Hello!

[mscili]

Hello everyone!

I've been lurking since quite a while, and now I decided it's time to join! I'm mostly a classical music listener, from all possible sources: vinyl, which makes me discover recordings from the past that I would otherwise probably never listen to, CDs (I still like to buy CDs!), FM-Radio (when you live in a place where you can get SWR2, Detuschlandfunk, SRF2 and France Musique, FM Radio an amazing thing!), internet streaming (with or without video). Still to explore for me is all the HD Download world, I miss an appropriate DAC for that and a really silent computer...

The audio system is made of gear bought second hand over time, with some big disproportions: a Townshend Rock Reference (yes!) with the Excalibur tonearm (missing a proper cartridge - at the moment there is a Technics with p-mount adapter and Jico SAS stylus...), an AMC Cd8a cd player, a Grundig T7500 tuner, the ION Obelisk 3x with the X-PAK 1, and a pair of (a bit unknown, very detailed) loudspeakers Onkyo Q-1.

So... What else? Oh yes, in the same little room is also a small Steinway, which knows me very well... ;)

Greetings to everyone!

Marco

[Audio Al]

Hi Marco and welcome

This may get confusing as the site owner is also Marco :)
If you can play the piano you win sir and what a lovely piano you have
Sadly I don't appreciate classical music , tried it many time but its not for me being for a 70/80s era thats my time zone for music

What hifi equipment do you use

[struth]

Welcome to AoS Marco. Hope you and Steinway are well.:lol: enjoy the forum

[walpurgis]

Hi Marco. Welcome to AOS.

Your system is an unusual selection of components and sound like quite good fun.

Tell us if you have any plans for it.


Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.

[mscili]

Thanks to all! Yes, my system is a very unusual mixture, but it definitely makes music (and it fits the small space left in the room). Many things could be improved, but right now the only point which requires urgent improvement is the cartridge for the Rock Reference... Some day I'll open a thread to ask for advice! ;) (And the next point will be, probably, speakers...).

Looking forward to take part in the community here!

Marco

[Barry]

Welcome to AoS Marco

Sound like a fun and most unusual system you are using. Do you experience any problems having your speakers and piano in the same room? Have you ever recorded yourself playing the piano and played it back through your system?

Enjoy the Forum
Barry

[mscili]

Do you experience any problems having your speakers and piano in the same room? Have you ever recorded yourself playing the piano and played it back through your system?

Hello Barry,

sorry for the late reply. I must say, the problem of having the system and the piano in the same room is... That there is too little space left! Of course, for sure the piano reacts with a little resonance to any loud sound happening in the room, but that's a minimal effect (as far as you don't keep the right pedal down). The room is absolutely packed with books, records and CDs, and there is some sound isolation (a sandwich of plaster, heavy isolating material, plaster again, then a free space filled with rock wool directly in contact with the original walls) on all sides except on the floor. On top of that, there is additional sound-absorbing material on the wall behind the piano player and under the piano... It's a very dry room, but somehow quite balanced (no ringing whatsoever) and unfortunately way too small.

I only made recordings in my room for practising purposes, and such recordings all sound awful. The piano itself sounds actually really "bad" in such a room, even if it's a nice little Steinway... But this makes it ideal for practising. The concert hall where you make a recording has an enormous impact on the final sound, and most instruments are actually built so that they need a hall to sound good. Size and type of the hall change a lot, but it's almost impossible to get any pleasant sound in an extremely dry and small place...

Have a nice Sunday!
Marco