View Full Version : HELP!!! I'm in a glass cage of emotion...
Hi Chaps,
I haven't messed about with the configuration of my system for some months now, as I've been reasonably happy with how it has been delivering music, except to swap out the ancient, and frankly rather dire Monster interconnects I'd been using for some marvelous, white clad, Belkin Pure AV Silver cables as recommended by all and sundry on AoS. This upgrade brought sparkle, definition and an openness into my system which had previously been lacking.
Up until yesterday I'd been using the Audiolab 8000C pre as the hub for my analogue and digital components, with the latter being handled by my Gatorized Caiman which was routed into the 8000C. Out of curiosity, I decided to try running the Caiman as a 'pre' into the Hafler. After configuring the cables to achieve this end, I sat down to listen to some CD's and FLAC files.
I am absolutely staggered by the results of this experiment. I know what I am going to write is a bit of a cliche, but it describes what I am hearing perfectly: It is as if a heavy pair of velvet curtains has been lifted from in front of my speakers. The vast improvement in clarity, openness, imaging et al, relegates what the old configuration could deliver into the gutter. The only change I've made is to swap out the Audiolab, therefore it has to be the culprit. This saddens me as I've always respected Audiolab kit, and to hear it so comprehensively blown away by a £200 DAC with a simple (but extremely effective) pre-amp onboard, leads me to wonder how the company could have got the design of the 8000C so wrong. It's doubly frustrating as the 8000C has a cracking phonostage which handles the Goldring 900IGC I'm using on the Thorens very well indeed.
This has left me with a bit of a dilemma: As it stands, I can either put up with the lack-lustre sound being delivered through the Audiolab so I can continue to use the TT, or I can sacrifice the TT so that I can enjoy the vast improvement in sound quality I'm hearing from my digital sources via the Caiman. What I need is a solution which will allow me to connect my TT to the Caiman. I'm guessing I will be looking at an ADC (Analogue To Digital Converter). For the short term I have a Cambridge Audio 540p phonostage I can partner with the Thorens until I can afford something better. The ADC will also need to provide a flat input so that I can use my MD Player as the model I own is only equipped with an Optical Digital input and analogue In/out.
Unfortunately, I'm currently not in a position to throw a lot of money at this problem, although that may change in a couple of weeks as I intend to sell my Kona mountain bike on ebay. It's worth about a grand, but I will be happy if it makes £400-500.
I would be very grateful for any suggestions or advice, especially if they don't involve me having to go, cap in hand, to my bank manager... :lol:
Dave - you don't want to go the ADC route as it will wreck your precious analogue signal. Why not use the Audiolab for the TT and the Caiman for digital? Just use a switch between Audiolab/Caiman and the power amp. One switch's worth of insertion loss shouldn't break the lovely sound you're experiencing from both. You need a two-way phono input switch.
I used to have one of those record player thingies ;) In fact I did at one (70’s) time have the exact combination you have bar my deck was the S version.
So, the bad news, it took some fairly serious mods, a Hadcock arm and Decca London Gold to get the Thorens to sing.
I never quite understood what the fuss was over the Audiolab kit and thankfully on the same advice that steered me clear of the Naim/Linn combo, I bought Exposure and Quantum at the time.
Anyway, the answer is simple, ditch the record deck and the Audiolab and the CD player.Welcome to the world of digital audio :eek: All you need is a music server of some sort and you will be on the way to catching up with the rest of the file audio digital chaps.
Course, the vinyl chaps won’t talk to you any more but well, they’ll catch on eventually :rolleyes:
On a slightly more serious note; vinyl can give stunning audio, but it aint cheap and for the money you’re talking about file>Dac>T Class amp>speakers will outperform the other options.
A lot has been written even on these forums concerning the superiority of file based audio in this kind of price range. We cant all be deaf :eyebrows:
Dave - you don't want to go the ADC route as it will wreck your precious analogue signal. Why not use the Audiolab for the TT and the Caiman for digital? Just use a switch between Audiolab/Caiman and the power amp. One switch's worth of insertion loss shouldn't break the lovely sound you're experiencing from both. You need a two-way phono input switch.
Hmmm, that's a thought Martin, thanks ;)
Another complication I have is that the 8000C has two pre-outs, one of which I've been using to power my sub. Would using a splitter between the Caiman and Hafler compromise the overall sound by much? Another issue I might need to consider is that my sub has only one phono input and I'm currently using a quality two into one Y adapter as a solution. How would this affect the signal to the Hafler if I run it from a splitter in the signal path?
Why not run the sub from the speaker outputs, that way it'll work from both sources? REL, for one, always recommend running their subs this way as they better integrate with the main stereo pair. Otherwise, too many things in the signal path for my liking!
I used to have one of those record player thingies ;) In fact I did at one (70’s) time have the exact combination you have bar my deck was the S version.
So, the bad news, it took some fairly serious mods, a Hadcock arm and Decca London Gold to get the Thorens to sing.
I never quite understood what the fuss was over the Audiolab kit and thankfully on the same advice that steered me clear of the Naim/Linn combo, I bought Exposure and Quantum at the time.
Anyway, the answer is simple, ditch the record deck and the Audiolab and the CD player.Welcome to the world of digital audio :eek: All you need is a music server of some sort and you will be on the way to catching up with the rest of the file audio digital chaps.
Course, the vinyl chaps won’t talk to you any more but well, they’ll catch on eventually :rolleyes:
On a slightly more serious note; vinyl can give stunning audio, but it aint cheap and for the money you’re talking about file>Dac>T Class amp>speakers will outperform the other options.
A lot has been written even on these forums concerning the superiority of file based audio in this kind of price range. We cant all be deaf :eyebrows:
Don't think that your suggestion hasn't crossed my mind Welder. However, the TT/arm/cartridge combo I'm using really does sing, as I'm hoping to demonstrate at a bake off someday :) If I was still using my TD316/LVX+/AT95e I might've considered going purely digital, but having spent nearly 400 quid getting the deck to where it's at, as well as a fair bit on vinyl, I'm not ready to make the sacrifice just yet ;)
Why not run the sub from the speaker outputs, that way it'll work from both sources? REL, for one, always recommend running their subs this way as they better integrate with the main stereo pair. Otherwise, too many things in the signal path for my liking!
RCA input only unfortunately Martin :(
p.s. Maybe I should invest in a better sub. I can see this getting very expensive :eyebrows:
Hi,
No advice but I just considered buying the new audiolab cd player and then thought why bother when a squeezbox touch is £165, NAS £200 and I have a dacmagic already so all are ready to be connected up, no doubt it will sound awesome through my new pre-and power amps and vinyl will need to be pimped up again to match it but hey you only live once don't you!
I can even control all my flacs with my HTC desire, result all round!
Well, you *could* just plug in whichever you want into the power amp. Manual switching LOL! Doesn't solve the issue of the Caiman driving the sub, though.
Well, you *could* just plug in whichever you want into the power amp. Manual switching LOL! Doesn't solve the issue of the Caiman driving the sub, though.
That's how I'm handling it at the moment Martin, although it's not very elegant as I'm having to hang over the back of my rack with my bum pointed towards the ceiling to swap cables :lol::lol::lol:
Hi,
No advice but I just considered buying the new audiolab cd player and then thought why bother when a squeezbox touch is £165, NAS £200 and I have a dacmagic already so all are ready to be connected up, no doubt it will sound awesome through my new pre-and power amps and vinyl will need to be pimped up again to match it but hey you only live once don't you!
I can even control all my flacs with my HTC desire, result all round!
Yeah, I need to look into this at some point as I have an HTC Desire too...
“However, the TT/arm/cartridge combo I'm using really does sing, as I'm hoping to demonstrate at a bake off someday ”
You’ll go home crying :(
I’ve had 5 Thorens decks with SME 111, 3009 Hadcocks, MM and MC cartridges, loved my vinyl right up until three years ago when a friend said “John have a listen to this” and for a few hours I left all prejudices and preconceptions behind and actually listened.
There just wasn’t any contest. Okay, I was listening to a particularly well sorted file based system way out of my price range but I learnt, and I’ve been working towards that quality of sound since.
Reid Malenfant
06-04-2011, 14:58
RCA input only unfortunately Martin :(
That's easy to get round Dave :eyebrows: All you need is 3 resistors a few bits of wire & a phono plug, you'll then be able to connect to the speaker terminals of both speakers & connect to the phono input of the sub 4103
That's easy to get round Dave :eyebrows: All you need is 3 resistors a few bits of wire & a phono plug, you'll then be able to connect to the speaker terminals of both speakers & connect to the phono input of the sub 4103
You forgot one important item Mark, a head for electronics... :lolsign:
Reid Malenfant
06-04-2011, 15:27
I'm sure some friendly member could knock something together for you ;)
:eyebrows: Seriously all that would be needed is enough screened cable to run from both your speakers to the phono input on the sub. The three resistors could be fitted inside the phono plug & Bob's your dads brother :smoking:
In fact tell me how long the cable needs to be & i'll have it together for you by tomorrow when you bring round the rocky mountains :lolsign:
Another less disruptive alternative, which would keep your existing functionality would be to replace the Audiolab C with a Q, it's a much better pre-amp IMHO.
;)
I use my 7520 as a pre amp too I think I would have to spend a fair bit of cash to better it. I am glad you have stumbled across this fact.
Your Phono stage problem is awkward. But your subwoofer problem is easy - buy a couple of these below and run one set of interconnects to the power amp and one set to the sub.
http://www.divineaudio.co.uk/cable-accessories/audioquest-hard-rca-splitter/prod_1963.html
You can get the above from 50p upwards as plastic jobbies from amazon but them ones I link to look good quality.
Butuz
Reid Malenfant
06-04-2011, 20:05
Yep, they'd be fine assuming that there is a left & right phono input to the sub :) If there is only a single input though it'd have to be connected to a single channel unless some form of mixer amp was used to combine them, otherwise the stereo would quickly become mono :eek:
Dingdong
06-04-2011, 20:30
Is it not possible to do a little mod to add an analogue input to the dac? I'm not sure where the volume control is in the circuit of it.
If it is possible i would like to know as it would be very handy!!!
Butuz
You could add a switch and another pair of phono sockets but my guess is you'd have to re-house the DAC as space inside is at a premium.
Dingdong
07-04-2011, 05:12
Maybe phono sockets on a very short bit of cable that goes in to the back of the dac if there's no space to mount the sockets then. It'll probably need a switch in the circuit somewhere as well.
I'm sure some friendly member could knock something together for you ;)
:eyebrows: Seriously all that would be needed is enough screened cable to run from both your speakers to the phono input on the sub. The three resistors could be fitted inside the phono plug & Bob's your dads brother :smoking:
In fact tell me how long the cable needs to be & i'll have it together for you by tomorrow when you bring round the rocky mountains :lolsign:
Looking at about 10m Mark :eyebrows:
Is it not possible to do a little mod to add an analogue input to the dac? I'm not sure where the volume control is in the circuit of it.
Perhaps this is one for Stan. I'd happily sacrifice the Optical Input on my Caiman for an Analogue substitute simply because it would solve the issue.
Stan, if you are reading this, I have a suggestion for a future redesign. Maybe it might be possible to incorporate a modular input stage for your design so customers can pick which input sections they require. I have little experience designing circuits so I've no idea if this would be practical or not, but the idea is sound... ;)
howlindawg
07-04-2011, 08:03
Seems to me that a little DIY is in order here.
A simple passive "pre" consisting of two RCA inputs (Digital in and Analog in) one set of RCA outputs (Power Amp) a good quality toggle switch to swap between them and a decent pot (shunted noble or Alps) to attenuate the Analog signal.
Digital in is from the Caiman and is routed straight out via the toggle switch
Analog in is from your phono stage and is routed via the toggle switch through the pot and then out .
Total cost should be around £50 even iwith a nice box.
You could then sell the Audiolab and 540p and use the cash for a much nicer phono stage.
Seems to me that a little DIY is in order here.
A simple passive "pre" consisting of two RCA inputs (Digital in and Analog in) one set of RCA outputs (Power Amp) a good quality toggle switch to swap between them and a decent pot (shunted noble or Alps) to attenuate the Analog signal.
Digital in is from the Caiman and is routed straight out via the toggle switch
Analog in is from your phono stage and is routed via the toggle switch through the pot and then out .
Total cost should be around £50 even iwith a nice box.
You could then sell the Audiolab and 540p and use the cash for a much nicer phono stage.
Now that sounds like the perfect solution. It would be beyond my skills to build however, so if anyone could volunteer to build one for me I'd be very grateful. I would need a list of the parts that would be needed. I'd also need some indication as to the enclosure size. ;)
kininigin
07-04-2011, 09:36
i used to run my 7520 as a pre into my actives and was very happy with the sound then added a croft into the mix and it left it way behind,plus it has a fantastic phono stage,maybe a possible option?
Dingdong
07-04-2011, 10:24
Now that sounds like the perfect solution. It would be beyond my skills to build however, so if anyone could volunteer to build one for me I'd be very grateful. I would need a list of the parts that would be needed. I'd also need some indication as to the enclosure size. ;)
If you need some help building the electric bits give me a shout. If you were to get all the bits together you need I'm sure we could put it all together in a short space of time.
i used to run my 7520 as a pre into my actives and was very happy with the sound then added a croft into the mix and it left it way behind,plus it has a fantastic phono stage,maybe a possible option?
That was my thought, just get a better pre-amp...the 8000C was never very good in the first place, it may also be knackered or in need of a service ;)
I use an upgraded 8000Q as a preamp for similar integration reasons, and it knocks the socks of the 8000S (same preamp as the C) I was previously using as a preamp.
But as you state a better pre amp of any kind would be a simple solution, and the entire analog/digital configuration would benefit :)
Which Croft are we talking about here? The only one I can find is the Micro, which is way more than I can afford unfortunately. After auctioning my bike and the 8000c, I'm probably going to have £500 at most to play with. :doh:
Canetoad
10-04-2011, 09:03
Dave - you don't want to go the ADC route as it will wreck your precious analogue signal. Why not use the Audiolab for the TT and the Caiman for digital? Just use a switch between Audiolab/Caiman and the power amp. One switch's worth of insertion loss shouldn't break the lovely sound you're experiencing from both. You need a two-way phono input switch.
I use a beresford switcher to switch from my AV system to my hifi, as I share the front speakers between them. It has switching for 2 sets of speakers and 2 inputs. Works great! :)
Oops. All connections are for speaker cables. Sorry, won't work for RCA connections.
Having given this some thought I've decided that adding extra gubbins into the signal path is probably going to take me close to where I am right now with the Audiolab, therefore it's back to square one.
Realistically, I can live without the use of my Thorens for the time being. It is currently sat on a sub-standard rack which itself is sat on a suspended floor so I'm not going to be able to hear it at its best just now anyway. I am more than happy with the sound I'm hearing from my CD player and also from my collection of lossless audio stored on my computer. I have duplicates of just about all of my LP's stored on my hard drive so it's not as if I'm losing out.
This leaves me with two options:
Option 1: Sell the 8000c and my mountain bike and soldier on with the setup as it stands, using the Caiman as a pre. I could use this time to save some extra pennies to add to the cash from my auctions to put towards a better pre-amp.
Option 2: I've come across an outfit on eBay who specialize in upgrading classic Audiolab gear. Their name is Red Hill Audio and this is what they can do: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Audiolab-8000c-Pre-Amp-Amplifier-Upgrade-Service-/170616414398?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item27b987e0be#ht_1173wt_905
The price is right and as a bonus they upgrade the phonostage as well. This would be a cost effective solution and would hopefully furnish me with a much better pre-amp. As I like the look of the 8000c this would make it an even more desirable option. Any thoughts? ;)
Reid Malenfant
10-04-2011, 18:19
Any thoughts? ;)
You could make me an offer on my Classe Audio DR5 :eyebrows:
Mark, are you tempting me you naughty man??? :lol::lol::lol:
Reid Malenfant
10-04-2011, 18:26
You can borrow it if you like & see what you think ;) It has a built in MM/MC phono stage of very good quality. Balanced output as well as single ended & one set of balanced inputs (defo at least one pair) as well as single ended.
It's not exactly small though. When i auditioned it it totally wiped the floor with anything else i tried up to £800 secondhand ;)
I'd almost have to borrow it to stop the Hafler giggling at the 8000c... :lol::lol::lol:
Reid Malenfant
10-04-2011, 19:26
:lolsign: Ah well the Hafler may well have some work to do then faced with a decent pre amp ;) Should make it shine :)
Or give up all hope :eyebrows:
Ok, reporting in for those who need to know (Mark :lol:):
Having taken advantage of Mark's very kind offer to lend me his Classe Audio DR5 with an option to purchase, I went over to pick it up from his place today. After a trip home at speeds that would've made Lewis Hamilton sit up and take notice, I set about stripping out my old racks so I could install all the gear in the rack I picked up from eBay a couple of weeks back (the DR5 is just too big to be housed in the old one).
Well, what can I say? I suppose, to be kind to the Audiolab 8000c, it did cost a damn sight less when new than the DR5. There is absolutely no sensible comparison that can be made between these two pre-amps. One has you almost reaching out to touch the performers, whereas the other has you reaching for the Q-Tips to clean out your ears. It has solved everything that was wrong with my system, and I mean that most sincerely.
Those of you who have been following my adventures in Hi-Fi will probably have gleaned from many of my comments that my system was lacking in bass extension and definition. It got to the point where I'd become obsessed with finding more bass, and I didn't give a hoot whether it was accurate or not. I even went and bought a cheapo sub off eBay and had myself convinced all was well. It wasn't by a huge margin.
The Hafler 220 greeted the DR5 like a long lost friend. It's a marriage made in heaven boys and girls. The Hafler has stopped sulking over all the stodgy porridge it was being fed by the 8000c and now it's come alive. Oh my God, the dynamics have to be heard to be believed, and of course, now there's bass. Not wodges of wobbly, blubbery wumph, but highly defined kicks to the gut that could cut through 40mm steel plate. I'm at a loss for words to describe the rest of the frequency range, and the acres of space around instruments and performers, and the pluck of fingernails on guitar strings, and the way brushes tickle the skins on a snare, and the palpable airiness of a well recorded piano, and the hushed voices to the rear of the studio as Elbow record their album, Cast Of Thousands....... :eyebrows:
I could cry if I was a wus. Sod it, I'll probably cry anyway when I listen to Elaine Page performing Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Quite simply, it is producing magic and I'm luvin' it, luvin' it, luvin' it... :lol:
Mark, you'll have the money as soon as I've sold my Hi-Fi bits 'n' bobs and my bike. Fook it, I'd sell my right arm and a kidney, I won't be needing them... :lol::lol::lol:
Reid Malenfant
13-04-2011, 18:52
Ha, you neglected to mention the bit about ringing me as you couldn't get a sound out of it :ner:
So it makes quite a bit of difference eh? Sweet, well i did say it went up against a load of other quality kit & trounced them in a big way ;) It'll be at it's best after about 24 hours, you may have noticed a total lack of power switch on the front or back :D It's pure class A & totally discrete so consequently it's designed to be left switched on permanently, don't worry though it hardly uses any juice what so ever :) It just needs to get everything stabilised & it'll probably open up even more :eek:
I guess that means i'd have to pry it out of your cold dead hands if i wanted it back :eyebrows: Take your time over the money if you are keeping it Dave, i'm in no rush chap.
I'm pleased it's gone to someone who is appreciating it rather than letting it fester here doing nothing :rolleyes:
Lets see some pics then buddy :smoking:
I'll post pics tomorrow buddy coz the camera I own has a very harsh flash and I want the system to look its best. ;)
I think I'll revitalize my system thread as many of the pics I posted in the original have gone walkies due to me re-organizing folders in my Photobucket acc. :doh:
Reid Malenfant
13-04-2011, 19:29
I'll post pics tomorrow buddy coz the camera I own has a very harsh flash and I want the system to look its best. ;)
I think I'll revitalize my system thread as many of the pics I posted in the original have gone walkies due to me re-organizing folders in my Photobucket acc. :doh:
All sounds good to me :lol: Actually everything sounds good to me :eyebrows:
BTW, cheers for the loan of that CD Dave, it's one that Discogs doesn't actually have on the site :scratch: It's going to get a good listen at a more realistic volume, i did go through both discs though & enjoyed it - but it needs playing at a decent level as i'm sure you can understand seeing as you used to know it :D Now you'll have to get to know everything again :doh:
I'm sure it'll be fun :lolsign:
No probs Mark. I did miss it after I got everything setup as I tend to use it as my reference. Ah well, tomorrow I'll set my PC back up and listen to the lossless rip. ;)
Just finished playing Dances With Wolves OST. By gum, I almost went out to hire a native american costume, it felt so real... :lol:
I'd like to thank all of you for the combined benefit of your wisdom and for your practical offers of help to try and solve the issue I had with my system, especially Mark. Without your thought provoking comments things may not have turned out the way they have. Through your efforts you have helped a very frustrated man to rediscover the music. I Thank you all... :respect:
:closed:
Reid Malenfant
13-04-2011, 20:03
You have left out the important bit, what does Jo think? :scratch:
:eyebrows:
She's blown away by it Mark. She's at a loss how one box of tricks can make SUCH a difference to all the rest. What was telling is that she asked me if I was happy now. I'm not going to push that one any further... :laugh:
Now, how much is a Slingbox, and what effect would a better CD player have on the overall sound??? :eyebrows:
Well, what can I say? I suppose, to be kind to the Audiolab 8000c, it did cost a damn sight less when new than the DR5. There is absolutely no sensible comparison that can be made between these two pre-amps. One has you almost reaching out to touch the performers, whereas the other has you reaching for the Q-Tips to clean out your ears. It has solved everything that was wrong with my system, and I mean that most sincerely.
Am I the only one who keeps banging on about how important preamps are? Absolutely great news, Dave, I take it you'll be keeping the Classe?
Am I the only one who keeps banging on about how important preamps are? Absolutely great news, Dave, I take it you'll be keeping the Classe?
As Mark mentioned above, Martin, you'd have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers... :lol:
I got an inkling just how much of a difference a pre-amp could make months ago when I began using the Hafler. My old NAD 3140 integrated is a bloody good amp, and for dynamics I've not heard much better in it's class, although it doesn't possess the last word in refinement. However, when I hooked it up to the Hafler as a pre, the whole presentation was stodgy mess.
Now I've heard the DR5/Hafler combo, I now know why some people describe the 8000c as sounding grainy. Obviously, 'grainy' is only an adjective, but it fits what I hear almost perfectly. I'm not going to knock the Audiolab because it was a big step up from the NAD, it's just that, to use a metaphor, the 8000c is akin to the Wright Brothers first flight against the DR5's Apollo Moon Landing, the difference really is that wide... :stalks:
howlindawg
14-04-2011, 11:32
Sounds like you found a perfect solution after all, and not a solder burn to be seen!
Time to change your signature then! :clap:
I only consider buying a new AUDIOLAB the CD player, and then think of why when squeezbox Touch is £ 165, NAS 200 pounds and I have a dacmagic ready, so all is connected, it will undoubtedly sound awesome through my new pre and power amplifiers, and ethylene will need to procure another to match it, but hey, you only live once you do not!......
Since I last posted on here I've snuck another bit of kit in through the back door, namely an Arcam CD72. I'm finding it to be a very different beast to the NAD CD524, which is quite forward and a little brittle and edgy in comparison.
I like the way the Arcam delivers music in a smooth, analogue manner which, upon a first listen, feels a little laid back compared to the NAD. Once I'd spun a couple of disks though I realized the CD72 was giving me more musical detail which it delivers in a very natural manner. It was more of a performance through the Arcam whereas the NAD gives the impression it is having to 'shout' to make itself heard. Audition the two together for a short period with a dynamic rock or dance track and I'm sure the NAD would initially impress. On that basis some might prefer it, however a longer audition brings the Arcam's talents into sharp focus.
I began by spinning track one of the excellent Avatar soundtrack on both machines. I chose the CD524 to begin with which impressed with its dynamics, especially as the weighty drum track rises to a crescendo a few seconds in. I'm used to the way the NAD performs so as the track progressed I enjoyed its portrayal of this fine piece of movie music magic. All to soon it was over and it was time to spin up the Arcam. The first thing that hit me was an airiness to the soundstage which immediately conveyed the huge scope of the piece, something which the NAD had missed completely. Every little nuance in the music was held in sharp focus and spread well beyond the speakers in every dimension. 'Effortless Scale' is the phrase to use here, something the Arcam conveys very well indeed, almost as if someone had removed the walls and ceiling to my room to reveal a concert hall. In comparison, the CD524 sounded boxed in and nasal. Every instrument exuded a natural timbre via the Arcam, and in actual fact, having seen the movie at the cinema many times, both in 3D and 2D, I found myself enjoying the stereo rendition through my system more than I did the multi-channel version at the flicks.
Next up was the remastered version of Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds. This doesn't get played on my system very often as I find it to be a little compressed and thin in tone. Well, the Arcam sorted it out good and proper. I expected to see Richard Burton step out from behind the wardrobe, gesturing expressively with his arms as he delivered the now famous introduction: "No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless depths of space..." It was such a revelation that I sat back and listened to the entire album, with what I am sure was a look of total wonder on my face. After War Of The Worlds had finished the CD's came thick and fast, and with each CD played it became clearer that the Arcam is a bit of a 'Diva' (excuse the pun).
The Arcam CD72 was one hell of a CD player at its original asking price. Secondhand and in good condition it can be a bargain. In my case however, thanks to a good gaming buddy, all it has cost me is the price of the postage, £14.99. I think that is what is commonly referred to as a 'result'... :cool:
Hi Dave
Just wondering which of your 'speakers you were using for the comparison as you have about 4 pairs listed in your sig? Also did you compare with your Sony CDP? Or was that already bettered by the NAD?
Hi Dave
Just wondering which of your 'speakers you were using for the comparison as you have about 4 pairs listed in your sig? Also did you compare with your Sony CDP? Or was that already bettered by the NAD?
Hi Macca,
Of the speakers listed in my sig, the LS55's and the KEF's are the only two in a decent state of repair. The Heybrook's need new bass/mids, which are a biatch to source, plus the cabs are a little scruffy (I intend to work on them once I have sourced some drivers). The Celestion's sound amazing but again there is some cab damage. These are awaiting a recab which will happen sometime soon I hope. If the recab is successful and based on the results the County's are giving me just now, they may well replace the LS55's at some point. The KEF's currently reside with my Mum, along with the CA amp and Sony CDP. The Sony is one of their budget models and although good for what it is, it is totally outclassed by both the NAD and the Arcam.
As for the KEF's: They were the first decent speakers I purchased when the HiFi bug bit again. What they do, they do very well but they are flawed. Lateral imaging is superb mainly due to the excellent Uni Q driver, however they are very 'one dimensional'. There's no height or depth to their imaging and they really don't do bass. Tonally they are a sweet sounding speaker but I can't live with their flaws. My Mum likes them though :doh:
I used the LS55's and Celestion County's for the comparison test between the Arcam and the NAD ;)
Ta for the reply Dave. Considering an Arcam CD for meself, you see, looking for something with bass weight but nothing dull sounding or too warm.
The Arcam suits my system beautifully Macca. The NAD sounds hard and brittle when teamed with the components I own now. When I had it hooked up to my NAD C340 amp (which is now on eBay), it was an exciting combo partnered with my old Mission 773's.
The CD524 will be going on eBay tomorrow unless someone wants to give it a spin on AoS, which kinda says it all really... ;)
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