Audiophiles?

[gettin2dizzy]

All this talk of music made me realise there must be a few audiophiles about. I started to replace my system, which has annoyingly left me with a truly amazing set of speakers, a good - but underpowered amp, and then rather embarrassingly plugged in to my laptop. Contemplating a SACD or DVD-A but this could be another sony format going down the pan.
http://www.audioreview.com/channels/audioreview/images/products/Product_299819.jpg Arcam A90 - Beautifully neutral sound, and oodles of power (90 watts of high current)
http://www.areadvd.de/lm/AV_Hardware/Images/wfdlopusDSC_0066.JPG
just the two on the right. Wharfedale Opus 3 (although made by B&W!)
1 x silk tweeter, 1 x 3" midrange, 2 x 10" woofers! (gives it a bass response lower than a subwoofer!).
They're absolutely huge but sounds magnificent!

[Alpinestarhero]

Woah, I would really like that to blast some children of bodom through...mind you, it looks to good for that, I'd have to play classical i think :oops:

Me like :cool:

Matt

[Law]

mmmm.... sweet!

My system is about 8 years old now I was on a budget had a lack of space when I bought it when I was in 6th form.

B&W 602 S2
http://www.audioreview.com/channels/audioreview/images/products/product_119105.jpg

connected to a Rotel Amp and Sony CD player. Can't remember what models they were and my hifi is in Peterborough so I have to listen to music through my rubbish PC speakers. :(

[Viney]

I dream of a 'hifi' :(

I still Have an Awia XD90 Midi system...oh, linked to a pair of SL1210 and Pioneer CMX5000 Dual CD deck

[TVR_Tracy]

Heres my little beauty...

http://www.800stereo.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/cdrm30.jpg

My set up is a Denon UD-M30 + the accompanying Denon speakers.

Granted its only a micro-system, and not very flash, but the sound quality is fab (to my untrained ears), and most importantly, I love it! :smt045

...and now I can hook my iPod up to it, I couldn't be happier...



The flash side of me is still dreaming of Bang & Olufsen...

[Viney]

I pine for Naim Hifi

[_Stretchie_]

All this talk of music made me realise there must be a few audiophiles about. I started to replace my system, which has annoyingly left me with a truly amazing set of speakers, a good - but underpowered amp, and then rather embarrassingly plugged in to my laptop. Contemplating a SACD or DVD-A but this could be another sony format going down the pan.
http://www.audioreview.com/channels/audioreview/images/products/Product_299819.jpg Arcam A90 - Beautifully neutral sound, and oodles of power (90 watts of high current)
http://www.areadvd.de/lm/AV_Hardware/Images/wfdlopusDSC_0066.JPG
just the two on the right. Wharfedale Opus 3 (although made by B&W!)
1 x silk tweeter, 1 x 3" midrange, 2 x 10" woofers! (gives it a bass response lower than a subwoofer!).
They're absolutely huge but sounds magnificent!


I've just done a s3x wee...... :oops:

[gettin2dizzy]

I've just done a s3x wee...... :oops:

lol. you have to bear in mind each one of those woofers is 10", making the speakers almost chest height! too big to bring down to where i live at the mo :(. Piano gloss finish is stunning, they came with cotton gloves for carrying them! only problem is running them at normal volume turns my amp in to a radiator.

[Viney]

My sub amp in my car gets a tad hot, but then it is running a 1 ohm load (2 4ohm in parallel, briged!)

[Sosha]

Lo-tech me... pair of gennies plugged into the computer.....

[Steve H]

Arcam 10 Amp and CD player. Mission Speakers. Does the job.
Hi fi is one area where you are better off looking at British stuff than Japanese! ...............Now there is a first! ;)

[coombest]

Yeah, I'm certainly into HiFi & home Cinema & I also sell it!!

I curently run:

Naim NAC 102 Pre-Amp
Naim NAP 150 Power-Amp
Arcam Alpha 8SE CD Player (Only ever meant to be a stop-gap but it's stuck around!)
PMC FB1 Speakers (Beautiful things, in a non-standard, one-off ntural ash finish!)
Yamaha KX-580SE Cassette Deck (can't bear to get rid of it although I never use it!!)
Sony MDS-JB940 Mini Disc Deck (again - not much point of getting rid!)
Yamaha TX-480 FM/AM Tuner (although t's not connected at the moment!)

Also have waiting to re-connect when I've sorted out the living room & a new screen!

Rotel RSX-1055 Home Cinema Receiver (for digital surround processing and centre & rear speakers)
Rotel RDV-1050 DVD Player
PMC TB2C Centre Speaker
Miller & Kreisel K4 Tri-Polar Surround Speakers
Miller & Kreisel VX-860 Subwoofer (18Hz bottom end!!!)

Everything's connected with Chord Company cables, including Solid (silver) interconect for CD & Odyssey 4 speaker cable, 'shotgunned' to single wire.
It's all stacked on a Quadraspire Q4 Rack...

That's about it, I think!!

My next step will be to go for a Fujitsu Plasma (the best on the market) which I'll use as a demonstrator for my Home Cinema/Custom Installation business!
I'm also looking at installing a multi-room system of some level for similar demonstration purposes... It's a real shame,isn't t!!!:^o

[tigersaw]

Whenever presented with something thats regarded as quality, I get picky. (Used to have a Quad system and electrostatic speakers, as drooled over by purists, but was never that impressed, flogged it on ebay). However, presented with something undoubtably crap, I'm happy. I'm happy to listen to AM radio, happy with the sound from our 1964 Seeburg jukebox. Guess that makes me an inverted audiophile.

[TSM]

I was going down the surround sound route but then decided i liked 2.1 sound good enough, at the moment is just 2.0.

Denon AVC-A1SE
Sony MDS-JB980
Sony CDP-XP930
Sony DVP-S735D
Sony Sky Box
PMC TB2 on Plinths
Music Fidelity MC-2
QED Bi-Wire

Plus a load of other bits, the Denon may be on its way out to make way for some Arcam stuff or mabey a valve amp and arcam preamp, i just want less stuff.

[Beenz]

I get good reception from my earpone with my cristal set ;)

[Law]

Sony CDP-XP930
.

:-k hmm.... that model sounds familiar. I reckon that's my CD separate as well. Is that the one with the laser built into the tray and has a red UK sticker on the front?

[TSM]

:-k hmm.... that model sounds familiar. I reckon that's my CD separate as well. Is that the one with the laser built into the tray and has a red UK sticker on the front?

Yep its the fixed laser model, the CD moves back and forwards over the laser and there is a magnetic clamp that hold the CD in place. Nice model for a Sony.

[gettin2dizzy]

some of the sony kit seems alright, the Es series in particular (and some QS). I'm not taken by 5.1 systems yet, unless set up properly . Extra speakers can just interfere with each other. Anyone go DVD-A or SACD experience? much different to CDs?

[coombest]

some of the sony kit seems alright, the Es series in particular (and some QS). I'm not taken by 5.1 systems yet, unless set up properly . Extra speakers can just interfere with each other. Anyone go DVD-A or SACD experience? much different to CDs?

My only issue with the Sony stuff is the price! It's fine but is far too expensive for what it is! When you consider that most of the Sony kit can be beaten on sonic terms by a basic Rotel or even Denon equivalent for less money! When you get to build quality - I know which out of a Sony and a Rotel I'd rather drop and see if it still works!!:rolleyes:

As you say - 5.1 (or over!) does need to be set up correctly - with a sound pressure level meter... Even then, an experienced ear will always get a better result than most people!
6.1 and 7.1 systems really do need a very big room to be worthwhile, as at best they'll bake no difference and at worst, they'll make the sound worse than a 5.1 system!
We have a customer currently running a 5.3 system, using 3 large M&K subs (which were added one at a time!) with PMC fronts, M&K column rear speakers and a Lexicon/Rotel front end!!!:D :D :D It took ages to set up but now it's done, it really is some good doo-doo! 8)

I have a DVD-A capable system (when it's all set up & running!) but don't have any discs for it! I've got a sampler disc which shows it off rather well and it is truly incredible!
I've never been one for multi-channel music, preferring stereo all the time but when something's recorded in a multi-channel format, it does work rather well!! You end up looking round the room for the instrument you hadn't seen or the person who'd snuck into the room to sing or say something!!
HOWEVER!
I have heard some truly awful DVD-A systems and generally it's where people have either added to their hi-fi and not spent a similar amount on the rears, centre & sub as they did for the stereo section, or when someone's replaced their good stereo amp for a similarly priced, or less expensive multi-channel amp!
You have 6 speakers in a 5.1 system (including the sub), not to mention digital audio processing, 5 amplifiers and normally some video processing/switching ability included on a home cinema amp. Therefore you should be thinking of spending at least 2-3 times the amount on a home cinema as on a stereo system - if you want a similar quality, that is!

Just my 2p worth, having worked in the Hi-Fi/Home Cinema/Custom Istallation industry for the last 6 years & now owning a Custom Install/Home Cinema company!

[Viney]

Tim, dont lie, you work in Currys digital ;)

[mikew]

I'm still using an A&R Cambridge A60 amplifier... damn thing must be about 20 years old now but it still sounds brilliant fed from a Phillips CD player through the Mission speakers. It's one of those things that will only get replaced when it eventually breaks.

Who needs a remote control? You've got legs haven't you?

[Law]

Ah ha I think this is my amp.

RA-971 Mk II

http://www.hifiprix.com/photo/ra971mkll.jpg

[Cloggsy]

I've got a Kenwood Series 21 system... I'm really happy with it to TBH, its about 8 years old now & still sounds fantastic ;)