Hi Fi seperates - Black or Silver?

Hi Fi seperates - Black or Silver?

Author
Discussion

Sciroccology

29,908 posts

231 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
rlw said:
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Go for performance, rather than looks!
Would you say that when choosing a female friend?
I would answer either premise with "a bit of both wouldn't go amiss".

danrc

2,751 posts

211 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Sciroccology said:
danrc said:
All of mine is black apart from the record player which is silver and oak.
Tsk tsk - it's "gramophone", you fool.
I stand corrected.

king arthur

6,607 posts

262 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Crikey. I remember when black was the "new" silver the first time around. When Rotel brought out the 820B amp, the B standing for "Black". And Arcam was still called A&R Cambridge.

Funk

26,335 posts

210 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
danrc said:
Sciroccology said:
danrc said:
All of mine is black apart from the record player which is silver and oak.
Tsk tsk - it's "gramophone", you fool.
I stand corrected.
Shouldn't it be 'turntable'? A gramophone would have a horn?


danrc

2,751 posts

211 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Funk said:
danrc said:
Sciroccology said:
danrc said:
All of mine is black apart from the record player which is silver and oak.
Tsk tsk - it's "gramophone", you fool.
I stand corrected.
Shouldn't it be 'turntable'? A gramophone would have a horn?

According to wikipedia Gramophone covers everything which plays a vinyl disc, also commonly called Turntable, record player etc wink

But when Gramophone was mentioned, that was the first thing i thought of.

Morningside

24,111 posts

230 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Talking about older hifi amps etc. Does anyone remember those fake effects that old AMPs gave? Hall, surround, concert etc.
Just remembered: In the loft I have a Phillips CD recorder and minidisc recorder (nice obsolete system).
As I said before 99% of my stuff is black but my JVC digital theatre surround amp is silver.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

271 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Not just old stuff that had DSP effects on them, modern stuff does too.

Sciroccology

29,908 posts

231 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Not just old stuff that had DSP effects on them, modern stuff does too.
Indeed it does.



But it's mostly crap.

andy_s

19,421 posts

260 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all


Alu/Brushed stainless + matt black....

robinhood21

30,789 posts

233 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
RJE1966 said:
robinhood21 said:
rlw said:
Scarily, this was intended as a joke but not a single smiley back. Don't say you all took it seriously please.....
hehe Being 'into' Hi Fi and knowing the lengths that some will go to, I did wonder. wink Not wanting the 'How much !?! for a wooden-knob brigade, dancing a merry dance across this thread, thought best to ignore.

Anyway, black does sound best but, 'tis the law of diminishing returns, so best to paint to match interior decorations.
Or according to 'tother thread, cover in flock wallpaper. scratchchin
You might have something there. I remember some years ago there being a DIY flocking machine (I kid you not). It was all the rage, and folk were flocking everything. From bottles for making lamps, to flocking ones granny (if she would stand still long enough and didn't require a toilet-break).
Would certainly pay dividends when flocking ones turntable-platter! yes

Adrian W

13,926 posts

229 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
rlw said:
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Go for performance, rather than looks!
Would you say that when choosing a female friend?
As i'm getting older i would say there might be some truth in that

Ecurie Ecosse

4,812 posts

219 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Sciroccology said:
rlw said:
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Go for performance, rather than looks!
Would you say that when choosing a female friend?
I would answer either premise with "a bit of both wouldn't go amiss".
Very good!

We don't have much hi fi chat on Pistonheads - so here is my current system:

Linn Sondek LP12 in Afromosia with Ittok LVII arm and K9 cartridge



Which I alternate with my Michell Transcriptor - as seen in Clockwork Orange smile With original Transcriptors arm and unknown cartridge. Also has squirrel brush to clean the records!

http://www.transcriptors.net/history.htm



Quad 34 pre-amp



Quad 405 Power Amp



Linn Kaber speakers



I also run my computer playing Flac files with a custom soundcard through the system.

Current upgrade plans are the purchase of new moving coil cartridges for the turntables. I haven't decided on which models yet.

I am also going to source two more 405s and get all three 405s and the 34 rebuilt by Net Audio http://www.net-audio.co.uk/

I'll then go active and tri-amp the Kabers - I'll also get a Moving Coil stage made up.

I can't wait!




Edited by Ecurie Ecosse on Wednesday 14th January 15:04

danrc

2,751 posts

211 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Sciroccology said:
rlw said:
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Go for performance, rather than looks!
Would you say that when choosing a female friend?
I would answer either premise with "a bit of both wouldn't go amiss".
Very good!

We don't have much hi fi chat on Pistonheads - so here is my current system:

Linn Sondek LP12 in Afromosia with Ittok LVII arm and K9 cartridge



Which I alternate with my Michell Transcriptor - as seen in Clockwork Orange smile With original Transcriptors arm and unknown cartridge. Also has squirrel brush to clean the records!

http://www.transcriptors.net/history.htm



Quad 34 pre-amp



Quad 405 Power Amp



Linn Kaber speakers



I also run my computer playing Flac files with a custom soundcard through the system.

Current upgrade plans are the purchase of new moving coil cartridges for the turntables. I haven't decided on which models yet.

I am also going to source two more 405s and get all three 405s and the 34 rebuilt by Net Audio http://www.net-audio.co.uk/

I'll then go active and tri-amp the Kabers - I'll also get a Moving Coil stage made up.

I can't wait!


Edited by Ecurie Ecosse on Wednesday 14th January 14:41
Show off wink

Very nice though, those Gramophones look awesome.

robinhood21

30,789 posts

233 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Photos of nice system
Ahem. Might want to add those photos Here.smile

Ecurie Ecosse

4,812 posts

219 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
robinhood21 said:
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Photos of nice system
Ahem. Might want to add those photos Here.smile
Thanks Guys!

I will add the pics to the other thread.

Dr JonboyG

2,561 posts

240 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
rlw said:
It seems to me that all the replies have missed the point. The question, surely, is which sounds better.

In my experience, silver or black suits some components better than others. I would never have a black tone arm as silver deals with the high frequencies better, but for a CD player - at least the transport - silver is a no-no as it is just too shouty whereas black is much smoother. For the DAC, silver or black is OK.

Records decks must be wood so black is the only choice really as, again, silver is a bit strident at the top end.

Black amps definitely sound smoother but once you get into pre/power amps you are on dodgy ground. Silver is great with valves as the valve sound is very smooth to begin with, whereas black can muddy the sound a little. Black works better on lower powered transistor power amps for some reason but once you get into big wattages, silver is the way to go.

Silver speakers can sound a bit thin for some reason whereas black gives a fuller, richer sound comparing like for like. The cables will be critical too as the wrong colour choice will make the system impossible to listen to for long periods at high volume.
If this is a joke post, bravo! If not, seek help please!

B17NNS

18,506 posts

248 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Gold


2bit

131 posts

232 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
miniman said:
Black, but IMHO they should be hidden inside a nice bit of furniture anyway as a big glass stand with a stload of gear on it screams teenager's bedroom a bit, even if the badges say NAD, Arcam, Naim or whatnot.
Cough *Naim* - Hidden inside a 'nice bit' of furniture?

Naim kit is the nicest understated black box hi-fi I've every seen - and I've seen quite a few.

Solid, sharp and very clean. Absolute classic design.






robinhood21

30,789 posts

233 months

Wednesday 14th January 2009
quotequote all
Dr JonboyG said:
rlw said:
It seems to me that all the replies have missed the point. The question, surely, is which sounds better.

In my experience, silver or black suits some components better than others. I would never have a black tone arm as silver deals with the high frequencies better, but for a CD player - at least the transport - silver is a no-no as it is just too shouty whereas black is much smoother. For the DAC, silver or black is OK.

Records decks must be wood so black is the only choice really as, again, silver is a bit strident at the top end.

Black amps definitely sound smoother but once you get into pre/power amps you are on dodgy ground. Silver is great with valves as the valve sound is very smooth to begin with, whereas black can muddy the sound a little. Black works better on lower powered transistor power amps for some reason but once you get into big wattages, silver is the way to go.

Silver speakers can sound a bit thin for some reason whereas black gives a fuller, richer sound comparing like for like. The cables will be critical too as the wrong colour choice will make the system impossible to listen to for long periods at high volume.
If this is a joke post, bravo! If not, seek help please!
Bravo it is indeed!

RLW said:
Scarily, this was intended as a joke but not a single smiley back. Don't say you all took it seriously please.....

Funk

26,335 posts

210 months

Thursday 15th January 2009
quotequote all
2bit said:
miniman said:
Black, but IMHO they should be hidden inside a nice bit of furniture anyway as a big glass stand with a stload of gear on it screams teenager's bedroom a bit, even if the badges say NAD, Arcam, Naim or whatnot.
Cough *Naim* - Hidden inside a 'nice bit' of furniture?

Naim kit is the nicest understated black box hi-fi I've every seen - and I've seen quite a few.

Solid, sharp and very clean. Absolute classic design.
I agree, but then I am biased. hehe