Speaker query?

[Pigmy Pony]

If you have a DVD or Blu Ray player knocking about, that would get your CDs up and running.

[DaveL]

Ok, so an update >>>

The NAD 3020e arrived yesterday so with trepidation it was time to attempt connecting things together.
The Aventree DAC I'd bought came with an optical cable a USB power cable but I knew I'd probably need other cabling from the DAC to the Amp and also Amp to speakers so the first job was a quick trip to B&Q to grab the necessary cabling.
With (hopefully?) everything I'd need now in one place the first job was to lug the Tannoy's (which aren't exactly light) from where I had them stored into a rough position in front either side of the tv.
After a rummage around the rear of the tv I managed to find and connect both the optical & USB cables to the DAC ... So far so good.
Having nowhere sensible to position the NAD Amp at the moment I sat it on top of one of the Tannoy's as a temp measure and connected the DAC to the Amp with the new cable I'd just bought.
With a bit of cable stripping the Amp was then duly connected to the speakers.
Now with what I hoped was everything connected it was time to bite the bullet, turn things on and see if anything actually worked.
I turned the DAC volume up to max as suggested in the instructions - Turned the volume of the NAD right down and turned the tv on which happened to be the BBC news.
The DAC instruction noted that the tv sound output would need to be changed from the tv speakers to an audio output source and having changed this over the newsreader went deathly quite.
With much trepidation I gingerly turned the NAD's power on and very slowly turned the volume control up ..... All hell broke loose!!
I have six dogs who all live in the house and suddenly there was a strange man speaking from boxes on the floor which they found hard to understand!
Once both myself and the pack of rabid hounds had got over the initial shock of noises coming from the boxes on the floor rather than the normal tv I was feeling pretty chuffed.
Now I knew everything seemed to work I wanted to try some music so I found the Youtube app on the tv and searched for something I'd played before > "Relax" a 2004 version of Frankie goes to Hollywood with Ryan Malloy taking the lead after
Holly Johnson refused to perform with the re-formed group. Personally I prefer this version and if you liked the original give this one a go.
So I fire it up and BLOODY HELL!!!
What a difference in sound coming out of the Tannoy's compared to the tv or my computer!
Having now run through much more nostalgic stuff I'm hooked! I never realized just what a difference there would be between the tv sound and through a stand alone audio system.
Herself is currently as I type listening to Simon & Garfunkel so there seems to be a general seal of approval.
It seems a major re-configuration of the front room is now on the cards to be able to find a permanent home for the Tannoy's and amp etc.

Many, many thanks to all who have contributed & given me some pointers in this thread, it really is very much appreciated, thank you all.

Being old enough to have time on my hands one of my hobbies is local auctions and I'd always dismissed the many hifi/audio gear products that often crops up. Now I'll be looking twice at anything that turns up.

DaveL

[struth]

Great.. Once you try some full fat cd quality you'll likely hear a difference to YouTube as well, as it will be mp3 or summat like that

[walpurgis]

All going well then

As Grant says, you should get good sound from CD.

Don't forget to use the treble adjuster on the speakers. Set the tone controls on the amplifier to their centre (level) position first.

[Macca]

I love it when a plan comes together.

It is hard to believe how poor the TV speaker system is until you hook up something better.

I'm just using these little JBLs on mine at the moment but still the improvement is shocking:



With big Tannoys deployed I can imagine how fabulous it must be.

Sound quality on a lot of TV channels is pretty good but it does tend to vary and the adverts seem to have the best quality.

If you have the Sky Arts channel it's worth looking to see what concerts they are broadcasting, there's popular and classical and the sound quality is excellent.

[tapid]

Remember hooking up my little Shan shimna concrete speakers for tv listening once and frit the shit out of the mother in law ! Improvement is indeed shocking and a treat to the lugs.
Good work David

[Pharos]

I love it when a plan comes together.

It is hard to believe how poor the TV speaker system is until you hook up something better.

I'm just using these little JBLs on mine at the moment but still the improvement is shocking:



With big Tannoys deployed I can imagine how fabulous it must be.

Sound quality on a lot of TV channels is pretty good but it does tend to vary and the adverts seem to have the best quality.

If you have the Sky Arts channel it's worth looking to see what concerts they are broadcasting, there's popular and classical and the sound quality is excellent.

Unless I am in a world of dystopia after my latest speaker acquisitions, a point is reached at which broadcast sound quality becomes fairly unbearable, especially on speech, which is very much a secondary consideration on TV.

I agree that adverts have a better SQ, with on mic speech.

[Barry]

Well done David,

I've been using separate speakers and amplifier with my TV for about fifteen years now. At the beginning I used a pair of small Eltax speakers with a Quad 33/303 amplifier, then replaced them with a pair of Bowers & Wilkins DM2A speakers and a Quad 520 amplifier.

The improvement in sound quality is significant when watching films and DVDs, but I agree with others regarding the SQ of adverts: the volume is louder and too intrusive, so I hit the 'silence' button on the remote during the commercial breaks.

[Swann36]

Well done David,

I've been using separate speakers and amplifier with my TV for about fifteen years now. At the beginning I used a pair of small Eltax speakers with a Quad 33/303 amplifier, then replaced them with a pair of Bowers & Wilkins DM2A speakers and a Quad 520 amplifier.

The improvement in sound quality is significant when watching films and DVDs, but I agree with others regarding the SQ of adverts: the volume is louder and too intrusive, so I hit the 'silence' button on the remote during the commercial breaks.

Yes well done David.....

Barry like you i have enjoyed amps & speakers rather than sound through the TV but only for 6 years or so ...and yes adverts are a problem its to do with them compressing the sound ...this is what started with the ads and then migrated into Digital music ..cds etc ..i think

[Macca]

Yes, ads are just broadcast at a higher level. There is a legal limit as to how much louder the ads are allowed to be compared to the programmes. I recall Channel 4 being fined for having their ads too loud, that was many years ago now.

Still seems to be a common problem though:

https://conversation.which.co.uk/tec...ts-commercial/



SQ on the ads is better because they have a much higher budget for sound recording than the programmes do.

The opposite problem for films on some channels, the dynamic range is quite high so you have to wind the volume right up to hear quiet dialogue, then when action starts it blows your head off.

Okay so that is supposed to be how it is but I do worry about disturbing the neighbour if watching an action film late at night.