Desktop system incarnation Mk III

[hifilover]

Change again to my desktop system ;)

Managed to bag a pair of brand new but unwanted Wharfedale Diamond 220's off the Bay of E and they sound brilliant straight out of the box. A bit tight yet, but they'll soon loosen up with some Massive Attack through them, maybe some Mantovani to work their tweeters a bit haha :D

The BX1's were lovely little speakers; but having had them plugged in and a bit of cable swapping for a side by side comparison for an hour or so, the Diamond 220's just do it better IMO

A few pictures:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/IMG_20160413_125008_zpsh3rlgwfl.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/IMG_20160413_125008_zpsh3rlgwfl.jpg.html)

The Monitor Audio A100 amp (really impressed with this; great sound and overall functionality, plus with it being able to be stood up, it takes up little room on my desk):

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/IMG_20160413_124956_zpslcfvnghd.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/IMG_20160413_124956_zpslcfvnghd.jpg.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/IMG_20160413_124948_zps6jhrm1vb.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/IMG_20160413_124948_zps6jhrm1vb.jpg.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/IMG_20160413_124943_zpszrke8gbu.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-04/IMG_20160413_124943_zpszrke8gbu.jpg.html)

The 220's have a downward firing port as well that vents between the speaker base and it's plinth and I'm very impressed with it... The BX1's 'chuffed' a little even though they were well away from the window behind, when pushed a bit, but the 220's haven't done that and seem to have much better control with bass...

Saying that; for their size, the BX1's are surprising and great little speakers and bag a punch!!!

[hifilover]

Changed again ;)

Music via iTunes/Mac Mini into a NAD 1050 DAC via USB (very impressed with this so far) into a NAD C352 integrated and that'd feeding a very nice set of light oak Monitor Audio RX2s via Chord Carnival Silverscreen cable :) Speakers are sat on RoXdon isolation blocks and they do a great job; c£25 from eBay IIRC and much better than blu tack lol

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160606_105026_zpscoznzud5.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160606_105026_zpscoznzud5.jpg.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160606_104959_zpssxul4edx.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160606_104959_zpssxul4edx.jpg.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160601_171410_zpsumrbu330.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160601_171410_zpsumrbu330.jpg.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160601_171357_zpspinjorrv.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160601_171357_zpspinjorrv.jpg.html)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a226/danbutterworth/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160601_171345_zpsqn3tykvx.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/danbutterworth/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/IMG_20160601_171345_zpsqn3tykvx.jpg.html)

[Mala]

Wish I had a desktop system like that, really sweet looking stuff Dan :)

[AlfaGTV]

Very nice! I could do with either of them methinks ;)

[hifilover]

Cheers

The NAD's always been a favourite amp of mine; even with its age it still belts out great sound!

The MA RX2s I've had before, a good few years back and at that time they were on Partington stands and being fed via an Arcam Alpha 10/10P combo! They really can sing and have such tight, deep & punchy bass weight you'd think there's a sub somewhere!

Some folk would say they're overkill for a desktop; but a) my desktop is big so there's decent amount of room for them to breathe and b) they sound great at low volume, but still have that great bass-weight they're known for as well as detailed mids and top-end, not harsh at all (there's a lot of MA naysayers out there lol)

The NAD D1050 I'm very impressed with; a very good DAC/headphone amp indeed and can see why it was so well reviewed...

[struth]

Very nicely balanced speakers Dan..... Can really see a full sized set with scaled up drivers being the dogs danglies..

[hifilover]

They are belting speakers Grant

A lot of folk have hatred for the likes of MA etc... Personally I think it's hifi snobbery!

With the right equipment, they're great speakers etc...

Before we left for our week away in Dorset, I downloaded the Andreas Scholl album, he sings the haunting song in Spectre, Vivaldi's 'Nisi Dominus Cum Dederit'. Just wanted to see how the system handled it and it did it well!

This is the track: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxp74hB-4Zw

He's a counter tenor and superb at that!

But slam some Massive Attack through them, or similar, and they'll have the roof tiles bouncing ;)

[struth]

Thought it a woman at first... Counter tenor must be alto or contralto in a woman i,d guess... Nice clean voice

[Ronksley]

Thought it a woman at first... Counter tenor must be alto or contralto in a woman i,d guess... Nice clean voice

:rolleyes: He is know for sining castrati opera roles
One of my favourite singers

[struth]

I remember castratis :eek: Not heard of counter tenor b4 though. was a book I read about castratis; novel, but cant remember what it was now. yes he has a nice voice