Auntie Ants Sells Her Flat - Uncle Ants Wants To Spend the Proceeds - Please help

Uncle Ants

Uncle Ants

In Recordeo Speramus
Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
1,928
Reaction score
0
Location
East Midlands
Hi All,

After 6 months of paying mortgage on an empty flat in that London as well as rent on a house in Nottingham, we've finally sold the London flat and are buying a house up here in Nottingham. Nice thing is there's loadsa lovely cash left over :) Gonna spend some of it on decorating, new furniture and computer equipment for her work. Even better she wants me to spend some of it getting a new record deck :D She even thinks spending a decent wedge on it is a good idea too, so long as the aesthetics work (I'll get bonus points for a shiny metal and perspex confection). Both of us music mad and she says if its that important we should get something good.

Gonna take a trip down to Walrus for auditions some time in the next coupla months and take a listen to the usual suspects in the £800 to £1200 (maybe a tad more) region. Gyrodec, Spacedeck, Roksan Radius, Clearaudio Champion.

Any others I should be thinking of? - The VPI Aries Scout is a possible (Merlin, you have/had one of these - views?). (looking at the other vinyl thread here - there's one on ebay :) )

Basic requirements -

a) must be relatively easily changed from 33 to 45
b) high build quality (won't get another chance like this for a decade at least :rolleyes: )
c) I have a wide range of vinyl in varying states of pristineness/decay and I need something which can best cope with whatever I chuck at it (getting me a cleaning machine anyway though, so that'll help)
d) Rock, reggae, dub, pop (especially female vocals - Dusty, Nancy et al), country, soul, blues, electronica are the the things - Classical - mebbe one day - gotta edjumacate myself first - but not Jazz ;)
e) Not interested in something which does all the audiophile stuff, but is so analytical that's its actually difficult to listen to.
f) Must do articulate fast bass, sweet mid and detailed but not rough top end.

Will stick with my Shure for now, but am considering a move to a high output MC - I never tried an MC and am tempted.

Final question - are my speakers (Kef Q55.2, Densen Beat B100), up to the job - no plans to change em - so am I aiming too high deck wise.
 
The Clearaudio Champion is a dazzler

The Boyz at Walrus will help you, they are Tops !

They also fitted an Incognito Rega rewire kit

Funny enough, I had a Focus One, until I went to Walrus !

As for speakers, I had Q35s then upgraded to Reference 2s
 
Levi,

The clearaudio is definitely on the audition list then. Is there a significant difference (or significant enough to jsutify the price difference) between the level 0 and the level I do you know?

sideshowbob said:
If you're going to Walrus try an Amazon too.

-- Ian
Click to expand...

Will do - good then? Its got to be Walrus really. Only place I know of which stocks a wide enough variety of different decks to do a useful audition.
 
I have not heard the upgraded levels of the Champion, however I am expecting them to be "Damn Good" www.clearaudio.de has some wonderful pictures of turntables.

The thing is with the upgrade levels, it does not make the standard model a dead-end buy.

The 3 I got it down to in the end were; Champ, Space and Gyro. The Gyrodec I thought was to thin and the Spacedeck was to warm.

Happy listening
 
I like the Spacedeck. I also like the Gyro, especially when you add an improved PSU and an Orbe platter, at which level it becomes a seriously good deck.

Bear in mind any possible upgrade path when you do the auditions, since whatever deck you go for you'll undoubtedly want to improve it eventually...

-- Ian
 
UA,

regards the Vpi, I love it! As you might remember, I had an Orbe/SME V for a while but could not justify the investment at the time. Well I don't miss it.

The Vpi is just full of life, bounce call it what you will. The midrange is glorious IMO, female vocals project superbly. It's definately worth a look at the price point. It's been quite a revelation to me. It's rare that the hype seems justified, but I think it is in this case.

I am considering moving up the Vpi range but I really don't want to lose the essential character of the Scout. That's another plus point, as funds permit, you can upgrade to the ScoutMaster, add the SDS power supply, the HRX platter or Aries motor.

I do get surprised that the deck never gets a mention on most UK forae, especially after getting HiFi + product of the year. But you are more than welcome to get a listen here if you cannot find a dealer.
 
No advice, just want to say you jammy little bugger
 
One for Nottingham

Analogue that is.
I just got a Notts TT, and it checks very well against your list, except on this point:
gotta edjumacate myself first - but not Jazz
Click to expand...
Here, the Notts fails, and it does so because you will find yourself listening to an unfeasibly wide range of music before you know it :)
 
Garyi,

I know - she's a very special lady :MILD:

Merlin, Sideshowbob, Levi,

Upgradability - puts the Gyro, Clearaudio and VPI in front position so far. Thanks Merlin, I didn't know there was an upgrade path for the Scout, but I guess its one of the major selling points of the HW19, so it makes sense. Worth noting as well that I just discovered Cherished Records have a special on for the Scout until Dec 1 - £1095 incl. the JMW9 arm and £100 of vinyl thrown in - seems like a lot of bang for the buck. VPI seem to have very few dealers (in fact I can't find anyone online other than Cherished Records), so I guess there can't be many of em around - would explain the lack of mention. Shame Walrus aren't stockists or I really could do a one stop shop.

Joel, The Space is still of interest as well of course (local firm to me too) - and if it could persuade me to like Jazz it'd be nothing short of miraculous :rolleyes: - but not sure whether that should be taken as a recommendation or warning ;) On a non musical issue - does it only come in that strange blue and black faux marble finish (I've only ever seen one in photos, not in the flesh)?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Uncle Ants said:
and if it could persuade me to like Jazz it'd be nothing short of miraculous :rolleyes: - but not sure whether that should be taken as a recommendation or warning ;) On a non musical issue - does it only come in that strange blue and black faux marble finish (I've only ever seen one in photos, not in the flesh)?
Click to expand...
The strange finish looks much better in the flesh (I think Harbeths look really good, so you can take that with a pinch of salt), but with the Space Deck if you don't like it you can use something else as a plinth (granite, slate, whatever).
The Notts decks are beautifully finished and have a weighty, hand-crafted feel - but very precise with no shoddyness. The "Heavy" platter is really something, as is mounting it in the bearing shaft.
The Notts simply sounds right to my ears. I'm sure there are other decks that do things more spectacularly, but the Notts nails the music thing, as well as the pitch, tonality, rhythm things. That's a lot of things to get right.
Anyway, you will have a really good time, and I'm sure whichever deck from the shortlist you choose you will not be disappointed.
Upgrading the TT will be a bigger upgrade than you suspect. I am still in shock (moving from a P25).
 
Just to add the Kuzma to the list to be auditioned. I really rate the stabi/stogi s, unusual looks but available second hand for about 700 (1600 ish new) and takes on all comers sonically IMHO. Engineering design and quality that is hard to rival at any price.

my shorlist would be:

VPI
Nott Analogue
Kuzma
Amazon

I have yet to hear the VPI and Amazon, but their reputation would make me audition if I were in the market. I prefer the basic Kuzma to the N.A deck in stock form, but I cheated by putting a Kuzma arm on a N.A. deck when I bought mine.

Chris
 
Hi Uncle Ants,

In one way, it's a great time to buy a turntable because there is a big choice. The downside is getting to hear the options side by side. Walrus has, maybe, the biggest selection of turntables in the country.

I have heard most of the decks in one situation or another.

As well as the ones mentioned also have a look at the Avid Diva. Around £1200ish. It doesn't look as good as the other Avid decks but I have heard it sound very good at my local dealers.

http://www.avidhifi.co.uk/diva2.htm

As you are in Nottingham, try Definitive Audio. They stock, I think, Nottingham, Vpi, Michell & Kuzma.

http://www.definitiveaudio.co.uk/



Also have a look at Midland Audio Xchange. They stock Avid, Michell, Vpi & Kuzma.

http://www.midlandaudiox-change.co.uk/index.htm



SCIDB
 
SCIDB said:
<snip>

As well as the ones mentioned also have a look at the Avid Diva. Around £1200ish. It doesn't look as good as the other Avid decks but I have heard it sound very good at my local dealers.

http://www.avidhifi.co.uk/diva2.htm
Click to expand...

Well the rest of em must look pretty amazing because that looks very cool indeed

SCIDB said:
As you are in Nottingham, try Definitive Audio. They stock, I think, Nottingham, Vpi, Michell & Kuzma.

http://www.definitiveaudio.co.uk/
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up on this - I wasn't even aware of their existence. The only proper Hifi dealers in Nottingham I was aware of is that snooty bunch down at Castle Sound and Vision on Maid Marian Way (shan't be there again - the way they looked down their nose at me the last time I went in there).

Just looked on Definitive Audio's site and they have a second hand Interspace with Space arm - anyone know anything about this model?
 
Ants, Joel has just bought the very same thing, albeit with a heavy platter (you can put bigger platters on.

Its a superb deck. If its below 800 quid, I'd snap it up personally.

NB Definitive is where I get most of my stuff, and where I got my own deck. Kevin (the shop owner) is also Mr Living Voice.

Chris
 
Uncle Ants said:
Just looked on Definitive Audio's site and they have a second hand Interspace with Space arm - anyone know anything about this model?
Click to expand...
It's bloody marvellous and you can fit two arms ;) , that's what I know.
 
For 550 quid, I reckon that Interspace is a bit of a steal (assuming it's in good condition). As Bottleneck says, you can upgrade various bits (platters, arms, motors) as the whim takes you. And it might leave you with something for a really nice pair of speakers :D
OTOH, since you will have some money to spend, why not take your time and get a few demos and then choose.
Definitive looks to be a very good dealer judging from the website (despite the lack of Harbeth).
 
joel said:
It's bloody marvellous and you can fit two arms ;) , that's what I know.
Click to expand...

:D I feel a plan coming together. I now have a trip over to Definitive Audio on Wednesday afternoon on the cards (gotta meet with a builder in Stapleford for the refurb work on the new house first). Take a look at the Interspace and the other decks over there and if I likes what I sees, book a nice long mid week morning auditioning session next week if the owner is up for it.

From Bottleneck's comment it suggests that there is plenty of upgradeability in the Nottingham Decks. Is that right?

Also looking around the forums, Tom Fletcher has a legendary rep for service and advice (reminds me of John Michell - rest his soul) - and NAS are only about 4 miles from our new house too :) It starts to get more and more attractive. Its funny - until I moved to Nottingham, I only lived a few miles from the Michell factory and although I never went, it was kind of reassuring that should you need to you could go direct to the source if you had a problem, and it was the kind of company that'd be happy for you to do so.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top