35 years to make the right decision

[martin abrahams]

Mike Oldfield's Hergest Ridge was the first album played on my earliest and home made hifi. The year 1973. The kit was an old Garrard AT6 mkIV, a newly built Heathkit AR1214 and KEF Chorales on home made stands, speaker cable was some two core lighting cable. The system didn't make it to the end of side one before bits in the Heathkit began to glow. It took four weeks to get replacement parts and play side two.

My system evolved over the next 35 years before I heard a CDX2/NAC202/NAP200 system and started buying it piece by piece from shop ex-demo kit as funds allowed. Stand out kit that I had along the way and wished I hadn't let go included a Michell Focus One turntable with Hadcock arm - didn't track albums well after five years; EPOS ES14 speakers - wow, detail, oomph but my ears hurt half way through a CD;  Arcam cd23 - it went for 250 readies towards the CDX2. I did the home cinema thing but when DVD gave way to bluray, and 5.1 needed to be 7.1, I didn't have living room space and lost interest. The lure of a decent two channel system beckoned.  

I have added a napsc and hicap to the 202, which was nice. Adding an XPS recently to the CDX2 was a great decision. It took a lot of internet searches to find the right kit at ex-demo prices, and selling on existing gear to part fund the improvements. My speakers are the only non-Naim items remaining, they are Spendor A9s. I'll get my coat.

[Tom Tom Audio]

Thanks for posting Martin and a very warm welcome to the club.

Cheers
James