Getting the Hi-Fi Mojo Back

[Barry]

I began my Hi-Fi addiction back in 1962 when I assembled my first Hi-Fi system. Back then it was usual to build your own speakers, mine were Wharfedale, Also built a Mullard 5-10 amplifier and a cabinet to house the amp, AT60 turntable and Mullard tuner. Gave me a couple of years pleasure and then the bug bit.

Yes I started off by building my amplifiers and speakers. In my case it was a couple of Mullard 5-10 designs and a Wharfedale design using an RS8DD drive unit in a wharfedale design distributed rear port enclosure of about 1.5 cu.ft volume. Oh and the deck was a Garrard SP25/II with a Shure M3D cartridge.

This system remained with me for about three years, when I replaced the TT with a Collaro 2010 deck to which I fitted an SME 3009 arm with a Shure M55E cartridge. That lasted a year then I replaced the TT with a Thorens TD124/II, and changed the amplifier with a Sugden C51 control unit feeding a copy of the power section of the Sugden A21.

Happy days!

[hifi_dave]

You must have been a real enthusiast having an SP25/II, all I could afford was a lowly AT6. I did have a Shure M3DM in it though.

[AJSki2fly]

fascinating to read of your journey Adrian in hospitality in Devon . Have you given it up now in Seaton ?

I guess many of us if babies come along or other responsibilities happen find it hard to get back into music . I find these forums stimulate me and the many FB groups i am on . and trying all the different equipment is brilliant .

We stopped hospitality in March 2014 when we moved to Seaton and got rid of the mortgage, too many new H&S rules and Fire Reg issues making it prohibitive, plus we wanted out own space. As it turned out it was just as well, as in March 2016 I had a heart attack, it would have been very tricky if we were still doing B&B, and had a mortgage.

Whilst recovering from my health issues as best I could I had lots of time to contemplate my naval and the meaning of life, and music became the backdrop for that. I went back to work part time for about 2.5 years, on and off, but struggled physically and I suppose mentally as I found stress at work impacted me greatly. Eventually I was medically retired on the advice of GP and Cardiac Consultant. A strange and unexpected episode in my life, it took me several years to realise I would never be the same as I was before, but then none of us are as time marches on. I look at as positively as I can, I am still kicking around and have been able to take things are lot easier than most can. Sue and I try and do and experience as much as we can together, and even went to Australia for a month last year for our Ruby wedding, something I would not have dreamed of being able to do 4 or 5 years ago, we are lucky to be in a position to do so.

[Jimbo]

I ended up in exactly the same situation Adrian at least a couple of times and decided to start a blog about my system and audiophile experiences however this was still not enough and so I have become a YouTuber. This combines all my hobbies into one and has given me a much needed injection of mojo. However if you have busy life - forget it as it is extremely time consuming and best left for retirement. But it does combine hifi, photography, video filming, video editing, digital sound recording etc etc. For me it has been the most interesting thing I have done for years and certainly got me interested in my system from another perspective!

But maybe start a Blog about your system - it may get you to look at it from a different perspective and get you interested again especially as it combines hifi and photography - ticks two or maybe three boxes and is not too time consuming?


Or you could just go back to box swapping? Seriously I agree with Martin - a change of speakers can make such a big difference and maybe get you to hear your system in a completely different way? I found just adjusting my room acoustics completely altered how my system sounded and improved my listening experience significantly.

[Puffin]

Find new music to listen to. From my own perspective I listen to a lot of shit stuff these days, but it is different and is new You think that you have tweaked your system to the nth degree and therefore the tons of cables (well I have) that you think haven't nade the grade are up for a swappsises session and they may surprise you.

If you have several pre-amps, amps, dacs. speakers etc etc - substitute one or more and see how the system sounds. You have to listen to music to make an assessment and so the system is getting used.

Don't have a subwoofer? - Get one. The difference that these can make is immense. You don't have to try to demolish the house foundations with one (or two or three - I have five) but only use one at the moment. Play with the phase it will surprise you.

If you're speakers are bi-wireable try changing the phase of the bass or HF again the results can be very interesting.

If none of the above takes your fancy then just get bladdered and turn the system up to 11.

[AJSki2fly]

I ended up in exactly the same situation Adrian at least a couple of times and decided to start a blog about my system and audiophile experiences however this was still not enough and so I have become a YouTuber. This combines all my hobbies into one and has given me a much needed injection of mojo. However if you have busy life - forget it as it is extremely time consuming and best left for retirement. But it does combine hifi, photography, video filming, video editing, digital sound recording etc etc. For me it has been the most interesting thing I have done for years and certainly got me interested in my system from another perspective!

But maybe start a Blog about your system - it may get you to look at it from a different perspective and get you interested again especially as it combines hifi and photography - ticks two or maybe three boxes and is not too time consuming?


Or you could just go back to box swapping? Seriously I agree with Martin - a change of speakers can make such a big difference and maybe get you to hear your system in a completely different way? I found just adjusting my room acoustics completely altered how my system sounded and improved my listening experience significantly.

James, Sorry to hear you have had similar problems, hopefully reasonably recovered now, and finding your way.

I did get into Youtube quite early on in 2008 before I had my health issues, Sue and I did quite a few Ski holidays in Canada and I got a helmet cam, yes it velcro'd to my helmet, that doesn't sound right does it , you know what I mean. I posted a few videos at Fernie Ski Hill on various trips/runs and powder days, mainly for my own interest really, friends and family to see where we had been. Also a couple of the Hifi and some hillclimbs in two Morgans I used to own and at Wiscombe Hill climb very near us. Yes I was a petrolhead as well as a camHead. I always cringe at how I sound, never like hearing myself speak. If your interested search for AJSki2fly, get it?

[Jimbo]

James, Sorry to hear you have had similar problems, hopefully reasonably recovered now, and finding your way.

I did get into Youtube quite early on in 2008 before I had my health issues, Sue and I did quite a few Ski holidays in Canada and I got a helmet cam, yes it velcro'd to my helmet, that doesn't sound right does it , you know what I mean. I posted a few videos at Fernie Ski Hill on various trips/runs and powder days, mainly for my own interest really, friends and family to see where we had been. Also a couple of the Hifi and some hillclimbs in two Morgans I used to own and at Wiscombe Hill climb very near us. Yes I was a petrolhead as well as a camHead. I always cringe at how I sound, never like hearing myself speak. If your interested search for AJSki2fly, get it?

I will check you out Adrian. The latest GoPro camera's are worlds away from the early cam strapped to head I will be combining a lot of stuff in later videos but at the moment I am just getting to grips putting them together and hope to put at least one out a month. I have at least two years of material to work through and hope to increase the quality as I upgrade my gear. At least it keeps me interested in the hobby and does now maximise my photo and video interests as well.

It is a bit unnerving hearing yourself recorded,I agree!

[Alex_UK]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply and offer your experience and advice.

Having effectively banned myself from streaming services and radio this week, and only playing music that I own I have come to the conclusion that up until around 10 years ago before Spotify was a thing I must have been spending a fortune on CDs/records, and there are dozens possibly hundreds of albums I have bought and I have no idea who they are, where I bought them from, or why!

Currently playing an album by Talamasca from 2011 called Make Some Noise, which appears to be French psychedelic trance - didn’t even know I liked French psychedelic trance, and certainly don’t ever recall the evidently prolific artist (looking at his website), but it is an interesting step on the journey!

[Puffin]

Yes, Splotifly is your friend I had one of the first free accounts when it started and despite being the free version to my buggered Tinitus ridden ears it sounds more than acceptable. Has helped me find loads of stuff that I would never have known was available or that I would like.

If you can find it look out for am album by Earl Grey - Purveyors Of The New Groove. Don't blench when I tell you it is mainly Drum & Bass with tones of Ambient thrown in

There was an article in HiFi Choice many many years ago about the making of this album as they decided to use many millions (well - a lot!) of stacked Mana tables in the studio as they obviously felt that this was the right thing to do. I heard many tracks being played to good effect at several Hifi Shows at Heathrow thereafter. My Souls On Ice is an atmospheric moody bass laden/ambient gem IMO of course.

[Macca]

I really enjoy hunting round the shops for used CDs, occasionally getting things I've been after and taking a punt on stuff I don't know.

None of that with streaming. Yes you can try new stuff but there's not the thrill of bagging a kill and taking it back to the cave.

I think we should indulge our prehistoric instincts, it's important for mental health. Probably.

Okay so I do sometimes cheat and buy from Music Magpie or an Amazon seller.