PDA

View Full Version : Andy's System



AndyB
06-10-2009, 21:40
Here's some pics of my modest system. As you can see its a bedroom setup as I live in a shared house, so space is pretty limited but it sounds pretty good.

My system:
iTunes lossless audio & Spotify 320kbs via Optical into newly purchased Caiman DAC
Marantz PM6002 & CD6002 (also into Caiman)
Project Debut III with Acrylic platter
Wharfedale 9.1s Bi-wired with QED silver anniversary xt on Atacama Nexus stands

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad168/andyb1985/IMGP3604.jpg

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad168/andyb1985/IMGP3605.jpg

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad168/andyb1985/IMGP3606.jpg

Apologies for the dodgy 90's wallpaper, as I said its a rented house so not my choice!

Stratmangler
06-10-2009, 21:55
Hi Andy

Welcome to the forum.

If I can make a suggestion re your system - lose the speaker grilles. They do nothing to help sonics - usually they have a negative effect.

That said, I have an ancient set of Wharfdale Diamond II's sat in a cupboard, and they sound much better with the grilles on - just goes to prove that there's an exception to every rule.

Chris:)

Alexxus
07-10-2009, 19:52
Nice stuff, mate. I used to have the Nexus stands myself, Nexus 60 to be precise. Looked same as yours, I was very pleased with them and only let them go because I got into floorstanders.

Puffin
08-10-2009, 15:42
Bi-wired with QED silver anniversary xt

Some would say that it is the spawn of the devil. I had some and gave it away.

AndyB
08-10-2009, 18:34
Took the advice on the speaker grilles, definite improvement, and I think they look better now too!

As for the QED cable, as I said in my post on the welcome forum, this system was built mainly on reviews from What HiFi before I knew any better. I've since heard mixed reviews but as it's all I've got at the moment I've nothing to compare it to. Its something I will be investigating further and I'm more than open to suggestions.

The Vinyl Adventure
08-10-2009, 18:49
I used to use qed silver aniversary with the airloc plugs. It replaced some aging chord carnival. I always felt it sounded a little like it was holding the sound back compared to the chord, but once I had paid for it I felt a bit stick with it! I use naim amps and wasn't aware of the need for "low capasitance" cable with naim at the time. I then discovered nva on eBay and his ls1 cable - a recomended alaternative to naim naca5. I bought some and it was quite the revalation! It works very well within my naim system but I have also tried it within my other other hifi and it was also quite suprising how good it is! So my recomendation is nva ls1!

Stratmangler
08-10-2009, 20:46
Took the advice on the speaker grilles, definite improvement, and I think they look better now too!

As for the QED cable, as I said in my post on the welcome forum, this system was built mainly on reviews from What HiFi before I knew any better. I've since heard mixed reviews but as it's all I've got at the moment I've nothing to compare it to. Its something I will be investigating further and I'm more than open to suggestions.

Good to hear that the old "sans grilles" trick worked again. The vast majority of grilles are purely cosmetic afterthoughts - the speaker development work always takes place without them. Once in a while you encounter a speaker model developed to be run with grilles in place (Diamond II's being a case in point).

It might be interesting to raid B&Q for some 6amp two core mains flex to try out as speaker cable - the stuff is cheap, and you might find it a good alternative to the QED stuff. Just a thought.

Chris:)

Alex_UK
10-10-2009, 06:24
Hi Andy, don't think I've yet said hello, so welcome.

Regarding speaker cable, I too got "enlightened" after joining the forum - I replaced my QED SA (not the XT Version though) with Mark Grant cable - definitely a cheap improvement - fully detailed in this thread (worth reading about the Tacima mains conditioner, too) http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3560

I have to say though that not *everything* WHF prints is rubbish - IMHO - (for a start they rave about the Beresford 7510 DAC!) - same as any other magazine, they are there to shift copies, and their target audience is not most people on here - I for one love the AV side too, having had surround setups and love my 42" Panasonic Plasma TV/Sky HD/PS3 (Blu-Ray) - currently 2 channel through the Caiman.

Beechwoods
10-10-2009, 18:54
Yep, Welcome Andy! And to follow up what Alex says, IMHO it's a matter of finding your own way and picking the best from mags, as well as the sage advice of our fellow members :) I have to state a bias though - vintage is best!

Enjoy yourself and get stuck in!

AndyB
12-10-2009, 19:57
Thanks for the useful info guys, I'll definately have a look at the Mark Grant Cable at some point I think, I use his digital Coax for my Caiman and can't fault it.