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Thread: Hifi on A Shoestring

  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

    Default Hifi on A Shoestring

    A current AOS thread asks how one would spend £10k if building a system from scratch. I wonder how little one would need to spend to get a system capable of delivering a credible hifi performance. I ask because I am contemplating an increase in travelling for work and I'm reviewing my portable "hifi" kit.

    Several years back I had a pretty decent travel system that fitted into a nice travel case around the size of a shoebox. It comprised a tiny Nuforce Icon digital power amp and a pair of metal enclosure KLH 610 speakers. The Icon had analogue inputs as well as usb digital facilities. I could therefore provide inputs from phone, tablet or laptop. I also used to pack a WD Media player which would play virtually any audio and visual file format, great for watching movies from a usb drive.. I still have all of the kit, except for the KLH 610 speakers. Although they were tiny, they produced a very clean dynamic sound and could play pretty loudly. Placed on a desk or close to a wall, and kept in place with some blu tac blobs, they were not noticeably bass shy, at least not excessively so. IIRC the Icon cost me less than £200 and the KLH610 speakers a mere £50 from Richer Sounds back in the 90's.

    Has anyone else put together a similar kit and if so, using what components?


    Geoff

  2. #2
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Theres a lot of value in those Class T amps (Topping) £40 I think they are. A decent CD player on a budget like my Denon DCD825 cost me £16 & probably some Mission 780SE £40 and thats a very very good system for less than £100. In fact, I my just do that for my Garage

    Good thread!!!

    Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Denon PMA 350SE is better than the Topping TP60.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  4. #4
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Manchester, UK

    Posts: 159
    I'm Luke.

    Default

    The current crop of D class amps are very impressive for the price. Look at SMSL too.

  5. #5
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    Denon PMA 350SE is better than the Topping TP60.
    That could be true.

    Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    I'm sure the Denon is very good but can it compete with the Icon on portability (6"x4.5"x1") with a Burr Brown DAC built in.

    Any ideas on compact speakers to replace the KLH610s?

    Geoff

  7. #7
    Join Date: Aug 2015

    Location: Leeds

    Posts: 125
    I'm Kevin.

    Default

    I wouldn't fancy lugging a full size CD player amp and speakers around. Think the OP wants it to fit in a shoe box sized space. If it were me I'd stick with headphones and an smsl dad/headphone amp.

  8. #8
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Truckletheuncivil View Post
    I wouldn't fancy lugging a full size CD player amp and speakers around. Think the OP wants it to fit in a shoe box sized space. If it were me I'd stick with headphones and an smsl dad/headphone amp.
    That is certainly what I am looking for, though others who do not have my portability requirements are welcome to post their recommendations for hifi on a shoestring that doesn't need to be hifi in a shoebox!

  9. #9
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

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    .. can't live with headphones though!

    Geoff

  10. #10
    Join Date: Aug 2015

    Location: Leeds

    Posts: 125
    I'm Kevin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
    .. can't live with headphones though!

    Geoff
    Not my preferred option but they're required to maintain domestic harmony (rather than being told to "turn that racket down")

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