What’s your Hi-Fi set up? spec and pictures please
Discussion
I wasn't that far apart from them, around 3m, and they were around 3.5m apart.
I tried them with a Quad 909 and then Bel Canto Monos, but they just seemed to lose their appeal once they got to the levels I wanted to listen at.
I also had some Quad Z3s, and they just suited the room better, just as smooth and detailed but much more open sounding.
I tried them with a Quad 909 and then Bel Canto Monos, but they just seemed to lose their appeal once they got to the levels I wanted to listen at.
I also had some Quad Z3s, and they just suited the room better, just as smooth and detailed but much more open sounding.
A few questions for those with the high end systems.
How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
TimAla said:
A big room with the system properly set up for near field listening puts you well ahead of the game. This pretty much needs a dedicated room; most people don't have the opportunity, even those otherwise willing to throw a lot of time and money at it.
/\ this. 
Almost as good as using a big pair of open baffles outdoors
Edited by Crackie on Thursday 4th October 06:49
toasty said:
A few questions for those with the high end systems.
How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
My thought is that, the better a system is, the more of your musical collection should be rendered irrisistible. If a favourite album is not being played because the recording is "not good enough", it's probably more a case of the system not being good enough to bring the best out of the recording.How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
When I had electrostatic speakers, they definitely favoured "good" recordings, and that was a frustration to me, as I have a lot of , apparently, fairly "rough and ready" 1980's LPs - It was a specific aim to change the system so that I could get as much out of Mute / Go-Discs / Stiff records as I could out of the Mobile Fidelity ones. Now Alison Moyet's vocals on "Upstairs at Erics" are pretty much a match for anything on the so-called Audiophile records in my collection.
I do have some records/CDs that were bought purely because of their reputation for audiophile production but, as well as being played in their own right, they have tended to open musical doors that were previously closed. When I had a midfi set-up, I'd have rather had my teeth drilled with a Kango than listen to Jazz - while I still don't listen to a lot, one of the Opus 3 Test Records opened my ears to what's going on and I now can , sort of, understand my Dad's passion for that kind of music.
One thing that has changed is that I used to listen to music all the time - working, walking, cycling, driving, but now I tend not to listen nearly as much unless I am going to totally immerse myself in the experience. In a way, I guess that is a loss, but the system recreates music in such a visceral and compelling manner that casual listening feels a bit disappointing nowadays.
In terms of how often do I listen to the HiFi, rather than the music, I occasionally have a "how the f
k is it doing that" moment but, In the main, its more a case of marvelling in the gifts of the musicians who are playing - the better the system, the more you hear of their emotion and technique and the way they play off each other . I can understand the view that "its only music, it sounds fine on my phone, why bother with anything else", but its a slippery old slope once you get caught up in it. toasty said:
A few questions for those with the high end systems.
How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
I have a varied taste in music. And my system brings it all to life. It makes me listen to stuff I might not normally listen to. How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
ian996 said:
My thought is that, the better a system is, the more of your musical collection should be rendered irrisistible. If a favourite album is not being played because the recording is "not good enough", it's probably more a case of the system not being good enough to bring the best out of the recording.
When I had electrostatic speakers, they definitely favoured "good" recordings, and that was a frustration to me, as I have a lot of , apparently, fairly "rough and ready" 1980's LPs - It was a specific aim to change the system so that I could get as much out of Mute / Go-Discs / Stiff records as I could out of the Mobile Fidelity ones. Now Alison Moyet's vocals on "Upstairs at Erics" are pretty much a match for anything on the so-called Audiophile records in my collection.
I do have some records/CDs that were bought purely because of their reputation for audiophile production but, as well as being played in their own right, they have tended to open musical doors that were previously closed. When I had a midfi set-up, I'd have rather had my teeth drilled with a Kango than listen to Jazz - while I still don't listen to a lot, one of the Opus 3 Test Records opened my ears to what's going on and I now can , sort of, understand my Dad's passion for that kind of music.
One thing that has changed is that I used to listen to music all the time - working, walking, cycling, driving, but now I tend not to listen nearly as much unless I am going to totally immerse myself in the experience. In a way, I guess that is a loss, but the system recreates music in such a visceral and compelling manner that casual listening feels a bit disappointing nowadays.
In terms of how often do I listen to the HiFi, rather than the music, I occasionally have a "how the fk is it doing that" moment but, In the main, its more a case of marvelling in the gifts of the musicians who are playing - the better the system, the more you hear of their emotion and technique and the way they play off each other . I can understand the view that "its only music, it sounds fine on my phone, why bother with anything else", but its a slippery old slope once you get caught up in it.
Put far more eloquently than I managed. When I had electrostatic speakers, they definitely favoured "good" recordings, and that was a frustration to me, as I have a lot of , apparently, fairly "rough and ready" 1980's LPs - It was a specific aim to change the system so that I could get as much out of Mute / Go-Discs / Stiff records as I could out of the Mobile Fidelity ones. Now Alison Moyet's vocals on "Upstairs at Erics" are pretty much a match for anything on the so-called Audiophile records in my collection.
I do have some records/CDs that were bought purely because of their reputation for audiophile production but, as well as being played in their own right, they have tended to open musical doors that were previously closed. When I had a midfi set-up, I'd have rather had my teeth drilled with a Kango than listen to Jazz - while I still don't listen to a lot, one of the Opus 3 Test Records opened my ears to what's going on and I now can , sort of, understand my Dad's passion for that kind of music.
One thing that has changed is that I used to listen to music all the time - working, walking, cycling, driving, but now I tend not to listen nearly as much unless I am going to totally immerse myself in the experience. In a way, I guess that is a loss, but the system recreates music in such a visceral and compelling manner that casual listening feels a bit disappointing nowadays.
In terms of how often do I listen to the HiFi, rather than the music, I occasionally have a "how the f
k is it doing that" moment but, In the main, its more a case of marvelling in the gifts of the musicians who are playing - the better the system, the more you hear of their emotion and technique and the way they play off each other . I can understand the view that "its only music, it sounds fine on my phone, why bother with anything else", but its a slippery old slope once you get caught up in it. toasty said:
A few questions for those with the high end systems.
How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
This is an exceptionally good question, and one that has been on my mind for some time, mainly insofar as it relates to myself. I've been into movies and music my whole life, and have always pushed the envelope within my resources to be able to enjoy them to the full. But I can honestly say it's been all about the movies and the music. Almost. I do like the kit as well, but it is the servant, not the master.How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
My movie and music preferences have not been influenced by how good they look or how great they sound in a technical sense, by which I mean, for example, I'm happy with movies in B&W and with mono soundtracks. Or mid-70s prog rock. You get the idea.
In the last couple of years I've made a supreme effort on both my cinema and my stereo to achieve the best I can, regardless of effort and cost (to a practical limit). I'm getting there in the cinema, and am there with the stereo. At a certain point, and I'm not sure when, I crossed a line from very good to magical with both systems. I wasn't sure I'd ever get there, but I did.
But what was most unexpected is the effect this has had on my movie and music choices. I still love my old favourites, but I now watch a lot more modern movies in UHD with HDR and lossless surround, and am absolutely loving 'audiophile' recordings that in the past I'd ignored or at least didn't search out.
I do know people for whom the kit is everything; the software is just the means by which they assess it. But in truth, I suspect most enthusiasts are on a spectrum from movie/music lovers to tech geeks, the majority being somewhere between the two.
But one thing has always been obvious and it remains so: with the exception of those who are into this stuff, nobody cares or is even mildly interested. OK, friends may watch a movie, but are happy to go home to their 42" TV, and they may listen to a track or two before getting bored. But for those of us with a passion, we are living in a world of technical wonders unknown a mere few years ago. My advice is: enjoy.
toasty said:
A few questions for those with the high end systems.
How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
The better the system, the closer you get to the music. While I will listen to the radio in the car, that's more for background noise.How are your musical tastes affected by the hifi bug?
Do you find yourselves listening to recordings just because they make your system sound good?
Would you rather listen to a favourite album on a tinny radio or a boring good recording on your hifi?
What's your split between listening to the music and listening to the hifi?
If I want to listen to music and, really immerse myself, then it has to be my Linn based system - ideally vinyl.
Good couple of posts above and a few things ring true with my experiences over the years.
I much prefer a system capable of great results with a wide variety of music and recording quality over something that shines with one album then is dull with the next.
Half the fun has been the journey getting there.
I much prefer a system capable of great results with a wide variety of music and recording quality over something that shines with one album then is dull with the next.
Half the fun has been the journey getting there.
toasty said:
Thanks for the detailed replies. It’s good to hear that you’re still music enthusiasts foremost as it’s all too easy to get carried away with the kit.
I think the music and the reproduction of it (the hifi) is almost too intertwined - but it is always, ultimately, the music that's at the heart of it.I have bought several albums I wouldn't have necessarily bought had it not been for the quality of the production.... different pressings of the same album for example.
Joe Cocker's 'Sheffield Steel' on vinyl for example - not an artist that I'd normally listen to, but the quality of the production and pressing have made it a favourite album.
celestion A3's, yamaha BD and AV bi amping and providing 5 channel to monitor audio sourced center/rears.
Seeing all the turntables on display makes me pine that I should set one up again...
BTW the celestions are not for sale, I have 2 pairs of A1s in storage too as I used them to complete the 5 channel at one stage and may do again.
legzr1 said:
Are you using any kind of EQ with the A3s?
Room dependant naturally but my room would ring like a (low frequency) bell with speakers capable of that sort of bass output placed so close to corners.
No... The bass is very fast and clean and not predisposed to boominess, but obviously I can't let them breath fully... One day....Room dependant naturally but my room would ring like a (low frequency) bell with speakers capable of that sort of bass output placed so close to corners.
crmcatee said:
NDA said:
Joe Cocker's 'Sheffield Steel' on vinyl for example - not an artist that I'd normally listen to, but the quality of the production and pressing have made it a favourite album.
It's outstanding isn't it. When I had my LP12 it was a regular 'demo' album!
ETA- Dylan did record it - https://vimeo.com/215099207 Not as good as Cocker. https://youtu.be/4kQy4JACuuE
Edited by NDA on Saturday 13th October 17:06
T1547 said:
Couple of pics of my modest system. Not many boxes but I quite like the 'neat' look.
Sonos, Chord Mojo, Roksan pre/power, PMC 23.
Could I ask where you got your TV/ hi-fi unit from? Ours is very similar, from Habitat. The very one we wanted was from a place called Holdens in Newark, using all real wood. The suggested cost went from £800 to £2000+ when we gave them the dimensions, more than we were prepared to spend. If there were someone else who did a similar one, but of a nicer quality (nothing wrong with ours, but I'd prefer one without veneer in parts) I'd welcome the chance to research. Sonos, Chord Mojo, Roksan pre/power, PMC 23.
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