It was close to 20 years ago that I joined the original audioenz group and started this whole stereo thing seriously. At the time as a lowly paid radio producer, I splashed out on a pair of Image 414s and some Cambridge kit because I could get it interest free from (I think?) Graham's HiFi? I've still got the same Technics 1200mk2 running vinyl duties that I had then from my DJ sideline, and am still currently using the 414s right now. They have served me well, and will retire to the bach as a second system this year, as their replacements are just around the corner. 

But having gone through a few iterations, I've recently gone down a Plinius rabbit hole, and have ended up with quite an intergenerational system of theirs!

I had an Audio Research pre-power combo that I loved, but have decided to let the tube amp go (i'm sure I'll regret it) and move to solid state. 

So in the every day system I now have the lightly modded 1200 running into a Plinius Koru, into a Plinius 9100 (as pre-amp) and into a Plinius KioKio, which is their SB301 amp in a less dramatic chassis.

Must say, I'm pretty happy with this! Have landed on a pair of Dynaudio Evoke 50s to replace the 414s, and then i can just relax.

The ARC SP9mk2 pre-amp and the 414s will live on elsewhere, and i've got a reliable Rotel power amp to do duty there, so I don't have to worry about tubes. 

Anyways, without the Dyns, it's not quite finished, but I feel like I've got something i'm genuinely happy to ride into the sunset now.

Nice system.

I see some fancy Kimber Kable, Denon cartridge ?

Good to see the big Plinius AB amp continue.

The original SB-300 was one of my favourites from the Morrision era.

Good spotting!

The Kimber 4pr I’ve had just as long. It’s the brown/black era. It was the shop wiring from a hifi place that was in George St in Parnell in the early 2000s. They were selling it cheap, I think it must have been in the walls or under the floor given the dust. But it works well. I only just recently got around to terminating it with bananas so I can get it out of the way for vacuuming.

The cart is a Denon DL110. I quite like it, well I quite liked it, for years, it sounded pretty nice through the sp9 phono stage, but the Koru is another level of clarity and everything is much more present and precise, and it feels like it’s now lacking a little low end. I’ve got a Hana EL on the way to play with, and if that goes how I hope it will, I’ll probably move on the ML version.

I should add the KioKio power amp is a story of its own. They discontinued it in about 2017/18 (I think) and this was an old stock amp, brand new and boxed that I got via a guy in Singapore last week, so it’s flown more miles than it should have!

But it’s a magnificent beast. I love it, and the more understated chassis is a benefit in that it’s a little less of a monster in the room visually so isn’t hated by my wife, and the heat sinks are a lot more dog hair friendly considering I have to vacuum up about 0.8 of a dog in hair every day thanks to our lab.

I meant the IC's

 

Terminating Kimber speaker cable is a pain - I did some 4PR and 4TC, 8TC I left to the shop

Denon DL-110 is a decent high output MC.

Works well in American style phono stages - 47k, high gain, high overload margins.

When I had an ARC SP8 Mk2, I used everything from Ortofon MC-3000 0.1 mV to Sumiko Bluepoint Special 2.5mV and several cartridges in-between.

Ah of course, yeah, it was a lucky find on trademe a few years ago I think. I can’t recall what I paid for it, but its the select KS 1010. They all seem so expensive now so I probably paid a fair bit for it at the time, but I’m always happy for a first owner to take a depreciation hit on cables before me!

I also splashed out on the cheapest of the Kimber phono cable options for table to pre-amp but keeping it modest.

The flash cable I got on an absolute whim is the 3m interconnect for pre-power from Montaudio. Stumbled upon them the other week and figured if I’m going to let anyone con me into spending that much on a cable, it might as well be a local!

Best buys used or from mates upgrading,

This is awesome. I too am trying to keep my system both good and mostly made in NZ. So I have Sachem pre and mono blocks along with Antipodes interconnects (really hard to find these days). Speakers are not NZ though and nor are the sources.
It's amazing how many clever NZers there are with this stuff.

Yeah, I’m pretty stoked. You could do a NZ system end to end with the turntable/arm from designbuildlisten, through to speakers by Perreaux or Image with everything in between including cables all from NZ manufacturers which is rather awesome.

Didn’t Antipodes also do DAC/streamers too?

I think speakers will always be the hardest to compete with here. Seems like the big producers just have too much invested in testing/manufacturing and distribution for any new local manufacturers to compete with. The only angle would be to sell on the romance of being from NZ, which to be fair has worked for other brands, but with the tireless measurement of everything these days I imagine that would be a hard challenge.

I wonder how many pairs of speakers Perreaux and Image even sell these days.

Too true. Yes Antipodes does very very high end Audiophile computers now. They got out of the cable game a while ago so you have to go second hand. Also there are Theophany from Westmelton who do speakers. Plinius also do other sources like dacs and CD players etc. So yes end to end.
I am still keen on keeping on with the NZ suppliers as long as they are good and fit in with my system.

Wow, this took me on a trip!
Excepting the turntable, my entire system was once all NZ-made. (I already owned an LP12)

Perreaux E160i integrated amp.
Perreaux SXV2 Silhouette phono stage.
Perreaux ECD1.
Image Studio Reference standmounts.
Sound Creations speaker stands and audio rack.
Slinkylinks i/c and speaker cables.
Rule Connect mains cables.

First to go was the phono stage, which was usurped by a Graham Slee Era Gold V.

The Studio Refs/stands were then replaced by Image 412s. I hung onto those until the Spendor BC1s I had my eye on became available. Once those were in, I no longer needed the bi-wire Slinkylinks so bought some Supra instead. Now it's 10" Tannoy MGs.

The came the "big inheritance" so the E160i integrated was replaced by a set of QUAD IIs and a 22 preamp. Interconnects are now home-made Belden/Switchcrafts. S.C. audio rack exchanged for something sleeker and grey.

I still use the Perreaux ECD1 player but it's finding it hard to read past 25 tracks. No good if you have some two-fer CDs. Must send it home for loves. (The LP12 is now a 301.)


One thing I will say is that I have found that NZ-made hi-fi holds its value very well, over the years I've got really good prices for everything I onsold.

DD

Singer/songwriter at: www.dominicblaazer.net
180g album, "The Lights of Te Atatu" released 2018

Nice. I'm surprised you got rid of the Perreaux phone stage first. I thought that their phone stage was very well regarded?

The Perreaux Audiant VP3 maybe the one you're thinking of jeb950

Sept 4, 2022 22:23:00 GMT 12 Citroen said:

The Perreaux Audiant VP3 maybe the one you're thinking of jeb950

true.

Yep, true that. The Silhouette cut no mustard.

A shame, because the VP3 would suit me well now as I have two arms, one stereo and one mono.
It just all came together another way but I'm happy with each arm having its own phono-stage.

Singer/songwriter at: www.dominicblaazer.net
180g album, "The Lights of Te Atatu" released 2018

The Gram Slee Era Gold V is a great, transparent amp.

Sept 5, 2022 17:46:48 GMT 12 Citroen said:

The Gram Slee Era Gold V is a great, transparent amp.

It is and I've always loved it - but then I'm not one for trying loads of different ones out. I just liked it first time.

It made me most upset to see (in a fb group) a young engineer with a rival product ridiculing pretty much everything that goes on at Graham Slee.  His stage is cheaper and, he says, an order of magnitude better with just everything better.

It was such bad form and my first thought was that I prefer the handywork of gentlemen.  Imagine Perreaux and Plinius slinging mud at each other?

Singer/songwriter at: www.dominicblaazer.net
180g album, "The Lights of Te Atatu" released 2018

I would've liked to have had an all NZ system. Probably would've been more cost effective too!

Have only had a NZ Aura turntable, Plinius Jarrah Phono, various Plinius amps, NZ made Audax speakers, Wand & Analogue Instruments tonearms, Slinky lynx & Antipodes cables...

Sept 8, 2022 16:20:19 GMT 12 Citroen said:

I would've liked to have had an all NZ system. Probably would've been more cost effective too!

Have only had a NZ Aura turntable, Plinius Jarrah Phono, various Plinius amps, NZ made Audax speakers, Wand & Analogue Instruments tonearms, Slinky lynx & Antipodes cables...

Sounds like you have had, but perhaps not all at the same time?

Singer/songwriter at: www.dominicblaazer.net
180g album, "The Lights of Te Atatu" released 2018

Not all at the same time.

Audax speakers were early on, but rest were in one system or another together over the years. Just the Plinius amps not remaining now.

Oh, and Audax speakers long gone.

Sept 8, 2022 18:03:31 GMT 12 Citroen said:

Not all at the same time.

Audax speakers were early on, but rest were in one system or another together over the years. Just the Plinius amps not remaining now.

I was going to say. That list looks mostly complete

Well, well back in the day I had locally assembled Richard Allan CG12 speakers, and some AWA amp with vertical sliding controls and push button switches.

Maybe I can find some pics ;-

Sept 8, 2022 19:30:14 GMT 12 RdM said:

Well, well back in the day I had locally assembled Richard Allan CG12 speakers, and some AWA amp with vertical sliding controls and push button switches.

Maybe I can find some pics ;-

AWA ST76? - I had one like that - blown up by a mate. Other NZ components I have had Rait 60-60, Audax A 120 (I think) - still going strong at a mates place - heard them a month or so ago.

Here is an image from HiFiEngine of the ST76

I am currently listening to a pair of Jansen Speakers, built around Pioneer PAX25B drivers. Not bad either.

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.

I think mine were Audax A200's. Chris Ball knew how to make speakers alright!

So much audio gear that I never knew existed.

Sept 9, 2022 16:19:29 GMT 12 papahemi said:

Sept 8, 2022 19:30:14 GMT 12 RdM said:

Well, well back in the day I had locally assembled Richard Allan CG12 speakers, and some AWA amp with vertical sliding controls and push button switches.

Maybe I can find some pics ;-

AWA ST76? - I had one like that - blown up by a mate. Other NZ components I have had Rait 60-60, Audax A 120 (I think) - still going strong at a mates place - heard them a month or so ago.

Here is an image from HiFiEngine of the ST76

I am currently listening to a pair of Jansen Speakers, built around Pioneer PAX25B drivers. Not bad either.

No, none of those AWA from HiFiEngine. It was an NZ made clone of something. On second thoughts it may have been branded Fisher & Paykel.

A friend had a similar taller amp with an AM tuner that may have been branded Murphy. All NZ made or assembled at least. The Muldoon years.

I'll have to go to the storage unit to haul out examples. I had several of them. I modified one for alternate input switching, since I ran out of inputs. DIN sockets as I recall.

They had an innovative design feature internally which was that the emitter resistors were a non inductive maze loop like track pattern on the PCB.

They all ended up sounding distorted after years, I even saw one on TM advertised with that fault. Have never investigated, but still have them. When I moved, I took everything! ;=})

"Sort it out later." But mostly still stored. Luckily the storage is not costing me anything except the small journey to access it.

That amp and the RA CG12 speakers (maybe assembled here by DavRed, or David Reid) was in the early-mid '80s, before I bought my first "proper" hifi amp, CD, tapedeck, all Sony.

Actually I had both large and slim cabinet sets of RA speakers. Eventually all sold on TM as just the units.

You've reminded me that I also have a Rait Control Unit, which went with both the 30-30 or 60-60 I think. Beautifully built. I heard rumours that it was a copy of an early Naim design?

And that I have a single Pioneer PAX-25F. With an open circuit woofer. The horn tweeter is OK though. I've saved it for that alone. It looks like disassembly for a voice coil rewind would be ... difficult.

But I also have a huge polystyrene ear shaped cone Yamaha organ speaker ($5 on TM!) that I have a fantasy about mounting in a sealed panel above the shower box, fed by bluetooth aptx... maybe with that horn tweeter.

All steam proof. ;=})  Rubber surround on the coated polystyrene cone, and I think a plastic or phenolic diaphragm on the horn tweeter. Although maybe the Yamaha might be good enough as full range.

Cheers, and thanks for the reply!

Mad ideas but fun to contemplate.

Sept 9, 2022 18:28:08 GMT 12 RdM said:

Sept 9, 2022 16:19:29 GMT 12 papahemi said:

AWA ST76? - I had one like that - blown up by a mate. Other NZ components I have had Rait 60-60, Audax A 120 (I think) - still going strong at a mates place - heard them a month or so ago.

Here is an image from HiFiEngine of the ST76

I am currently listening to a pair of Jansen Speakers, built around Pioneer PAX25B drivers. Not bad either.

No, none of those AWA from HiFiEngine. It was an NZ made clone of something. On second thoughts it may have been branded Fisher & Paykel.

A friend had a similar taller amp with an AM tuner that may have been branded Murphy. All NZ made or assembled at least. The Muldoon years.

I'll have to go to the storage unit to haul out examples. I had several of them. I modified one for alternate input switching, since I ran out of inputs. DIN sockets as I recall.

They had an innovative design feature internally which was that the emitter resistors were a non inductive maze loop like track pattern on the PCB.

They all ended up sounding distorted after years, I even saw one on TM advertised with that fault. Have never investigated, but still have them. When I moved, I took everything! ;=})

"Sort it out later." But mostly still stored. Luckily the storage is not costing me anything except the small journey to access it.

That amp and the RA CG12 speakers (maybe assembled here by DavRed, or David Reid) was in the early-mid '80s, before I bought my first "proper" hifi amp, CD, tapedeck, all Sony.

Actually I had both large and slim cabinet sets of RA speakers. Eventually all sold on TM as just the units.

You've reminded me that I also have a Rait Control Unit, which went with both the 30-30 or 60-60 I think. Beautifully built. I heard rumours that it was a copy of an early Naim design?

And that I have a single Pioneer PAX-25F. With an open circuit woofer. The horn tweeter is OK though. I've saved it for that alone. It looks like disassembly for a voice coil rewind would be ... difficult.

But I also have a huge polystyrene ear shaped cone Yamaha organ speaker ($5 on TM!) that I have a fantasy about mounting in a sealed panel above the shower box, fed by bluetooth aptx... maybe with that horn tweeter.

All steam proof. ;=})  Rubber surround on the coated polystyrene cone, and I think a plastic or phenolic diaphragm on the horn tweeter. Although maybe the Yamaha might be good enough as full range.

Cheers, and thanks for the reply!

Mad ideas but fun to contemplate.

RdM - the giant ear sounds mad! Hope you see that fever dream come to life.

Sept 9, 2022 21:11:31 GMT 12 andychampionsound said:

Sept 9, 2022 18:28:08 GMT 12 RdM said:

No, none of those AWA from HiFiEngine. It was an NZ made clone of something. On second thoughts it may have been branded Fisher & Paykel.

A friend had a similar taller amp with an AM tuner that may have been branded Murphy. All NZ made or assembled at least. The Muldoon years.

I'll have to go to the storage unit to haul out examples. I had several of them. I modified one for alternate input switching, since I ran out of inputs. DIN sockets as I recall.

They had an innovative design feature internally which was that the emitter resistors were a non inductive maze loop like track pattern on the PCB.

They all ended up sounding distorted after years, I even saw one on TM advertised with that fault. Have never investigated, but still have them. When I moved, I took everything! ;=})

"Sort it out later." But mostly still stored. Luckily the storage is not costing me anything except the small journey to access it.

That amp and the RA CG12 speakers (maybe assembled here by DavRed, or David Reid) was in the early-mid '80s, before I bought my first "proper" hifi amp, CD, tapedeck, all Sony.

Actually I had both large and slim cabinet sets of RA speakers. Eventually all sold on TM as just the units.

You've reminded me that I also have a Rait Control Unit, which went with both the 30-30 or 60-60 I think. Beautifully built. I heard rumours that it was a copy of an early Naim design?

And that I have a single Pioneer PAX-25F. With an open circuit woofer. The horn tweeter is OK though. I've saved it for that alone. It looks like disassembly for a voice coil rewind would be ... difficult.

But I also have a huge polystyrene ear shaped cone Yamaha organ speaker ($5 on TM!) that I have a fantasy about mounting in a sealed panel above the shower box, fed by bluetooth aptx... maybe with that horn tweeter.

All steam proof. ;=})  Rubber surround on the coated polystyrene cone, and I think a plastic or phenolic diaphragm on the horn tweeter. Although maybe the Yamaha might be good enough as full range.

Cheers, and thanks for the reply!

Mad ideas but fun to contemplate.

RdM - the giant ear sounds mad! Hope you see that fever dream come to life.

Thanks;- I know this is a slight drift off topic but I'll just put this here;- if I complete it I'll show it in a new separate thread.

I have the materials to do this;- some long ~4" wide perspex strips that I'd use on edge to raise a melamine board above the shower cubicle wall edge. (I note it's not quite square and slightly not true angles already!)

Cut the hole for the ear speaker, try first, see if worth adding horn tweeter (& even midrange?)  Round out woofer cutout with router.  It'll also act like a Shower Dome, so no steam.

While I might not spend much time in the shower at a time, I used to have audio in my last bathroom at the old place, signal wired through ceiling.

Self made speakers powered by the guts of a Golden Knight Stereo Solid State radiogram! Not sure if that was made in NZ.

Here it'd have to be bluetooth. Maybe I can resurrect those speakers too. Power in some more modern way. The shower dome would be mono of course.

Here are pics of the Yamaha & Pioneer 10" (frame) and a  CD for size comparison.

We now return to normal programming ...