gear out of the attic....I have to say though...I don't really miss the days when I'd have to spend a couple hours a month re-biasing the output tubes on all my amps. 8-)

Cheers,

psyprof1,

I checked the site for the Nohr equipment. It's long on hyperbole and short on specifications. Are you in Thailland? I'd never heard of this company before. Seems a bit odd that a computer manufacturer is also making loudspeakers and amps. It sounds like they are working great with your maggies though. So far, the 755 has been driving mine with nary a whimper.

Cheers,

Ritz,

No, I'm in Santa Barbara. I read a review of a nOrh (note the spelling) speaker in The Absolute Sound a couple of years back, looked them up on the Web, and liked what Barnes seemed to be doing in Thailand and his rather iconoclastic approach to audio. The first Le Amp got good reviews from high end writers in the alternative online press. When he announced Le Amp 2 the idea of a switching power supply intrigued me - no transformer at all. So I decided to try them. There were a couple of problems with the first ones but they exchanged them with no problems and no charge. Apart from a little noise in the first 30 seconds when they're turned on after being off all night, the sound is impeccable. There's an interesting post about them at http://audiocircle.com/circles/viewtopic.php?t=18751&sid=7dd37e98cd3ef1f6ad8ef36932140752 which unfortunately says there have been too many problems with them and they're being discontinued, but the writer describes their sound in pretty much the language I'd use. As I said mine work fine and I'm going to hold on to them. But it looks like I'll need another make of monoblock for my center channel when I go HT. My old-but-still-good-enough Adcom GFA535 will do the surround duty.

I also use norh's speakers and monoblocks, the original le Amps. They are driving 2 marble 9.0's and 3 marble 4.0's. There is plenty of power to drive them to deafening levels. Michael started norh as a hobby, to provide jobs for the local craftsmen, and to provide hifi gear at reasonable prices. He started the computer co a few years ago. I for one wish he would devote more time back to the audio side.

John,

What do you think of the VMPS sub? I've been eyeing the "New Larger Subwoofer" since I'm about to free up 2 channels on my 755.

Cheers,

Don't know if it's older, but of an approximately equal vintage are my Dual 1219 turntable and my Allison One speakers. The Dual has been refurbished and the Allisons are just as they first came out of the boxes.

Boy, do I wish I hadn't put the 1219 in a garage sale a few years back! Junior just found that we have a closet full of "things that look like your old laser discs, but they are black and have grooves in them -- and they have killer music on them...gee, Dad, were you a hippie?"

Well, Mike-in-Virginia, the Dyna Stereo 70 that I made back in '62 is still with me but not in use, though every so often I think of putting in one of Van Alstine's mod kits and firing it up again. I wonder how it would sound against the nOrhs - aside from the 12-dbw output level difference, and assuming the 990's output has the impedance to drive it. (Steve, can the 990 drive tube amps?) And the 990's phono input (which is why I bought it) works fine with my AR XA turntable, now 43 years old and running fine, though I mounted a Mayware Formula V unipivot arm on it only 20 years ago. Any other good old stuff out there? Lowther speakers maybe?

Oops - it was Bill B. who first asked about old equipment. Memories - the articles actually about music in High Fidelity magazine; Julian Hirsch's reviews in the Audio League Report; Hartley Boffle speakers, which I never got to hear - the days of yore.

I like them fine. I haven't compared them to any other subs though, they are the only subs I've owned. But IMHO, they blended in nicely with the 9.0's and bring out the lower octaves of music and move plenty of air with movies. I'm using a pair of them as stands for the LF/RF 9.0's.

The New Larger Sub is a monster of a sub, I'm sure you will be pleased with it if you decide to purchase. VMPS's ribbon speakers are a good buy for the money for those looking for ribbon speakers, they may be the next speakers I buy but I will never sell the 9.0's or 4.0's.