Audio and video endeavors

Main system - in the family room

When we first made the jump to the big Sony TV,we hadn't any real idea how we wanted to arrange things,so I just banished the old TV/record cabinet to my office,and set the coffee table between the speakers to hold the new TV. That's how matters sat for a while.

I finally settled on a fairly simple cabinet that would hold all the a/v gear under the TV set. It's made of oak plywood with solid oak edges. There are standards let into the sides to allow for adjustable shelves (to be built one of these days). The photo doesn't quite reflect the current equipment situation; I'll dig up a more accurate photo later.

Second system - in the office

This system sits on a shelf atop the vintage Collins ham gear in my office. The electronics used to be in Mom and Dad's living room; the speakers came from my uncle.

What's involved:

• McIntosh MX-113 tuner preamp
• McIntosh MC-275 stereo tube amp
• Lahti U2 bookshelf speakers
• Panasonic {model unknown} DVD player used for CDs (added since the photo was taken)

When we lived in the old house...

The cabinets are noteworthy; they were born as Karlson speakers,built of cherry plywood and solid cherry by my father in law. For many years they languished in his garage,buried under paint,varnish,tools,and other flotsam and jetsam of suburban life. I spotted them one day a long while back and asked if I could have them. I gutted them and rebuilt them into the component and TV/media cabinets.

At that time the system consited of:

• McIntosh MAC-4100 receiver
• McIntosh Stereotech 3 speakers
• Nakamichi BX-1 cassette deck
• Thorens TD-125 turntable w/SME tonearm and Signet TK3e cartridge
• Sony ES CDP-X303 CD player
• Panasonic CT-27D10 27" television
• Panasonic PV-S7670 S-VHS VCR
• Panasonic {model unknown} DVD palyer

Everything below this line is out of date and needs updating

Since music is such a big part of me,equipment to reproduce same is of vital importance. I guess you could say it's in my blood (see below). Anyhow,I fight a never ending struggle between the contrary goals of flawless high fidelity in the living room,and a positive balance in the checking account. Here's a couple of resources that have been invaluable in reconciling what I hear with what I want to hear:

Parts Express

Source for parts,components,tools,books,test tapes,and just about everything else the electronics-oriented hobbyist or professional might want or need

Madisound Speaker Components

Supreme source of all things speaker-related. Thanks for the tweeters!

AudioXpress Magazine

AudioXpress combines the former Audio Electronics,Glass Audio and Speaker Builder magazines into one publication. Essential to the audio do-it-yourselfer.

Here is the Holy Grail of vintage audio gear,a McIntosh MC-275 stereo amplifier. My grandfather,Frank H. McIntosh,was founder and longtime president of McIntosh Laboratory,Inc.,one of the oldest producers of high-end audio equipment. McIntosh was one of the pioneers in the industry,and still holds a very high reputation for well-engineered,marvelous-sounding gear that lasts forever.

My current audio/video setup consists of:

• McIntosh MAC-4100 receiver
• McIntosh Stereotech 3 speakers
• Nakamichi BX-1 cassette deck
• Thorens TD-125 turntable w/SME tonearm and Signet TK3e cartridge
• Sony ES CDP-X303 CD player
• Panasonic CT-27D10 27" television
• Panasonic PV-S7670 S-VHS VCR
• IBM ThinkPad 600E used as a DVD player

The speakers have been heavily modified,first by my cats,who stropped their claws on the woofers one day and shredded their surrounds. Then they were modified by my firstborn,who one day long ago decided that tweeters were just the thing for poking with toddler thumbs. Sigh. Anyhow,Parts Express sold me a new set of foam surrounds for the woofers. Once the woofers were woofing again,I bought a pair of Vifa D25AG-05-06 tweeters from Madisound. Serendipitously,they dropped right into the holes in the boxes vacated by the old tweeters; even more serendipitously,they didn't require any crossover mods to produce something moderately close to flat response! As an added bonus,the old tweeters rolled off like crazy about about 12,000Hz; the Vifas are nice and smooth out to about 18,000 or so (which is beyond where my tattered, abused ears can hear anyhow).