Recent content by AlbaBrown

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    High-resolution audio: clarity or confusion?

    ..and amplitude and frequency are the only parameters for sound reproduction? Example, let's say a (theoretical) perfect recording of a piano being played was created. A single note played would have a variety of different freqencies that, when converging at exact (and differing points in time)...
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    Watchdog HDMI Cable Special

    Oh, here we go again! Cue the old "digital is digital" brigade. All CD players sound the same, All Blurays look and sound the same, all digital cables are the same. If that were the case jitter, error correction etc wouldn't exist (let alone the effects these factors have on neighbouring...
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    £5k, starting fresh with a complete new system. What would you do?

    I'd guess I'd go for: Well Tempered Simplex+Nagaoka MP110 (£1630ish) Naim NAC-N172XS (£1650) Naim NAP100 (£650) Focal Aria 906B (£900) and spend the rest on some Tellurium Q cables
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    Pioneer to move away from AV altogether?

    It's no surprise really. Whether you like their AV amps or not (I don't - most I've experienced have been overpriced and artificially bright sounding), the AV amp market is like the TV market they departed. No one actually gives a toss about quality, just festoon the product with...
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    Budget CD Players - Which can I trust to be reliable?

    I'd go for the 1010 CD. It is better than the Marantz and the CA. Not leaps and bounds, but certainly faster and more musical. Kinda funny how people cling on to the belief that Marantz have always made/make amazing CDPs. None of their machines are bad but they certainly are not ground...
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    What did I do wrong on my first Hi-Fi?

    Why did you not audition it before buying!!!!???? From my own experience (and mistakes!) just buying 5 star premoted products is NEVER a guaranteed path to getting the sound that you'll truely be happy with. From my own experience, I would say it's a compound problem: The RP6 is a good deck...
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    Cartridge to replace my 10x4

    Wow! If you coaxed 30yrs out the 10x4 it will have been well past it's prime! (even if it had never seen a groove!). I'm guessing the exhange discount Dynavector run doesn't soften the blow much? The Nagaoka MP110 is a great little cartidge, bouncy and musical character. This was on my old...
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    NAD D3020 Size.

    THere are distinct SQ compromises when components are tightly packaged together, regardless of class type of amp. The Naim amp photographed is a prime example of high quality components given space to work with less neighbouring interference. The NAD is a reasonable amp, but we all know why...
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    Exposure 3010s2 won HiFi News latest supertest

    A named review by an established (and consistant) reviewer at least gives you a barometer to gauge an opinion before audition. I've heard the 3010S2 and it's a smooth, but not soft, amp. Great composure, and silky in the top end. The Naim is faster, more robust, and tonally has some lift in the...
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    question about a what hifi review

    Happens more often than you think. (even sister publications like What Car reviewed the Kia Picanto and Hyundi i10, claiming one is a great city and the other was very average - under the cosmetics they are the same car). Just another example that an audition of products before purchase (maybe...
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    Do all Blu-ray players output the same quality sound and vision?

    No. Many claim that they all output exactly the same data, using the age old argument that digital is digital, ignoring the fact that error correction is needed in all digital circuits (because of many factors affecting the information and timing). And that error correction is perfect when...
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    Naim NAT05: outdoor aerial needed to shine?

    An outdoor antenna is strongly recommended to get the best out of the NAT05, but if you are in a strong area a more specialised aerial in a loft space would suffice. Sadly many aerial installers class those horrible little omin-directional types as "good enough" for radio, so it's worth finding...
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    Calling Naim experts

    Undoubtedly your 62/90 will be rejuvinated by a full service. Unlike almost any other manufacturer at their price, Naim will have a record of what exact spec of components your units are fitted with (they have a rig for measuring banks of components that are "supposedly" identical spec, and...
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    WHFSV Reviews

    I know other's have said it before, but in my opinion, the system that Hifi Choice used years ago - detailed reviews encompassing auditioning and brief technical analysis followed by a RECOMMENDED/HIGHLY RECOMMENDED badge. They used to work on a monthly Supertest Structure - one month a...
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    Suggestions, please

    Might be worth considering the Yamaha MCN-560 Network hifi (£400) with a LIV Concepts ZEN 2TB CDrip/NAS (£550), driving a pair of Q Acoustics Concept 20s (£350) or Paradigm Atom Monitors (£350) for a solution that gives a great little network system without having to thrash the old laptop. A...