The Really Tasty Gear Thread - With Pictures!

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User211

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OK we all love pictures here. So I thought we really need a "tasty gear" thread.

So if you have something you are lusting after, or something you think just looks great, please post a picture of it here, plus some reasoning for why you like it. Being completely tasty is a totally sufficient reason! The idea is really just to compile a thread with some great pics in, for everyone's viewing pleasure.

If you don't have a picture of the item, do NOT post, Any posts about an item already featured are fine.

I thought I'd kick the ball rolling with an Opera item I never knew existed until about 5 minutes ago. So here it is. Tasty, no?:) Found it on ebay, Germany for 3,700 Euros new - a good tasty to price ratio, I feel.

Don't be shy, if you own something you consider tasty take a pic and post. But pics can be from anywhere...
 

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my refrence system

While I know this dosen't compare to Rich's system that was posted this past summer it is where I do my serious listening !.....LOL !!

Sorry Justin.......I couldn't resist !
 

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As a guitar player, I think is quite tasty... www.xoxaudiotools.com. He said, trying desperately to rescue the thread:D!
 

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I'll play along Justin!

If I had the dough I'd really like to lay my hands on one of these tables - a TW Acoustics Raven - this one with provision for 4 tonearms!

And for real pie in the sky type stuff, I still think one of, if not THE best system I've ever heard was this one from RMAF this fall featuring Boulder and Aesthetix electronics with the Clearaudio Statement turntable and the Focal Grande Utopia EM speakers. Easily over a half MILLION $ worth of equipment shown here.

Come on Santa - I've been a GOOD boy!
 

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Tasty Tim. Very tasty...

And if you don't get lucky enough to get the top Clearaudio, there's lesser but still very nice ones around...

From London, but never posted. Bit out-of-focus but still very nice.
 

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And the big MBLs... this time with a good shot of the supporting woofer. Can't help but think of the big Statement E2 woofers when looking at this.
 

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While I know this dosen't compare to Rich's system that was posted this past summer it is where I do my serious listening !.....LOL !!

Sorry Justin.......I couldn't resist !

I, uhm, actually own a pair of those KLHs. Similarly, they're garage speakers. And not bad for the $10 I paid for them. They were a lot better than the $40 KLHs right next to them in the store, as a matter of fact. They can't hang with my $30 JBLs, though! :D


I was just thinking about Rich's system the other day. In my experience, the kind of man that spends so much time, money, and effort creating such a masterpiece of a system doesn't spend much time between significant updates. Surely he's bought a new roll of phone line to experiment with different power cords and speaker wire. Hell, you could run two 3-2-1 systems with a single CAT5 cable...
 
Clearaudio

Both Clearaudio tables pictured can be heard at Quintessence Audio in Morton Grove ( suburb of Chicago) They are things of beauty.
I just had my table there for a cart. repair (retip) this week as I had a ...................accident with the cantilever. Ouch!! The cartridge was only about a year old and not many hours. Clearaudio Aurum Beta Wood S.

Back to regular programming. If you get a chance to hear and see that statement table, do it.

Doug - out
 
Mick at Quintessence is a great guy....

I used to buy my gear from those guys when I lived in Milwaukee,
about 20 some years ago!

Frank, the original owner sold me this little jewel when I called him
up to buy a preamp 12 years ago:
 

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But back to the topic of audio, the heart of my second system,
the Luxman L-590AII and the DU-7 universal player.

Old school 70's charm, 21st century sound. And both pieces
weigh a ton!
 

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Koetsu Onyx Platinum - $8,000

I just love the sound of those voluptuous Koetsus. This one (the Onyx Platinum) made the TAS list for Product of the Year. 8,000 smackers (10,000 in Canada).

From the TAS write-up:
"A waggish friend of JV's said about Koetsu cartridges that popping one of them back into the system is like returning to an old girlfriend after several years of separation. Yeah, she may have put on a pound or two, but she's oh-so-comfy-and-familiar to come home to".
 

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Yup - the Ks are good. Rich and luscious - long time since I heard one doing it's best. Onyx is cool, but the one I PM'd you a while ago looks even better.

I have to say the Transfiguration Orpheus is a great contender too, I am not so much impressed but more in awe of it. Very definately not a Koetsu, I just can't believe how insanely well it behaves. Well mannered, completely meticulous, able to extract all information with consumate ease, it is just an astounding piece of kit. I'd love to meet it's creator, shake his hand, and utter the words "maximum respect". They need to learn how to do luscious looking bodies, though - a definate Koetsu speciality.

Onyx is quite 70s - we used to have loads of it in the lounge. And I guess the hi-fi looked quite like the Luxmans above at the time. Memories:)

Is that dog a headbanger, Jeff? Looks like he can't see. Whilst he's nice, I am not sure I find him tasty. But I am sure there are some bitches out there who would!
 
Koetsu Urushi Sky Blue

Justin, here's another Koetsu I am lusting over - I have a thing for blue. I'm sure it sounds wonderful too. The price? Half the Onyx, but mighty sweet, I'm sure. And I thought my Rosewood was expensive when I paid $2,500 for it !
 

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Harry is a Kerry Blue Terrier. Not really in breed standard cut there..
But its his favorite spot right outside the studio, soaking up the sun.

That is for the six months out of the year that we do have sun!
 
CLX? Or Perigee? Now would I like to run them side by side to see which I prefered...?

Stonking kit, and easier to drive than the Apogees were.

Gimme. $25,000 does it. Lovely.

And Australian, Adam. Be proud!
 

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Given my lack of a member's system thread (I'll start one when my Spires arrive, honest!), I thought I'd post a couple of pics of my gear here.

First off, my Forsell Air Reference turntable:
IMG_1675.jpg



And to contrast the rather tasty Koetsu cartridges posted earlier, here's my Lyra Parnassus (mounted on the Forsell):
IMG_1494.jpg


That should be enough to get my fellow black pizza lovers salivating!

Merry Xmas, all!
 
Thats an awesome table and cartridge! Very cool...

Love those Apogees as well. I sure hope to get to hear
those some day.
 

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