80s Nostalgia

This is the first installment of my audio journey triggered by my unearthing a box full of negatives and prints.

NYC ca. '81 

While doing undergrad studies in violin at The Juilliard School,  I assembled a system comprised of a Dual CS 505-1, NAD 3020 integrated amplifier, Sennheiser HD40 headphones and a pair of DIY mini-monitors inspired by BBC LS3/5As using drivers ordered from the McGee Radio Catalog. Eventually, I removed the jumpers on the 3020 to use it as a preamp after acquiring a Dyna ST35 tube amp from Morel Electronics along West Broadway in what was left of NYC's Radio Row in the World Trade Center district.

The Dual was quickly displaced by a thrift store found ARXA which I eventually upgraded using a Merrill acrylic sub-chassis bored for a Grace 707 tonearm while retaining the same $15 Grado GTE+1 cartridge from Leonard Radio which started its career on the Dual.  

My brief foray into high end audio was inspired by reading The Absolute Sound (TAS) and Stereophile. I traded the NAD 3020 (plus cash) for a conrad-johnson PV2Ar preamp - touted for its soundstage and imaging abilities ;). To drive the pair of Magnepan SMGas from Lyric Hi-Fi, I found a used Berning EA230 at Stereo Exchange. The whole ensemble was connected by Straightwire, MIT and Kimber cables.

Being a tinkerer at heart - justification for limited funds ;) - another thrift store bargain ARXB chassis was prepared for a full blown Merrill modification program. I sent the inner and outer platter for an upgraded bearing, balancing and lead lining. Merrill also supplied a new Hurst motor in a proprietary mount and another acrylic subchassis was ordered pre-drilled for a Sumiko FT3 on a VTA-16 base fitted with a Grado 8MR Signature cartridge. The whole assembly was mounted on a custom Narra base. A SOTA mat and reflex clamp completed the front end package.

NYC ca. '85-'87

Frustrated by the frequent trips the cj PV2Ar was making to McLean, VA due to blown regulators in the PS, I posted an ad on the NY Sunday Times and quickly unloaded the Berning EA230, cj preamp and SMGas - a pair of bridged ST70s could not make it sing ;(. I was gaining confidence in DIY/repair and was afraid I could not maintain the Berning and c-j with the same ease as Dynaco tube stuff.

By early '87 (see top left picture) I was listening through a stock PAS 3 preamp + ST35 (note: VPI bricks! ;)) with a Scott 350B tuner providing FM. Top right picture - barely visible off my shoulder is the right channel black Rogers LS3//5A. Soon I would add a PAS 2 (below), an ST70 and a pair of MKIV mono blocks.

Although it was an honor and pleasure to meet J. Gordon Holt during the 1987 Stereophile Show at the New York Hilton, I had just started subscribing to Audio Amateur and Audiomart because of the great articles written by the late Walt Bender on Olden-Golden Components Part I and Part II in The Absolute Sound. 

This was my first project - a modified Dyna PAS preamp using 80s philosophy on how to achieve good sound - high capacitance photoflash caps or computer grade electrolytics with solid state regulation in the B+ rail, polypropylene capacitors for coupling and bypassing.  I also modified my Dyna ST70 and pair of MKIVs using Andy Fuchs' GSI driver boards - cross coupled cascoded 6DJ8/6922 running constant current.

The late Tom Cadawas, mentor and friend. I never had formal training in electronics and in the early days when a project did not go right, I went to him and he always sorted the problem quickly and explained step by step where I went wrong.

Thanks Tom, you made a lot of audio hobbyists happy!