Audio Nirvana Super 12 Ferrite Open Baffles

Lucky me, I have been manifesting a pair of Audio Nirvana full range speakers for over one year and a pair finally landed on my lap today, locally.

These speakers are from David Dicks online site called Common Sense Audio. There one can find all the products that are single driver full range specifically for Single Ended Tube amp nuts like myself.

A friend has a had a pair of the Classic 10 Ferrite  connected to the Audio Nirvana EL34 Single Ended Tube amp, we listened to them just leaned up on the floor and I was impressed with the sound knowing full well a open baffle or a proper enclosure would make these rally shine.

I am super stoked to be writing this blog post as these play in the back ground.

I think the quest for an open baffle full range set up is nearing an end, as these play I now feel I might be selling some excess speakers.

I am glad it is near winter, cold dark and rainy in the Pacific North West as I get to loose myself in the sweet, sweet sound of a Single Ended Tube amp and this pair of open baffle Audio Nirvana 12" Ferrites!!

Finally!!!!! I think I am at the ultimate sound set up to indulge in audio ascension bliss.

Rotel RX-950AX Receiver and Rotel RCD-955AX CD Player

A beautiful combination Rotel receiver and CD player landed in my possession recently. The Rotel RX-950AX receiver and the RCD-955AX CD player.

The RX-950AX receiver is rated at 50 watts per channel and sound fabulous on my Advent speakers, for some reason solid state does not work well with open baffles, only a tube amp seems to sound well.

The sound stage is wonderful and almost as revealing as a tube amp. A very nice sounding solid state receiver.

Viking SC 5813 Receiver

An interesting Viking receiver came my direction a while back, Viking was the house brand for a Canadian department store called Eatons. Back in the 70's and 80's Sears, Eatons and Woodwards all had some sort of department house line of stereo equipment.

These units were always made in Japan at the time and branded under their own name.

This Viking SC 5813 receiver is also branded under Lafayette LR-3030 and the Setton RS-229 models, although the Setton had some differences.

This unit was from 1977 and was rated at 30 watts per channel. It had the classic silver face of that era and has a warmer tube sound to it but as with all solid state units they never reveal all the detail in the music due to the complexity of the circuits verse a Single Ended tube amp.

Eatons department store is long gone and these units are pretty rare to find, this one is in really good condition, so a pretty cool find in the vintage audio world.

Acoustic Research AR18S Speakers

A new arrival this week is this pair of Acoustic Research AR18S speakers. This is my second pair of AR18's the last was a few years back in this pair of AR18B speakers, which I really enjoyed.

This little pair is probably a little earlier version of the AR18B's that I had as the cabinets are not as refined.

 

 

The foam surrounds on this pair seem to still have life left in them and could use a new set somewhere along the line before I pass them along. To make sure they are good for another 30 years. One thing that seems to be happening and I have seen it before is the copper leads are exposed to oxidization and this pair seems to become a victim of such issue. Generally they try to cover the leads with a membrane to prevent oxidization but they seem to miss out on some sections.

I will get the solder iron out and tin in a new copper lead on all four of the leads on the restore of these speakers, it will probably happen in a few weeks. While in there maybe a recap will happen too.

I am excited to get another pair of these little gems and can't wait to hear how they sound.