Champagne Jam

[rallison]

Posting to share initial pics of the Communication Series system I'm putting together. Just got the cabinet assembled today and test-fit the components. So far, so good, though there's a lot of work left to do in finishing and details. But I think it will set off the system well.

Pedestal base may seem an odd choice, but it will match the speaker stands I made for my Polks.

Of course, now I need to save up again and hunt me some HPM-100s...

Thanks for looking...

 

[TOM1040]

A.R.S.:yes: looking good..

 

[Deczor]

Wow! Nice set indeed. normally I'm not a huge fan of the look of champagne stuff, but stacked like that it looks excellent. I'd donate my HPM-100's if you were in NZ!

Are you not worried about the amp getting a bit warm though?

 

[DCinDC]

That looks good! Good job!


I'm not a fan of the color and others too, but there was some fine gear at the top of that range, and you've got it!

I would have to have speakers finished like your cab to match up. Are you dead set on hpms?

 

[Machineghost]

Very nice collection!

 

[leesonic]

Got any close-up pictures of each unit? My dad has an A6 that he still used until the speaker relay went. It's on his list of things to fix.

 

[SFaudio]

Clean, tight fit. I like it!
Like Deczor, though, I'm wondering about venting and heat control...

 

[rallison]

Wow! Nice set indeed. normally I'm not a huge fan of the look of champagne stuff, but stacked like that it looks excellent. I'd donate my HPM-100's if you were in NZ!

Are you not worried about the amp getting a bit warm though?

Thanks, Dezcor! I know there aren't a lot of fans of this series, but my brand-new audio gear in the early 80's was an SX-6 and CT-6R combo with Polk Monitor 10s. At the time, the silver knobs and switches and dials this style replaced--all of which I love now--looked so old-fashioned to a kid of 21. When I stumbled across a listing for an SX-8 on CL a while I picked it up on a whim and wallowed in nostalgia for that set. Being able to get the TOTL stuff so cheaply nowadays (a benefit of this series' lack of popularity!) was too tempting... and the A-9 was a good match for the Polks, which I still have. So I went whole hog.

I would worry about heat but for a couple of factors--the back of the cabinet is wide open, and the shelves are only deep enough to support the components, so there's lots of open air back there. On top of that, the F-9 and CT-9R are not as long/deep as the amp, leaving a good chunk of the ventilation holes over the transformer and heat sinks completely clear. Plus, for clearance of the hinged top the unit will be a good four inches from the wall. And it's in my basement, which runs about 62F in winter and no more than 68F in summer--tile floors. And lastly, I run the A-9 fairly conservatively--I'm not pushing it to the limit.

So I think I'm okay. I had thought about adding screened vents on either side around the amp. What do you guys think?

 

[rallison]

That looks good! Good job!


I'm not a fan of the color and others too, but there was some fine gear at the top of that range, and you've got it!

I would have to have speakers finished like your cab to match up. Are you dead set on hpms?

Thanks for your kind words, DCinDC. My Polk cabinets are walnut, so I'd planned on doing walnut veneer on the outside and top, bottom, and side edges of the cab. But if I find HPMs near me in good condition, before I get that done I might use them for the A set and relegate the Polks to the B set, and then do veneer to match the HPMs. Pondering the possibilities is part of the fun...

 

[rallison]

Very nice collection!

Thanks, Machineghost!

 

[rallison]

Got any close-up pictures of each unit? My dad has an A6 that he still used until the speaker relay went. It's on his list of things to fix.

leesonic, I haven't yet taken any pics other than these cell phone shots, but will be only too happy to do so. Where do you want 'em?

 

[rallison]

Clean, tight fit. I like it!
Like Deczor, though, I'm wondering about venting and heat control...

SFaudio, thanks!

Now you folks have me all worried about cooking the A-9... which I'd rather not do. Take a look at my reasoning in the reply to Dezcor... if that's not good enough, better to make changes now than after the cabinet's all veneered up.

 

[rallison]

A.R.S.:yes: looking good..

Thanks, TOM1040--the song popped into my head when I got the stack together; hadn't thought of that tune or ARS in years. Part of the fun of going vintage is rediscovering music of the era; I'm putting together a playlist of stuff from '81-'82 to go with the system--the first 'mix tape' I'll have made in more than ten years...

 

[leesonic]

SFaudio, thanks!
Now you folks have me all worried about cooking the A-9... which I'd rather not do. Take a look at my reasoning in the reply to Dezcor... if that's not good enough, better to make changes now than after the cabinet's all veneered up.

You could get yourself a couple of big CPU cooler fans, or some smaller case fans, and mount them over the exposed ventilation holes.

leesonic, I haven't yet taken any pics other than these cell phone shots, but will be only too happy to do so. Where do you want 'em?

Nowhere special, it would just be nice to see each unit in greater detail.

As an aside, I wouldn't go with HPM100s, I'd stick with something more fitting with the age of these components. Not sure how good Pioneer speakers were back then, but I had a pair of CS-353s and they sounded good. There's nothing to say you can't build your own speakers, and sneak a pair of Pioneer badges on them. What speakers are you using now? My dad's A-6 powered a pair of the original Mission 700s (white baffle, woofer at the top), they are a sweet sounding speaker.

 

[rallison]

You could get yourself a couple of big CPU cooler fans, or some smaller case fans, and mount them over the exposed ventilation holes.

I thought about that--I do have one decent sized CPU fan and can get more... was worried about noise, but it beats frying the unit.

Nowhere special, it would just be nice to see each unit in greater detail.

Will do, here, probably over the weekend.

As an aside, I wouldn't go with HPM100s, I'd stick with something more fitting with the age of these components. (...) What speakers are you using now? My dad's A-6 powered a pair of the original Mission 700s (white baffle, woofer at the top), they are a sweet sounding speaker.

I was looking at a pic of one of the Pioneer advertisements* for this series, and it looked like HPMs in the background, so I had thought they were 'age appropriate' for this stack--but yeah, if I am going to add another set of speakers I'd like to get something that was available new from Pioneer in '81/'82, was and remains well-regarded, and is a good power match for the A-9. Right now I'm using my original Polk Monitor 10s, purchased with my original SX-6/CT-6R back in the day... I will check out the Missions--thanks for the response and recommendation!

- Rick

*Pioneer Ad w/ Speakers--via ebay listing: http://i.ebayimg.com/15/!BlF79Dg!mk~$(KGrHqIOKjgEtjl4lFGJBL,Nd-bev!~~_12.JPG

 

[leesonic]

I thought about that--I do have one decent sized CPU fan and can get more... was worried about noise, but it beats frying the unit.

Some of those CPU fans can be really quiet. You could design a circuit to measure the temperature of the heatsink and have them come on at a certain temperature. But that's probably over complicating things, just put them on a little toggle switch would be fine. A Sansui A-1200 amp I just sold, and a Technics SU-G95 amp I still have, both had really noisy fans, and these were factory setups.

Will do, here, probably over the weekend.

I will check out the Missions--thanks for the response and recommendation!

With the power you have on tap from the A-9, a pair of Mission 770s might be better, if you're looking for Mission speakers. Or how about some KEFs?

Lee

 

[TyMarrs]

Speakers to match

I really like your Champagne set.

I don't have anything to compare my setup to (it's my first, and the only big setup I've ever heard!), but I am very happy with HPM-1100's paired with my A-9 and components. The A-9, SG-9 and HPM's were all bought together back in the early 80's - they are all in very good shape and I was lucky to get them from the original owner.

 

[rallison]

I really like your Champagne set.

I don't have anything to compare my setup to (it's my first, and the only big setup I've ever heard!), but I am very happy with HPM-1100's paired with my A-9 and components. The A-9, SG-9 and HPM's were all bought together back in the early 80's - they are all in very good shape and I was lucky to get them from the original owner.

Thanks, TyMarrs. You've got a pristine set-up -- it all looks brand new. Congrats on having such a rig as your first/only big one. Mine aren't in such good shape, so I'm hoping the cabinet will distract. ;-)

I don't think those who bag the Communication Series are generally referring to the sound -- these deliver truly excellent sound for 'mass market' audio gear of the era. I think critics mostly object to the use of plastic, and to the radical design. But I think the series reflects the time, and represents a bridge from the silver era to the modern all-black stuff. I think that makes it interesting.

And we like it, which in the end is the most important thing.

 

[rallison]

Got any close-up pictures of each unit?

Leesonic,

Here are some close-ups of the TT and main component groups... I'll do individual component pics after I've given them a good cleaning/servicing.

- Rick

 

[rallison]

Progress update:

Cabinet is glued & screwed, interior & shelves finished. Just needs the side/top veneer & edge banding. Cables and head cleaner/demagnetizer are in, just waiting to find the right vintage DiscKit...

I guess I have to build yet another cabinet to hold my albums, tapes, & accessories...