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This website along with trade marks Graham Slee and HiFi System Components are owned by Cadman Enterprises Ltd


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Heef View Drop Down
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    Posted: 07 Jul 2015 at 9:45pm
Hi All, 
I've just bought a Gram amp communicator to add to my revamped system and I thought I'd sayhello.

I started last year with a budget of £200 and a lot of old hi-fi gear that had been left in the garage for 
several years.

I started with the source = in his case it was a 1982 L*nn Sondek lp12 with an lvx basik plus arm and an old k9 cartridge, unfortunately it had been left unboxed in the garage for over a year and was definitely not doing so good (as to why all my stuff was in the garage in such a sorry and neglected state is another story.....) 

so - as you must appreciate its easy to blow £200 on the set up of one these decks alone..... but 
I was determined to save the dosh - so I hit Google and read a lot about set up etc and spent a couple of days with de-greasers and scrubbers and engineering level spirit levels and screwdrivers..well, you get the picture - it took a lot of work and eventually I got it working, with the arm balanced and the cartridge tracking properly. 
The amp that was in there was a Naim Nait 2 - in perfect order apart from a few marks on the case so no issues there and I had a pair of L*nn Kans with some Kan II stands...all good you would think - 
but I needed new springs and grommets for the LP12 - I didn't trust myself to disassemble it that far and then be able to set it up properly so that meant off to the dealers with my paltry £200....I knew I would have to get my haggle on if I was going to get anything out of this. 

I got the work done and a new AT120 MM cartridge thrown in for my £200 - but I was skint and 
to tell the truth - the legends of the L*nn/ Naim combo is not really all that its cracked up to be unless you jack the volume up .. 

so they had to go..
A good bit of e-baying left me with about £800 in the pot - now we're talking :)  
I had one of the fatman ipod dock valve amps which I was using and really liked the warm easy sound
so I decided it was valves for me :) 
first up was new speakers - I really liked the B&W CDM NT1's but they were harder to find than golden hens molars, however in my diggng around I found a chap on the bay of E that was selling a pair of Ruark Templars  and I landed these small floor standers (only 70cm tall) for £180 (£1100 new and in mint condition - even though they are twenty years old)  - I have to say, they sound about a million times better than the L*nn Kans even with the tiddler of an amp.
so next up a bit of umph - I still wanted valves but it seemed most of the new valve amps were about eighty million pounds for something that looked like it was dragged out of a wwII bunker, I am married so I needed something that not only sounded great but looked good as well 

after many investigations and conversations I decide on one of these terrible but good chi-fi amps..
Ack! I hear you cry - but steady.. 
if you use the right dealer and know what you want its not as risky as it sound! so I went a Hong Kong based dealer (I wont mention the name) and bought a Music Angel MENG X8 amp which sports 4 KT88 power valves and a plethora of others - twelve in all 

so now I looked at the phono stage (I had been using a P******t phono box - good but not up to the job I thought) and so I eventually went for the Gram Amp 2 Communicator
and here I am :)
the final set up I ended up with:

L*nn Sondek LP12/L*nn Basik LVX arm/Audio technica AT120E cartridge
Fatman iPod dock
Gram amp 2 Communicator
Meng X8 KT88
Ruark Templars

not too shabby for £200 
Big smile



aren't I supposed to put something clever here?
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miT View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote miT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2015 at 11:02pm
Welcome Heef.

Congrats on the bargain system!
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Chris Firth View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Firth Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2015 at 11:19pm
Hi there Heef

I had one of the early P*****t phono stages too.
It was an improvement over the phono stage that was in the amp (R****l).
I replaced the P*****t with a Gram Amp2 SE, and I haven't looked back.

I think your Communicator will do you proud.
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Heef View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Heef Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jul 2015 at 9:51pm
thanks chaps, its just about burnt in now and starting to sound really good
aren't I supposed to put something clever here?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BackinBlack Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2015 at 7:55am
Hi Heef, a belated welcome from me too.
Glad to hear that you're enjoying your new communicator, it will continue to further improve over the next few weeks and months.
Just listen, if it sounds good to you, enjoy it.
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Graham Slee View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2015 at 8:31am
Great intro Heef. Welcome from me too.
That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote morris_minor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2015 at 10:50am
Another welcome from me, too . . .Smile
Bob

Majestic DAC/pre-amp
Accession MC/Enigma, Accession MM, Reflex M, Elevator EXP, Era Gold V
Solo ULDE, Novo, Lautus USB and digital, Libran balanced, CuSat50
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