View Full Version : What Is Your Favourite Bit of Kit?
walpurgis
07-04-2017, 17:52
This is a hard one for me. I love my whole system.
The Tannoys bring me huge pleasure, as does my amazingly capable Monarchy Audio gear. I'm very fond of the remarkably good Pioneer PD-S505 Precision CD players. The 774 arm is a class act on my turntable.
The recently purchased Quad 306 power amp and vintage KEF Corelli speakers have proved to be excellent.
Hmm, It's got to be the irreplaceable MingDa MC-9 TVC pre-amp I think. What this does with music astonishes me each time I connect it into the system.
What are you favourites?
Impossible to say - like you, I love my whole system.
Bigman80
07-04-2017, 18:08
Thats a tough question.
The thing that brings me the most satisfaction is the Pioneer CS-77A speakers. They looks so good but sound even better. I must admit, the graft it took to get them up to scratch probably lends a lot to my feelings towards them.
The Firebottle Monoblocks and FB-OTP are the biggest jump in quality.
The one item I wouldn't be happy parting with though is the TT.
The Mission arm is an absolute beast and I am convinced ot cant be beat for sensible money, the ZYX is the best cartridge ive either owned or heard. And the Toshiba SR370 just looks the bollocks and does everything right. Ill never let the TT go so thats my fave.
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and me,i love my turntable
Like you guys i am very pleased with my whole setup right now.
But if i only got to keep one particular piece it'd be the power amp, my Karan KA S270. The most hard to give up item would be my Orbe SE!
walpurgis
07-04-2017, 19:02
Ill never let the TT go so thats my fave.
:D
dantheman91
07-04-2017, 19:26
Bit of tough one
Everything i have i love - The Sony La Scala system with Electrostatics - sub £2000 when new
Tannoy 615 MK2 - Rare Beasts not seen often
Audio Note ANJ/D
Aristons - RD 80 & 40's both with Linn tonearms
Both Rega's - Both Precision Pioneers
Thorens - TD 125 - SME Arm & Plinth - Sony TA&ST 88 - SS-70's
Collection is substantial and i adore and very lucky to own - i have a lot more too see signatures for details
But very fond of the lower end market too which i love to play around with amazing what you can do if you search for it
Manicatel
07-04-2017, 19:28
My Graaf GM50 amp. The only thing I've heard that beats it is a Vitus Audio amp at a price I doubt I'd ever be able to afford.
Mind you, my Orbe would also be nigh-impossible to replace.
And then my Modded Jolida DAC makes digital music sound spot on.
hifinutt
07-04-2017, 19:30
my speakers currently . they have been a Godsend after being forced to relinquish my beautiful martin logan summit x :mental:
paulf-2007
07-04-2017, 19:55
I am content with my complete set up but as I built my turntable plinth and arm board, then it has to be the Denon DP80 with Stax UA-70 arm.
Sonata8068
07-04-2017, 22:14
Having just got my Densen B310 power amp back from Densen after a full recap I now realise how much I missed it (3 months) sounds great, so right now this is my favourite bit of kit but as you've all said, it's only part of the story and any part of a loved set up would be hard to part with.
Having just got my Densen B310 power amp back from Densen after a full recap I now realise how much I missed it (3 months) sounds great, so right now this is my favourite bit of kit but as you've all said, it's only part of the story and any part of a loved set up would be hard to part with.
Densen's a bit special.
Love my DM20 Preamp, like yourself I sent my amp back to Denmark and had it recapped, fully serviced etc etc.
Basically everything that had drifted out of spec in the 20 odd years since it was made.
Turns out they replaced every cap and all the transformers, so practically a new amp.
Love it....and its good, but not my favourite. :)
That has to be my custom built 300B SET power amp.
Better than a big chunk of anything commercial and made even more special with my choice of 300B output tubes, I absolutely love it.
The combination of the Densen Pre and the SET power amp is something else.
They just make music sound real.
Thinking about it, I'd have to say 'my amp' (combined pre and power) is my favourite component.
not fussed with any of it :rolleyes:
:D
I have a pair of Chord amplifiers that were used at the Royal Opera House. You must have seen them on ebay there's hundreds of them. I just like the fact that they have a history. (or do they?) crikey I don't know. but they sound much better than my Rega Mira.
southall-1998
07-04-2017, 23:11
I don't really have a favourite. Listed below in Non-alphabetical order, are kit that I value.
CD Players:
Sony CDP-X777es- Built like a tank, and just plain luxurious!
Linn Karik III- Lovely CD Player, with an analogue like sound.
Linn Mimik
Rega Planet MK1.
Speakers:
Acoustic Energy AE1- Excellent sounding speakers. Can play very loud, and retain their composure very well.
Audio Note AN-J
ATC SCM20 (SL)- [B]Similar style to the AE1.
Amplifiers:
NVA AP10H Headphone amp- Good value for money! Can drive just about any headphone you care to throw at it!
Sugden A21a- Very clean and musical sound.
Cyrus 8VS2 +PSX-R- Direct sound and explicitly musical.
Audio Analogue Puccini SE.
Naim Nait 3.
Naim Nait 5i.
Headphones:
AKG K701.
Grado SR80.
Sennheiser HD600.
S.
not fussed with any of it :rolleyes:
:D
if you can put on an album and enjoy it....you've arrived. :)
Must admit, dont obsess over kit as much as I used to either.
Michael loves music
08-04-2017, 05:22
My Denon 350SE amp which Geoff recommended so much more musical than the Nad 3020e I had for 25 years !! Love the Denon so much got one for the spare room both off eBay around £40 each mint with manuals etc
I've updated my profile to show all of my system, and I love it all! But, as an Audiophile I am willing to replace any of it at a moment's notice! The only part I would never part with is my Magnum Dynalab FT-101 tuner. An FM only tuner that is just superb, I will never part with it for any reason. Upon my death I will have it mounted in my coffin with an arial on my tomb stone.
But, more recently I came across the Krell FPB-300, and I doubt I will ever part with that either. If I do, it will be a long time from now.
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Wakefield Turntables
08-04-2017, 10:00
Tannoy MG 15" speakers - superb.
my highly modded lenco75 is also my current favourite bit of kit.
A modded Shure M55e is also pretty high on the list.
Beobloke
08-04-2017, 23:51
My Garrard 301 was bought new by my uncle in 1964 and is my absolute pride and joy.
In fact I feel rather guilty that it hasn't had a look-in since I bought the Nak TX-1000...
My Garrard 301 was bought new by my uncle in 1964 and is my absolute pride and joy.
In fact I feel rather guilty that it hasn't had a look-in since I bought the Nak TX-1000...
If it ain't broke don't fix it!
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Haselsh1
09-04-2017, 05:56
Very difficult choice methinks but if I had to decide I would say the Nottingham Analogue with the Origin Live and the DL103. A very, very close second would be the Prima Luna power amp.
Haselsh1
09-04-2017, 05:59
My Denon 350SE amp which Geoff recommended so much more musical than the Nad 3020e I had for 25 years !! Love the Denon so much got one for the spare room both off eBay around £40 each mint with manuals etc
Oh Michael Loves Music, that avatar is sublime. Oh to be a bike seat ;)
williamsgrandad
09-04-2017, 06:40
I recently purchased a Dave Slagle autoformer preamp from a member on this forum.
This is a lovely piece of kit and in MY system sounds superb.
I have had my AN m3 for years and have never felt the need to change it.
I borrowed a tvc and liked what it did so decided to take a punt on the Slagle.
The m3 isn't going back in my system
Pete The Cat
09-04-2017, 07:29
I guess it depends on your criteria for favourite, eg because you built or fixed it, sentimentality, most use, greatest contribution to the sound... The things I'd want to rescue if the house fell into a sink hole would be the Avondale M1 monoblocs since they brought my amp quest to an end and would be the hardest components to replace.
Pete
If the house fell into a sinkhole, stepping aside from the fact I'd be f**ked and h-fi would be the last thing on my mind, I would probably try to save the Krell, and some choice records.
If we are talking emotional attachment then I think my Technics SL1200 and Akai SW175 speakers even though neither gets used much. Always had a thing for the Teccy and the speakers are different and quite rare.
Audio Al
09-04-2017, 07:58
Easy solution Adam , I can re hone the Nac I am kind and considerate like this :eyebrows:
Probably couldn't ever decide between the Tannoys or the Platine Verdier. But, if I'm being totally honest, I'd have to admit that the bit of kit that has most noticeably improved the music in recent years is a well-used old Moth record cleaning machine :eek:
I,d be hard put to replace the jbe tt, plus it has emotional presence so wouldnt like anything to happen to it. My telefunken twins are irreplaceable and probably only ones in existance. Would thus be a loss. I wouldnt slit my wrists like, just would like to keep them. Family and friends are the irreplaceable things
Concerning the sink hole issue, if the house was falling into a sink hole, (slowly I hope), I'd be fetching the album collection. A new stereo can be had, but to replace my album collection would be most difficult. I do realize that was not the question, but, if the house were afire I would save the records and photo albums.
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My attachment is usually to what improvements I have made by working on things, so I suppose it is any achievement which is really emotionally satisfying.
One of my pet dislikes is that people with lots of money often just buy what is regarded as the best, and then go around flaunting it as though they have achieved something, other than earning money that is.
It's a difficult question because different components would be changed in my system, for example the Royd RR3s are 83db sensitivity, so respond well to a 90W dual mono amp. With 95+db speakers the requirements change.
I suppose the one component that my system is built around is my Audial Model S DAC, it'll work in any system and sounds like an analogue source (extremely difficult to get with DACs!), but at the same time, I am using obsolete speakers almost impossible to replace, so it would hurt more to lose those...
Michael loves music
11-04-2017, 06:25
Oh Michael Loves Music, that avatar is sublime. Oh to be a bike seat ;)
Glad you like it Shaun took 45 mins for me to over take them !!!!!
I'm not emotionally attached to 'things' any more; in terms of hifi the original Exposure CDP has served me well for almost 20 years and would probably be the hardest single item to replace.
337alant
12-04-2017, 07:31
I would have to say my Studer A810 and my Pioneer PLC-590 turntable :drool:
Alan
Spectral Morn
12-04-2017, 08:13
Marantz CD7
Marantz CD94 Mk2
Pathos Classic 1 mk2
Audio Innovations Series 500
Triplannar Mk7
BAT VK52 se
Air Tight PC3
AMG Giro
Music Reference RM200
Anthony Gallo Reference 3.5
A few of my systems components/components I own, that are favourites. There are other items I like a lot too, and in reality there are currently no items I own that I don't like.
CornishPasty
13-04-2017, 10:46
Much of my kit is home built. It would give me the chance to start over and a reason to start building again. If I had to save anything I'd start with my album collection.
Marantz CD7
Marantz CD94 Mk2
Pathos Classic 1 mk2
Audio Innovations Series 500
Triplannar Mk7
BAT VK52 se
Air Tight PC3
AMG Giro
Music Reference RM200
Anthony Gallo Reference 3.5
A few of my systems components/components I own, that are favourites. There are other items I like a lot too, and in reality there are currently no items I own that I don't like.
Ooooo! You have a triplannar? I am so jealous!
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Spectral Morn
14-04-2017, 06:52
Ooooo! You have a triplannar? I am so jealous!
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Yes Russel I do, it's a lovely arm. Currently it's mounted on a Technics 1200.
Yes Russel I do, it's a lovely arm. Currently it's mounted on a Technics 1200.
How stunning! I saw one on a Avid Volvere in a salon, and have pined for one ever since! Often copied, but never duplicated. What are those new arms out? Reid? Looks like a triplanar smoothed down with a wooden arm, very nice actually, And of course the VPI arms with the VTA tower are blatant copies, with a unipivot attached. I'll tell you I see very few Triplanar's used for sale. And if I do, they want top prices, and I do keep my eye out.
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Spectral Morn
14-04-2017, 08:17
How stunning! I saw one on a Avid Volvere in a salon, and have pined for one ever since! Often copied, but never duplicated. What are those new arms out? Reid? Looks like a triplanar smoothed down with a wooden arm, very nice actually, And of course the VPI arms with the VTA tower are blatant copies, with a unipivot attached. I'll tell you I see very few Triplanar's used for sale. And if I do, they want top prices, and I do keep my eye out.
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I did a swap for it, Esoteric P3 SACD/CD transport. As wonderful as that was the ridiculously loud mechanism noise when playing SACDs meant I couldn't live with it. I did some asking about and found a swap option and took it. I just don't understand how Esoteric feel this level of whir during playback is acceptable, nor do I get the silence on the topic in mag reviews as most Esoterics have this issue. My P5 transport also has, though to a lesser extent, the same noise issue when spinning SACDs. Marantz SA7 also less than silent. In fact the only silent playback mechanism for SACD I have come across, so far, was the first two Sonys.
The P3 makes the P5 sound broke, its that much better, but the Triplannar was an itch I have long wanted to scratch so took the opportunity.
£2800 in the U.K seems the average used price on the mk7 version of the arm. Earlier versions can be got for less but I think the 7 is worth the extra.
I did a swap for it, Esoteric P3 SACD/CD transport. As wonderful as that was the ridiculously loud mechanism noise when playing SACDs meant I couldn't live with it. I did some asking about and found a swap option and took it. I just don't understand how Esoteric feel this level of whir during playback is acceptable, nor do I get the silence on the topic in mag reviews as most Esoterics have this issue. My P5 transport also has, though to a lesser extent, the same noise issue when spinning SACDs. Marantz SA7 also less than silent. In fact the only silent playback mechanism for SACD I have come across, so far, was the first two Sonys.
The P3 makes the P5 sound broke, its that much better, but the Triplannar was an itch I have long wanted to scratch so took the opportunity.
£2800 in the U.K seems the average used price on the mk7 version of the arm. Earlier versions can be got for less but I think the 7 is worth the extra.
Thanks, that's some useful information.
And I had no idea about the Esoteric's, I wanted one bad! But got a steal of a price on my Cary 306, so I gave up the search. As you say, I've never heard a word from a reviewer about noise from the VOSM (I think?) mechanism. The Cary is a CD only deck. I wanted an SACD deck, but own no media, so it was easy to live without.
Similarly I heard an air bearing tonearm at a salon, and the salesman made it seem so great! But after wowing me with it, he confessed driving it with a compressed CO2 tank. The included compressor was so loud, you'd have to keep it in a neighbor's garage.
I will have to put off the Triplanar for a while, but, once I've upgraded a few more immediate things, my preamp and phono cartridge, I'll have things fairly squared away. Then I can save up for such a purchase, and possibly find a good 'table to mount it on. It would probably fit on my Scout? But may prove overkill? Maybe a vacuum platter Sota? I've heard one of those make some magic too. If the pump isn't too loud?
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Spectral Morn
14-04-2017, 09:33
Thanks, that's some useful information.
And I had no idea about the Esoteric's, I wanted one bad! But got a steal of a price on my Cary 306, so I gave up the search. As you say, I've never heard a word from a reviewer about noise from the VOSM (I think?) mechanism. The Cary is a CD only deck. I wanted an SACD deck, but own no media, so it was easy to live without.
Similarly I heard an air bearing tonearm at a salon, and the salesman made it seem so great! But after wowing me with it, he confessed driving it with a compressed CO2 tank. The included compressor was so loud, you'd have to keep it in a neighbor's garage.
I will have to put off the Triplanar for a while, but, once I've upgraded a few more immediate things, my preamp and phono cartridge, I'll have things fairly squared away. Then I can save up for such a purchase, and possibly find a good 'table to mount it on. It would probably fit on my Scout? But may prove overkill? Maybe a vacuum platter Sota? I've heard one of those make some magic too. If the pump isn't too loud?
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It's to do with the speed SACDs are spun at, much higher than CD, you get this high frequency whirring that did my head in I could hear it even with music playing. Lack of honesty or folks who can't hear it anymore, systems far end of a room, in cupboards take your pick. And yet a Sony SCD1 you can put your ear on top of the mechanism lid and hear nothing. If Sony could do it, why not the others ? Go figure.
It was beautifully built, real heavy weight, sounded amazing but it would have had to go in another room with an ir repeater, not a practical solution.
Had an ET linear tracker once, the pump went in the roof space and pump noise wasn't an issue, but I agree air pumps make noise and if you value a silent listening room, as I do, it's really a non starter.
It's to do with the speed SACDs are spun at, much higher than CD, you get this high frequency whirring that did my head in I could hear it even with music playing. Lack of honesty or folks who can't hear it anymore, systems far end of a room, in cupboards take your pick. And yet a Sony SCD1 you can put your ear on top of the mechanism lid and hear nothing. If Sony could do it, why not the others ? Go figure.
It was beautifully built, real heavy weight, sounded amazing but it would have had to go in another room with an ir repeater, not a practical solution.
Had an ET linear tracker once, the pump went in the roof space and pump noise wasn't an issue, but I agree air pumps make noise and if you value a silent listening room, as I do, it's really a non starter.
You must have good ears Neil. Ive not heard it, and im usually quick to pick up on annoyances like that. Must be above my hearing range
Spectral Morn
14-04-2017, 10:52
You must have good ears Neil. Ive not heard it, and im usually quick to pick up on annoyances like that. Must be above my hearing range
This is specific to a few makes of machine - Esoteric, Marantz - which based on their very high price, claims of the best disc mechanisms should play SACD discs silently, but they don't. A quick Google search reveals others who have had this experience, so its not just me.
I have wondered for years why a medium like the SD card has not come forward as the ultimate high res medium. No moving parts, their prices have dropped considerably, you'd think comparable to pressing multi-layer discs. There are SD playback decks out there, but they have never been looked at as a high end playback device more like a DJ storage device, or for storing tracks in a studio, but it seems that the powers that be are through with selling mediums, they just want to rent us the music online and no longer produce anything. Playback from a memory card solves so many of the problems with any disc playback system. And avoids many of the issues with internet downloads.
I remember being so excited reading about the new medium of SACD! All the promises of higher resolution, to finally fix the issues with the CD that has been falsely praised as perfect sound. But, as time wore on, I was not seeing the labels adding music in this medium, and to this day, I can't justify the price of a machine to play 10 SACD's that I may want to own. How does such a powerful and lucrative industry make such blunders? Have we never learned the lesson of Batamax? I know how, but it's still hard to believe.
But it would be nice to have a real high end playback system designed around a memory card, even if I had to download the music onto the cards myself. Storing music on a hard drive seems to be a better solution, but it's still a mechanical spinning disc. The very idea that the entire playback system could be completely solid state, no moving parts, stack your bits in a buffer,and let an atomic clock feed the D/A chip, and near perfect results on the other end! What a simple idea.
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My Piano and my Tenor Sax.
Probably doesn't count though so i'll go for My Well Tempered Amadeus turntable. My system would be lost without it!
I have wondered for years why a medium like the SD card has not come forward as the ultimate high res medium. No moving parts, their prices have dropped considerably, you'd think comparable to pressing multi-layer discs. There are SD playback decks out there, but they have never been looked at as a high end playback device more like a DJ storage device, or for storing tracks in a studio, but it seems that the powers that be are through with selling mediums, they just want to rent us the music online and no longer produce anything. Playback from a memory card solves so many of the problems with any disc playback system. And avoids many of the issues with internet downloads.
I remember being so excited reading about the new medium of SACD! All the promises of higher resolution, to finally fix the issues with the CD that has been falsely praised as perfect sound. But, as time wore on, I was not seeing the labels adding music in this medium, and to this day, I can't justify the price of a machine to play 10 SACD's that I may want to own. How does such a powerful and lucrative industry make such blunders? Have we never learned the lesson of Batamax? I know how, but it's still hard to believe.
But it would be nice to have a real high end playback system designed around a memory card, even if I had to download the music onto the cards myself. Storing music on a hard drive seems to be a better solution, but it's still a mechanical spinning disc. The very idea that the entire playback system could be completely solid state, no moving parts, stack your bits in a buffer,and let an atomic clock feed the D/A chip, and near perfect results on the other end! What a simple idea.
Excellent post!
I too have wondered why 'software' is not available stored on SD. It would for me "kill two birds with one stone": physical ownership of the music, and complete absence of an electromechanical mechanism for replay. A "win, win" situation?
Excellent post!
I too have wondered why 'software' is not available stored on SD. It would for me "kill two birds with one stone": physical ownership of the music, and complete absence of an electromechanical mechanism for replay. A "win, win" situation?
I suppose a system could be set up easy enough. There are rack mounted decks from Denon and Tascam and others that will play and record to an SD, or other memory card. The nicer ones are set up for, "Pro", use, so they've got many strange features and cue buttons, etc. like you used to see 8 tracks set up to run commercials on the radio, in the DJ's booth. And the Tascam has diagrams on its website where they can be Daisy chained, 2 tracks each, to fill a rack and record from a 32 track mixing console, or as big as you want I guess? So, they do have digital in and out. SPDIF and Toslink in and out.
So I guess if you just wanted to buy one of these strictly for its transport functions, you could tie it in with external DAC's and use it as the center of a high end playback system? I don't know what limitations that would create on what bit rates and word lengths you can use? If that would be independent of the deck or not? Perhaps someone more familiar with computer audio could answer that? Quite often demand has driven a sector of the industry, if hobbyist are doing it enough, someone will sell a real high end deck.
But as far as the recording companies ever selling some pre-recorded SD cards at 24/196, I don't see that ever happening. It's too easy to sell the download and manufacture nothing.
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Solid state hard drives are becoming more common now so would this not make any potential advantage of an SD card moot?
Dynamics
16-04-2017, 18:21
I'd don't know is the answer as I'd prefer not to say as there is always someone with a better set up, and someone worse who enjoys music more than me. And maybe if I said my stuff, which I think is ok, id maybe not be taken so seriously.
Solid state hard drives are becoming more common now so would this not make any potential advantage of an SD card moot?
So you would still have to pay for downloads and as far as I understand it, you would not 'own' the music, only have the right to replay it.
I want to own my copy, just as I own my records, books, magazines, DVDs, videotapes etc.
I'd don't know is the answer as I'd prefer not to say as there is always someone with a better set up, and someone worse who enjoys music more than me. And maybe if I said my stuff, which I think is ok, id maybe not be taken so seriously.
Why do you say that Simon?
The title of the thread is "What is your favourite bit of kit?" No-one is going to question your choice, and there is no completion here.
Of course you might feel, like me, that you cannot single out a single item as your system works well as complete assembly. That would be a perfectly reasonable answer, but don't think that anyone is going to judge you by the system you enjoy.
walpurgis
16-04-2017, 19:13
I'd don't know is the answer as I'd prefer not to say as there is always someone with a better set up, and someone worse who enjoys music more than me. And maybe if I said my stuff, which I think is ok, id maybe not be taken so seriously.
All folk's choices in equipment are valid here. It doesn't matter if one uses a tired old music centre from a boot sale or thirty grand's worth of fancy stuff. We like to hear what everybody has to say.
blackstar
16-04-2017, 19:18
The records are the hardest to replace, but my NAS Interspace Jr with Jelco 750D and Denon DL-301 Mk2 would be the hardest to part with by choice.
Humble but it really hits the spot!
Solid state hard drives are becoming more common now so would this not make any potential advantage of an SD card moot?
That's very true. If you had a SS drive, that could hold your entire collection, that could make a nice center to your motionless playback system. Except if you wanted to carry an album to a friend's house, or play it in the car.
But I'm thinking of how a CD player works, the bit stream is retrieved from the disc and fed to the D/A converter and then passes through an analog amp to bring it up to preamp levels. All designed for the sole purpose of playback. But, if you have a hard drive, even a solid state drive, then you've got a computer, that is running an operating system and doing many other things besides just feeding a bit stream to a D/A chip. Used to be, back when I was in college, that the data on a hard drive passed through 7 different codecs before it was shown on the screen. It starts as a FAT file, gets converted to a file that is compatible with the memory bus, and the processor bus, then through shift registers, etc. etc. playing digital files through a computer adds an astounding amount of complexity to the playback system.
But if you had a very simple solid state memory device, then a pure 24/196 file could be stored, and fed directly to the D/A chip by the clock. No computer running Windows or IOS necessary, clocks running at GigHz to route data all over the place before it comes out at the USB jack, to be fed to an external DAC. It would be as if you took a CD player and chopped off the entire disc reading part. The part that takes data from the laser and formats it into 16/44.1 would be removed, just a pool of bits already formatted, that would run downstream to the D/A full blast if not for the clock controlling the timing of that bit stream.
These music storage systems that are not computers, just a box with a hard drive, and the music server reads from it. There is an operating system in the music server, it may be stored on a bios chip, but it's there. It is doing many things besides just flowing data at a D/A. It's reading the Ethernet and wifi and hunting images of album covers, etc
And the disc is formatted into sectors and a single file may be scattered around many file locations, the operating system has to recreate the file before sending it on. It really is amazing how well it does sound I guess? Even streaming calls for a great deal or computer power to gather packets and remove all the stop bits and assemble the file as it comes across the internet, and attempt to steam at the exact speed needed to feed the D/A. It really is very complicated.
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I see your point about the various operations a personal computer is performing but what advantage would a machine designed solely to read an SD card with music on it have over a machine designed solely to read an optical disc with music on it?
Your point Alpha about the complexities and interfaces is very pertinent to a pure music enthusiast.
PCs are so architecturally complex and convoluted, that Macs have a much cleaner function from what I have gathered, (my college days were long ago).
We need a dedicated system removing link after link, and as direct as possible, and not to have to pay a lot for it.
I see your point about the various operations a personal computer is performing but what advantage would a machine designed solely to read an SD card with music on it have over a machine designed solely to read an optical disc with music on it?
Because reading an optical disc is a mechanical process: the laser has to remain focused as well as having to 'track' the disc. Reading an SD card would be completely electronic and free of potentially noisy servo-mechanisms.
Dynamics
17-04-2017, 11:28
All folk's choices in equipment are valid here. It doesn't matter if one uses a tired old music centre from a boot sale or thirty grand's worth of fancy stuff. We like to hear what everybody has to say.
I'd probably say pmc speakers then and my current 25-23s which just produce such a lovely sound. They also look very good.
Still loving this - homebrew S&B tx102 silver transformer preamp
http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s535/ff1d1l/front2_zpslatwas8u.jpg
Because reading an optical disc is a mechanical process: the laser has to remain focused as well as having to 'track' the disc. Reading an SD card would be completely electronic and free of potentially noisy servo-mechanisms.
Thanks Berry, Exactly the point
Remember when jitter was discovered? Suddenly it was on the lips of every high end designer, low jitter numbers were the secret to better sound! By removing the spinning disc and mechanism that tries to produce the bit steam at the correct speed, you've just about killed jitter completely. A static pool of bits standing in a buffer flowing via a clock to the D/A, jitter could be so vanishingly small as non existent. I really wish I had completed my engineering degree, I'd just build one!
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Still loving this - homebrew S&B tx102 silver transformer preamp
http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s535/ff1d1l/front2_zpslatwas8u.jpg
That looks awesome!
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Thanks Berry, Exactly the point
Remember when jitter was discovered? Suddenly it was on the lips of every high end designer,
Jitter was well know about and the issue resolved prior to the introduction of CD to the market. The only people to discover it later on were the marketing departments. It doesn't really make any difference as to whether you are reading off a spinning disc or not.
Makes sense to not have any moving parts if you can avoid them though, as moving parts tend to go wrong eventually. But I don't see there being any appreciable benefit to sound quality.
walpurgis
18-04-2017, 10:57
Jitter was well know about and the issue resolved prior to the introduction of CD to the market. The only people to discover it later on were the marketing departments. It doesn't really make any difference as to whether you are reading off a spinning disc or not.
I have a couple of 'jitter busters'. A Theta TLC and a Monarchy Audio DIP. Both (either) improve the sound regardless of which CD player/transport I use with them.
They could be changing the sound for any number of reasons though. Distortion produced by jitter is fractions of a percent, even with the cheapest players.
I've got a Wyred4Sound Remedy, and the difference produced by this is not small, certainly not in the fractions of percent. I don't know whats going on here, or how they're doing it, but it's definitely a substantial upgrade to my Musical Fidelity v90.
walpurgis
18-04-2017, 11:36
They could be changing the sound for any number of reasons though. Distortion produced by jitter is fractions of a percent, even with the cheapest players.
They do change the sound. For the better. I don't delve into the technicalities. My ears tell me what I need to know.
They do change the sound. For the better. I don't delve into the technicalities. My ears tell me what I need to know.
Right but your ears don't tell you what they are doing to change the sound. Pretty much every digital related product these days comes with reams of bullshit as to what it claims to do and what problems it claims to address.
A long time ago someone non-technical came up with the idea that it is jitter that was causing an issue. This gets repeated by non-technical reviewers and on forums and pretty soon there is a demand for 'jitter busters'.
Of course these things cannot do nothing to the sound because you would take it back for a refund. So it has to have some effect on the sound, just not for the reasons claimed.
As I was saying the other day no point saying this is a good piece of kit because of its high quality power supplies. No audiophile cares about that. Tell them it cures jitter, or fixes 'timing issues' and they are all over it because they have heard about those things.
It is good advice not to take any manufacturer's claims at face value. In all things but especially in hi-fi, bullshit sells. They have been bullshitting for years and have become quite good at it now.
walpurgis
18-04-2017, 12:17
Right but your ears don't tell you what they are doing to change the sound. Pretty much every digital related product these days comes with reams of bullshit as to what it claims to do and what problems it claims to address.
A long time ago someone non-technical came up with the idea that it is jitter that was causing an issue. This gets repeated by non-technical reviewers and on forums and pretty soon there is a demand for 'jitter busters'.
Of course these things cannot do nothing to the sound because you would take it back for a refund. So it has to have some effect on the sound, just not for the reasons claimed.
As I was saying the other day no point saying this is a good piece of kit because of its high quality power supplies. No audiophile cares about that. Tell them it cures jitter, or fixes 'timing issues' and they are all over it because they have heard about those things.
It is good advice not to take any manufacturer's claims at face value. In all things but especially in hi-fi, bullshit sells. They have been bullshitting for years and have become quite good at it now.
The audible improvement is there to be heard, so it certainly is not bullshit.
Like I said it is not the audible improvement that is bullshit it is the explanation they give for the audible improvement that is bullshit.
No bulshit needed in my case...I hear it affect three Dacs at a a bakeoff, an easily heard improvement in each case, and agreed as such by a very cynical audience in the room.
I come home, I buy, I enjoy at least as good positive results at home.
This is not FR tilting, or a 1db increase in loudness.
More depth
More presence and clarity
Clearer insight into the mix
Better dynamics, and furthermore a lack of strain to those dynamics.
Cause and effect. Not arguing with the effect. Just saying that the cause is not going to be what the manufacturer claims it to be.
You can hear an improvement, but you can't use hearing to find out what causes that improvement. And you can't trust what the manufacturer claims is happening either.
John Adkinson clearly demonstrated it in lab tests. Yes I guess he could have been bullshitting. But no one challenged him. Anyway, I speak in theory, I'm referring to a device that does not yet exist. And eliminating electromechanical devices and lasers and motors that share the same power supply, has got to improve sound. If they aren't there, then there is no noise to clean up. And whether one believes in the effects of jitter or not, zero jitter still remains a good thing.
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There is some distortion from jitter as I said already but the levels are so small it just isn't going to be audible in any situation. You can show it in a lab of course but hearing it over the noise floor isn't really that likely and its removal certainly would not explain the obvious improvement that everyone heard and agreed on in the subjective tests. Ergo there is something more/something else the jitter buster is doing to enhance perceived sound quality.
Agree eliminating the laser mech etc gets rid of a power supply. I have wondered that the benefit of fancy mechs is that they of necessity get their own power supply (because they are over-engineered) instead of a cheaper machine where one supply does the lot.
I am won round to the SD card idea.
I saw a bunch of SD cards in a catalog yesterday, and I noticed they have moved to less than $1 per gigabyte. So the price is right! I would imagine that if the recording industry really wanted to pursue it, write once SD's could be made cheap! Of course, the album art would be small.
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The Black Adder
02-05-2017, 13:00
Mine would be my system as a collective really.
It's all very impressive to me and has a perfect synergy.
MarginWalker
02-05-2017, 18:03
My Thorens TD160. I inherited it from someone very dear to me and it blew away the ProJects and Regas I had before it.
It's gotta be my turntable Roksan Xerxes 20+, Naim ARO and Roksan Shiraz cartridge. They're all individually excellent but sound even better together. Very good synergy. For me turntables are easy to love because they're mechanical and hence highly interactive.
Following closely are my Naim SL2 speakers. As an engineering type I really appreciate the science that has gone into these speakers. Love or hate the sound, no one makes speakers like Naim. The concept was to focus primarily on isolation and vibration control in the cabinets and less on the drivers which are excellent but not state of the art like some other speakers (such as Magico with their esoteric cutting edge driver materials). I often wonder what the result would be if the SL2 cabinets were combined with some Magico drivers.
I wish this didn't change almost daily!
I don't currently wish to change any of my gear which is unusual for me. I do think that some gear will be with me for life though, especially my TTS8000/SME IV and Art 1, my Technics SH-X1000 DAC and my NS1000M. Picking one amp only would be an issue though; on different days I put one on and love it then I will swap again and love again. They are the Nakamichi CA7/PA7 and the Lentek integrated. I really love them both sonically and aesthetically.
My B&W 804N speakers. Every time I improve the source and amplification they just get better and better, and still look great, despite being over a decade old.
My favourite bit of kit is the bit of kit I have yet to buy. :)
I love the way (usually) a new bit of kit lifts the music to an even better place.
But as to 'now' - I guess it is my music collection, all digital (approaching 2tb), which I would be gutted to lose, so I have it backed up twice - once in the cloud.
But current hardware I would say is the Radford Revival STA25 and the non oversampling Chevron Paradox DAC (modded a few months ago). The PMC speakers are also high up there.
The bit of kit that would be a pain to lose is the fanless SSD windows 10 renderer I spent some time building and optimising.
Lawrence001
05-05-2017, 22:59
This is a hard one for me. I love my whole system.
The Tannoys bring me huge pleasure, as does my amazingly capable Monarchy Audio gear. I'm very fond of the remarkably good Pioneer PD-S505 Precision CD players. The 774 arm is a class act on my turntable.
The recently purchased Quad 306 power amp and vintage KEF Corelli speakers have proved to be excellent.
Hmm, It's got to be the irreplaceable MingDa MC-9 TVC pre-amp I think. What this does with music astonishes me each time I connect it into the system.
What are you favourites?
Funny you mention a TVC as today I picked this up and it is my new favourite bit of kit.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170505/ab813bdc2236330946469ce17862c81d.jpg
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57charles
06-05-2017, 03:59
It has to be my Yamaha Z9 in 2 channel direct mode - it's an effortless refined powerhouse followed by my cultured Spendor SP2/3r2.
Tonight it has to be my Royd RR3 standmount speakers, most of the boogie of old Royds with way more refinement. They need a serious amp to wake up though, so think Naim NAP135s instead of a Nait 2. Currently listening to some death metal (90s) while my girlfriend and daughter are out of the house, so when the double kick drums come in fast with a rhythm and guitar solo on top am reminded of why these speakers are so good. No blur or feeling of 'behind time notes', everything arrives in one go as recorded, which seems to be a very difficult thing to achieve with speakers! Phase and transient response seem to have been forgotten during the BBC days, but at least we have some Royd fanboys around...
"Tonight Matthew I am Going to Be........." my Muse TDA1543 Dac....Ta Da.....!
Sorry, Friday night early wine imbibing :rolleyes:. I got this from someone on here and checked it to make sure it worked and put it to one side. I dug it out the other week and have been using it with both a battery PS and a linear PS. Iam now using it with a linear PS, a ripple eater and a teddyreg (regulated to 10v - said to be the optimum for this Dac) and it sounds....SoooooPerb :D
"Tonight Matthew I am Going to Be........." my Muse TDA1543 Dac....Ta Da.....!
Sorry, Friday night early wine imbibing :rolleyes:. I got this from someone on here and checked it to make sure it worked and put it to one side. I dug it out the other week and have been using it with both a battery PS and a linear PS. Iam now using it with a linear PS, a ripple eater and a teddyreg (regulated to 10v - said to be the optimum for this Dac) and it sounds....SoooooPerb :D
The 'immediacy' and close-up yet deep soundstage nature of these DACs are indeed great. :D
Get some Joni Mitchell on and the TDA1543 can shred modern DACs.
magiccarpetride
19-05-2017, 18:09
This is a hard one for me. I love my whole system.
The Tannoys bring me huge pleasure, as does my amazingly capable Monarchy Audio gear. I'm very fond of the remarkably good Pioneer PD-S505 Precision CD players. The 774 arm is a class act on my turntable.
The recently purchased Quad 306 power amp and vintage KEF Corelli speakers have proved to be excellent.
Hmm, It's got to be the irreplaceable MingDa MC-9 TVC pre-amp I think. What this does with music astonishes me each time I connect it into the system.
What are you favourites?
I'm having trouble picking between my Maggies planar speakers and my Denon DL-103 cartridge. Both are magical products that create breathtaking music.
I'm having trouble picking between my Maggies planar speakers and my Denon DL-103 cartridge. Both are magical products that create breathtaking music.
Those are two products that I would love to try in my system. I've read so much and seen so many people who swear by the Denon DL-103, they put them in different bodies, etc. I would definitely like to try one on my rig to hear what all the fuss is about.
And the Maggie's too, I've been wow'ed by Martin Login's before, and Magnapan has been in business far longer. I'd love to hear a pair in my system, too bad I can't rent a pair for a month?
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Clothears
20-05-2017, 05:25
Personally I would be lost without my Squeezebox Touch for both internet radio and Spotify. Amps and speakers come and go but my SBT is a constant.
.
magiccarpetride
21-05-2017, 06:11
Those are two products that I would love to try in my system. I've read so much and seen so many people who swear by the Denon DL-103, they put them in different bodies, etc. I would definitely like to try one on my rig to hear what all the fuss is about.
And the Maggie's too, I've been wow'ed by Martin Login's before, and Magnapan has been in business far longer. I'd love to hear a pair in my system, too bad I can't rent a pair for a month?
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Denon DL-103 is pure magic. However, I feel that it only reaches its full potential if used with a quality Step-up transformer (SUT).
I would recommend using vintage Maggies (I'm using crusty old IMP-I). Those are old school barnyard door speakers, but their tone in unsurpassed. New Maggies deliver more of a 'new school' hi fi sound, which is not big on tone (more focused on imaging, soundstage, ultra high details). To me, real magic happens when you get a visceral attack, which makes you feel like you're attending a real performance. Both Denon DL-103 and Maggies IMP-I are 100% forced of that visceral delivery, which is something you can rarely hear form most other hi fi systems.
southall-1998
21-05-2017, 13:04
Another old favourite, is the Roksan Kandy amp. Any generation of the Kandy is good. They're all well built, and play music....Plenty power too!
S.
My Nakamichi CA 5E pre-amp, I only use it for the phono stage which is superb.
as above my nakamichi ca-5 pre but thats been overturned by my townshend elite rock2 turntable,i was very happy with my pioneer plc-1700 but the rock takes it up another level :)
Bigman80
21-05-2017, 14:18
as above my nakamichi ca-5 pre but thats been overturned by my townshend elite rock2 turntable,i was very happy with my pioneer plc-1700 but the rock takes it up another level :)
Is it that good jamie?
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For me it's my Teac distinction Ai3000 integrated amp .
I can't fault it apart from it being in black .
Is it that good jamie?
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if you mean the rock,yes mate its very good :)
Bigman80
21-05-2017, 14:34
if you mean the rock,yes mate its very good :)
Hmmm, interesting!
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It's the fluid damping that does it ��
Bigman80
21-05-2017, 15:00
I like the look of it mate, to be fair but ill never get rid of the Toshy. Its very good
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Yes, a hard one, but I think it has to be my amp. It would be hard to replace and it's taking me a long time to find an amp that does it for me. Love the Harbeths and the EMC1UP is exceptional, but without the E470 at the heart, I doubt the SQ would be as good.
Mac
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