News

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Welcome to the Liquid Audio News page!

On this page, you’ll find the latest Liquid Audio and Liquid Mike news that I’d like to share with you, but don’t necessarily want to write a whole article about.

Updated: January 2026

May 2026

As I recover from another CFS flare-up, check out the brace of end-game Kenwood L-07D direct drive turntables with me at the moment. These are both customer decks, so if you add my L-07D II to the mix, that’s three L-07Ds here at one time, probably half of the entire Australian population!

Let the good times roll!

Kenwood L-07D
Kenwood L-07Ds..!
Kenwood L-07D
Find me another specialist who has one L-07D in their shop, let alone three, or has ever even seen one!

April 2026

Accuphase C-47 phono preamplifier repair!

It’s not often that one of these end-game phono preamplifiers comes up and most will never see or hear, let alone work on one. Well, Ive just repaired this one for my very happy customer in the Northen Territory. I’ll write this story up eventually.

Accuphase C-47
Happy..? You bet I was happy to fix this beauty!

Liquid Audio has just become the official service agent for Plinius in Western Australia!

Wow, now this one is exciting! Some of you will know that I’ve been offered and have declined several official service partnerships, including Naim and PS Audio. I want to ensure that I retain my independence and only represent brands I feel aligned with, if I ever do take up a partnership offer. Well, that opportunity has appeared at the right time.

Plinius, one of the last great manufacturers of truly outstanding hi-fi stereo equipment, like this beautiful Plinius M-16 preamplifier, approached me and asked if I would like to be their official repairer in Western Australia. They explained that they had enjoyed working with me in the past, as I have with them, and that nothing else would change. How could I refuse?!

It will be a pleasure to assist Plinius customers, and this will not in any way affect my existing customer base or anything I do here @ Liquid Audio. It will only add to the long list of great equipment we work on!

Plinius RA150
Plinius is made very differently from mainstream hi-fi equipment, thank goodness.

February 2026

New desoldering equipment!

I’ve just purchased more Hakko desoldering/rework equipment. This time, I bought Hakko’s most expensive single desoldering station, the beautiful Hakko FR-410. These are not cheap, at $2,700 here in Australia, but tools like this are an investment in my business and reflect the quality of work we are known for.

I previously wrote about my last purchase of an FM-204 desoldering station and FX-100 premium soldering station. So why a new desoldering station? Well, my FM-204 will be put to good use in workshop #1. The new FR-410 can sit in my larger workshop #2, in place of the FM-204.

In terms of how these two compare, I prefer the look and feel of the new FR-410. I also prefer the reusable solder tube, similar to the old hand-held FR-301 desoldering guns I use to use. The FM-204 uses carboard thow-away types and whilst Ive found these can be reused many times per unit, I still prefer the completely reusable type on the FR-410.

The FR-410 also feels more powerful in terms of suction, and it has a little more heating power than the FM-204. The interchangeable tips are also more convenient for me than changing the entire tip and heater assembly of the FM-204, though that also still works well.

Either way, stations like the FR-410 and FM-204 are expensive, but you really do get what you pay for with tools of this quality. This is nothing like the rip-off Chinese stations that people imagine (hope) might be similar. They are not.

Hakko FR-410
Absolutely superb quality, as one would expect of these premium Japanese tools. I’ve been using Hakko soldering tools for about 20 years now.
Hakko FR-410
Both the station and hand piece are nicer on the FR-410 than my other desoldering station, the Hakko FM-204.
Hakko FR-410
My Hakko tower consisting of the FR-410 just purchased and FX-100 I purchased a few years back. Both are Hakko’s top of the line single stations.

“Mike, do you keep old cartridges and headshells..?”

Ah, yeah, I do, a lot of them!!

cartridges
People often ask me if I have stocks of old cartridges, headshells, etc. Yep. I do! This is just part of that stock, and there are some gems in there, and many more in containers I didn’t empty for this pic…
Technics EPC271C-ES
Gorgeous Technics EPC-271C ES on genuine Technics headshell…
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Even beauties like this Fidelity Research FR-1 MK3, one of my all-time faves and I also have one of these.

January 2026

Updated radio zone in workshop #1

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Halleluja!!!

New Kelvin test fixture!

I just purchased this beautiful new Kelvin test fixture for my HP 4263A LCR meter. I love this meter, and my old Kelvin cables were getting a bit long in the tooth. This is the same test fixture as the very expensive Rohde and Schwartz LCX-Z2, but sourced from the maufacturer in China, for less than 1/10 the cost.

Kelvin test fixture
The quality of the Kelvin test fixture is outstanding.

Reorganising Liquid Audio Workshop #2

Liquid Audio workshop #2
Before….
Liquid Audio workshop #2
And after a complete clean, tidy, new rugs and moving a ton of equipment. What a difference. Still more to do, though.
Liquid Audio workshop #2
That’s it, I’m not doing any more!

Revamping Liquid Audio Workshop #1

Liquid Audio workshop #1
I started work on clearing and reorganising my original workshop #1 on January 1, 2026.
Liquid Audio workshop #1
It took me a good couple of days, and I still have more to do in terms of arranging my vast array of test and measurement equipment, but this is a great start, I think, and I can now work in here again, which helps when it’s really hot, or cold!
Liquid Audio workshop #1
Reorganising all of the test and measurement equipment in workshop #1, including all my Tektronix 500 and 7000 series plugs…
Liquid Audio workshop #1
Holy sh*t, what an improvement!
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Got my ‘radio zone’ back. Soooo very happy about this!
Liquid Audio workshop #1
The radio zone, updated at the end of January 2026. Yeeessss!
Tektronix 2245A
Recommissioning a couple of my nicest analog oscilloscopes after storage for 5+ years. Here is the 2245A. I also have my main 2246A, which I purchased as NOS.
Tektronix 2465B
The Daddy – the $16000 USD when new, my Tektronix 2465B. I rebuilt the power supply in this one 5+ years ago, and it has sat since. First fire up in five years after moving her back into my inside workshop #1.

November 2025

Check out these cool new Supex vinyl accessories I bought.

Supex
Stunning NOS Supex headshell!
Supex
I can’t find a mark on this beautifully made headshell.
Supex
I also bought a couple of these very nice Supex turntable level gauges. One needed repair, which was straightforward and the other was perfect.

October 2025

Incredible ultra-rare one-owner vintage hi-fi equipment donation – many thanks Doug!

That’s right folks, a super collectibe Sansui AU-70, plus many other great pieces have just arrived. I’ll work through and list each piece, as time allows. Some will be sold as-is.

Sansui AU-70
Is that a one-owner Sansui AU-70, IN BOX…??? Yep!

New cartridge and stylus stock has arrived!

I fit so many of these excellent high-value Audio Technica cartridges that I often run low, especially when I have a run of turntable repairs. These will help replenish my stock.

Audio Technica AT-VM95
The Audio Technica VM95 series offers excellent value for money
Nagaoka stylus
Genuine Nagaoka replacement styli, made in Japan, for Technics turntables. I don’t keep many styli as there is little point, just premium made in Japan ones for turntables I work on frequently.
cartridges and styli
That’s looking better!

I’ve just landed a mint, new old stock TG-MT arboard for my Luxman PD-350 turntable and Fidelity Research FR-64S tonearm!

TG-MT Luxman PD-350
Oh yeah, a package from Japan! Note my TF-MT standard armboard, weighing about 250g, to the right.
TG-MT Luxman PD-350
No way, this is actually NOS, in the original box, with accessory mounting ring!
TG-MT Luxman PD-350
Details: mounting ring to the left, NOS TF-MT weighing about 1kg in the middle, and regular TG-MT on the right. This will provide a significant performance increase.

August 2025

Mega amplifier time for Liquid Mike. I’ll be working on a range of large amplifiers including an incredible Luxman M-10II, a massive Luxman M-6000, stunning Denon POA-3000. Check the on the bench page for updates!

Luxman M-10 II
It’s hard to describe how heavy and difficult to work on this thing is! The good news is that I’ve just fixed this Luxman M-10 II for my patient customer. Bravo, and thanks Thu!
Luxman M-6000

July 2025

I got another end-game, almost NOS shortwave radio..!

JRC NRD-515
What an absolute and almost pristine beauty! The JRC NRD-515 is a true heavyweight classic, one of the all-time greats. Now THAT is a radio!

B&W Nautilus 803 Overhaul Completed!

These have come up a treat. Sadly, I seriously put my back out moving these by myself, as I always try to do. At least the results were worth it!

B&W Naultilus N803
Freshly re-surrounded bass drivers, courtesy of The Speaker Doctor. I supplied the surrounds.
B&W Naultilus N803
Wow, what a difference, reinstalling the bass drivers.
B&W Naultilus N803
I’ve also selected and installed some really excellent new hard rubber feet; these make a big difference to stability and sound.
B&W Naultilus N803
B&W Nautilus 803
And there she is, my left-hand side B&W Nautilus 803, overhauled and back in service! The right-hand unit is also running beautifully again.

June 2025

B&W Nautilus 803 Overhaul

B&W Nautilus 803
Time to overhaul the bass drivers in these babies. I’ve already serviced the speakers, replacing all the O-rings in the tweeter pods, waxing the cabinets, installing new feet, etc.
B&W Nautilus 803
Matrix bracing, excellent quality cable and nicely damped cabinet walls contribute to the great performance of the N803s.
B&W Nautilus 803
These are beautiful bass drivers, but the rubber surrounds age and become brittle over time, changing the resonant frequency and other Thiele-Small driver parameters and therefore the sound. Who have I asked to replace the surrounds? My good friend Jason @ The Speaker Doctor, of course.
B&W Nautilus 803
No plastic frames here folks, all die-cast metal, with massive magnet assemblies. Luckily, Liquid Blanche is not here to see this part of the job…

New Subaru Outback 3.6R for Liquid Mike

mikesoutback
Liquid Mike has just purchased this beautiful one-owner (I’m the second) 2019 Subaru Outback 3.6R! I wanted a car that offered a little more comfort on longer road trips than the old Prado, and this certainly does. She is a beauty, with a stunning leather interior and the best part is that horizontally opposed 3.6-litre 6-cylinder engine, an absolute peach. Easily the most comfortable car for trips I’ve owned.
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