High fidelity????????????????

[Tim]

I don't think they are rubbish at all.

+1

Very good equipment and certainly excellent value for money.

[ZincAlloy]

I'm new to the whole audiophile thing. Obviously individuals' ears are different and sound is a subjective thing - but I read so much about sonic signatures. Arcam, for instance, is supposed to have a particular sound. Same for Naim. Can anybody tell me what these are? Does Arcam/Naim equipment reproduce music faithfully - to me this would mean it sounding like it did in the studio or wherever it was recorded - or does it lend something different to the sound and change it?

I would love to hear these different 'signatures' for myself but unfortunately I live in a place where I have no access to a good HIfi dealer where I could hear the different brands in action. The standard cheapo Japanese/Korean budget gear is the only stuff stocked locally. I am looking for a new amp and find myself relying on advice from forums such as this and from Hifi reviews (which I often suspect might be a bit biased?!).

Here's the million dollar question - what brand produces music the most faithfully and with the least distortion at a sensible cost?

Hi - try Lyric Hi-Fi in Belfast, Moores in Newtownards or, next time you're in Dublin, Cloney Audio in Blackrock. Between them, you'll be able to hear Naim, Linn, Classe, Devialet, Arcam and loads of other gear. Have fun!

[SLS]

I would agree on continuing down the Primare line. The A30.1 integrated comes up fairly regularly at £500, sometimes a little less.

I used one for over 10 years and it is the absolute business. They are built like a tank and look great, if that matters.

Other suggestions.
The Furutech GT40 is a handy device at £400, a DAC, phono stage and headphone amp rolled in to one. (There is a group test of DACs £150 to £500 in HiFI News this month. Another Furutech comes out tops.) Dave at MCRU supplies these (and a lot else).
The Project Genie is a very nice little starter turntable, not least as it comes with an Ortofon Red cartridge, all for a snip over £200.
Black Rhodium Twist speaker cables at £3.50 or so are a bargain, well liked in these parts.

So you can buy a mix of new and s/h and get a nice platform to do some box-swapping. We've all been there.

[SLS]

I would agree on continuing down the Primare line. The A30.1 integrated comes up fairly regularly at £500, sometimes a little less.

I used one for over 10 years and it is the absolute business. They are built like a tank and look great, if that matters.

Other suggestions.
The Furutech GT40 is a handy device at £400, a DAC, phono stage and headphone amp rolled in to one. (There is a group test of DACs £150 to £500 in HiFI News this month. Another Furutech comes out tops.) Dave at MCRU supplies these (and a lot else).
The Project Genie is a very nice little starter turntable, not least as it comes with an Ortofon Red cartridge, all for a snip over £200.
Black Rhodium Twist speaker cables at £3.50 or so are a bargain, well liked in these parts.

So you can buy a mix of new and s/h and get a nice platform to do some box-swapping. We've all been there.

[Naughty Nigel]

I'm new to the whole audiophile thing. Obviously individuals' ears are different and sound is a subjective thing - but I read so much about sonic signatures. Arcam, for instance, is supposed to have a particular sound. Same for Naim. Can anybody tell me what these are? Does Arcam/Naim equipment reproduce music faithfully - to me this would mean it sounding like it did in the studio or wherever it was recorded - or does it lend something different to the sound and change it?

............... Here's the million dollar question - what brand produces music the most faithfully and with the least distortion at a sensible cost?

There is one brand that goes under the Mission Statement "For the closest approach to the original sound", but that is just a personal preference!

in my experience, loudspeakers and the signal source (i.e. tuner, deck, etc.) are the main factors determining how good a system sounds. Amplifiers tend to be comparatively benign, although there is no doubt that some do add (or in some cases, take away) a certain something.

I don't have 'golden ears', but I do get to hear (and take part in) live musical performances at least once a week, so I know what a live performance sounds, and feels like. I often wonder how many HiFi critics judge systems based on their own idea of what the music should sound like, rather than by comparing what they hear with a recent live performance? After all, the aim of a good HiFi system should be to provide "the closest approach to the original sound"!

I remember going to an orchestral performance at Newcastle City Hall, in the days before the Sage was built. I was a bit of a 'golden ears' in those days, and I distinctly remember closing my eyes and listening critically to the performance. What immediately struck me was that the bass sounded muddled and muddy, although the mid-range and treble was clear and silky smooth, although much 'drier' than my own sound system at the time. (Presumably the effects of the City Hall's acoustics?) However, had I been rating the 'sound system' that I was listening to, I would probably only have given it three and a half stars or four stars!

The fact is that modern recording technology gives us recordings that often bear little resemblance to the original, so if you can, get out and listen to some live performances on which to critique your system!

Regarding choice of amplifiers, I have used a pair of Quad II's for the past forty years, so I am used to the wonderfully warm sound that they provide (which suits my choice of music, but may not suit others in the same way). I recently set up a second system in my study using a second-hand Pioneer A-400 (with a pair of Quad 11L loudspeakers), and I have to say that I am very impressed with the sound that this combination provides, and for £100 for the amp from the Devils' own internet auction site it was something of a bargain.

Nigel.