What’s your Hi-Fi set up? spec and pictures please
Discussion
Sporky said:
Mars said:
It very much could have been because CD recorders weren't much cop perhaps
That seems more likely than that the 22-24kHz band is where the magic happens! It's also no surprise why I like bass-heavy music these days either - not objectionably crap music but chill music that has been mixed with good bass.
Mars said:
I remember there being a noticeable improvement using digital tape which was 16/48 over CD some 35 years ago. This was when we creating a master of my own band's noise. We had recorded to a 16 track analogue tape and were mixing and mastering directly to a DAT, an ADAT and a CD recorder. We did a test to see which was better - the studio engineer had only recently installed the DAT and CD recorder, and wanted to see how they stacked up against his ADAT. Both tape formats were head & shoulders better than the CD machine.
It very much could have been because CD recorders weren't much cop perhaps, but this one was an Akai or a TEAC (can't remember which but was rack mountable, and it was a "studio" colour - that beige colour that studio machines were in the late 1980s), so it was intended as a studio machine.
I seem to recall that for multitrack stuff, 16/44.1 wasn't quite sufficient - I think this is why 16/48 became the standard in studios,It very much could have been because CD recorders weren't much cop perhaps, but this one was an Akai or a TEAC (can't remember which but was rack mountable, and it was a "studio" colour - that beige colour that studio machines were in the late 1980s), so it was intended as a studio machine.
I'm rather out of touch with studio stuff on the whole, but recall reading some time ago that they were typically getting 20bits now (with 24bit capable ADCs) - I presume they have pushed the sample rates up beyond 48k as well.
Bookmarked thread it's great! I had to sell all my seperates when I left uni and needed money to move to London, and now several (decades) later a few mates have also started to get back into it and I now have some financial means to rebuild and want to jump on the band wagon.
However one system I always lusted after (and could never afford) was a chrome elipse shaped amp/pre-amp (?) that richer sounds used to sell. Don't suppose anyone would know what that make/model was?
However one system I always lusted after (and could never afford) was a chrome elipse shaped amp/pre-amp (?) that richer sounds used to sell. Don't suppose anyone would know what that make/model was?
Was it this one
https://images.app.goo.gl/88unMYiMguSZvNw2A
You will want to get into streamers and DACs then - try listening to the Chord products
https://images.app.goo.gl/88unMYiMguSZvNw2A
You will want to get into streamers and DACs then - try listening to the Chord products
My Hifi set up has almost completely changed this month.
I have had for many years a long suffering setup of:
80's Pioneer PL512 record deck
1969 Trio solid state amplifier
JPW Mini Monitors
And this combo has served me really well as a lounge system.
However, pretty much all has decided to die at the same time so I've been investing!
Budget for a whole new system is about 1000€.
I've gone for:
A Rega Planar 1 record player @ €370
This was a toss up between the Pro-ject debut carbon, the reviews and my ears told me there's not much to separate the two, and the Rega was there to pick up on the day, so I went with a gloss white version. The old Pioneer had an arm that started the platter automatically when moved from it's home position (and stopped the platter when you returned the arm home) and had a switch on the body to change from 45rpm to 33 1/3rpm. The new Rega needs the platter removing and physically moving the belt from one gear to another to change speed and has a separate on/off switch to control the platter. This isn't as convenient for sure, but no doubt I'll get used to it over time. Sound quality is very nice, and the build quality seems very good too. I have also added a cork mat because the felt one from the factory not only gave a less insulated sound, it also kept sticking to new records and pulling itself off the deck. The mat was from Pro-ject and cost €20.
A NAD C316BEE V2 amplifier @ €300
To be honest, despite similar specs available from Cambridge, Marantz, and many others, this was pretty much the only contender for me, I have always loved NAD amps, and this V2 spec has a built in phono stage. I really appreciated it's simplicity. All i needed was something to run my record deck, I don't need or want streaming/wifi/bluetooth etc thank you very much. I'd rather at this price range that the manufacturer focussed on giving me the best sound quality possible. I understand this isn't comparatively much money for an amp so I'd rather the money went on the basics. I have to say, the amp is beautifully built, solid and classy to look at, as well as simple and intuitive to use. Set up was super easy. It seems to have plenty of power, though i'm waiting for new speakers to really test that out. I had a whole day in Helsinki to find an amp and found this in the first shop I went to, an ex window display unit but never used. We tested it in the shop and the service was great. Price is 400 euros so I was pleased to get it for €300.
Speakers I haven't bought yet. The tweeter cone on my RH JPW has blown and the LH speaker is buzzing badly so these make it almost impossible to listen to music without making me say bad words. They've served me well for 15ish years though so I shouldn't complain.
At the moment it seems like I will go for Dali Spektor 2 speakers, according to reviews they seem like about the best option, plus I can get them in a white finish to match the Rega. They are a good bookshelf size, and will be a good fit into the existing space to be vacated by the JPWs. Available at my local shop in Vaasa for €318.
Total cost 370+300+20+318 = €1008 plus i'm sure I will get a small discount on the speakers, so I should just squeak in under budget. Looking forward to the end of the months pay day so I can finish the project!
I have had for many years a long suffering setup of:
80's Pioneer PL512 record deck
1969 Trio solid state amplifier
JPW Mini Monitors
And this combo has served me really well as a lounge system.
However, pretty much all has decided to die at the same time so I've been investing!
Budget for a whole new system is about 1000€.
I've gone for:
A Rega Planar 1 record player @ €370
This was a toss up between the Pro-ject debut carbon, the reviews and my ears told me there's not much to separate the two, and the Rega was there to pick up on the day, so I went with a gloss white version. The old Pioneer had an arm that started the platter automatically when moved from it's home position (and stopped the platter when you returned the arm home) and had a switch on the body to change from 45rpm to 33 1/3rpm. The new Rega needs the platter removing and physically moving the belt from one gear to another to change speed and has a separate on/off switch to control the platter. This isn't as convenient for sure, but no doubt I'll get used to it over time. Sound quality is very nice, and the build quality seems very good too. I have also added a cork mat because the felt one from the factory not only gave a less insulated sound, it also kept sticking to new records and pulling itself off the deck. The mat was from Pro-ject and cost €20.
A NAD C316BEE V2 amplifier @ €300
To be honest, despite similar specs available from Cambridge, Marantz, and many others, this was pretty much the only contender for me, I have always loved NAD amps, and this V2 spec has a built in phono stage. I really appreciated it's simplicity. All i needed was something to run my record deck, I don't need or want streaming/wifi/bluetooth etc thank you very much. I'd rather at this price range that the manufacturer focussed on giving me the best sound quality possible. I understand this isn't comparatively much money for an amp so I'd rather the money went on the basics. I have to say, the amp is beautifully built, solid and classy to look at, as well as simple and intuitive to use. Set up was super easy. It seems to have plenty of power, though i'm waiting for new speakers to really test that out. I had a whole day in Helsinki to find an amp and found this in the first shop I went to, an ex window display unit but never used. We tested it in the shop and the service was great. Price is 400 euros so I was pleased to get it for €300.
Speakers I haven't bought yet. The tweeter cone on my RH JPW has blown and the LH speaker is buzzing badly so these make it almost impossible to listen to music without making me say bad words. They've served me well for 15ish years though so I shouldn't complain.
At the moment it seems like I will go for Dali Spektor 2 speakers, according to reviews they seem like about the best option, plus I can get them in a white finish to match the Rega. They are a good bookshelf size, and will be a good fit into the existing space to be vacated by the JPWs. Available at my local shop in Vaasa for €318.
Total cost 370+300+20+318 = €1008 plus i'm sure I will get a small discount on the speakers, so I should just squeak in under budget. Looking forward to the end of the months pay day so I can finish the project!
Funk said:
Oops. I accidentally sold my Celestion A2s (which had been lurking around since I bought the A3s) and bought these yesterday as I wanted to see whether I ought to broaden my speaker horizons after 20+ years of A2s and A3s...
KEF Reference 3.2s in very good condition...
They need a beefy amp to give their best.KEF Reference 3.2s in very good condition...
dvshannow said:
Was it this one
https://images.app.goo.gl/88unMYiMguSZvNw2A
You will want to get into streamers and DACs then - try listening to the Chord products
Wow thanks! Yes it was that one! https://images.app.goo.gl/88unMYiMguSZvNw2A
You will want to get into streamers and DACs then - try listening to the Chord products
TonyRPH said:
Funk said:
Oops. I accidentally sold my Celestion A2s (which had been lurking around since I bought the A3s) and bought these yesterday as I wanted to see whether I ought to broaden my speaker horizons after 20+ years of A2s and A3s...
KEF Reference 3.2s in very good condition...
They need a beefy amp to give their best.KEF Reference 3.2s in very good condition...
Can anyone recommend me a decent centre speaker? To go with a Tag 700:7R amp, a Tag AV32R, and Mission 752c's. Currently have a Kef XQ50C, and whilst very well made I suspect it is letting the side down a little. The only limitation is its width, I have 51cm to play with, sadly wont fit a Mission 75C.
bigfish786 said:
If I were single, yeah I get ya. There’d be nothing on them. But, I’m not. I’m married and she likes photos and stuff, so I compromise, as I know what I’d rather have.
Pfft, my Doris doesn't go anywhere near my speakers or any of my other hifi kit for that matter. She likes plants so the fact that the house looks like the Eden Project is neither here nor there so as long as they don't go near my speakers, everything is calm in Spleen Towers.Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff