Tony M

Hmmm - of course I tend to prefer red! Except..............these speakers seem to have a pronounced industrial aesthetic, especially the front panel. Now LOS says the design brief is to blend into the environment. I'll have to take his word that a miror steel finish achieves this in practice. But, wouldn't it then be going against this design theme to have vibrantly-coloured "look at me" horns on the front? This would be especally so if the colour on the horns wasn't replicated somewhere else. Notice, in the rendering with gold horns, thay look good partly because of the goldish coloured timber reflected in part of the mirror finish. Any colur added in the horns needs to tie in somehow, perhaps by using the same colour in tweeter enclosures. I think the industrial, metallic aesthetic is a brave choice. However, to carry it off it need to be maintained throughout. Sticking with silver tonings would be boring so I think the obvious choice is some form of gold/copper/bronze colouring. repeated at least once somwhere else on the speaker. IMHO gold and silver go well together and add interest to each other. And for a bit of a left-field idea, a distressed/tarnished/even rusty finish to the horns and some other bits could be a very interesting look. I think there's potential to do more here than add a coat of auto paint to the horns. Fascinating project, Simon. Thanks for keeping us up to date with progress and I can't wait to see further developments.

That's still one of the most inviting looking rooms on SNA! It's very clever, too, treading a fine line in creating an instantly-appealing visual impression without falling into the trap of looking over-designed. And Lee would have us believe he did it all himself!

That's the trouble with the youth of today - their wise elders provide sage advice and they go out and do the opposite! And I didn't ever hear them with the old Sony V-fet. Might have to drop around with it under my arm before they go elsewhere..... Lovely speakers BTW, with any amp. Produced by Energy at a time when they were motivated to build a genuine flagship with the engineers in charge of the project and the company bean-counters trembling in fear while locked up in a back room somewhere. Unquestionably a very sound purchase for someone wanting something special at a very affordable price.

That's a beautifully understated room, Ralph. Being a long-standing admirer of Apogee speakers. I can only imagine that it sounds superb too.

But, Grumps, I repeat myself too often as is - Ronda's subtle eye-rolls can be a useful indication that I'm doing it again! You're missed at Woodstock too, but that's easily rectified whenever you're willing to venture up this way.

Well, I guess I used to make a lot more noise than i do now. I think there are several reasons for this: Life's been pretty busy and I tend to scan and catch up with the forums late at night. I don't seem to get around to reading every post like I did in the old days. But, then I used to read every article in the car and audio mags I subscribe to but don't find the time these days. Sometimes I'm tempted to comment, but I try to ask if I'd be adding any value to the discussion by doing so. If I suspect the answer is no, then I tend to desist. A small local group in the Adelaide Hills tend to keep in touch frequently, share info, experiences and equipment. We do gtg when we can too. So, the local personal chat/banter seems to take priority over the wider forum. This isn't a conscious thing - more something I've drifted into. My current system set up is sounding pretty good. It provides a nice window into the music and I don't feel any desperate urge to make changes ATM. However, I attribute a lot of that to some recent acquisitions aided and abetted by the aforementioned members of the "Adelaide Hills Gentlemen's Audio Society". I' probably should post an update on SNA sometime for the record. Once I find I haven't posted in a while, I get a bit hesitant to pop up with something that might be trivial or banal. I have a massive affection and gratitude to SNA and greatly value the local and interstate friendships that have come from it. And I do love following the evolution of systems that interest me on the forum - especially those where the owners have the courage to post the things that go wrong. There's always much to admire, aspire to, empathize with and learn from. The odd squabble that I have observed (and have participated in from time to time in the past) seems to me to be a fact of life and not something to get precious about. I've certainly never decided to cease posting because someone (including me) got their feathers ruffled. Different opinions are inevitable and part of the rich tapestry of human nature. It's great when they can be aired, amicably discussed and learned from. I must admit my opinion on some more esoteric controversies seems to me to depend on who puts the most persuasive argument at the time. That lack of conviction and a firm opinion of my own just endorses my "still learning" status in respect of those aspects. On other things I'm content to go with whatever 50+ years of very amateur and inexpert hifi enjoyment have convinced me of. Those are "my truths" that I love to share but try to avoid shoving them down others' throats. I also try to avoid unnecessary repetition. Often, when I feel like saying something on the forum, I'm uncomfortably aware that there's a sense of deja vu to the discussion and I realize that what I was about to say would paraphrase something I've said before, and probably many others have said before me. So the potential thought/comment/opinion is hardly original and this make me question if it's better left unsaid at this time. A bit like the old surgeon's motto "If in doubt, cut it out" IMHO, the chill out room mirrors the fact that discussion at GTG's rarely if ever is exclusively audio. We're interested in other aspects of our friends' lives, interests and opinions and I really wouldn't like to see this aspect of the forum curtailed. So, this post is aimed at saying g''day, I'm still here scanning and enjoying the forum and won't hesitate to post whenever I think I've got something to contribute.

FWIW, I should mention there is quite an active International forum (TactAudioUsersGroup) at yahoogroups.com It's a fantastic resource sharing info, software, service tips and selling and buying leads. You can download encyclopedia-sized manuals to assist with room correction etc. I did so, but I have yet to find the time and inclination to master it as it's pretty complex. There are quite a few real enthusiasts around the world keeping the brand alive.

Thanks Cafad for that excellent review of one of my favourite amps. I was an early adopter of TacT gear and bought my first room correction preamp in around 2004. It's still in perfect condition and serves as a handy spare pre. Given that it has both digital and analogue inputs and digital and analogue outputs, it's incredibly versatile and it's built like a tank In around 2006, I upgraded to the RCS 2.2XP (keeping the original RCS 2.0) and added the 2150. Although I could never really come to terms with the room correction (probably just too complex for this old dinosaur!), I've always found this combo to be very useful, versatile and competent performers. Boz was the epitome of the "flawed genius" and it appears to me he tried to be all aspects of his business instead of leaving the commercial aspects to someone with the appropriate skills. The "divorce" from Peter Lyngdorf was always going to see Boz and TacT founder and, sadly. it did. Anyway, the RCS 2.0 gets occasional use as a back-up preamp and the RCS 2.2XP and 2150 combo is in continuous, ongoing use in the family room and makes a pair of the ubiquitous NS1000M's sound pretty much like I think NS1000M's should - ie superb within certain inherent limitations in the bass area. We had some rellies for lunch today and the family room system has gradually climbed up to enjoyable volumes (it's still very sweet at background listening levels) and it's sounding gorgeous to me ATM. Might snap a couple of pics to illustrate this post: I really disagree with those who assert "All class D sounds like crap" I wish they could hear what I'm hearing right now! Thanks again for giving this lovely gear a rare bit of exposure.

I wish someone would buy these! In the meantime, I have to keep telling myself that I don't need a fourth pair. Two of the the three pairs I have cost me considerably more than these and these are in the best condition I have seen. That very small chip could become invisible with a careful repair and they would then be as close to perfect as you will ever find a pair of NS1000M's. From personal experience, they sound superb too. With any classic, the best phiosophy is to buy the best example you can find. Well, this is it! And the price asked is the same as (or less than) mediocre ones. Anyone toying with the idea of buying NS1000M's would be crazy not to snap up this particular pair, especially as the seller is a top bloke who consistently underprices stuff he sells so he can feel 100% comfortable with the transaction - an unfortunately rare philosophy!

It didn't really grab me - seemed a bit lightweight and formuleic. But I loved the fact that he drove a silver Fiat 124 Sport as I had one the same in the 70's. Lovely car to drive fast but somewhat unreliable and prone to rust too.

Yes, when I sold my last car with them, I was very hesitant about their shabby showroom. The fact that they displayed my little BMW between a couple of Lamborghini Countach's made it OK with me though.

I found out a few years ago that I'm too old to really enjoy convertables anymore. But I'd be sorely tempted by that car - it's just beautiful! Yes, there are some American styling excesses, both inside and out. But, to me they just give it character and enhance the appeal. Most classic corvettes and mustangs in Oz retain their original LHD. The RHD conversion would suit me much better. Here's an earlier one for sale locally. If it was the one in ZB's pics, I'd be keener. http://richmonds.com.au/portfolio/1954-chevrolet-corvette-c1-convertible/

We bought a Pioneer plasma in 2005 and replaced it a couple of years ago. It now lives in the shed and is hardly ever used - a sort of retirement. It was calibrated a few weeks after we bought it. Anyway, towards the end of its "working" life, I did notice quite obvious image retention/burn in, mainly in the area where cc's are displayed. I expect it's still there - haven't turned it on for a while. But it really didn't bother me more than some wrinkles on an old leather armchair would. A sort of "patina" and testimony to a long and useful life. Granted, I'd probably feel quite differently about the same thing on a new and very expensive OLED. But, it is an answer to Al's question re whether anyone has had burn-in in a calibrated TV.

I've been a fan since "The High Sheriff of Calhoun Parish" from around 1970. I often find the words of that song popping into my head eg "(Sheriff) I do not know of what you speak" Perhaps not the most sophisticated songwriter/singer, his music was deliciously laid-back and relaxing - never failed to make me feel better for listening. Sad to add him to the list of those no longer with us.

Yeah, you're right - a sharp observation that I totally missed. The tweets/mids are traditionally placed on the outside. However, FWIW, in studios the speakers were more often placed horizontally on stands close to a wall. And I have 3 pairs - the pair in the living room are both right sided so there's no way I can get those right (or wrong) and the ones in the shed are twinned/stacked together on stands - so it doesn't count there either. Crappy pic, but good enough to show what I'm on about: