Current pic

[johnsonad]

I was able to get the vinyl rig up and spinning after the move from Japan.  Here is the Tube Phono trying on a new pair of Tele EF806S tubes.

[earwaxxer]

nice, but I think the little bunny needs a more prominent place in the kit... Maybe between the bottlehead and the turntable, or on top of the bottlehead? Not sure...

[johnsonad]

Thanks!  That's my wife's addition to the stack.  His name is Audio Bunny and gets moved around often.  If it keeps her happy and keeps my gear around I'm all about a little bunny

[Grainger49]

Aaron,

I have an audio dog.  She has to sit between my calves when I am rocked back in the La-Z-Boy.  If I'm not rocked back she scratches at the foot of the chair.

I'm not familiar with that manufacturer, EXclusive.  The arm looks awesome and so does the table.

[johnsonad]

Grainger that is one of my gems from Japan. It's a Pioneer Exclusive P3 made around 1980. Not too many outside of Japan.

[Paul Birkeland]

Oh sweet, you ended up with the red Tube Phono! 

[johnsonad]

Oh sweet, you ended up with the red Tube Phono!

She is a beauty. The red goes well with my system and the sound is great.

[Grainger49]

Aaron,

I wonder, do you see other Bottleheads in Japan?  I mean anyone else who knows what the Tube Phono is.

[johnsonad]

Grainger,

I'm back stateside (San Diego).  Being active duty Navy we tend to move around a bit.  I had one other Bottlehead friend in Japan.  He has posted here in the past but not recently.  There is a HUGE vacuum tube DIY community over there.  I attended a couple of events in Tokyo and haven't seen that much vacuum tube related stuff in one place ever.  Tokyo has multiple specialty tube, transformer and parts in general stores.  It was easier for me to take a trip to Akihabara than to order from Mouser or other places.  If you want to see where all of the vintage speakers and gear went from the 30's through 60's well it ended up in Japan.  I had a store two blocks from my place that specialized in vintage gear and I would take coffee there regularly listening to Garrard 301's to Marantz 7 and 9's to vintage Tannoy's or WE speakers.  It was a real treat!

[BNAL]

My S.E.X. amp was upgraded with the original Extended version with Magnequest iron while on deployment onboard the USS SAIPAN back in 2005. Since that time I have built two Foreplay III's, 2A3 Paramounts, and Crack. I keep a 2A3 tube on my desk at work.

By the way I'm stationed in San Diego.

[johnsonad]

Brad, we should get together sometime. I need to find other Bottleheads in the area.

[BNAL]

That would be great. I will send you a message.