Writers

Chris Kelly

Chris Kelly original

As a teenager in the late sixties I became totally immersed in the music of that era, much of which I still enjoy today. Like many of my generation, buying a decent music replay system was high on the priority list when I started work, just behind buying a home and a car.

I am not a musician nor am I a scientist, so my views are based on experience and what I hear, not on technical measurement although I absolutely accept and respect that analytical approach. My main working life was spent in the IT industry, selling high performance computers and then moving up various corporate greasy poles, earning enough to get a decent sound system on which to enjoy my eclectic and ever expanding collection of vinyl and then CDs.

 My second career was in hi-fi retail, which paid a lot less but was far more fun! Now semi-retired, I am enjoying having the time to sit down and really enjoy my system and my music, and to be able to share my subjective thoughts on the equipment and the music which I am given the privilege of hearing.

The system
Turntable: Linn LP12 (Ittok, Cirkus, Lingo 4, Linn plinth and baseboard, Linn T arm cable, otherwise Tangerine Audio hardware)

Cartridge: Vertere Dark Sabre

Phono stage: Gold Note PH10/PSU10

SACD/CD player: Yamaha CD-S3000

Streamer: Auralic Aries Mini with Network Acoustics upgrades
Server: Naim Unitiserve

Amplifier: Primaluna Evo 300

Equipment rack: Quadraspire XL

Loudspeakers: Harbeth Compact 7ES-XD

Subwoofer: REL R305SE

Speaker cable: Tellurium Q Black II with Black Diamond jumpers

Interconnects: Tellurium Q XLR from CD to Amp, Audioquest the Wind from NDX to amp, Audioquest Colorado from phono stage to amp

Ethernet cables: Audioquest

Ethernet switch: Netgear Gigabit

I also have a pair of Harbeth P3ESRs with HiFi Racks stands.

In my 40 year hi-fi journey I have owned Quad, Rogers, Castle, Emille valve amps, Naim, Lyngdorf, Rega, Audiovector, Proac, Ortofon, Dynavector, VPI, so I have lived with all sorts of stuff.

The music

Blues, rock in its various sub genres (classic, hard, blues, prog etc), soul, Americana, jazz (ancient and modern!), classical from Renaissance to 20th century, especially choral music.

Favourite artists: The Doors, Love, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, ZZ Top, CSN&Y (collectively and solo), Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Bob Dylan, Fairport Convention, Free, Traffic/Winwood/Mason, the Who, JJ Cale (massive fan!), Rolling Stones, the Laurel Canyon collective (Browne, Mitchell, the Eagles etc). I was a teenager in the 60s so I guess that era forged my tastes! I still like finding new stuff though.

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