OK Arny, I just posted a few clips recorded with mics to demonstrate (as
far as is possible, given the constraints) the sound I get from my SET
amp (homebrew, not Chinese in this instance) from vinyl on my Lowthers
and I don't think it sounds too bad:

http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show...%20Complex.mp3


Here's the mic arrangement - only a handspan from the driver as you can
see, so it's too far forward to gather much bass (the speakers exit to
the rear) and it's getting the surface/needle noise full-on:

http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show/OktavaSetup.JPG


And here's a little wobblicam movie (massively compressed) to establish
certain 'bona fides', should they be necessary:

http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show...ng%20Setup.wmv


(Ignore the rather plain decor - that wall doubles as my second *movie
screen* !! :-)

Now, love it or hate it (play the clip twice to acclimatise), that sound
is about as 'handcrafted' as I can make it - I built the amp from a pile
of parts, I built the speakers from whole sheets of MDF (way better than
ply - ignore the *experts*), I built the Phono Stage from a commercial
kit and I replinthed a 20 dollar ****e old turntable in worktop offcuts
from my recent kitchen rebuild. (The cart, you may be interested to
know, is a dirt cheap Ortofon that turned up here on a deck at some
stage.)

I like it. Visitors here like it. Please list why you don't like it in
order of *greatest loathing*....

:-)