How do you like the Magicos, and how close to the back wall do you have them set up?
Problem is, I already have a quadraspire rack and not ready to have to completely start from scratch, even going as far back as needing new furniture for the room. Tbh, Iām somewhat disabled ,so the prospect of having to move everything and even change out the room is just overwhelming.
1 Like
0,8 m from the wall. I had owned the B&W 804d2 and i had long listening sessions included tests with the 804d4 and Avalon Ascendent. The magic happens in the bass region, where Magico set the base. Its so stressless and natural sounding, that the mids and heights can really shine. I had a hard week to decide. After that it was all joy. Still today a year later.
1 Like
Nice selection of kit there Ian !
1 Like
Nice old place. Reminds me of where my parents used to live in an old cottage (inn) not too far away from the river Severn. I bet itās a lot of work though
Thanks. All old stuffā¦ Even the XPS isnāt DRā¦ 
Almost nothing is new - only one HiCap and the 250 were bought new (back in the 1980ās). Everything else is pre-loved - from either Cymbiosis or Tom Tom. So thanks to themā¦!!
All of the dust is current thoughā¦!!
1 Like
A lot of work! Iām up near the lakes in the mountains so the weather batters us constantly. Love the old place though.
Sounds wonderful. A bit like where we are now in France. The weather has been rainy and very windy. One of the two nice days was spent trying to clear as much as possible from a fallen tree.
What are you changing to thenā¦ā¦ and now for something completely different?
Instead of a dry january, I reduced the system to the bare minimum. Early olive Nait 2 with H&F transformer, a Silvercore SUT, and a Lindemann Streamer (too small to see it 
).
31 Likes
Was going to go full 500 on the amplification, however Iām not investing that type of money on something that will be out of date within 5 years and also when the new version comes out unsure if Iāll be able to afford the updated price. So taking a side step, bought a used Exposure MCX pre and mono blocks. They sound superb, the units are huge but I can live with that. Bass and top end are better than the 500 in my opinion, the mid range is slightly weaker. For the price though it a non brainer and then hopefully Iāll return to Naim in the future depending on what comes out.
3 Likes
That does not really bother me. There are still many people around enjoying their CB, Olive and pre DR classic or 500 systems. I must admit though, I would not pay the money for what I have now even if it has evolved.
I donāt know Exposure stuff, but if it floats your boat then thatās really all that matters
I would also change my stuff and get EAR pre/power with living voice OBX-R4 speakers, but not with what I would lose on my current classic system. Instead I just recapped and serviced. It does a decent job so why change
3 Likes
I want to get my end system to end game as quickly as possible, I find that a lot of the time I getting lost with does the sound, sound perfect and not listening to the music like I used to. Then the upgrade gremlins creep in and I consider more and more upgrades.
I want to sit back and enjoy the music like I did a few steps back. It all get very critical and the pursuit of perfection becomes as much about the very small issues v the music itself. Once Iām at an end game hopefully Iāll stop playing the game and actually listen to the music, for music sake again.
The new amp should allow me to do this at a fraction of the price, bit of a break and wait to see what the new 500ās are like in the future maybe.
Iāll use the 300DR as a secondary system (with an Atom for streaming for now) and just sell the pre. I have a set of Peak Consult Princess, so these will sound great in a smaller room.
My ā folie ā was in 2004 and a bit of 2005 for the LP12 
. I am now convinced I already have a great system that I can enjoy. Itās just in the wrong room. When it moves to France I think I will have reached my end game.
I hear a real potential of the living room that we built in 2013/2014 and really look forward to the big system being installed there at some stage.
At present I have my fully serviced chrome bumper amps (42/110) with my travelling auralic Altair g1 and some meagre wharfedale diamond 220sš. Listening today to Simon Preston canonic variations on the Christmas hymn for organ and I am totally satisfied with how balanced the room sounds and wow those deep bass pedal notes are just wonderful. I canāt wait to see how the SL2 will perform. Confidence that this will be right. The room yes is a bit lively but sounds great to my ears
1 Like
I just doublechecked if our cat Lazanja is still sleeping next to me or relocated into your pram. Striking resemblance.
1 Like
I guess that, foreseeing the great change, you are aware that that location of the turntable, at a meter or meter and a half of the bass shoot of speakers similar to those, is one of the worst possibleā¦
Yes I am. Itās not hooked up at the mo :).
1 Like
Ah ok thanks. My damage is purely cosmetic so probably cheaper (also only 1 speaker) mine was caused by me. Had the cat done it she may have been looking for a new home!
We made it to Tasmania, survived the non-event (for us) that was Covid, and started organising things for the bungalow here. The kitchen and floor will be ripped out and replaced (eek!), the in-laws failed to hide the shock at what I was prepared to spend on a rug, and the chainsaw is getting a lot of use.
Thankfully, boxes may have been delayed but all arrived safely from the UK - so one thing has worked out perfectly.
The TV stand cost A$50 - itās really not a Fraim - and is doing its job very well. The room is too bare and has a low and oddly vaulted ceiling, so it booms, reflects and echoes when you turn it up in ways that I absolutely would not tolerate in Wimbledon.
None of it matters - the music is wonderful, the summer sunshine is glorious and the wine is brilliant.
I will get a stand made from exciting local wood next year, and will do something about the reflections one day, but for now itās Mission Accomplished. Celebrating with The Cruel Sea, and AC/DCā¦
49 Likes
Amazing!
2 Likes
To be fair, the rug does look costly
Sounds amazing, and those Neats look very at home already. Hope you settle in fast.
1 Like