Post Your "Budgetphile" Vinyl Setups!

Nice! I love Opus next to the tape deck! Homemade stands?

 

U-turn with normal platter and Grado Black. In the middle is a Tascam DR-08/Teac (same thing/hacked firmware) always in line so I can record needledrops. Modified A/B/C switch with a mono switch I DIY'd. On the right is an Art DJ PreII preamp, and a Gigbyte Brix computer that is in line after the recorder which has a custom OS I made from linux that runs a realtime version of ClickRepair to declick albums. Sony HT amp, single well teac cassette deck, and above that is a raspberry pi that runs picoreplayer/squeezebox with a hifime usb dac.

 

Sorry, pic disappeared...

 

My little set up,

Thorens TD160 with a new custom built American oak plinth made by myself
Shure M75EJ type2 Cart

NAD 3020 amp, a true legend!

Arcam CD player, Arcams first player

Arcam Delta 80 tuner

Quad 11l's speakers

 

@Gibson67, that looks fantastic.

 

Thankyou very much, love the older gear!!

 

Lets see.........
Emotiva cheap 125 w/ch power amp.
Sherbourn Pre-1 preamp that listed for $700 but scored it for $168 when
Sherbourn went oobusiness.
Pro-Ject Esprit Red Table with upgraded 'original issue' Audio Technica 120E cart that tracks like a
million dollars.
Yamaha CDC-500 1989 circa player built to survive a nuclear holocaust.
Tascam Professional CD Recorder.
Mirage OMD-28 Reference speakers.
Emotiva 24bit outboard DAC.

The synergy is pretty far out. Very involving sound in a not really big 12X15 Living room with vaulted ceilings.
that is all
carry on
karaoke!
Beave

 

I recently scored a one owner Pioneer SX-880 receiver in excellent condition. It has replaced this Lafayette LR-9090 in my main system. So I've moved the Lafayette over here along with the Technics SL-QD3/AT132EP cart that I got with the Pioneer. It'll be a simple automatic set up that I can throw common records on and fall asleep on the couch if I want.



I just need to get some book shelf speakers to put up here. My wife will be happy as she hates the owl;

 

Computer System

AR ES-1 / Shure V15-VMR
Musical Fidelty A3.2 Integrated Amplifier
Spica TC50 speakers
HRT streamer

All purchased used

 

after going for separates for my CD play i found myself hardly listening to LPs and decided to go on an "budgetary" path for my LP play
to see if the the sound will "degrade". i sold off the Rega Exact cartridge (came as stock cart for the RP6 TT) and went to buy an entry level Nagaoka MP100 from Analogue Seduction UK for 74GBP and swapped the phono stage to a Schitt Mani for US161 direct fm Schitt Mani online. these moves make the RP6 an entry level table in terms of $ value add (or i should say minus in this case)

(the local agent for Nagaoka do not carry the MP100 or the MP110 becos they are considered too low value... haha...
good thing we have very good online shopping now)

the cart arrived just today and after setup, even fresh out of the box, the Nagaoka MP100 sounds decent. i hv no siblance, no Inner Groove Distortion and the cart tracks very nicely LP after LP. the Schitt Mani phono preamp does its magic and did not disappoint at all. test tracks such as Foreigner, Jukebox Hero (especially on the single electric guitar strum) and Ultravox, Serenade n Hym all come through with audio brillance.

this exercise goes to show, one does not need to spend a lot to get a nice sound.... haha...

 

Estate sale stands. No idea of the brand but they get the EPIs up to ear level.

 

I love to see when folks put together great systems for pennies on the dollar. There are tons of "great" sounding neglected equipment out there ripe for the picking. You just have have to find what is right for you.

 

Haha my wife loves owls.

 

That right there is the epitome of achieving great sound within a firm budget. Well done!

 

Relevant to this thread, by happy coincidence later this month I will be getting back two exceptional vintage Duals (dual Duals?) that I've previously owned and have regretted selling, sold back to me by two different folks. I'm really excited to be adding those back into my collection again!

First up is a gorgeous European-style 1019 (centimeters on size selector indicator, voltage selector under platter, German Dual plinth) that had been comprehensively serviced by Doctor Dual in Ontario, complete with all accessories and 1966-67 paperwork:







Second is a 1219 with a flip-front Dual plinth, expertly rebuilt by Audio Karma member "No Transistors." (Working on Dual changer mechanisms are beyond my skills, but I'm proud to say that I disassembled the 1219's 45 stacker and serviced it by myself.)

 

@action pact, both great looking turntables, as is that Thorens in the background.

 

Thank you! The TD-124 is a bit outside the scope of this thread, but having a world-class turntable provides me with a benchmark for evaluating "budget" tables.

 

in our local context we called it the "hunt" or "ambush".... waiting for someone in the used market to let go some gem and the fastest will go grab it.
recently someone put up a Sunfire 300 for sale. Designed by Robert Carver of the Carver brand, and asking just US$640 for it. being a 1994 model the only thing one has to be prepared for is the need for servicing and perhaps to replace some worn out components. but she is a true vintage beauty..

 

Updated pics - also posted in the "Show your room" thread. The old Grundig console works and is connected to the tape out from the receiver.

 

I'm always trying to figure out how I can hear music in the kitchen over the roar of my hood on high while I pan fry New York strips!

 

In the cave:
Marantz PM8003
Music Hall 2.2 w/Ortofon Blue
Infinity IL10's

 

My setup just got a little less "budget"...My Onkyo receiver supports A and B speaker setups, so I went ahead and got a pair of KEF Q100s to expand my turntable playing capability into the living room. The new setup then:

• Rega Planar 1 (2016) with: Nagaoka MP-110 Cartridge, Upgrade Drive Belt, Rubber/Cork Mat ($659)

• Schiit Mani Phono Preamp ($129)

• Onkyo TX-8020 Stereo Receiver ($150)

• ELAC Debut B5 Speakers ($230)

• KEF Q100 Speakers (2 room setup) ($300)

All in all about $1500 which I still think is relatively "budget" considering the system is now in 2 rooms.

 

No you don't. I don't see a Sgt Pepper album anywhere?????????????

 

Wireless Headphones......

 

NICE system!

SW, may I ask your opinion of the MARANTZ? I have utilized 1960's-70's vintage MARANTZ equipment. Their sonics are like a dear long-term friend. I am considering assembling another system elsewhere in my home, and that Integrated might be just the perfect heart of the setup.

All the best,
GT