Sony CDR-W66 and Marantz CDR 630

Then the desire to make digital copies of our vintage vinyl LPs that were not available in cd format.  Got myself not one but 2 cd recorders: Sony CDR-W66 and the Marantz CDR630 below.

 

 The Sony is equipped with all the inputs and outputs you can think of - analogue and digital (both RCA and XLR).  It even has word clock input and computer keyboard (for typing cd text) input, below.

 The Sony has all the features that I liked and sounded wonderful, making great copies of my LPs on cds.  The built-in ADC is good and the cd text feature an added advantage.  So, I decided to keep it (Sony) and disposed off the Marantz.  Pictured below with the old favourite TEAC VRDS-10 see how small it is.

DIY Paradise Monica 3

After a couple of years, the receiver chip CS8404 of the Promitheus Audio DAC failed, replaced it by desoldering and soldering the new chip but after a few months, the chip burnt again.  I decided not to replace the chip as the pcb tracks was badly damaged and some broken or detached from the board.  So, I scout around for a new DAC and decided on the DIY Paradise (another local Malaysian maker) 's Monica 3.  Due to revision (upgrading), it comes in 2 pcbs (probably in transition phase before the new tool pcb is ready), so I purchased one and start soldering the parts below. 

The populated new version pcb (black) is pluged (4pins) onto the "old" version pcb which has the power supply regulators presoldered on it.  Its another TDA1545A dac which was well reviewed. 

 And the whole DAC board (Monica 3) goes into the original wooden box of the Promitheus Audio DAC, using its original power supply transformers.  The output transformers (on the right) are however not used.  This DAC has capacitor coupling at the the outputs.  This is another NOS dac and sounds as good as the reveiws say - no complaints so far, only the bass output is a shade below what I was used to.

Marantz SA-11S1 SACD player

 Then I bought a used Marantz SA-11S1 sacd player to check it out since it was a well reviewed equipment.  It turned out to be too "soft" for me, although very 'clean', it lacked the 'oomph' when compared to my old TEAC VRDS-10 connected to an outboard DAC - the Promitheus Audio DAC.  Hence, after just a few weeks, I disposed of the Marantz without any loses and it was sold within an hour of posting the ad online.  I miss its excellent finish and solid build rarely found on lesser cd players nowadays.

Hickok 6000A tube tester

A tiny tube(6C4) under test - good condition with all 5 filament bulbs lighted(foreground).
The front panel of the 6000A is nicely clustered with vintage knobs and large panel meter.
The inside : shows the 2 large vacuum tubes (rectifier tubes) and the bunch of wires connected to the transformer and the array of switches and the twin rolls of paper - tube specification charts

Pioneer PL-L1000

The linear tracking arm was attached to the Acoustic Signature turntable - more for the fun of it.

Pioneer PL-L1000 vintage turntable

Got this linear tracking direct drive turntable on eBay, but it arrived damaged but still workable. Later, bought some parts and end up with a complete turntable + a separate linear tracking tonearm. The tonearm run on rollers/track and is driven but a linear magnet and controlled by servo system using light. It has the usual automatic functions and plays 7", 10" & 12" records and stops automatically at the end of the record.