A gallery of beautiful memories from the portable record player LESA up today.
My life as Hi-Fi lover in these pictures.
italian version
www.manuelhifi.blogspot.com
1 - The First steps (1975-1989)
Before 1975, during the studying afternoons, I listen music with a radio alarm clock; sometimes I used my family's portable LESA record player. I had a dream: I absolutely wanted to listen better my music.
In those years was difficult for a sixteen, inexperienced and penniless music lover but, almost without realizing it, one day in December it all started:
I was happy!
I had made by a friend an unlikely connection between the headphone output of the clock radio and the input of the amplifier; a wonder.
It sounds beautiful for me.
I had made by a friend an unlikely connection between the headphone output of the clock radio and the input of the amplifier; a wonder.
It sounds beautiful for me.
Then, a year later, my parents gave me something that I had seen on the bible HiFi of those times "Stereoplay"; it was a cassette recorder JVC CD1740. A dream came true: a real system!
Very few of my friends had a stereo system and it was strange to me, none of my friends share my passion for the Hi-Fi.
So the only source of news, updates, changes were; Stereoplay, Secondamano, the SIM exposition and, especially, the pilgrimage to the shops of Milan.
The most popular were (in no certain order):
The most popular were (in no certain order):
- Biraghi, Via Algarotti:
- Giovenzana: shop for "big". Absolute prince was "Carlone" (Riccardi, today a reference for all lovers struggling with some technical flaw on their creatures). In '78 I bought a couple of pre-power amp of absolute prestige: Marantz 3300 + 250 and Luxman PD 272 with the Audio Technica AT13ea.
- Donzelli: the most beautiful department used I've ever seen. I bought in '85, almost without knowing what they were, the Quad 33 +303 + FM3. Beautiful with their strange aesthetics and that those colors so "different."
- Auditorium 11, Via Corridoni: beautiful! Shelves full of wonderful objects. I still remember a Micro Seiki DDX-1000 that made me dream.
- HI-FI Club, C.so Lodi: a family for the HIFI, how not to love the proverbial honesty of Malerba! A
- Franchi: another nice family-run shop. I bought the Thorens TD126 MKII
- TeleOnda behind Piazza San Babila, you needed to go in a building. I bought my beloved STAX Srx mk3 / SRD7 (and that purchase of '81 left an indelible mark). I had the AKG K240 but Stax was something else!
It was the time of cassette recorders, the most beautiful that I had was definitely the TEAC C3 although AIWA (ADM 700, ADM 3600, ADF770) had excellent performance, too.
I had speakers as The Smaller Advent (a friend of mine still uses with great satisfaction), the Yamaha NS690 II (the sisters of those dynamic monsters that were NS1000M and NS2000.
And I had in '83 the tuner SAE TWO T7, beautiful futuristic design for the time.
2 - A small evolution (1989-2003)
In '89, I listened for the first time two ML Sequel 2 at the home of a person from whom I was buying the Audio Pro B2-70 subwoofer. The feeling of cleanliness and naturally gave me the certainty that, sooner or later, I owned two Martin Logan.
Probably at that moment I began to focus my kind of sound. But if it is true that a path can be defined only if it has a beginning and a destination ... well, I had not at that time. Then started a very long period lasted approximately from 1989 to 2003 I tried to improve but, I admit, without having a clear direction to follow.
I tryed a lot of things I liked, but then, at my house, I did not feel truly satisfied.
Perhaps because, I must say, in '90 I bought my first CD player, a Sony 228 ESD and it was hard to digest in comparison to the composure and pleasantness of the Thorens with the Shure V15 Type 3HE, with Stanton 681 EEEmkII S and the Grado Z1 +.
Probably at that moment I began to focus my kind of sound. But if it is true that a path can be defined only if it has a beginning and a destination ... well, I had not at that time. Then started a very long period lasted approximately from 1989 to 2003 I tried to improve but, I admit, without having a clear direction to follow.
I tryed a lot of things I liked, but then, at my house, I did not feel truly satisfied.
Perhaps because, I must say, in '90 I bought my first CD player, a Sony 228 ESD and it was hard to digest in comparison to the composure and pleasantness of the Thorens with the Shure V15 Type 3HE, with Stanton 681 EEEmkII S and the Grado Z1 +.
In retrospect, I realize most of the purchases made in search of the "name" or object "of the moment" instead of the real listening pleasure. The objects had good quality but simply were not for me.
But I'd love to listen to them now in my current system to "understand" better.
- Audio Pro A4-14mkII, Boston Lynnfield 300l, as speakers
- The Cambridge audio triptych pre-amp C70 + mono power amp P250
- Pre Yamaha C2
- Pre SENTEC SCA1 spectacular building but ... shy
- The couple Mimik Linn CD + pre Wakonda (but I did not like)
Some were prestigious objects; dreams maybe, as:
- The couple Threshold FET nine and S/300: nice sound, even if about their bass I've never been 100% convinced
Audio Review replaced Stereoplay, ads in magazines before and then Internet had replaced Secondamano .....
The shops changed: we moved from Milan in the province: Pozzi in Pandino, Buzzi in Busto Arsizio.
Meanwhile, I began to take my first steps into the world of HT systems with Boston (300L + VR12 + VRS) and Jamo (Concert 11 + Concert Center + Surround).
Then, the memory of so many years of listening to the STAX electrostatic and the Sequel 2 convinced me to change my Jamo Concert 11 (undervalued by the market), which at that time played with the Marantz CD17 KIS and Threshold to try a pair of Martin Logan.Initially I was focused on Aeon, the baby of the brand, but then, an ad in the second-hand website Buzzi hit me.
3 - “MODERN” period (from 2003)
It is in that shop in 2003 that begins with the Martin Logan Quest Z, my "modern" period.
The panels for mid and high frequencies were fascinating for the eyes and ears. Tha bass exuberant if not well controlled, was enjoyable.
When supplied with the necessary energy, the QuestZ, gave great satisfaction. It takes pulse, but not evil, they are kind and required class and determination.
The answer for a suitable power amp was represented by another dream has always been in my thoughts! In 2004: the Mark Levinson 23.5 arrived and the choice was correct.
The deep and rounded bass gave justice to the Quest driver: beautiful at any volume. Maybe not perfect and certainly improved but ....... pleasant and never intrusive. Medium and high fresh and natural as only electrostatic are able to play.A pushing heart in a massive body, no frills, just substance.
However, I realized that with that kind of power amp it became necessary a pre-amp of the same range. And suddenly reappears the fever of research!
You think you're satisfied, to have a clear idea and then you hear someone or something somewhere that upsets you the reason and makes you want an object that maybe you felt unreachable. It nice, though, if all of this is generated from a friend with the same passion; two to be right!
Salvatore, met on Video HiFi Forum, launched the idea and Oscar argued loudly. There is no doubt that without the help of those two friends, in 2004, the ARC Reference 2 mkII I would not have bought.
There was still a piece to complete the set-up. And it was surely a stroke of luck that brought me through the Forum, two friendly and knowledgeable fans: Livio and Enrico.
Thanks to them I could "touch" that my Marantz CD17 KIS was the weak link in my chain. And after a long search, in 2005, I found the Meridian 588, a true champion of speed and punch.
But, after few months, I preferred to buy the ARC CD3 mkII.
For a while I enjoyed my first real system. I liked it, I was happy and I did not think I need to replace any component.
But months later I heard an ARC VT100mkIII compared with the 23.5, and the 23.5 was beaten with no doubt.The preamp was the Ref 2 MKII but .....
From that moment my peace has been broken and I started looking for a worthy replacement for my 23.5.
I've always said that as soon as we wonder there is an open door that is wider and wider as we see all the potential substitudes passing under the eyes.
The wonderful ARC VT150SE have also been "almost mine," were there ...... then, maybe the fate decided differently. But the decision was very hard to get and, in the meantime, I had sold the 23.5 and without power amp I could not hear the music.
I decided to buy for the secon time my beloved historical headphone STAX SRX MK3 but with the beautiful driver SRM-1/MK2 making it perfectly enjoyable directly connected to the analog outputs of the CD player / converter.
Then, Livio whispered a name ... and after a long search finally arrived in my home home two mono power amps destined to stay there for soooooo long.
Here they are: JADIS JA80.
60W that seemed 200. Needless to search for words to describe the sound they are able to create and useless to think to the usual parameters to imagine comparisons: they were magical ! Nothing else to say.
And meanwhile, I developed the idea of building a completely new and different system based on these two wonderful amps. The feeling of lack of detail and resolution made me think it was the source that needs to be changed. And soon I bought the new CD transportm: the Oracle CD2000 real dream that I never thought I could achieve.
And then the DAC. I did not want a famous brand. Looking for an outsider who did appreciate originality and, above all, performance. And here, from the PRO market, the Benchmark DAC1 real gem miniaturized with impressive resolutive capacity.
The replacement of my beloved Martin Logan Quest Z was not easy. I thought that instead of immediately finding something else, would have been more useful and "educational" for me to make an intermediate step with speakers completely different.
The weak point of QuestZ was the depth of the stage and I tried a mini-speaker, a name was spinning in my head for a long time and I wanted to try it: Diapason Adamantes III.
Then, after much research, with a little patience and luck I finally found the speakers of my dreams.
With my YAMAHA NS2000 was immediately clear what the Japan people can.
I changed the Benchmark DAC-1 with the Chord DAC64 II; beautiful, ultra-high resolution and absolute cleanliness. Maybe a little too much for my NS2000.
I sold the ARC preamp to research .... for something better
Before I tried the legendary AGI 511.
Then came the Edge G2; extraordinary preamp with a great punch and with a beautiful and convincing sound.
In the meantime I bought an "old" McIntosh MR71, built in 1962.
Then something that I never imagined happened. I began to rethink to the Levinson. Too many friends had them and I did not like the idea of following a path "taken for granted" but in fact the Yamaha, so open and natural, requiring a correct sound and music.First came the Mark Levinson 360S DAC instead of the Chord.
Then came his majesty, the preamp Mark Levinson 32.
Quiet, clean, refined, ... in a word: magic.
In that time I learned to dim the lights and listen to some tracks of my CDs at low volume; I had never liked it but this configuration allowed it and allowed me to relax absolutely listening to my favourite music.
I replaced the McIntosh MR71 with the player Logitech Squeezeebox Duet (later replaced with the Touch) that in addition to Internet radio allows access to my music stored on my home PC.
Everything seemed perfect but I've got the fear to stop being curious. And so I did something I thought I would never be able to do.
I sold my beloved Jadis JA80 and for a whole year I tried something that would replace them.
I tried Cello Duet 350, Plinius SA Reference, NuForce, Mark Levinson 432 just to mention some of the most renowned.
But ... nothing to do, in my system, these wonderful objects, did not seem appropriate.
Finally, the fortune remembered me and for a very special coincidence I experienced the beautiful Accuphase A60. Silky medium-high range with a beautiful control of the big carbon woofer of the ns2000.
But after almost nine years I decided to change the speakers and began the difficult search for something that can replace my beloved ns2000. After a long selection I arrived at Wilson Benesch Chimera.
Beautiful, technologically advanced and with amazing performance. The sound is full and correct in all frequency ranges and allows listeners satisfaction even at low volume. However, when I can, I'll unleash and I enjoy like crazy.
The beautiful A60 was perfect for the Yamaha but with the Chimera I needed something else; after some experiments with the A70, the Soulution 710, the Burmester 911 mk3 and the Constellation Stereo 1.0 I bought the Nuforce Reference 18 which have a correct timber with a sprint and control really impressive (and a reasonable price !!).
In the picture there is the beautiful Pryma, nice gift from his "father" Livio, great friend of mine.
Exactly twenty years after selling my last turntable (and abandoning the analogic world) I decided it was time to search my dream-when-I was-young: the Micro Seiki DDX 1000. I am aware that his age and the changing technology could make it a vintage object for collector but I know that, in the right conditions, it can offer very good performance also today. I joined two historic arms: his natural partner MA505 and the legendary SME 3009 Series II. The cartridges are the Sumiko Blackbird Low and Shure V15 Type III HE. The Prephono is the Goldnote PH10 which offers 2 input and different RIAA curves.
The beautiful A60 was perfect for the Yamaha but with the Chimera I needed something else; after some experiments with the A70, the Soulution 710, the Burmester 911 mk3 and the Constellation Stereo 1.0 I bought the Nuforce Reference 18 which have a correct timber with a sprint and control really impressive (and a reasonable price !!).
In the picture there is the beautiful Pryma, nice gift from his "father" Livio, great friend of mine.
Exactly twenty years after selling my last turntable (and abandoning the analogic world) I decided it was time to search my dream-when-I was-young: the Micro Seiki DDX 1000. I am aware that his age and the changing technology could make it a vintage object for collector but I know that, in the right conditions, it can offer very good performance also today. I joined two historic arms: his natural partner MA505 and the legendary SME 3009 Series II. The cartridges are the Sumiko Blackbird Low and Shure V15 Type III HE. The Prephono is the Goldnote PH10 which offers 2 input and different RIAA curves.
At that point the system was completed but ... also came the moment for changing.
First, the Roon Nucleus took the place of the Squeezebox Touch for streaming Tidal and access my musical files. Then arrived the Digital Preamp/DAC McIntosh D1100 to try a direct link with the power amps. Soon arrived the new prephono McIntosh MP100 with digital output to go directly to the D1100.
At that moment my system was at its maximum dimension and I thought I need a downgrade
CD transport Oracle CD2000, Logitech Squeezeebox Touch, Roon Nucleus
Turntable Micro Seiki DDX 1000, MA505 and SME 3009 Series II with Sumiko Blackbird Low and Shure V15 Type III HE,
PrePhono McIntosh MP100,
Preamp Mark Levinson 32,
Preamp/DAC McIntosh D1100
Power amps Nuforce Reference 18,
Loudspeakers Wilson Benesch Chimera,
Headphones Stax SRX mk3 with SRM-1 mk2 and Sonus faber Pryma.
Turntable Micro Seiki DDX 1000, MA505 and SME 3009 Series II with Sumiko Blackbird Low and Shure V15 Type III HE,
PrePhono McIntosh MP100,
Preamp Mark Levinson 32,
Preamp/DAC McIntosh D1100
Power amps Nuforce Reference 18,
Loudspeakers Wilson Benesch Chimera,
Headphones Stax SRX mk3 with SRM-1 mk2 and Sonus faber Pryma.
I sold my Mark Levinson 32, then all my analog gears (turntable, arms, cartridge and prephono) and also my beloved Oracle cd transport because I listen to my favorite music mainly by streaming with Roon and Tidal. I changed the system's position and now I can watch the movies using my system's audio.
I bought the beautiful stereo power amp Michi S5; 60kg of powerful grace and finess.
Waiting for the next news because we know that although we are happy and satisfied there is definitely around, somewhere, something that sooner or later catch our curiosity and ... the circle of the changes will begin again.
Tweaks
Someone will disagree but I consider cables, stands, isolating feets and any other accessory only as complements of my system. Are important, certainly, but they don't fascinate me.
I had MUSIC TOOLS isostatic but I sold for changing with tailored wooden table.
I had signal cables from Virtual Dynamics Nite II, Audioquest Anaconda (XLR and rca).
For the speakers I had the Acrolink 6N-S1400II
As digital cable I'm using the Cardas Neutral Reference (both AES / EBU XLR and RCA coax) and another "not-named" but good.
I inserted two power distributor (not filtered) Furutech E-TP60E. Power cables are Acrolink 6n-P4030 and 7n-P4030 with Oyaide C-004/P-004e plugs and Furutech FI-E50/FI-E50r .
I added some details to limit vibrations/resonance but without spending a lot of time. Only interesting exception the TAOC TITE-35S under two lateral cabinets.
The cultural Association
The meeting with many fans, some have become true friends gave the desire to create something more. .
And with Livio, great friend, great person, great hi-fi lover, in the October 30, 2006 we founded Domus Audea the first Association of Music and High Fidelity Lovers.
Developed a thought for a long time and then realized with two other friends Loris and Gianpaolo.
The activity of Domus Audea stopped after a couple of years.
And with Livio, great friend, great person, great hi-fi lover, in the October 30, 2006 we founded Domus Audea the first Association of Music and High Fidelity Lovers.
Developed a thought for a long time and then realized with two other friends Loris and Gianpaolo.
The activity of Domus Audea stopped after a couple of years.
The column on Fedeltà del Suono
One day, talking with Andrea Bassanelli (publisher of Fedeltà del Suono and many other magazines that had always been polite and helpful with our Association), I proposed to insert a column in the magazine.
Many, many years ago was the first I read when I used to buy Stereoplay but, strangely, was not present in any publication Italian.
So, with the ok of Andrea Della Sala (director of FDS at tat time), from January 2011 for a full year, I write "In your Home" Every month I visited the house of a person and I brought back pics and comments of his way of living the high fidelity through its system.
ciao, manuel
mantexx@yahoo.it
(apologize for the terrible translation)
