Welcome, seeking advice

[phillil]

Hi there,

my name is Lee and am relatively new in the world if hifi.

I haven't really had much exposure to the various audio delights out there, and have played it quite safe by just sticking to mainstream gear on offer that have typically received great reviews.

The only speakers I have actually owned and seriously given a chance have been B&W - starting from the entry 600 series have worked my way up to the 802 Diamonds.

I have always opted for a PC as a source, even since back in the day when a ripped RAW wave file was too big for an album to fit on my HDD, hence started with Mp3. Needless to say switched to flac when I first started to take my hifi seriously about 6 years ago.

For the rst of the electronics, I always aspired to own the natural partner for the B&W 800 series, hence currently own the latest Classe pre-amp hooked up to a pair of 400W mono's.

The result is truly awesome, the scale, dynamics, detail, texture etc etc just makes me smile and really takes me into the music, and at time sounds so realistic you'd think the instruments were in the room.

I find that such is the realism and quality, has me hooked and listening to all kinds of music I'd never thought I'd ever listen to.

With all that said, I am just a little bit curious about what else is out there. B&W/Classe philosophy tends to be as clean, detailed, clear and as real as possible, and is good enough to get away with it. Lesser systems that attempt this (even the lower 800 series/classe) can just sound thin, bright and harsh.

They don't try and colour the sound at all with warmth, and I don't think they try to be transparent.

So I think I want to create a system, not to rival but more to compare. I tried my dad's Naim Nait 1 - it seemed to make my 802s disappear, and really focussed the centre channel with an overall presentation that was VASTLY different to the Classe. It was exciting at first, but I soon started to miss the clean crispy layers of detail, and the texture and instrument separation of the Classe.

Ideally I'd like to try valves - I know the 802s can be difficult to drive (so I've been told), but the Naim had no problems. Maybe an old classic solid state would tempt me.

If someone lived locally and had something surplus I could demo then great. Or anything that was a good deal that I could buy, but then resell without losing too much would also be an option.

So anyway, I'm open to advice / ideas

Many thanks

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hi Lee,
Welcome to AoS. What a great introduction, thanks for that.
I wonder what sort of music you like to listen to?

[John]

Great intro Chris
I think listen to as many systems as you can. Lots of different approaches to good sounds

[phillil]

Hi Lee,
Welcome to AoS. What a great introduction, thanks for that.
I wonder what sort of music you like to listen to?

Hi Steve,

until recently I stuck pretty much with 70's rock music (Dire Straits, Joe Walsh, Hall n Oates, Steve Miller, Steely Dan, Alan Parsons etc.) but since upgrading my hifi will listen to pretty much anything.

So more recently I like Newton Faulkner, Joss Stone and even have a few albums that are in the charts (Alt J, Ben Howard, Ed Sheeran, Biffy Clyro)

The way an album is produced is very important to me also, I am frustrated when I come across an album that for some reason has compression, or has a poor dynamic range.

Thanks for the welcome

Lee

[Haselsh1]

The way an album is produced is very important to me also, I am frustrated when I come across an album that for some reason has compression, or has a poor dynamic range.

Thanks for the welcome

Lee

Jesus, I think we all have that little issue to deal with. I detest the way the business expects you to pay out money for some silver piece of shit they can't even record or produce properly and with quality. If you are into vinyl the problem is even worse. Twenty odd quid for one album...!!!

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

And the above concerns are exactly why I've compiled a list of CDs that are well produced, mixed, engineered and mastered. They all sound great on my fairly decent system so they should sound great on others.

Having spent a lot of money buying hundreds of CDs and spent many thousands of hours listening in order to sort the chaff from the wheat, I was able to compile an A-Z list.

It's been on the forum for quite a while and I was going to update it. Frankly I'm not going to bother as hardly anybody seems seems interested in the list. Only a small number of people have made suggestions for albums worth including.

There you go. You put some effort into doing something, nobody gives a shit and it goes by the wayside. So be it.

Anyway, Lee, welcome to the forum. If you'd like my latest CD list sending just let me have your email and I'll whack it over to you.

Cheers
Harry

[brian2957]

Welcome Lee .

Harry for some strange reason I thought this thread was for your personal recommendations . I , for one , have followed through with quite a few of your recommended albums and bought them . All in all I've been very happy with most of the included albums , some of which I would never have considered previously . It's up to you mate but I would like you to keep the suggestions coming. :)

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Brian, there is a recommendations thread and a thread with a list.

I'm glad that you've found it useful and have discovered music that you wouldn't have heard.

The irony for me is that the problem of piss poor recordings that people complain about could be avoided. If a CD or LP is good take a few seconds to say so. If it's crap then highlight it.

This forum has an amazing number of members and yet the majority seem to contribute very little or nothing at all.

[phillil]

And the above concerns are exactly why I've compiled a list of CDs that are well produced, mixed, engineered and mastered. They all sound great on my fairly decent system so they should sound great on others.

Having spent a lot of money buying hundreds of CDs and spent many thousands of hours listening in order to sort the chaff from the wheat, I was able to compile an A-Z list.

It's been on the forum for quite a while and I was going to update it. Frankly I'm not going to bother as hardly anybody seems seems interested in the list. Only a small number of people have made suggestions for albums worth including.

There you go. You put some effort into doing something, nobody gives a shit and it goes by the wayside. So be it.

Anyway, Lee, welcome to the forum. If you'd like my latest CD list sending just let me have your email and I'll whack it over to you.

Cheers
Harry

Thanks Harry,

yes I would be very interested in your album list. Can you post a link or do you need my email address??

Lee

[Mr Kipling]

Brian, there is a recommendations thread and a thread with a list.

I'm glad that you've found it useful and have discovered music that you wouldn't have heard.

The irony for me is that the problem of piss poor recordings that people complain about could be avoided. If a CD or LP is good take a few seconds to say so. If it's crap then highlight it.

This forum has an amazing number of members and yet the majority seem to contribute very little or nothing at all.

Harry doesn't seem very happy. . . And I don't quite understand why. One of the two threads is at 46 pages. I'm tired of ranting about Ray LaMontagne's God Willin' And The Creek Don't Rise. A brilliant album and the double LP can be had for £13 and some pence on eBay. This is where YouTube can help (give you a bit of an idea).

T6a_1R3w5i4

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Yes, the thread is at 46 pages. How many have participated? Take away suggestions where do we get.

I'm not unhappy or otherwise. Don't give a fuck one way or the other TBH but I'm not going to just stay silent. It's seemed an opportune time.

[brian2957]

I'm sure there are many more who take you up on your recommendations Harry . I for one will try to contribute more in that area . Thanks for taking the time BTW :cool:

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Cheers Brian. It's really not a big issue but its been bugging me for a while so I felt worth making the point when the OP raised what is a big problem for us all.

[brian2957]

Nae bother mate . I got fed up a long time ago buying albums based on hearing one track and finding out the recording quality was very poor and the rest of the album was utter sh*t . I rely on recommendations from people like your good self as I can't afford to waste money now . I work in the public sector and everything except my salary seems to be going up .The politicians today should have more than their lemons sucked :) :) How many sets of Ushers have you got at the mo BTW :) Would love to hear a pair of those .

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Brian, just four pairs now. Of ever you're in my neck of the woods you are more than welcome to have a listen.

Know what you mean about buying sub standard music. It's a real pisser.

[brian2957]

Thanks for the invitation .You never know :eyebrows: . It's not that far away from where I am to yours mate . I think the wife is just glad to get me from under her feet sometimes :lol: Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that :eyebrows:

[Mr Kipling]

You might not be unhappy or otherwise Harry, but you sound somewhat disgruntled. At the end of the day all you - or anyone else for that matter - can do is offer to recommend this or that. People will either act on it - or they won't. There was a time when if I discovered something special at that time, I would buy a number if it was cheapish and give it to others to spread the word. I remember buying numerous copies of Sarah McLachlan's Mirrorball cd to give to others as I thought it was a really great live album. 2011 there were a few copies of Ray LaMontagne's album that I got to give to others, again to spread the word. No one does this for me and I get little real feedback for my efforts. I've raved about the sound quality of Roy Orbison's A Black And White Night on VHS which is STONKING!! But does anyone take me seriously?

Because of your mention of the Leonard Cohen I intend to get it. If you hadn't mentioned it I probably wouldn't have become aware of it. What more can I say?

[brian2957]

On the subject of Leonard Cohen , his son Adam has an excellent album called
' Like a Man ' . Fantastic , sounds very like dad .

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Stephen, three Ray LaMontagne CDs just ordered. Many thanks.

[Mr Kipling]

Harry, you are more than welcome. I think he is Brilliant! And sound quality to match. Haven't ordered LC box set yet but will do. Thank you for that.

[synsei]

Yes, the thread is at 46 pages. How many have participated? Take away suggestions where do we get.

I'm not unhappy or otherwise. Don't give a fuck one way or the other TBH but I'm not going to just stay silent. It's seemed an opportune time.

Harry, did you used to call up the Steve Wright show many years ago, say a few choice words and then slam the phone down? :respect:

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Harry, did you used to call up the Steve Wright show many years ago, say a few choice words and then slam the phone down? :respect:

Sorry, but you've lost me there.

[Mr Kipling]

It reminds me I was going to start a thread "MP3 Finds". It was for listing vintage tracks that I had last heard decades ago on am radio and being quite surprised by the quality of hearing them as mp3s. The first one I heard was Gary Puckett & The Union Gap's "Woman Woman" which sounded quite excellent. Another was Little Peggy March's "I Will Follow Him". I love the bass on it. In January I found three of The Fortunes hits that again sounded quite excellent.

[Mr Kipling]

Harry, did you used to call up the Steve Wright show many years ago, say a few choice words and then slam the phone down? :respect:

Think he was called Mr Angry, Harry!