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Bruce H. McIntosh scotsman@afn.org Visit my work homepage Last revised Jan 04, 2021 |
Ain't got no speakers
Ain't got no headphones
Ain't got no records to play
Audio and video endeavors
Main System
Main system - in the family room
Here's the main system. It resides in the family room where it can be seen and heard from the kitchen.
- McIntosh MAC-4100 receiver
- McIntosh XR-250 speakers
- Thorens TD-125 turntable w/SME 3009 tonearm and Signet TK9e cartridge
- Sony ES CDP-X303 CD player
- Sony KDS-55A2020 SXRD 55" rear projection TV
- Oppo DV-981HD up-converting DVD palyer
- Scientific Atlanta SA-4250HDC hidef cable box from Cox
- Homebuilt Athlon64X2 PC running Mythbuntu,Ubuntu linux bundled with the MythTV DVR software
- second Scientific Atlanta SA-4250HDC hidef cable box from Cox tied via firewire to the mythbox
- Nintendo Wii gaming system
The system resides in a cabinet I designed on the back of an envelope and constructed over what Sue would tell you is too long a period of time. I came up with a fairly simple configuration 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 for the adjustable shelves. The turntable shelf is mounted on 100lb. capacity full extension file drawer slides. As originally built the cabinet had a 3" tall base,but that made the TV just a touch high,so for a long time it rested on the 3/4" cleats that aligned the cabinet on the base. When I finally got around to building the shelves I decided to cut the base down to 1-1/2". The TV's not too high,and the cabinet looks MUCH better with the finished base under it.
The XR-250s are the most recent acquisition. They were the first pair off the production line and were used as lab test benchmarks by Roger Russell. He is now using his now-in-production IDS-25 columns,and had the 250s stored in a closet. I was hooked after just a few minutes' listening time so we worked out a deal that netted me some new speakers and him some cash and closet space. Sue didn't listen to the speakers ten minutes before she informed me with a thumbs-up gesture that the improvement in sound was worth the expenditure. (*insert sigh of relief here*)