Hello from an Electrocompaniet Fan

[PrimeCase]

Hi All, I have listened on the forums for many months and I am amazed at the knowledge shared betwen people for the common good of making music in the home and special thanks go to Nelson Pass for his oustanding support to what is in the eyes of the general public the "lunatic fringe" . I currently live in the US after emmigrating from the UK about 5 years ago to be married, I'm currently without a system and will be in the process of building it back up over the next few years.
I am used to high end equipment having been employed at Billy Vee Sound Systems in London for several years and had the pleasure of owning a Linn/Naim based system as well as some older but excellent equpment and also a fair number of CD players both good and bad.
Equipment I consider to be the best at what it does includes the Linn CD12 (which my old boss owns...git!) If you ever get a chance to listen, it will show you exactly what every other CD player cannot do. The Electrocomaniet 25w Class A power amp from the original run of about 2000 or so made before it was modified and ruined (in my humble opinion), this amp will make you grin your head off with it's bouncing authorative deep bass and yet seduce you with it's clarity and delacacy, a treat if you can find one....even better if it's still working ....anyone want a new amplifier project ? I guarantee it will not disappoint.
Still time to go and ask a few questions and see you all on the boards.

Kevin J Wren

[Jocko Homo]

If you ever get a chance to listen, it will show you exactly what every other CD player cannot do.

Except the Jocko CD-80. Only 4 exist, sorry. One of them is owned by a git (yes, also from UK) that has a Linn.

Jocko

[PrimeCase]

Ok so I'm interested in the Jocko CD80....whats the deal ??? and Texas isn't too far away from Mid Missouri so I could come listen I guess

Kevin

[Jocko Homo]

In brief: The first build (5 units) ripped out their op-amp I/V and replaced it with discrete transimpedance I/V. Outboard analog supply.

Newest version took 4 of those units (#5 ripped me off in a business deal, so poot on him!) and replaced the SAA7220 & TDA1541 (both of which I despise) and put in DF1704 and PCM 1704s.

Made a board to do that. Had a few left over, which I offered for sale to the gang here.

Harry put a picture up of it.........do a search for "Jocko CD80" by HarryHaller.

Have they taught you to say "Missouri" the right way yet?

Jocko

[Petter]

I saw one the other day -- and was quite excited -- until the lid was opened. If it is as good as they say, it is surely the cheapest amp to make in the history of mankind.

I am not saying that is bad -- I am saying that is good. It means that it could be made better. I, however decided immediately that this was not something that I could own as a DIY project given the ultra cheap construction, no matter how good the sound. Others may be interested, but then Zen probably sounds better, and is also inexpensive in it's incandescent form.

Petter

[PrimeCase]

The critics in one magazine in 1980 I believe called it the best solid state amp they had heard, but like most things "good" it spoiled the party by blowing up and embarrassing the designer no end . However I think the amp could be brought into the 21st century by using better driver/output transistors with a lower input capacitance and better specs all round. The reason I bring this up is the only real weak point is it's top end refinement (or lack of) isn't state of the art and could be improved and suggested this to one of the design team who agreed it would possibly breath new life into it. I'm game but lack the confidence to tackle it on my own...I have no doubt the Zen is very good indeed but I urge you to have a listen to the electro as it is staggeringly good at what it does well, I'd have one in a heattbeat if it's working

all the best Kevin

[PrimeCase]

Jocko
I'm not saying I sound wierd to the local folks but getting Australian confused with a London accent is a little difficult. I play games with the girls in the checkouts at the supermarket by telling them I have always lived in the US and I talk like this because I fell out of a tree when I was 5 y.o. and hit my head and ever since people think I'm foreign....the other one is I tell them I'm from Arkansas and they don't know what they are talking about....always good for a giggle
As I stated in the introduction I'm looking to build a system back up in the not too distant future and I'd be interested in purchasing the DAC card you have (if there are any left) and getting something like a Marantz CD94 or Philips 960 to tide me over while I piece together a DAC section, Do you have any boards left ??

have a good one

many thanks guys

Kevin

[Jocko Homo]

Several left.

Once knew a salesman who said he covered 46 states and 2 foreign countries:

Arkansas and West Virginia.

Jocko

[HarryHaller]

My wife and my mother are from Arkansas and neither talk funny, now..... I think it is because they both married Yankees born in NYC. Being a Yankee is looked down on more than being an Arkansan here in Texas.

[PrimeCase]

That's what I tell myself when I get home sick......I have to say tho that if there was ever a place farthest from a high end dealer I live there now.....getting NAD equipment around here is a struggle . On the bright side I can't go out and blow a wad on a POS system too easy either.
I have a friend here in town with a large investment in CJ/Oracle/Von Schweikert but tops the turntable off with a magnetic cartridge which to me makes the invesment in the amps he has a little bizarre...I have tried umpteen times to get him to listen to a decent moving coil and move into the real high end several times without success at the moment it sounds very competent but lacking in substance and scale, very pleasant but hardly what I'd go for. Having had an LP12/Ittok LV III/Karma I know what he's missing in a lot of ways, and to think I sold it all before I emmigrated..hehehe.