Ohh boy. This is going to be one long post. If you don't wanna read the whole story, just click the links, they contain pics
Over the last six or so months, my audio system has gotten a 99% overhaul. I completed it today. What's left is to build a new box for my sub, but that isn't in a hurry.
Not too long ago, I was using a crappy 30W AKAI amplifier for my subwoofer, and an equally crappy Pioneer from the late 80's for my somewhat-decent
Tandberg front speakers. I also used two no-brand Chinese 8"/2" 2-way speakers when I wasn't at the computer. They're total shit, and I have them in the bathroom now
I then met a man that I call Collector guy. Collector guy collects stuff. Old audio equipment, TVs, speakers, and so on. He gave me my
Luxman M-120A as payment for fixing some of his stuff. That's where it all began. I hadn't cared that much for audio up till then, but when I heard the M-120 play, I almost came in my pants. I started reading up on audio and acoustics, and I found out that my Luxman was a semi-rare gem of the early 80's, and among the best amplifiers ever made in its class. I realized that my Pioneer was a major bottleneck in my system, followed by my front speakers. As my fronts were very weak, especially in the bass, I had to run nothing but my
half-crappy sub on the Luxman. I started hunting for some better equipment.
The speakers were solved pretty quickly, as Collector guy had a pair of quite expensive
Sony monitors lying around that I could have on the condition that I didn't break them or sell them.
The amplifier part, however, did not.
After many months of ads in the paper, ads on the internet, and people calling in about stuff crappier than my Pioneer, I started losing hope in getting anything decent without being forced to buy new stuff.
But then, a couple of days ago, I got a call from a man saying he had an old Luxman receiver lying around doing nothing, that he was willing to sell. It proved to be an
L-120A, the integrated amplifier sister of my M-120A amplifier. If you don't know, an integrated amplifier is a thing that does all the job; amplifying, equalizing and selecting source. An amplifier only has an input and perhaps a volume control. He asked 180€ for it, which is absolutely nothing, considering that they usually go for
>500€ around here, if you're lucky enough to catch one.
I was ecstatic. The chance even of finding
any Luxman on this island was already slim, as they were a quite exclusive brand, and finding one that matches my other one in every way was something I never even remotely expected to accomplish.
I went to take a look today, and it was even better than I expected. It was in great shape, with only a bit of dirt on the knobs. After inspecting it closer, I even managed to push the price to include
two Tandberg 50W speakers. The deal was closed, and I returned home to install everything.
The Tandbergs, which have that lovely 70's sound to them, are rigged to give me music in bed
[1, 2], and
the L-120A now lives on my desk, under my M-120, driving my fronts and acting as a pre-amp for my M-120A, which is now driving my subwoofer better than ever before.
I can now say, without that little feeling of lying to myself, that my sound system is kick-ass.
Thanks for reading, and if you didn't read, I hope you enjoyed the pics
I won't post the specs now, just ask if you want me to.
