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Thread: MeBob's System - for upgrade.

  1. #21
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

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    I agree, step one is to buy speakers that will work in YOUR room. And build backwards, choosing the source components last. Cables and power cords can be upgraded last. You need cables to hook stuff up, but a reasonable pair of Audioquest patch cords will do you until you've got it sorted. And unless you've got some really nasty electricity coming into your house, and some do, power regenerators can come last too. A nice power filter to suppress lightning strikes, like a Furman, isn't a bad idea to protect your investment. Don't get me wrong! I'm not minimizing their value, I'm not saying you shouldn't do these things, but they can wait. Getting the right components matched up is job one. Of course, this is IMHO. To each their own.

    But an amp and speakers are no fun without a CD player or record player? When I built my first system, I used cheap stuff to fill out the system, and old DVD player laying around can serve as your source until you get to shopping for that high dollar unit. Same with a record player, a $100 Technics with a $50 cart on it will be great until which time you get around to feeling the itch to upgrade. Or use your computer? (Blasphemy in my house, but I hear a lot of people do it) I set my self an allowance, a certain amount each year I could live with, or without actually, as a guide, sometimes more, sometimes less. 3 or 4 years and you've got the rig of your dreams! Then you start selling those pieces off, and upgrading each of those with pieces that cost twice as much! And you do this forever until you die.


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  2. #22
    Join Date: Aug 2017

    Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, England

    Posts: 150
    I'm Rob.

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    Hello Oldius & alphaGT,

    Thanks for your reply alphaGT.

    "Step 1 is the speakers and their interaction with the room."

    My room is 12x12 ft and with painted walls (no wallpaper), it has floor to ceiling heavy curtains with a wood floor, it's probably not ideal with a bit of echo when the volume is up. I have a large rug to put down, that should sort the floor out, but the wall facing the speakers is big and bare, a bit like a sounding board.

    Both sets of my speakers are to my liking, but I believe, I won't really know how suitable they are until I sort out Step 2. They might be exposed by a better amp.

    "Step 2 is an ampifier capable of driving the speakers properly."

    The Marantz (45w) is definitely a trier, that's for sure, but it was instantly noticeable when I listened to the Arcam Alpha 10 (100w) that power makes a difference, allround and especially at lower volume (with extra detail and bass).

    "Step 3 are source components to your taste."

    My system definitely as I've stated seems a bit bright at times, that might be the source a PC card/ cheap dac and that's why I want to eliminate that problem first with a decent dac preamp.

    The system doesn't have any truly good components, I think when I put my first decent one in there it might point out the next one to be replaced?

    I have standard OFC 12 guage cables connecting amp and speakers, and OFC shielded interconnects. I'm happy to make do with these until the major bits are sorted out.

    alphaGT
    I'm liking the ability to type in a search string and have the music instantly there to play at the click of a button when reclined / relaxed and listening I can be a tad lazy. I want to stay on the Flac/MP3 side of things and see how decent I can make it sound with any upgrades. If not I will consider the Vinyl / CD route.

  3. #23
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Out on the wild and windy moors Lancs / Yorks Border

    Posts: 592
    I'm Andy.

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    Quote Originally Posted by meBob View Post

    My room is 12x12 ft and with painted walls (no wallpaper), it has floor to ceiling heavy curtains with a wood floor, it's probably not ideal with a bit of echo when the volume is up. I have a large rug to put down, that should sort the floor out, but the wall facing the speakers is big and bare, a bit like a sounding board.


    "Step 2 is an ampifier capable of driving the speakers properly."



    If not I will consider the Vinyl / CD route.
    But vinyl is a two edge sword, not only does it sound better (IMHO) but it also deadens the room if you have a shelf full of the stuff

    The room is similar size to mine except I have carpet down.

    In a room that size I would have thought either of those amplifers had enough watts to drive any speaker unless you like PA sound levels. (I rarely listen above 85db)

    Andy
    Analogue
    401 / PU7 / AT33ev
    Longdog Audio Quartz turntable PSU
    Longdog Audio MCJ1 - Prototype Phonostage
    Digital
    Innuos Zen Mini Mk 3
    Topping D50s
    Caiman Seg & Dorado
    Cambridge CXC
    Amps
    Tron Seven Linestage
    Bel Canto Set 40 or Nick Gorham built 300B Set Monoblocks
    Speakers
    Tannoy GRF Memory.
    Tannoy ST100.

  4. #24
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

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    Quote Originally Posted by meBob View Post
    Hello Oldius & alphaGT,


    alphaGT
    I'm liking the ability to type in a search string and have the music instantly there to play at the click of a button when reclined / relaxed and listening I can be a tad lazy. I want to stay on the Flac/MP3 side of things and see how decent I can make it sound with any upgrades. If not I will consider the Vinyl / CD route.

    I kid about the Blasphemy of computers. I'm just stuck in the past, and have a selection of CDs and vinyl to play with. From what I read the state of the art is in computer playback, to get a DAC of high caliber and play high bit rare files is the highest level of playback available today, depending on who you talk to. And the beauty of streaming is like owning every record ever made! Paying a $20 a month fee for music may seem like a lot compared to free FM radio, but that's a poor comparison. It would be very easy to spend more than that buying one vinyl record per month and you'd never achieve the ability to choose from 40 million songs. As some of these streaming companies claim to have. I actually have a college degree in computer sciences and ran the computer department for a $4 billion dollar corporation for 12 years! Maybe that's why I hesitate to join the computer revolution?



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  5. #25
    Join Date: Jun 2010

    Location: Liverpool, UK.

    Posts: 1,228
    I'm Geoff.

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    You are welcome to pay me a visit and have a listen . I will happily bring some gear to your house too if it helps give you an idea.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
    Main system: Sony TTS8000; AT1010; Audio Technica Art1; The Lentek; Cambridge 851n, Yamaha NS1000.
    System 2 - SBT; Technics SH-X1000 DAC; Denon PMA-850

  6. #26
    Join Date: Mar 2011

    Location: Preston

    Posts: 197
    I'm Paul.

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    Im not a million miles away. My kit is pretty modest and I have both low powered valves and a meaty SS amp. You could bring your speakers up as well if you wanted. Im normally in on fridays or possibly over weekend, or even thursday eves. My room is a very different proposition (25 x 35 open plan) and I have 12" Tannoys for a different flavour of speaker too.

  7. #27
    Join Date: Aug 2017

    Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, England

    Posts: 150
    I'm Rob.

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    Hello Andy,

    I can't imagine how much and how long it would take to convert what I have to vinyl, I listen to a lot 60's, 70's , I dread to think how much an original copy of some of my Beatles LPs would be.

    As an exercise in sound deadening, the words "prohibitively" and "expensive" come to mind. Maybe I could take down down my mother's finest quality living room curtains and hang them up when she's not looking as cheaper alternative?

    I rarely listen to my amp above moderate levels, I'll go loud(ish) occasionally. My room is surprisingly good at moderate volumes, with no echo I can hear.

    To my ears the Arcam Alpha 10 easily outperformed the Marantz a lower volume, more bass and detail.

  8. #28
    Join Date: Aug 2017

    Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, England

    Posts: 150
    I'm Rob.

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    Hello alphaGT

    I'm willing try the 0's and 1's route and see how good I can get it.

    Although I still have in the region of 20 vinyls at the bottom of a wardrobe, these are the ones my mother failed to find when she gave all my others away (about 70 of them) to charity (without asking me!) when I moved out of the house in my early 20's.

    I haven't listen to an Vinyl on a reasonable system for over 25 years? I am curious.

  9. #29
    Join Date: Aug 2017

    Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, England

    Posts: 150
    I'm Rob.

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    Hello oldius

    As I've said in a previous post I do most of my listening up close up at lower volumes, all I really need to do is literally position myself a similar distance to your system and I'll know if it's a bingo moment. Echos and such don't really effect at lower volume levels

    You've been so kind in offering the chance to come and hear your system, If there's any traveling to be done or effort to be put in, I'm happy to make the duty mine?

  10. #30
    Join Date: Aug 2017

    Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, England

    Posts: 150
    I'm Rob.

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    Hello pgarrish,

    25 x 35 that sounds like a football stadium!

    Thanks for your offer, would you mind if I visited oldius first?

    I'm very curious about valves, the last time I came in to contact with them was in my grandparents house, they had a music centre in beautifully varnished wood that had a record player and radio from the 50's.

    It was the centre piece of the living room, there were ventilation slits that the tubes could be seen glowing through, I found it mesmerizing as a 6 year old. And it also sounded quite nice to my very young ears too.

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