Show us your gear!

[par4ken]

So in your case, TWF means 'Totally Wild and Free.'

I have my own Man Cave. It even has a warning sign stating as such that is seen while one comes down the stairwell. (Part of the right rear surround speaker can been seen in the upper right corner of the photo.)

View attachment 88524

Kids don't grow up their toys just get more expensive! As kids we were often confined to the basement, I'm still confined there!

 

[esimms86]

Never been married...so I've been able to buy what ever, when ever, without whoever and place said items anywhere and whenever I decide.

Other forums initial it TWF (The Wife Factor.)

What you call TWF there are others who would call it WTF.

Of course, as @Quad Linda points out, WAF isn’t necessarily always a female thing. And not everyone has to seek said acceptance in their relationship.

 

[barfle]

So in your case, TWF means 'Totally Wild and Free.'

I have my own Man Cave. It even has a warning sign stating as such that is seen while one comes down the stairwell. (Part of the right rear surround speaker can been seen in the upper right corner of the photo.)

View attachment 88524

I always thought model railroading was cool, but I tend to think that about too many things, and some of them simply never happened. I envisioned a layout that went from a main layout through a hole in the wall to another room where it was just on a shelf that ran around the room and returned to the main layout. Pipe dream, just like my dry lake race car and my ham radio setup.

But friends and family are invited into my room. They don’t always come in, but there are four seats with good sight lines and adequate surround balance.

 

[LB-V]

I know, I know. I am using two terribly different amps for front and back...but who cares? I am in a silverface, BIG VU meter mood. Glad I kept these in the closet for the occasion.

 

[GOS]

I know, I know. I am using two terribly different amps for front and back...but who cares? I am in a silverface, BIG VU meter mood. Glad I kept these in the closet for the occasion.


View attachment 88872

Love it!

 

[ar surround]

I know, I know. I am using two terribly different amps for front and back...but who cares? I am in a silverface, BIG VU meter mood. Glad I kept these in the closet for the occasion.


View attachment 88872

Have you blown up any speakers with that PL beast?

 

[BioMedTechGuy]

Being a Klipsch fan..FANatic, seeing the silver faced amp with the big VU meters reminds me of a very popular (70s/80s) burger chain in New Orleans called Ground Patti. The ambiance was "English Tudor", wood vs formica and steel, with pewter mugs for beverages. The burgers were very good, and I honestly don't know why they aren't still around.
Anyway, they had Klipsch Heresy speakers mounted up high, about 7-8 feet on horizontal beams, and Sansui amps with big VU meters and a reel to reel tape player for ambient music that was always great but not distracting. The VU needles didn't move to the right very high, because Heresy speakers (like most Klipsch) were very efficient. I sure would have liked to have been able to pick up one working system and 2 pair of Heresys that I'd imagine were sold when they closed a location.

 

[LB-V]

Have you blown up any speakers with that PL beast?

No, but no kidding, the beast did catch "fire" one day. I came home and I could smell fried electrical components. My wife said the amp just starting smoking, so she turned it off. This was 15 years ago. I couldn't believe it. But, it was definitely burned and smoked! It smelled terrible.

It turned out if I remember correctly, the 120v to the primary power switch on the front had shorted on something inside the unit.

Fortunately, it wasn't long after I had bought it, sent it back to the gentleman at classicaudio.com and he rewired and sent it back. I'm not much on DIY audio so was thankful he had no issues with his warranty. It's never given me any trouble since, and always sounds quite nice to me when I fire her up...no pun intended.

What a beast though....like you say....she's a nightmare to physically move around, but love her looks.

Edit: It came with the original wood case in excellent condition and I later snagged the original exterior cooling fan that kind of mounts to the rear cooling fins. It was cool, but the fan was really noisy and not necessary, so I don't use it. But it's cool...lol.

 

[barfle]

I know, I know. I am using two terribly different amps for front and back...but who cares? I am in a silverface, BIG VU meter mood. Glad I kept these in the closet for the occasion.


View attachment 88872

Gotta love that vintage gear! I have an Altec 724 tuner/receiver that I bought with my employee discount way back in 1973 along with a prototype of a 100wpc stereo amp that needs a serious redesign (it never did work well, so it never made it past the prorotype stage) that will grace these pages sometime in the future (I hope).

 

[Sal1950]

I know, I know. I am using two terribly different amps for front and back...but who cares? I am in a silverface, BIG VU meter mood. Glad I kept these in the closet for the occasion.

Now there's a blast from my past, a Phase Linear 700B
Here's a picture of my rig ca. 1985
I liked my music LOUD in those days so this system was driving
a pair of Klipsch La Scala's

Here's the La Scala's shortly after I bought them, brand new for $500 each in raw birch,
(1980 dollars). I later stained them.
The neighborhood was a little rough but my 125+ lb Dobe Max kept the rig secure.

Have you blown up any speakers with that PL beast?

I did, like at least 4 times if IIRC. I can remember replacing 2 tweeters, 2 midrange compression drivers, and 1 15" bass driver! Most of the damage was done by over-powering
the speakers, then once when the amp blew up, dumping its rail voltage into the woofer, not pretty. LOL
Later I added 2 7' tall HSU subwoofers powered by 2 NAD monoblocks.
I don't know if it was the worlds loudest home 2 channel rig, but it was close.

 

[LB-V]

Being a Klipsch fan.

Klipsch? Spot any?

I just happened to start with Klipsch decades ago, for no particular reason, and just stuck with it over the years.

The VU needles didn't move to the right very high, because Heresy speakers (like most Klipsch) were very efficient

I can't hardly get the Phase Linear VUs to budge unless I want to cause some further hearing damage....Klipsch! Kind of a downer...lol!

 

[BioMedTechGuy]

MAN! Do I feel at home with those last few posts! Thanks to all of you.
Ok, so I don't think I "showed my gear" but I beg your indulgence by allowing me to give some background:
I made a 20 year career of the Audio/Video and Home Theater business. It started with life destroying 12 hour shifts and at least one full weekend day at a local Electronics and Appliances dealer.
Over the 20 years, I was also involved with satellite systems and then when I was doing sales and system design for a very well known "high end", renowned for being knowledgeable, privately owned business, that was also when I really got deep into Klipsch, McIntosh, Adcom, and more, THAT was the point where I started doing installations of some of the systems I was selling. What a breakthrough! Nothing like being there when the gear is turned on and the smiles spread across the room.
From 2003 to 2009 I ran my own 1 man (me) A/V business. I'd hire contract labor when I needed to, but like my current almost 7 year old medical equipment repair and service business, I really find I do best working alone when possible. It's about quality of service. My Theater Room in my last house and one I did for a client were both featured in their own articles in a magazine that had 4 rooms featured, so I got half of the featured rooms!
One last note, my grandfather (dad's dad) was the original "A/V Man" in our family. Professional musician, played instruments, the upright bass being my favorite and the one he played the most. I believe that is why I am so attracted to the bass parts of music, and the reason why 2.1 playback of stereo music is an absolute minimum for me. My dad had some great gear too.
Theater Room:
ALL Klipsch except my Theater Room sub.
*KLF-30 towers L, C, R fronts. Each tower has 2x12s, horn mid, horn tweet.

*Heresy front side surrounds, also 1x 12" woofer w/horn mids and tweet
*KSP-S6 bipolar rear side surrounds, 2x 6½" woofers, 2x 1" horn tweet/mid
2x RP 240D surround backs, 2x 3½" woofers and 1" horn mid/tweet. Pretty impressive little speakers in the rear, especially for their small size:

When the amp went out on the first sub Klipsch ever made that was worthy (and capable) of performing in the same room as my KLF-30 trio, my RSW-15 One x active 15" driver and 1 passive 15" radiator, I was beside myself. THEN I discovered the WONDERS of the best subwoofer I've ever heard, my Definitive Technology Trinity SuperCube. 2 long excursion active 14" woofers with 4x 14" passive radiators. This creation is a monster, it goes as deep as 12Hz, yet is loud and fast. I'll stop there, and cover my Electronics in that room next.
Thanks

 

[barfle]

MAN! Do I feel at home with those last few posts! Thanks to all of you.
Ok, so I don't think I "showed my gear" but I beg your indulgence by allowing me to give some background:
I made a 20 year career of the Audio/Video and Home Theater business. It started with life destroying 12 hour shifts and at least one full weekend day at a local Electronics and Appliances dealer.
Over the 20 years, I was also involved with satellite systems and then when I was doing sales and system design for a very well known "high end", renowned for being knowledgeable, privately owned business, that was also when I really got deep into Klipsch, McIntosh, Adcom, and more, THAT was the point where I started doing installations of some of the systems I was selling. What a breakthrough! Nothing like being there when the gear is turned on and the smiles spread across the room.
From 2003 to 2009 I ran my own 1 man (me) A/V business. I'd hire contract labor when I needed to, but like my current almost 7 year old medical equipment repair and service business, I really find I do best working alone when possible. It's about quality of service. My Theater Room in my last house and one I did for a client were both featured in their own articles in a magazine that had 4 rooms featured, so I got half of the featured rooms!
One last note, my grandfather (dad's dad) was the original "A/V Man" in our family. Professional musician, played instruments, the upright bass being my favorite and the one he played the most. I believe that is why I am so attracted to the bass parts of music, and the reason why 2.1 playback of stereo music is an absolute minimum for me. My dad had some great gear too.
Theater Room:
ALL Klipsch except my Theater Room sub.
*KLF-30 towers L, C, R fronts. Each tower has 2x12s, horn mid, horn tweet. View attachment 88936
*Heresy front side surrounds, also 1x 12" woofer w/horn mids and tweet
*KSP-S6 bipolar rear side surrounds, 2x 6½" woofers, 2x 1" horn tweet/mid
2x RP 240D surround backs, 2x 3½" woofers and 1" horn mid/tweet. Pretty impressive little speakers in the rear, especially for their small size:
View attachment 88938

When the amp went out on the first sub Klipsch ever made that was worthy (and capable) of performing in the same room as my KLF-30 trio, my RSW-15 One x active 15" driver and 1 passive 15" radiator, I was beside myself. THEN I discovered the WONDERS of the best subwoofer I've ever heard, my Definitive Technology Trinity SuperCube. 2 long excursion active 14" woofers with 4x 14" passive radiators. This creation is a monster, it goes as deep as 12Hz, yet is loud and fast. I'll stop there, and cover my Electronics in that room next.
Thanks

While the only musicians in my family were a couple of my dad’s sisters, I found that I enjoyed listening to music about the time I was in the 4th grade. But my dad built (mono) hi-fi a few years later. Unfortunately, that seemed to be his major effort into home entertainment gear. He was an electronics engineer, as was I, and designed the tube amp in the rig. I discovered decent stereo when I was in the Army, and I bought what a SP4 could afford, which was mostly entry level gear, although I still have my Miracord 50H turntable (needs work). I probably got the obsession when I got a job as an engineering technician at Altec and found out what “good sound” really meant, and the ways to get ever closer to the ideal. Fifty years later, I’m close to achieving my dream. Pretty much all my gear is in my build blog, although I suspect it will get updated from time to time.

 

[BioMedTechGuy]

I have TWO STR-DA777ES receivers, the one that I've had in service for years in my Theater Room that was finally replaced by the STR-DA9000ES receiver+TA-N9000ES 5 channel amp (run in BTL 2-Channel mode) and one 777ES I bought as a spare. The one I had been using as a Theater receiver is now in my "casual" listening room, with a pair of Belle Klipsch front speakers and Klipsch Cornwall rear speakers (only because I don't have anywhere else for the Cornwalls to play the lead role as L,R front speakers, and I sure am not going to swap the Belles for the Cornwalls). In a similar way that my 9000ES receiver has outdated video connections, and no HDMI, and I'm using the Oppo BDP-105D unit to decode DD/DTS surround tracks on BluRay DVDs, I faced similar issues with the 777ES. It was strictly my audio engine, but man oh man what an engine! Sonically I would put it up against ANYTHING in the sub $3k range. Sony Parallel Push/Pull output transistors sound SO SWEET, and powerful, and the Klipsch speakers make the absolute most of every watt. Worth a mention is the 777ES receiver was the reason why so many TA-E9000ES Pre/Pro and TA-N9000ES 5 channel amplifier separates didn't sell nearly in the quantity that their build quality, tech engineering design, and performance should have seen them sell at. The 777ES receiver is SO GOOD and designed and constructed in such a manner that the low voltage processors and pre-amp circuitry is physically and "electronically" separated from the high voltage output amplifier stages for being held all within one chassis. Made in Japan (like all SonyES used to be, then it was only the best ES models were) It has a copper clad heavy duty power supply transformer, gold caps, and Burr-Brown D-to-A converters.
That's my old Theater Room receiver, and while I'm still using one in the Living Room, and I had to describe it (because I'm not the only "fan boy" of the 777ES, it has had quite the "cult following") because it really is outstanding.
Now on to the reason why I don't have HDMI ports or "modern" Atmos Etc. decoding, streaming built in, basically the "new stuff" that's developed into mainstream receiver features...
VOILA: The STR-DA9000ES receiver (and TA-N9000ES amp).
It was plastered on the covers of countless A/V and Home Theater magazines when it was released towards the end of 2004. It uses 7 Sony S-Master Pro digital amplifiers, the FIRST application of that amp technology outside of commercial amps. It converts ALL incoming audio signals into DSD which is the proprietary digital technology of SACD. The only exception to this is the DSD bitstream from my matching SonyES SCD-XA9000ES SACD player that has a FireWire output and connects to the matching FireWire input on the receiver. That keeps the DSD data unmolested throughout the majority of the signal path throughout the receiver until the very end where it hits a filter that makes the music audible. It's an AMAZING acoustic experience! In and of itself, the SACD player is an outstanding player, in every possible parameter of measurement. I was fortunate to find one used in "like new" condition, and happily paid $1,500 for it, 50% off its original retail price. I think I paid $1,800 for the receiver, which I believe was $3k when new. One last note on the SACD player. It also is made in Japan and has separate R-core transformers, 2 separate lasers, one dedicated to SACD playback, and it's heavy, and uses frame and beam construction. This SACD player is an ANIMAL!

Here's the inside look at the receiver.

and the separate amplifier and why I'm using it with the receiver:

What I found without any doubt in my mind (and it logically makes sense) is by using the 5 channel amp in BrigedTransformerLess (BTL 2-Channel) mode which takes all that 5 channel power making goodness and converts it to TWO 200WPC outputs is a warmer sound and a more robust performance. The receiver has a menu option that "tells" it that an external amp is powering the Left and Right Front speakers. The 7 S-Master Pro digital amp modules are rated at 200WPC as well. I use the Oppo BDP-105D unit to decode surround sound on BluRay DVDs, and the receiver has a "9.1" channel surround switch that I use for movies. My LCR front speakers are Klipsch KLF-30 towers, and they have been called the "ultimate rock music" speakers, another reason why I bought them rather than the RF-7 towers that had just come out, and are very fine speakers, I just couldn't pass up the KLF-30s.
So I'll leave this segment of "show us your gear" there, and end this "Wall of Text" with a good illustrated explanation of the amps in the 9000ES receiver, along with a pic of my actual equipment rack. I use a really good power conditioner, that has a 15/20 amp horizontal prong on the power cord plug, sine wave output of course. I ran two separate 20 Amp circuits to my breaker box, one for my audio and video electronics, and one for my Definitive Technology Trinity SuperCube subwoofer and the amp that powers my 8 tactile transducers (butt kickers).

I should add a pic of the Powervar conditioner:

 

[Sonik Wiz]

@BioMedTechGuy
Real paragraphs go a long way to reduce reader fatigue & TDLDR. Good stuff nice pics will try again tomorrow.

 

[Sal1950]

I should add a pic of the Powervar conditioner:

If that's you on the sticker, not a good idea to let the internet know so much about you.

 

[BioMedTechGuy]

If that's you on the sticker, not a good idea to let the internet know so much about you.

It isn't, but I'll edit that anyway. Thanks

 

[Bill B]

It isn't, but I'll edit that anyway. Thanks

I would have just changed the name to Drew P. Wiener or something similar.
Where's your imagination? You missed an opportunity to give everyone a good laugh.

 

[ar surround]

Why do I consider this new furnace a piece of audio gear? Because the furnace is in the room adjacent to my listening room and the blower on this new unit is quieter than the one it replaced.

So the high price (for everything these days) was indeed worth it.

 

[DuncanS]

Why do I consider this new furnace a piece of audio gear? Because the furnace is in the room adjacent to my listening room and the blower on this new unit is quieter than the one it replaced.

So the high price (for everything these days) was indeed worth it.

View attachment 89193

Can you turn it up to 11?