Appreciating you system

[Witterings]

When you listen to your main system regularly, it's very easy to take if for granted and pick holes in what are probably bad recordings and blame the setup.

I've had a day today of trying to decide whether to upgrade an amp in a secondary listening area, using an amp switch going back and forward between the two to try an decide which I prefer.

The room has speaker placement issues as the only place to put the speakers is either side on a window sill so they have the wall right next to them and glass immediately behind so I can't get rid of the "boxy" sound and it'll always have "limitations" and this is a much more "budget" system.

Finished watching the news and thought I'd play a few tracks on my main system before ZZZZ's and WOW ....... WOW .... really made me appreciate my main system again, next time I take if for granted I know what to do 😆

 

[Jasonovich]

It's true we need to take stock what we already have and enjoy the music more.

 

[Al ears]

I certainly appreciate my main system as I don't have the luxury of multiple ones.
I use a DAP and headphones when away from home and have a single Dali Katch speaker in the kitchen.
Music wherever I want it really without worries of setting up a system in an awkward space.
If the music you get out of the awkward setting is severely compromised why go through the expense of trying to set one up there?

 

[abacus]

There are 2 types of Hi-Fi enthusiasts, one that listens to the system (And end up constantly changing equipment to get something better, but never achieving it) and the other that listens to the music (These take care in choosing and then just enjoy the music until something fails or a new format etc. comes along) .
I'm firmly in the music first group, thus my equipment changes very slowly over time. (The oldest component in my system are the speakers which are little over 20yrs old and still going strong, with the youngest being my PVR which is about a year old, and was only purchased because my previous PVR gave up the ghost)

Bill

 

[Gel Man]

I have had my speakers 18 years now and I am never going to change them I have decided. I bought 2 amps last year because I split my system up from a 5.1 home cinema system to a 2.0 hifi setup and a 2.1 hifi setup and I love listening to them both. The only speaker I don’t use now is my centre speaker. I will keep that as a spare if anything goes wrong with the other speakers not that I do think it will.

 

[Jasonovich]

There are 2 types of Hi-Fi enthusiasts, one that listens to the system (And end up constantly changing equipment to get something better, but never achieving it) and the other that listens to the music (These take care in choosing and then just enjoy the music until something fails or a new format etc. comes along) .
I'm firmly in the music first group, thus my equipment changes very slowly over time. (The oldest component in my system are the speakers which are little over 20yrs old and still going strong, with the youngest being my PVR which is about a year old, and was only purchased because my previous PVR gave up the ghost)

Bill

It's a failed synopsis and tainted with a little bit of hypocrisy, I say this with humour, not wishing to offend.

You know Bill, most of us fall in the first group, you demand excellence but is often an unobtainable goal.

The second group only listens to the music, so if the HiFi isn't the criterion, and if this holds water, then this group have no relationship with HI-FI, since they are content listening to music through a beatbox.
I think this group should fall under a new classification, music-phile. Please someone come up with a better name!

I think I may have painted the second group with a broad brush. I think most who fall into this group, are only saying, you need to prioritise the music more than getting hang up on your hardware, which is a fair comment.

Look at it this way, is a true photographer the one who never changes his camera or his lens?

In pursuit of excellence, you need to invest in your hobby but there's always a caveat, you need to take stock of what you have, and try to curb this obsession.

 

[Jasonovich]

I have had my speakers 18 years now and I am never going to change them I have decided. I bought 2 amps last year because I split my system up from a 5.1 home cinema system to a 2.0 hifi setup and a 2.1 hifi setup and I love listening to them both. The only speaker I don’t use now is my centre speaker. I will keep that as a spare if anything goes wrong with the other speakers not that I do think it will.

Nice setup Gel, I see from the photo you don't have main's surge protection from your power supply. Always good to have this in place, just in case the unthinkable happens.

Below is what I use for mine, you'll probably find cheaper on eBay and Amazon.
All this wiring I have is like the Spagetti Junction! 🙂

Pardon our interruption...

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Gel Man]

Nice setup Gel, I see from the photo you don't have main's surge protection from your power supply. Always good to have this in place, just in case the unthinkable happens.

Below is what I use for mine, you'll probably find cheaper on eBay and Amazon.
All this wiring I have is like the Spagetti Junction! 🙂

Pardon our interruption...

Pardon our interruption...

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I do have main surge protectors, I think I have something like 3 connected to my 2 main systems. 😀

 

[RTHerringbone]

I like to think I'm done with chasing "better" sounding system components now. I'm getting plenty of satisfaction from my main and headphone setups and as an example, TIDAL recommended me a Welsh multi-instrumentalist earlier today called Gwenifer Raymond. I was able to listen to her on the main system while making a Sunday roast.

Now, in a chicken-filled stupor, I'm restfully reclining upstairs listening to her on my headphone setup. Both sound different but both sound great to me, and it's nice having the flexibility to be location agnostic and able to bring the music with me wherever I go.

Now a DAP isn't out of the option as I have other rooms in the house too.....

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

Nice setup Gel, I see from the photo you don't have main's surge protection from your power supply. Always good to have this in place, just in case the unthinkable happens.

Below is what I use for mine, you'll probably find cheaper on eBay and Amazon.
All this wiring I have is like the Spagetti Junction! 🙂

Pardon our interruption...

Pardon our interruption...

View attachment 10953
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If you are trusting a surge protector to protect £1.000s worth of equipment, don’t trust cheap, don’t trust unknown brands on AliExpress, buy known reliable kit, like Belkin. I have one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OE45MVK?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

It also comes with a £60,000 warranty, if something is damaged by a surge, whilst properly connected through it.

 

[Gel Man]

If you are trusting a surge protector to protect £1.000s worth of equipment, don’t trust cheap, don’t trust unknown brands on AliExpress, buy known reliable kit, like Belkin. I have one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OE45MVK?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

It also comes with a £60,000 warranty, if something is damaged by a surge, whilst properly connected through it.

I have 3 Belkin ones like that in my picture above. 👍

 

[skinnypuppy71]

Nice setup Gel, I see from the photo you don't have main's surge protection from your power supply. Always good to have this in place, just in case the unthinkable happens.

Below is what I use for mine, you'll probably find cheaper on eBay and Amazon.
All this wiring I have is like the Spagetti Junction! 🙂

Pardon our interruption...

Pardon our interruption...

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I have three of the tacima's....one in summer house system and the other two reside in the living room, one for the video side of things and the other for the stereo side, funnily enough though sitting here thinking....my amp ( the most expensive part) is plugged straight into the wall socket.....mmmmmm..maybe have to rethink that one...🤔
Oh and I appreciate both of the systems I've managed to accumulate...both sound magnificent on thier own merits.....the summer house is more of a nearfield type scenario....love listening to that at decent volumes.

 

[Snooker]

I am very happy with my system Denon Ceol N9 & Kef Q150's and would never change it, sounds excellent and like all hi-fi systems it also comes down to how good the song is produced and recorded, I do not crave for near perfection

 

[Shrek]

Nice setup Gel, I see from the photo you don't have main's surge protection from your power supply. Always good to have this in place, just in case the unthinkable happens.

Below is what I use for mine, you'll probably find cheaper on eBay and Amazon.
All this wiring I have is like the Spagetti Junction! 🙂

Pardon our interruption...

Pardon our interruption...

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This promted me has i have 2 extensions on my set up one side has a none branded surge protecter so i just orderd these 37% off on Amazon .

Amazon.co.uk

 

[Jasonovich]

I do have main surge protectors, I think I have something like 3 connected to my 2 main systems. 😀

Apologies I couldn't see it from the photo 🙂 That's cool! 😉 👍

 

[Gel Man]

Apologies I couldn't see it from the photo 🙂 That's cool! 😉 👍

That’s ok, Jason. 😀 I forgive you. Haha cool. 😎

 

[Jasonovich]

If you are trusting a surge protector to protect £1.000s worth of equipment, don’t trust cheap, don’t trust unknown brands on AliExpress, buy known reliable kit, like Belkin. I have one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OE45MVK?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

It also comes with a £60,000 warranty, if something is damaged by a surge, whilst properly connected through it.

The Belkin are a safe choice. The NGRID in our area was a bit dicy and I recall we had two or maybe three bad surges, those two Audiowalle surge protectors stood their ground, happy to feedback they did their job. These are good but yes, extra care needed for unknown brands.
I also have a Tacima from Amazon, which are highly recommended.

Touch wood, NGRID has improved since.

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

The Belkin are a safe choice. The NGRID in our area was a bit dicy and I recall we had two or maybe three bad surges, those two Audiowalle surge protectors stood their ground, happy to feedback they did their job. These are good but yes, extra care needed for unknown brands.
I also have a Tacima from Amazon, which are highly recommended.

Touch wood, NGRID has improved since.

You say you have had some bad power surges so, make sure the protectors are still working properly, check the manual, if you can find one...

The main component in most surge protectors, is a Metal Oxide Varistor, which provides a low resistance path to earth when there is excess voltage but, these devices are consumable and, after a few big surges will stop working, so you have no protection.

 

[Jasonovich]

You say you have had some bad power surges so, make sure the protectors are still working properly, check the manual, if you can find one...

The main component in most surge protectors, is a Metal Oxide Varistor, which provides a low resistance path to earth when there is excess voltage but, these devices are consumable and, after a few big surges will stop working, so you have no protection.

Thanks for the heads up, I don't have the manual but maybe there's something about the product online.

 

[Witterings]

There are 2 types of Hi-Fi enthusiasts, one that listens to the system (And end up constantly changing equipment to get something better, but never achieving it) and the other that listens to the music (These take care in choosing and then just enjoy the music until something fails or a new format etc. comes along) .
I'm firmly in the music first group, thus my equipment changes very slowly over time. (The oldest component in my system are the speakers which are little over 20yrs old and still going strong, with the youngest being my PVR which is about a year old, and was only purchased because my previous PVR gave up the ghost)

Bill

I'm 100% in the music 1st .... but as s musician since a very young age, that includes enjoying hearing every bit of detail of every instrument without it having a harsh edge to it.

I've always had a semi decent surround sound receiver which I used for stereo as well and a "reasonable" set of speakers until my journey started 2 1/2 years ago.

You make some changes and you don't like them so much (my normal problem is too bright), then you change again and it becomes better, then you change again and suddenly you're sitting there and hear the bass lick you've never caught before or a subtle guitar riff you think is complete genius and that makes the song and you're COMPLETELY blown away for those few seconds .... that's when the system makes the music incredible.

Problem with it is, no different to drugs, that 1st hit is unbelievable and you want more of the same, the second hit, isn't as good as the 1st and the 3rd not as good as the 2nd .... and so on.

I think I'm at that level, unless I won the lottery I don't think I'll ever change anything I have in my main system but will maybe continue to "tweak" ones in secondary listening areas. It was just really nice to go back to my main system last night and fully appreciate it.

 

[froze]

I have had my speakers 18 years now and I am never going to change them I have decided. I bought 2 amps last year because I split my system up from a 5.1 home cinema system to a 2.0 hifi setup and a 2.1 hifi setup and I love listening to them both. The only speaker I don’t use now is my centre speaker. I will keep that as a spare if anything goes wrong with the other speakers not that I do think it will.

My speakers are JBL L7's that I bought in 1994, just had side bass and the mid bass speakers refoamed, the other speakers were fine. I love the sound of these speakers; I even listened to more modern offerings and haven't found anything else I liked better. Since the cabinets and the speaker grills are in great shape there was no need to buy new speakers.

Sure, if you like your speakers keep them, there's no reason to replace them, and when the time comes to replace the surrounds, just do it and keep the speakers you like for a much longer time.

 

[froze]

I do have main surge protectors, I think I have something like 3 connected to my 2 main systems. 😀

I'm assuming you are NOT chaining those surge protectors thinking if one surge protector is good 2 is better, and 3 is better yet, because it doesn't work that way, and all it will do is make your components run hotter and burn out faster.

 

[froze]

In regard to surges. The best way to protect your home is to have a whole house surge protector installed in the breaker box. Then use regular surge protectors at outlets.

The best protector is the Tripplite IsoBar Ultra. These things work with a progressive ability; this means that the best surge protection is in the outlet that is the furthest from the where the cord goes into the box.

If you get a lot of thunderstorms, it's wise to unplug stuff from the wall when a storm comes through.

Due to microchips used in all sorts of things you need to use surge protectors in your appliances as well, except for the microwave, there is no surge protector made to handle the wattage of a microwave.

Some people use UPS surge protectors on their audio/video stuff, that isn't a bad idea. Look into APC for the best UPS system and look for true sine wave units. Having a UPS system will protect from your gear from brownouts

 

[Gel Man]

I'm assuming you are NOT chaining those surge protectors thinking if one surge protector is good 2 is better, and 3 is better yet, because it doesn't work that way, and all it will do is make your components run hotter and burn out faster.

I have them all 3 of them plugged into different mains sockets, so they are each independent. It’s just the way it worked out as the system goes right across the room, and I have lots of main sockets in it.