- Jan 2, 2008
- 1,143
- 117
- 19,370
Setup; an 80gb ipod classic and a 4gb nano. A Bose Sounddock. A Music Fidelity XcanV2 headphone amp with Russ Andrews GQ-24 cable to connect the ipod. The headphones are Grado SR 80s and out of site is a Russ Andrews mains extension with a Silencer plugged into it. I also have a Logitech mm50 which usually lives in the kitchen, or comes with me about the house. For out and about; Sennheiser MX500 earphones and in the car a Belkin ipod cassette adaptor. Very simple, very adaptable, not hugely expensive and pretty much future proof .
The B&O Beocentre 2200
Sound; Ipod Classic and nano - The sound from the ipods is superb. If mp3 players were just a means to listening to music on the move I would not have considered using the ipods as the source of the music. My original Sony Walkman was just a means of listening to music when out and about, it’s sound could never have become the main source of music replacing the Yamaha KX390. But after plugging the ipod nano into my Rega Mira amp with a £5 cable from Curries to see how it would work, it was clear that musically this had a future. I have both ipods on the EQ setting ‘jazz.’ It is one of my least favourite forms of music (the worst is Chinese opera), but it has the best clarity.
Logitech mm50 - I was blown away when I got the Logitech (a present and unfortunately only available in white at the time. I prefer black, even ordering a black Arcam during the ‘silver years’). How could something so small, light and innocuous produce such a lively, detailed and powerful sound? I could hear detail on it that was also on the separates I still had at that point. It can produce a clear solid base sound that does not distort, yet it ‘walked’ itself off a shelf whilst playing the Groove Armada track Edge Hill! Both ipods benefit from being in soft covers to stop them from rattling against the casework.
Logitech mm50
Bose Sounddock - A friend had bought himself a Bose Lifestyle system. Remembering granny’s Bang & Olufsen I went round with a pile of CDs and was most impressed. My friend and my granny liked the solid base and clarity of sound at low volumes that both of their systems were able to produce. Granny also liked the Who. I headed to John Lewis and tried a Bose Sounddock with my nano. I also tried another speaker port, going back from one to the other and ending up with a small crowd of other listeners and a very happy John Lewis sales assistant. It was clear that the Bose produced the bigger, stronger, clearer sound. It easily fills the living room with music, and it can be heard around the rest of the house if you push it! You get used to all of the sound appearing from one small area, but I do miss stereo effects and the scale of two speakers. I like my music to sound lively and to be able to follow a different instrument each time I listen. No distortion and good clarity are important, but at home I also need to have quiet times.
MF XcanV2 and Grado SR80s - I had kept the XcanV2 and headphones as my friend did not need them. The latest upgrade has been a Russ Andrews GQ-24 cable for the ipod to XcanV2 connection. Volume control is now with the amplifier. It has got to be the most simple hifi set up possible. The Grado headphones leak sound, so I keep the volume low unless I am on my own chilling. The sound is very clear and I can follow different instruments each time I listen. I can get lost in the music.
Russ Andrews GQ-24 interconnect
Out and about; the Sennheiser MX500 earphones were a noticeable improvement from the ones that came with the ipods. Without changing the volume the music sounds louder, a good sign an upgrade has worked. The weak link is in the car with the Belkin cassette adaptor. It works better with the classic than the nano, but the sound is thin and uninvolving. Volume control is also a problem, even with the ipod’s sound check on. Some tracks sound very quiet compared to others, and woe betide if I forget to turn the car stereo volume down before switching to the radio.
Sennheiser mx500
The pleasure has been the music. I cannot play a note. I can play with my hifi.
Sound; Ipod Classic and nano - The sound from the ipods is superb. If mp3 players were just a means to listening to music on the move I would not have considered using the ipods as the source of the music. My original Sony Walkman was just a means of listening to music when out and about, it’s sound could never have become the main source of music replacing the Yamaha KX390. But after plugging the ipod nano into my Rega Mira amp with a £5 cable from Curries to see how it would work, it was clear that musically this had a future. I have both ipods on the EQ setting ‘jazz.’ It is one of my least favourite forms of music (the worst is Chinese opera), but it has the best clarity.
Logitech mm50 - I was blown away when I got the Logitech (a present and unfortunately only available in white at the time. I prefer black, even ordering a black Arcam during the ‘silver years’). How could something so small, light and innocuous produce such a lively, detailed and powerful sound? I could hear detail on it that was also on the separates I still had at that point. It can produce a clear solid base sound that does not distort, yet it ‘walked’ itself off a shelf whilst playing the Groove Armada track Edge Hill! Both ipods benefit from being in soft covers to stop them from rattling against the casework.
Bose Sounddock - A friend had bought himself a Bose Lifestyle system. Remembering granny’s Bang & Olufsen I went round with a pile of CDs and was most impressed. My friend and my granny liked the solid base and clarity of sound at low volumes that both of their systems were able to produce. Granny also liked the Who. I headed to John Lewis and tried a Bose Sounddock with my nano. I also tried another speaker port, going back from one to the other and ending up with a small crowd of other listeners and a very happy John Lewis sales assistant. It was clear that the Bose produced the bigger, stronger, clearer sound. It easily fills the living room with music, and it can be heard around the rest of the house if you push it! You get used to all of the sound appearing from one small area, but I do miss stereo effects and the scale of two speakers. I like my music to sound lively and to be able to follow a different instrument each time I listen. No distortion and good clarity are important, but at home I also need to have quiet times.
MF XcanV2 and Grado SR80s - I had kept the XcanV2 and headphones as my friend did not need them. The latest upgrade has been a Russ Andrews GQ-24 cable for the ipod to XcanV2 connection. Volume control is now with the amplifier. It has got to be the most simple hifi set up possible. The Grado headphones leak sound, so I keep the volume low unless I am on my own chilling. The sound is very clear and I can follow different instruments each time I listen. I can get lost in the music.
Out and about; the Sennheiser MX500 earphones were a noticeable improvement from the ones that came with the ipods. Without changing the volume the music sounds louder, a good sign an upgrade has worked. The weak link is in the car with the Belkin cassette adaptor. It works better with the classic than the nano, but the sound is thin and uninvolving. Volume control is also a problem, even with the ipod’s sound check on. Some tracks sound very quiet compared to others, and woe betide if I forget to turn the car stereo volume down before switching to the radio.
The pleasure has been the music. I cannot play a note. I can play with my hifi.
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