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View Full Version : Here's mine, then



Alexxus
02-09-2009, 21:44
Ok guys, be a little lenient here, it's the first time I post photos of my system and I'm not that fantastic a photographer. I'd like to be, but I can see I'm not.

Anyways, here goes it, didn't know which ones to weed out so it might get a bit repetitive at times. Well, you asked for it :lolsign:

Right, here's my system roughly from my listening position

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3130_resize.jpg

well, this is actually more level with my listening position

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3134_resize.jpg

and here's the speakers with the grilles off. I think they're more elegant with them on, which is why I usually keep them that way, but they look more tech with them off. Or that's what I think, anyway.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3141_resize.jpg

Left and right speaker. Spendor S5e, as you could probably tell.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3143_resize.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3151_resize.jpg

The amp. AVI Lab Series Integrated. Cracking little beast, I absolutely love it. So clean and controlled...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3144_resize.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3145_resize.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3150_resize.jpg

The CD player, Musical Fidelity A5, the well-known 7520 and the set top box. Not the best pics ever, but you have been warned.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3147_resize.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3149_resize.jpg

And my old and trusted DVD player, Pioneer DV 565A. Much acclaimed as the first universal player years ago, although even back then it wasn't exactly universal, but it did perform very well all these years. Crammed on top of it is the satellite receiver Dreambox 500, another impressive diminutive device and the positioner.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/alexxus/IMG_3148_resize.jpg

Bits and bobs:
- Audio cables - Chord Epic Twin speaker cable, Chord Chorus 2 interconnect from the CDP to the amp
- Digital Coax cables - DIY from 75 Ohm quality cable
- Digital optical & USB cables - some nondescript stuff, performs well enough for me at the mo
- SCART cables - Profigold, Qunex, Phillips. Nothing fancy, but decent quality

The TV is an oldish CRT, but I'm in no hurry to change it. Plasma and LCD have a long way to go to beat CRT, especially if movement is involved, and besides the TV/satellite/cable transmissions are in their overwhelming majority still on a 4:3 ratio, so why should I bother with LCD and plasma only to get everything looking weird?

Don't say anything about the rack, I'm aware it's crap, but it serves me well for what I need, so I'm not about to invest a lot of money in anything else anytime soon.

The actual room is a lot bigger than what you can see, it's somewhere around 600 sqft. and then it connects to a large kitchen via a large open arch and with the floor above through stairs, so it's a bit unusual, acoustically speaking, but at least I don't get a lot of wall reflections. And even in all this space the little Spendors do a good job on the bass, unlikely as it may seem, so I'm happy enough. It ain't anything thunderous, but it's quite deep and well controlled, which in my book counts for more.

Well, that's about it.

Marco
02-09-2009, 22:27
Never mind the system - I love the lace curtains, dahling... I have some petticoats just like that!! :lol: :eyebrows:

;)

Marco.

P.S Nice system, too.

Mike
02-09-2009, 22:33
I like the floor!

Oh God... I'm going all Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Llewelyn-Bowen)!!! :doh:

Alexxus
02-09-2009, 23:00
Yeah, well, I carefully took the chintz sofa out of the shot :lol:

Alex_UK
02-09-2009, 23:14
Intersting system Eddie, I always *think* (because I've been brainwashed by the hi-fi press for 25 years?) that my speakers sound better without the grilles, so I always remove them for serious listening - I prefer them "naked" to look at, too, but unfortunately so does my little girl - so the covers stay on most of the time to avoid little fingers!

Alexxus
03-09-2009, 09:54
Yeah, I used to think the same, but then I listened a bit more carefully and decided the difference, if there is one, is insignificant. Besides, I used to have the same toddler-related issues you have, so I decided integrity is more important ;)

Alexxus
03-09-2009, 09:57
Oh, and I mentioned this once before, but mebbe it's good I mention it again here: virtually all my sources go through the 7520. The CD just for headphone amplifying, the laptop, DVD and satellite receiver for stereo listening via the amp. I can tell you, they sound great like that, I'm very pleased.

Beechwoods
03-09-2009, 19:45
Both of my dad's last 2 speaker systems have had grilles and sounded distinctly better when they were removed. For serious listening it makes sense to let them see the room properly, but they're useful to keeping the drivers out of harms way the rest of the time! Your speakers look great by the way, Alexxus, both with and without their clothes on :)

It looks like a nice room you've got there Eddie.

DSJR
03-09-2009, 19:52
The Spendors are pretty good whether you use the grille or not. To get an "acoustically invisible" grille, you need to do a Harbeth and have the material almost touching the tweeter dome (their "frameless frame" achieves this). Use them the way you like best is my take on it..

By the way, if you can ever accommodate the S8e, PLEASE try to if you ever see a good used pair. the AVI and your ears will be in seventh heaven - trust me, I KNOW these things ;)

Alexxus
03-09-2009, 20:54
The Spendors are pretty good whether you use the grille or not... Use them the way you like best is my take on it..

What I thought, too ;)


By the way, if you can ever accommodate the S8e, PLEASE try to if you ever see a good used pair. the AVI and your ears will be in seventh heaven - trust me, I KNOW these things ;)
Ooooh, don't tempt me now, Dave. It's a very dangerous time for me to spend (once more) money I don't have.

I've been dreaming about them S8e's for a while, I even saw a couple pairs in immaculate condition for sale on two occasions, the price was quite good too, less than 1500 if I remember correctly, but alas, I cannot afford any hi-fi purchase over and above opamps for the StanDAC for a while. One can still dream, though...

Alexxus
03-09-2009, 21:17
It looks like a nice room you've got there Eddie.

Thanks, Nick. Truth is, my wife is usually responsible for the aesthetics in the house, but with the living room it was mostly my taste that was the guiding line. Therefore it's a lot of brown, in shades of mahogany, tobacco, lighter, darker, reddish, yellowish, what can I say, I love it in the right shades. Then a few walls are orange, others are bee yellow, it's all warm colors, basically.

I don't want my living room to be pretty in pictures, I like it to be welcoming and relaxing for me, you see. Which it is. It's all good to have shiny gray marble-looking tiles on the floor, and black sofas and white fluffy carpets thrown about, but that's a room I only like to look at from the door, it makes me nervous to have to sit in one for too long. Not to mention the nightmare of keeping it in pristine condition.

Oh, and lace curtains (or lace fringed to be precise) are positively therapeutic for me, Marco. :ner: