My modest set-up (complete?)

[Simon_LDT]

I've been a member here for some years now but never posted about my hi-fi. Of course, it has changed a lot and I'm at a point now where I'm happy (at least for the time being!). I've been questioning the Arcam P1's for a while though and I'm aiming to get a Firebottle in the future to either replace them or sit alongside as a 2nd option. I'm also having thoughts about getting into valves. I heard a system the other week when I picked up the Spacedeck which used an Audio Note valve amp and AN-J speakers which sounded absolutely awesome.

Anyhow, here is what I have right now:

Nottingham Analogue Ace Spacedeck (Rega RB300, Adikt MM cart)
Angle Audio Ref 2 Phonostage
Arcam CD36
Arcam D33 DAC
Raspberry Pi 2
HDPlex Linear PSU (powers the Pi and Phonostage)
Schiit Asgard Headphone Amp
Arcam C31 Pre-amp
Arcam P1 Monoblocks
XTZ 99.26MKII Speakers

I/C all Mark Grant G1000HD's, except for the headphone amp which is using a Klotz MC5000/MS Audio plugs.

Rack is just a cheap Ikea Lack which has been hacked by me.

175491755017551

[Ian7633]

Lovely looking system and I bet it sounds great too

[Dauntless]

Hi Simon, Nice system! Like your idea with the Ikea tables. I myself have XTZ 99 series speakers. I notice you use the Raspberry PI for digital. I wonder what your view on that product is? There is a review of a similar product on TNT which is very positive and is found here http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/mambo_player_e.html I'm still spinning the silver discs myself. I'm not surprised you're happy with your system. Bet it sound great.

[agk]

Looks good Simon and I'm sure could be the final solution but it seems you already have doubts. The joy of this hobby/curse.
I'll bet the Ikea folk wondered if you were selling their tables on.

[struth]

I've been a member here for some years now but never posted about my hi-fi. Of course, it has changed a lot and I'm at a point now where I'm happy (at least for the time being!). I've been questioning the Arcam P1's for a while though and I'm aiming to get a Firebottle in the future to either replace them or sit alongside as a 2nd option. I'm also having thoughts about getting into valves. I heard a system the other week when I picked up the Spacedeck which used an Audio Note valve amp and AN-J speakers which sounded absolutely awesome.

Anyhow, here is what I have right now:

Nottingham Analogue Ace Spacedeck (Rega RB300, Adikt MM cart)
Angle Audio Ref 2 Phonostage
Arcam CD36
Arcam D33 DAC
Raspberry Pi 2
HDPlex Linear PSU (powers the Pi and Phonostage)
Schiit Asgard Headphone Amp
Arcam C31 Pre-amp
Arcam P1 Monoblocks
XTZ 99.26MKII Speakers

I/C all Mark Grant G1000HD's, except for the headphone amp which is using a Klotz MC5000/MS Audio plugs.

Rack is just a cheap Ikea Lack which has been hacked by me.

175491755017551

very nice Simon

[danilo]

Lotsa Boxes, all neatly arranged.
Based on My experiences.. First things to upgrade are the Arcams.
ALL of them! Overrated underperformers in MY unfortunate experiences

But Hey! It's Your system.. do whatever pleases.
However you Did ask :-)

[HackneyRF]

Looks great Simon. Very creative use of IKEA kit. I grew up in Coventry around Stoke Green. Still quite fond of it. Which part are you in?

[Simon_LDT]

Hi Simon, Nice system! Like your idea with the Ikea tables. I myself have XTZ 99 series speakers. I notice you use the Raspberry PI for digital. I wonder what your view on that product is? There is a review of a similar product on TNT which is very positive and is found here http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/mambo_player_e.html I'm still spinning the silver discs myself. I'm not surprised you're happy with your system. Bet it sound great.

I'm extremely happy with the Pi for digital. It was a real revelation when I found out about it as my original plan was to eventually build a mini-pc, something like an Intel Nuc but that would have cost well over £500 for something half-decent. The Pi, including all the cables, USB hub and the HifiBerry board came to about £80 and then i added a 500gb SSD for £80 so for well under £200 I've got a fantastic digital streamer. The HDPlex was the final piece and what I like about that is the ability to power 5 devices so it is pretty much future-proof for many years.

I honestly hear no difference between playing CD direct to DAC and Pi direct to DAC. Now, the Arcam CD36 has Wolfson DACs and the D33 has Burr Brown but I struggle to tell them apart. I can just about hear differences between the filter settings on the D33 but it's extremely subtle. Sometimes I think I'm just imagining a difference!

What I find to be the absolute killer blow for going the Pi route is the ability to play hi-res files directly off my SSD into the DAC. I'm seriously enjoying 24bit files streamed from the Pi. I ripped all the stereo tracks off my DVD-A's, Blu-rays, took some time but so worth it. I don't think I can give up on CD entirely and when I do buy new releases I tend to use the CD player until I eventually get it ripped to the library but the Pi is my main digital playback source now and I have no regrets.


Looks good Simon and I'm sure could be the final solution but it seems you already have doubts. The joy of this hobby/curse.
I'll bet the Ikea folk wondered if you were selling their tables on.

Yep, I seriously do enjoy my system but I just know that it can be bettered for not much outlay. Its just having the funds. It's taken me about 2-3 years to end up where I am right now, piecing it all together. I definitely want to replace the Rega RB300 down the line as it's the only arm I've ever used since getting a turntable back in 2010 so I'd love to try something else.


Lotsa Boxes, all neatly arranged.
Based on My experiences.. First things to upgrade are the Arcams.
ALL of them! Overrated underperformers in MY unfortunate experiences

But Hey! It's Your system.. do whatever pleases.
However you Did ask :-)

I know you don't like Arcam's, hehe. :lol:

Seriously though, I do like them. They replaced a Marantz PM7001 at the time and the increase in detail and soundstage was a revelation. I recently put the Marantz back in, around the same time I had the loan unit of the Firebottle AIR and could tell right away what they were lacking. The Marantz (and AIR) had much more welly, heft and just drove the music better. However, the Marantz sounded too artificial in the top end and the depth of sound lacking compared to the Arcam's. The P1's really do have a nice relaxing sound to them, probably a bit too laid back for my musical tastes (rock, metal).

It's a tough one. I want the sound of the Arcam but with more heft and attack. They definitely lack some weight.


Looks great Simon. Very creative use of IKEA kit. I grew up in Coventry around Stoke Green. Still quite fond of it. Which part are you in?

I'v enjoyed working with the Lack tables. I would like to at some point replace it with a proper solid oak rack but I just don't want to throw £5-600 or more at it currently. Those things are about £100 per layer and with the amount I need it's going to be very costly. If I remember correctly the Ikea rack cost me about £100 to put together (most expensive things being the spikes and shoes). The legs were hollow but I managed to find a place online selling kids 'building blocks' out of solid Birch and they fit the legs fine after a light sand.

Based in Tile Hill myself. Would like to move away one day but it's not a bad area at all.

[Simon_LDT]

Well I've ended up moving away from the XTZ's after loaning a pair of Harbeth P3ESR's. It's bizarre how I'm hearing no loss of low end, even though the P3's are smaller and don't go down as low. Infact, I'm finding that a lot of bass guitar is easier to pick out and follow, like it's just tighter and punchier. The midrange is what drew me in and the top end sounds so natural and detailed, yet can listen for hours with no fatigue. Being nearfield I think these are just perfectly suited for me. I don't see myself changing these for a long time. Once I recover financially I think I'll look into valve pre's and possibly a different power amp/s.

18087

[walpurgis]

Smart setup there Simon, very neat. I like it.

[BhavikLDN]

Nice system!

[jandl100]

Great looking system

Love the creative use of the Lack tables! :thumbsup: - if it were me I would drop the idea of getting a "proper" rack, there are much better ways of spending £500 imho!

Have the Harbeths satisfied your craving for a punchier sound?

[Simon_LDT]

Great looking system

Love the creative use of the Lack tables! :thumbsup: - if it were me I would drop the idea of getting a "proper" rack, there are much better ways of spending £500 imho!

Have the Harbeths satisfied your craving for a punchier sound?

Well the lack seems to be holding up fine (there is a serious amount of weight on there - reckon at least 60kg!), plus it fits in colour wise so I have no desire to change that and like you say the money is better spent elsewhere.

The Harbeth's are just what I was looking for and I am very lucky I came across them as I was not in the market for new speakers at all. They have that tight punchy bass, sound very natural and non-fatiguing. What I also like is how good they are at lower - moderate volumes. The XTZ's struggled at this and only came alive when turned up a bit louder but the Harb's sound superb when listening late at night.

[Simon_LDT]

It has been a long time since I've updated this thread and quite a few things have changed. The latest addition being an EWA M-50 poweramp, which is an absolute beast of an amp. It looks so small and unassuming but the sound is so huge and open, it has the real heft and grip on my speakers I've been longing for.

https://i.imgur.com/DRXQocuh.jpg

Before that I was still using the Arcam P1 monoblocks into a passive pre. Jez Arkless built me a custom spec passive pre, with his buffer stage included so with the flick of a switch on the rear I can have it buffer or simply use as a passive. Lovely build and sounds as transparent as I've ever heard. It uses a Seiden switch and Acoustic Dimension stepped Attenuator.

https://i.imgur.com/Ww4C6eAh.jpg

Still using a Raspberry Pi 2 for streaming but have since switched from the HifiBerry board to an Allo Digione, plus picked up a 2nd hand LongDog Audio PSU (with dual 5v outputs, 1 to power the Pi and the other to power the USB hub).

https://i.imgur.com/DxQn5ZDh.jpg

I had also changed from Harbeth P3ESRs to M30.1s, but that was well over a year ago now (Feb 2017). The P3s still remain as they are now used as rear speakers for 5.0 surround duties. I also managed to source a single P3 for centre duties.

Very happy with the sound I'm getting right now, think digitally I'm sticking for the foreseeable future as I don't think I could improve with the budget I could afford. I'm happy with my headphone setup so the only things I'd like to change is phono stage and possibly cartridge. I have my eye on Jez's Transconductance stage so once I can afford it I will see if I can demo it.

Full setup is listed in my profile.

https://i.imgur.com/Ltlce0kh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/FX5TPjzh.jpg