What’s your Hi-Fi set up? spec and pictures please

What’s your Hi-Fi set up? spec and pictures please

Author
Discussion

selym

9,544 posts

172 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
Zoiks!
May have been an expensive mistake.
I blame jetlag. And a bit of daftness.
You won't be the first - I fried my $700 phono amp when trying to plug it in to charge. I blame the Christmas tree!
Fried it bad; flash, smell, the whole bit!

TameRacingDriver

18,094 posts

273 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
I've got a question about speakers and room size.

Currently using a pair of Dali Zensor 1s my home office, on stands and am happy with the sound.

However, I'm moving soon and I won't necessarily have the same setup and if I do I won't have room for the speakers so I'm proposing to move the hifi system downstairs instead.

That means the zensor 1s will be in the living room instead which is a much bigger room than they're currently in.

My question being, would I be best buying some bigger speakers to use in this room, like zensor floorstanders for example (doesn't have to be those) or would getting a subwoofer to fill in the bottom end with the existing speakers be better? I'm kind of leaning towards the bigger speakers but just interested to hear opinions.

selym

9,544 posts

172 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
TameRacingDriver said:
I've got a question about speakers and room size.

Currently using a pair of Dali Zensor 1s my home office, on stands and am happy with the sound.

However, I'm moving soon and I won't necessarily have the same setup and if I do I won't have room for the speakers so I'm proposing to move the hifi system downstairs instead.

That means the zensor 1s will be in the living room instead which is a much bigger room than they're currently in.

My question being, would I be best buying some bigger speakers to use in this room, like zensor floorstanders for example (doesn't have to be those) or would getting a subwoofer to fill in the bottom end with the existing speakers be better? I'm kind of leaning towards the bigger speakers but just interested to hear opinions.
I'm currently using tiny Spendor S3/5R2 speakers but they are blissful in the midrange and highs, with a little left out at the bottom. I used a sub which the wife despised; i removed it and am still over the moon with what I have, it just doesn't move mountains.
My point is (I suppose), give them a go but they might not be man for the job. If you are going to buy a sub then I'd consider just getting bigger speakers, such as the Dali you suggested. However, a bargain speaker is the Q Acoustics 3050i floorstanders - a great looker and a top performer at their price range.

soggybiscuit

64 posts

107 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
stevoknevo said:
And a very kindly fellow was giving away a Denon DVD 2930 for free on AVF, collection only, but he generously allowed me to arrange a courier uplift - haven't been able to use my old 2800mkII for years as the TV is wall mounted and I can't get the Scart lead in; this has HDMI so I can watch my music DVD's again.



Edited by stevoknevo on Saturday 18th January 12:53
My old 2930 is looking good there! Still enjoying Rattle and Hum I hope??!!!

legzr1

3,848 posts

140 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
selym said:
I'm currently using tiny Spendor S3/5R2 speakers but they are blissful in the midrange and highs, with a little left out at the bottom. I used a sub which the wife despised; i removed it and am still over the moon with what I have, it just doesn't move mountains.
My point is (I suppose), give them a go but they might not be man for the job. If you are going to buy a sub then I'd consider just getting bigger speakers, such as the Dali you suggested. However, a bargain speaker is the Q Acoustics 3050i floorstanders - a great looker and a top performer at their price range.
A different view would be that adding a sub gives you far more adjustability with more chance of getting a sound that works in your room.

Tony1963

4,785 posts

163 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
I’d go with Selym’s suggestion above. Integrating a sub so that it works seamlessly in a hifi way is difficult. And the suggestion for trying the Q Acoustics floor standers is a good one too.

How big is the new room?

B_Tank88

126 posts

79 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
TameRacingDriver said:
I've got a question about speakers and room size.

Currently using a pair of Dali Zensor 1s my home office, on stands and am happy with the sound.

However, I'm moving soon and I won't necessarily have the same setup and if I do I won't have room for the speakers so I'm proposing to move the hifi system downstairs instead.

That means the zensor 1s will be in the living room instead which is a much bigger room than they're currently in.

My question being, would I be best buying some bigger speakers to use in this room, like zensor floorstanders for example (doesn't have to be those) or would getting a subwoofer to fill in the bottom end with the existing speakers be better? I'm kind of leaning towards the bigger speakers but just interested to hear opinions.
I am currently running Monitor Audio Bronze BX2 in our living room, and they do an excellent job with a modest Cambridge Audio sub. I feel they are perfectly matched with our room, I get them to work hard when in the mood and watching a movie but I don't feel like I'm stressing them. The combination sounds excellent.

I feel that ideally you will end up with a set up like mine, i.e. Zensor 3 size speakers (comparable to mine) and a sub.

I would think a better place would be to start with bigger speakers, but floorstanders shouldn't be necessary if you decide to have a sub, Zensor 3 should fill the room nicely with a sub. Without a sub, maybe you will need floorstanders.

selym

9,544 posts

172 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
legzr1 said:
selym said:
I'm currently using tiny Spendor S3/5R2 speakers but they are blissful in the midrange and highs, with a little left out at the bottom. I used a sub which the wife despised; i removed it and am still over the moon with what I have, it just doesn't move mountains.
My point is (I suppose), give them a go but they might not be man for the job. If you are going to buy a sub then I'd consider just getting bigger speakers, such as the Dali you suggested. However, a bargain speaker is the Q Acoustics 3050i floorstanders - a great looker and a top performer at their price range.
A different view would be that adding a sub gives you far more adjustability with more chance of getting a sound that works in your room.
Not if the 'main speakers' can't deliver the rest.

TameRacingDriver

18,094 posts

273 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies. If it was me I'd probably prefer to go with two big meaty speakers rather than a 2.1 setup to keep things simple.

Tony1963 said:
How big is the new room?
4.5m x 3.45m

selym

9,544 posts

172 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
TameRacingDriver said:
Thanks for the replies. If it was me I'd probably prefer to go with two big meaty speakers rather than a 2.1 setup to keep things simple.

Tony1963 said:
How big is the new room?
4.5m x 3.45m
Interestingly, the next front room my hifi is going in is 5 x 3.5 (ish) and I'm pretty sure my Spendors will be ok but I have another set, a little bigger but still standmounts, that could take over.

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

225 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
I have never had an issue integrating a sub, far easier to get a good flatter response with a sub and bookshelf speakers than with larger speakers.

Most floorstanders still only go down to around 35hz before dropping off as well, you miss so much without a sub.

Unless they do a true 30hz before rolling off I would always put a sub in.


Rel T5i is very musical and integrates so easily.

Tony1963

4,785 posts

163 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
OP,

Just try the current set up in the new place.

Then make a decision.

Some like subs, many don’t, in a hifi set up. To do it properly with any chance of success you need an expensive sub and lots of patience. Plus the space to plonk it. Then some say you need two....

Oilchange

8,467 posts

261 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
Ok this is the business end of the amp, someone mentioned my two tape deck out signals. Can one of these be used to send to the Sub? (Tape 1 rec out)

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

225 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
Ok this is the business end of the amp, someone mentioned my two tape deck out signals. Can one of these be used to send to the Sub? (Tape 1 rec out)
No.



gizlaroc

17,251 posts

225 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
You need a pre out, a variable output, the tape out is a fixed full gain level.

Just take the sub back and swap it for the little Rel.


selym

9,544 posts

172 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
gizlaroc said:
I have never had an issue integrating a sub, far easier to get a good flatter response with a sub and bookshelf speakers than with larger speakers.

Most floorstanders still only go down to around 35hz before dropping off as well, you miss so much without a sub.

Unless they do a true 30hz before rolling off I would always put a sub in.


Rel T5i is very musical and integrates so easily.
I'm torn as to whether it's easy or not - I've set my sub up and had it sounding fine, until someone else comes in and I ask them to listen and tweak. Different settings which still sound good to me.

Everything does depend on what kind of music you typically listen to of course, and how much thump you like (which might not actually be right!)

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

225 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
selym said:
I'm torn as to whether it's easy or not - I've set my sub up and had it sounding fine, until someone else comes in and I ask them to listen and tweak. Different settings which still sound good to me.

Everything does depend on what kind of music you typically listen to of course, and how much thump you like (which might not actually be right!)
HIFI is all about finding a sound you enjoy listening to though, what is right for you, is right.

I have run room EQ and got my system flat from 22hz through to 18hz and........it sounded crap.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like any large peaks or dips in the frequency range, but completely flat is not for me either.


selym

9,544 posts

172 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
gizlaroc said:
selym said:
I'm torn as to whether it's easy or not - I've set my sub up and had it sounding fine, until someone else comes in and I ask them to listen and tweak. Different settings which still sound good to me.

Everything does depend on what kind of music you typically listen to of course, and how much thump you like (which might not actually be right!)
HIFI is all about finding a sound you enjoy listening to though, what is right for you, is right.

I have run room EQ and got my system flat from 22hz through to 18hz and........it sounded crap.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like any large peaks or dips in the frequency range, but completely flat is not for me either.
Yeah, I've been fighting with hifi for years.

TameRacingDriver

18,094 posts

273 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
Tony1963 said:
OP,

Just try the current set up in the new place.

Then make a decision.

Some like subs, many don’t, in a hifi set up. To do it properly with any chance of success you need an expensive sub and lots of patience. Plus the space to plonk it. Then some say you need two....
Yeah probably the only way to be sure is to try it really, all rooms are different.

My main issue with subs is I quite like my bass fast and punchy and while a sub theoretically shouldn’t affect this, I have heard plenty where it sounds deep, but tubby and slow.

selym

9,544 posts

172 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
quotequote all
TameRacingDriver said:
Tony1963 said:
OP,

Just try the current set up in the new place.

Then make a decision.

Some like subs, many don’t, in a hifi set up. To do it properly with any chance of success you need an expensive sub and lots of patience. Plus the space to plonk it. Then some say you need two....
Yeah probably the only way to be sure is to try it really, all rooms are different.

My main issue with subs is I quite like my bass fast and punchy and while a sub theoretically shouldn’t affect this, I have heard plenty where it sounds deep, but tubby and slow.
Ported sub most likely.