OT: Puttin' a STEREO schystem together! And I feel like a teenager again.

nolaegghead · January 18

Botch said:

nolaegghead said:

This system will co-exist with the surround 5.1 system - they will be completely separate.

This statement has me a bit confused. So you're going to have a 5.1 system, and a stereo system, in the same room?

Yep. I built an entertainment center and it's full with a spiderweb of cords, the top isn't a good surface for a turntable, etc.

I'm building a stereo shelf/cart for the new stuff. I poured a concrete top for it the other day. Need some mass for the turntable. Had problems with vibrations through the floors (we have an old house raised piers, wood floors. I'll have to post some pics.

nolaegghead · January 18

Damn Mickey, you're an international man of mystery (new, improved with mangrates!)

nolaegghead · January 18

Browninggold said:

Yeah the Oppo 103 is the one to have now. The Flagship. Both for music and bluray. Now you need to purchase the Sony 1000 projector. It plays the new format 4K. It will only set you back around 15K :). My buddy who I purchased the Sony VW90ES Projector from after he wrote a review up of it has a Sony 1000 hanging on his ceiling right now. Awesome picture

I actually have a projector in the manbearcave, more of a business class, 2000 lumen with a mount I built for it - hangs from an 18 foot ceiling. Projector screen, like a 100 or so inch, is motorized with a remote. I don't use it much because I have a 47" LED LCD TV that's just more convenient. I've read about the 4K format, very interesting. I've also learned (the hard way) not to be the first one to buy new technology... :(

JRWhitee · January 18

I upgraded last year to a Yamaha RX-Z7 receiver with Thiel SCS4 speakers and a McIntosh XLS112 Subwoofer, Klipsch center and Bose 201 rear speakers, Boston Acoustics on the deck. The Thiels and the sub really get my neighbors attention. Also did a couple years at Ft.Hood I guess Audio heads and Egg heads go together. The Oppo will be the next purchase.

Browninggold · January 18

Yeah you don't want to jump on new technology. I waited about a year to purchase my Denon A100. Saved $500 went from $2500 to $2000. There's my XL Egg with Eggcessories. Gave my son the Denon 3808CI he's using it right now in his bedroom playing online Xbox 360. He has a projector and I believe a 90" screen. Talk about a lucky lad...

nolaegghead · January 18

JRWhitee said:

I upgraded last year to a Yamaha RX-Z7 receiver with Thiel SCS4 speakers and a McIntosh XLS112 Subwoofer, Klipsch center and Bose 201 rear speakers, Boston Acoustics on the deck. The Thiels and the sub really get my neighbors attention. Also did a couple years at Ft.Hood I guess Audio heads and Egg heads go together. The Oppo will be the next purchase.

That RX-Z7 is a beast! Great system

JRWhitee · January 18

Thanks, got it on sale when the new model came out.

Browninggold · January 18

I don't know how often you guys purchase cables but this site is great. Purchased a lot from them. HDMI is excellent and not expensive. http://www.monoprice.com/

nolaegghead · January 18

I'm still guilty of buying new technology, in rare cases. I bought the new Retina display MBP (work buys my computers, but I don't use them - it's worth it to me to spend $2200 on a tool I spend 40 hours a week on for work and probably another 20 on off work).

nolaegghead · January 18

Browninggold said:

I don't know how often you guys purchase cables but this site is great. Purchased a lot from them. HDMI is excellent and not expensive. http://www.monoprice.com/

Nice - thanks. I already bought most of my cables - might need a few more RCA. This system is, except for the computer and Optical, totally analog, so I'll probably need more RCA. I bought some of the Emotiva RCA cables. Speaker wire I just bought some pure copper 12 Gauge, nothing name brand.

Browninggold · January 18

Just have work give you a allowance instead of electronics you don't use. BTW I think I want a job like yours :). I'm usually pretty good with waiting on purchasing new electronics. I purchased the A100 and gave my boy a perfectly good Denon 3808CI. His Make-A-Wish was at the local Best Buy which they were great hence his pj/screen/speakers in his BR. But they over gave to him and informed us the next day the reciever he got from them would have to come back. So I told him he could have my old one and I purchased the A100:) so a win for old pops and a win for the boy.

nolaegghead · January 18

Sweeeet. I was all happy with my living room AV Harmon Kardon receiver, and we had some power glitch or something and the HDMI failed (damn it! and I have it on a UPS). So I upgraded my manbearcave receiver and replaced the LR unit.

Browninggold · January 18

Even with a Battery back up it went bad? At least you got to upgrade. I have a whole house power conditioner and everything plugged into a Monster power conditioner. So far I've been lucky

nolaegghead · January 18

Yeah, sadly. Must have been a ground surge. I have a couple giant power conditioners - they're actually UPS units that use external batteries - I was planning one for the living room electronics. I need to run a 220V 20A outlet for the unit. It supplies 120V. If I can run without the batteries..need to look into that. I have a whole house generator, but that doesn't protect me from spikes. These things cost about $2000 each, but the company that made them got bought by another company and I picked them up on geeks.com brand new for under $100 each.

esdd · January 18

About 15 years ago I stumbled across an audio store in Indianapolis going out of business, at 5:00pm every thing left was make an offer. I picked up four Klipsch ksf-55 sattelite speakers, two ksf-8.5's for the front channels, an infinity center and the Klipsch ksw-100 sub. I also picked up two K-horns in a dark oak finish. All were purchased for less than 1k. I Use the K-horns for music only and the rest for home theater. When I put speakers on the deck I used Four Klipsch CA-525 outdoor speakers with a CA-800 outdoor sub. I paid more for the out door speakers than all of the others. The receiver for the outdoor is an older Yamaha R-V702 and the receiver for the theater set-up is a Yamaha RX-V465. I know the Yamaha receivers are the weak link but I am happy with the sound. With all of this being said I find myself listening through my Grado GS-1000i or Beyer Dynamic T-1 headphones. Both headphone sets are open and therefore allow ambient noise into the headphone. The sound of both the headsets are reference quality, with the Grados being more neutral, and the Byer T-1s a little warmer. My next project is a headphone amp built around Svetlana EL-34s. I have the tubes and bases but currently nothing else, if anyone is looking to buy some fresh EL-34s Guitar Center has the soft \ red and hard \ blues in matched pairs for 25.99 / pr.

nolaegghead · January 18

@esdd - what a score! Some serious headphones, man. I have some decent binaural Sennheisers, rarely use them... I set up a nice reading/music chair....maybe that's where they need to go.

Browninggold · January 18

The Horns are ez to drive. What a bargain for all that. I would like a couple Klipschorns. Headphones are nice to listen to. I've checked into the Grados before. I get into brand loyalty too much so I purchased a couple sets of Klipsch Mode M40s. I always buy the wife the first purchase and just look at her and say boy I sure wish I had a pair of those and she says ok get a pair. So far that technique has worked.

nolaegghead · January 18

Here's some shots of making the top of the stereo shelf/cart.

Skiddymarker · January 18

Heathkits, built a number of them. somebody was always trying to outdo the other it seemed. @Botch - yamaha electronics, circa '79, any chance its a 1020 or 2020? I have a 1020 - still sounds great. Bought it in '78 for my workshop. Drove some original Bose 901's. Great integrated amp.

Lots of army brats here, albeit in my case "The Queens" army. ...

nolaegghead · January 18

The top is 20" x 40" x 4". Weights around 280 lbs. It should hold two turntables (and a microphone :) ), plus a computer monitor. it will be on a table with two cypress shelves, heavy cypress legs and heavy cast iron castors (so I can wheel it around to screw with the cables or move it - heavy - without damaging the floor).

Tomorrow I'm filling in the air pockets with some resin and maybe some pigment to make it look cool. Once that cures, I'm going to polish the top and sides with a diamond wet polisher - start at 50 grit, work up to 1500. Then seal with something, probably epoxy.

I'll build the base this weekend. The base with shelves will hold the pre and power amps, computer, etc. I'll connect the base to the top with some red heads and angle brackets.

It should look cool, and it should have enough mass to have a top resonance frequency that's so low it's inaudible.

esdd · January 18

The concrete slab is a start in the right direction, but you will still need isolation of some sort to de-couple from the floor. I too use a concrete slab under the turntable, the slab rests on four valve springs that I had in the garage, and I have a box that the slab and springs sit in to hide them. I would take a pic but I am not going to tear the entertainment center down just for a pic!!

nolaegghead · January 18

Skiddy, never built a Heathkit, but did build a synthesizer from a kit. I'm kinda excited about the tube amp project, when I get around to it. Nothing like the smell of flux in the air. I have an SMD soldering station, and I won't even need it. You a HAM guy?

nolaegghead · January 18

esdd said:

The concrete slab is a start in the right direction, but you will still need isolation of some sort to de-couple from the floor. I too use a concrete slab under the turntable, the slab rests on four valve springs that I had in the garage, and I have a box that the slab and springs sit in to hide them. I would take a pic but I am not going to tear the entertainment center down just for a pic!!

Maybe I can put on a wood top, then a layer of closed cell foam, then the slab. The slab would just float on the bed of foam.

esdd · January 18

http://www.kineticsnoise.com/hvac/fds.html

I use these on the job to de-couple equipment from the floor, four fds-70 isolators should be about right for your slab weight. I would be afraid of the foam compressing over time.

nolaegghead · January 18

@esdd - sweet. I've used isolators around the lab and on my air compressor and roof condenser....I can't believe I didn't think of this. Excellent, thanks again. I'm buying some right now as soon as I can figure out the size and mounting.

esdd · January 18

I would drill recesses in the bottom of the slab for the bolt heads to sit into and secure the bottom or foot of the isolator with a dab of silicone rtv.

AleBrewer · January 18

Stereo schystem? Reminds me of this classic youtube offering:

Looks like you're getting a nice setup together. I really regret getting rid of my turntable and viny collection. I had a pretty decent Technics system, and sold it a few years back when we moved.

rustypotts · January 18

Man........you are off the chart NEH! I've been looking around for cable ideas. Since you are so good at DIY you should make your own. Here is a website that gives you the basics. I have a buddy who has made some pretty good cables and I can send you a formula and his info. He'll be glad to give you the skinny. He retired from the shuttle project when it collapsed. He loves to tinker. Here is the DIY link:
http://diyaudioprojects.com/Power/DIY-Shielded-RCA-Interconnect-Cables/

Botch · January 18

esdd said:

About 15 years ago I stumbled across an audio store in Indianapolis going out of business, at 5:00pm every thing left was make an offer. I picked up four Klipsch ksf-55 sattelite speakers, two ksf-8.5's for the front channels, an infinity center and the Klipsch ksw-100 sub. I also picked up two K-horns in a dark oak finish. All were purchased for less than 1k.

Du-u-u-u-ude.... :-O

Botch · January 18

Skiddymarker said:

@Botch - yamaha electronics, circa '79, any chance its a 1020 or 2020? I have a 1020 - still sounds great. Bought it in '78 for my workshop. Drove some original Bose 901's. Great integrated amp.

As a college student, I could only afford the CA-810 (and I'm NOT complaining!) Mine still sounds fantastic too.

A good source for well-made yet reasonably-priced cable is Blue Jean cables, that's where I order mine.

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