Are you happy with your system?

[Romulus]

I have a small modest system in my kitchen. It must be doing something right as I listen to my music collection often. Ofcourse I lust for a better more resolved system, something like a ATC SCM40A with the appropriate pre amp, or go half way an ATC SCM19 with something like a Hegel H190 or a different amp/dac. Also I have all my original Lps in the basement, maybe a turntable (audition Rega or equivalent turntables) but then I will need phono stage, so maybe a Simaudiuo Moon amp instead of Hegel (Moon equip their amps with Phono Stage and have warranty for 10 years instead of 2/3 years). So where will the money come from....?

 

[gasolin]

http://nationalaudionews.com.au/new-iso-line-from-isoacoustics/

 

[ChemMan]

Yes and no. Yet over the course of the last few weeks, folks on these forums like Cno, Insider 9, no Piano, to name just a few, have offered good advice. "The more I learn the more questions I have" is an age old addage and proves prescient here.

In the search for fuller sound, I have turned to source, amp and speakers in the last couple weeks, but the largest improvements were a drastic change in orientation ( I moved our entire large living space 90 degress and with it got a speaker wall of 65cm away vs. speakers standing alone with a wall 2.5m away. They are also on sand filled stands now.

The other change was more of a mentality: Well recorded/engineered (and in some cases produced) pieces of music, regardless of genre, seem to sound better. Four albums really changed my mind: Dylan's "Oh Mercy" Hadouk Trio "Baldamore" Jason Mraz "We Sing We Dance.." and Nils Lofgren "Acoustic Live" I have heard them on CD and Tidal, and I liked them equally. I want to start a thread of the very finest recordings.

I used to think Steely Dan and Sting were the epitome. Bah, what a Philistine I was. 🙂 Raised on a steady diet of Classic Rock wil do that to you I suppose. My old time rock and roll is never going to sound the way I hoped it would. I hate my computer for music.

I still need a streamer and have more than two months of research to show that until I hear everything I have read about, there is no reason to purchase.

Finally, I wonder why nobody seems to own Arcam amps, LS50's or B&W speakers? It makes me wonder if I dropped the ball.

 

[Vladimir]

If you buy Arcam or B&W you are likely not going to have any audiophile friends. In fact, people will thell you how much they dislike or prefer anything over B&W straight to your face. This should be printed on the doors of dealer showrooms.

You did good buying the LS-50. Adding a Rega TT might bring back balance to your audiophile social life, a healthy 50/50.

 

[CnoEvil]

Finally, I wonder why nobody seems to own Arcam amps, LS50's or B&W speakers? It makes me wonder if I dropped the ball.

There is actually quite a few owners of Arcam, B&W and LS50s.

The LS50s have had huge critical acclaim from almost every review - IIRC WHF product of the Year and Stereorophile Class A listing. You might find this Technical Paper from Kef interesting: https://www.kefdirect.com/media/wysiwyg/documents/ls50/ls50_white_paper.pdf

Arcam are a generally liked product - with the view that their Claas G has moved things on.

I have less to say about B&W, as I generally prefer Kef...but this is personal.

 

[ChemMan]

Thanks Vlad. Honestly, thank you. I seriously needed some perpective. I recently heard the 703s and though they were pretty nice speakers and had them running from my awful A39. 🙂

When I first started buying a good system, in 2000, I was in the Philippines and all they had were Arcam, Musical fidelity and a nice pair of old B&W CDM1 se. Back then, I figured, "if it's UK stereo stuff, it's top notch." I still agree, that per capita the UK has the best hifi equipment. Though now I know there is fabulous stuff coming from everywhere, but when you are young........

@Cno. I bet money you are great father. All the right, and gentle things to say, at all the right times. Cheers bro.

 

[CnoEvil]

@Cno. I bet money you are great father. All the right, and gentle things to say, at all the right times. Cheers bro.

What a nice thing to say. Thank you.

Saying that, I don't post things for the sake of it....and say what I believe, rather than what I think people would like to hear.

 

[Native_bon]

I made that comment in a tongue'n'cheek spirit, but its not that far off reality.

Go on a big AV forum and try to talk up your belowed B&Ws. Everyone with a pair of direct-sales speaker brand will go after you with criticism how B&W is overpriced rubbish for audiophools who buy expensive cables. Everyone in Harman's objectivist corner will be there to devour what's left of your enthusiasm. None of them know the CDM1SE are the bees kness with valve amps, or who Laurence Dickie is. I've talked up B&W here with same effect as if I whispered swahili inside an empty soda can.

Even JBL who gets the upright noses from flat-earth audiophiles as 'the car speaker brand' has a strong fan base holding the fort. Just go on Audiokarma and Lansing Heritage and talk poo about JBL and see what happens. B&W has no fan base. You will be alone in the mall, holding a stack of extremely beautiful and profesisonally made B&W brochures.

Arcam is a less depressing story on this forum. But still you'd be better of with a scandinavian amp.

P.S. I said LS50 were a good choice, but ONLY THOSE. Buy nothing else from KEF. The rest of the range scores really low on the Audiophile Kardashians index.

Now why would that be.... Kind of get where you not going with this? In other words you saying B&W and Arcam are C**p products or have a bad reputation in the Hifi world or both. *unknw*

 

[insider9]

Arcam is a less depressing story on this forum. But still you'd be better of with a scandinavian amp.

That, or a Japanese one *biggrin*

 

[Vladimir]

(not really)

 

[CnoEvil]

(not really)

It's Sunday "Wind-Up" day. So why not, it's a long standing tradition. *biggrin*

 

[insider9]

I made that comment in a tongue'n'cheek spirit, but its not that far off reality.

Go on a big AV forum and try to talk up your belowed B&Ws. Everyone with a pair of direct-sales speaker brand will go after you with criticism how B&W is overpriced rubbish for audiophools who buy expensive cables. Everyone in Harman's objectivist corner will be there to devour what's left of your enthusiasm. None of them know the CDM1SE are the bees kness with valve amps, or who Laurence Dickie is. I've talked up B&W here with same effect as if I whispered swahili inside an empty soda can.

Even JBL who gets the upright noses from flat-earth audiophiles as 'the car speaker brand' has a strong fan base holding the fort. Just go on Audiokarma and Lansing Heritage and talk poo about JBL and see what happens. B&W has no fan base. You will be alone in the mall, holding a stack of extremely beautiful and profesisonally made B&W brochures.

Arcam is a less depressing story on this forum. But still you'd be better of with a scandinavian amp.

P.S. I said LS50 were a good choice, but ONLY THOSE. Buy nothing else from KEF. The rest of the range scores really low on the Audiophile Kardashians index.

Now why would that be.... Kind of get where you not going with this? In other words you saying B&W and Arcam are C**p products or have a bad reputation in the Hifi world or both. *unknw*

I'm reading it as a dig at those who preach sound quality above all else, yet dismiss gear based on lesser (in their eyes) badge on the front. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Vladimir]

*biggrin*

 

[Vladimir]

I made that comment in a tongue'n'cheek spirit, but its not that far off reality.

Go on a big AV forum and try to talk up your belowed B&Ws. Everyone with a pair of direct-sales speakers will go after you with criticism how B&W is overpriced rubbish for audiophools who buy expensive cables. Everyone in Harman's objectivist corner will be there to devour what's left of your enthusiasm. None of them know the CDM1SE are the bees kness with valve amps, or who Laurence Dickie is. I've talked up B&W here with same effect as if I whispered swahili inside an empty soda can.

Even JBL who gets the upright noses from flat-earth audiophiles as 'the car speaker brand' has a strong fan base holding the fort. Just go on Audiokarma or Lansing Heritage and talk poo about JBL and see what happens. B&W has no fan base. You will be alone in the mall, holding a stack of extremely beautiful and profesisonally made B&W brochures.

Arcam is a less depressing story on this forum. But still you'd be better of with a scandinavian amp.

P.S. I said LS50 were a good choice, but ONLY THOSE. Buy nothing else from KEF. The rest of the range scores really low on the Audiophile Kardashians index.

 

[gasolin]

Changed my speaker cable and it did something to the sound, especially the top

Im happy with the sound

 

[MrReaper182]

I'm only happy with it until I see something I'll like to add to the system. There is always something nice in the what hifi mag which makes me think my system does not sound as good as it once did until I add what ever I saw in the magazine to it. It's a nice problem to have I suppose.

 

[knaithrover]

I'm very happy with both of my set ups. The only things I would look to upgrade at the moment would be cartridges for the tt's and maybe some posh cabling

 

[knaithrover]

.....oh yeah and some tubes for my preamp

 

[mond]

Yes, especially after adding the preamp and supertweeters, these last two upgrades have done wonders for my enjoyment levels 🙂

 

[stereoman]

If everyone invested time and found ( calculated ) the perfect spot for your system ( not easy but possible ) almost everyone would be more happy with their system. The point is - most have wrongly placed speakers with wrong room acoustics treatment and this could be the point of dissatisfaction. I am pretty sure.

 

[CnoEvil]

If everyone invested time and found ( calculated ) the perfect spot for your system ( not easy but possible ) almost everyone would be more happy with their system. The point is - most have wrongly placed speakers with wrong room acoustics treatment and this could be the point of dissatisfaction. I am pretty sure.

You should change your signature to "A Bad Room Kills Good Music".

 

[lindsayt]

Visits last month to the North West Audio Show and Owston were enjoyable and informative. Owston was inspirational too.

The way forward for me is a DIY Frankenstein / blended whisky pair of speakers. An approach that I've been reading about for years on American enthusiast websites.

What I'm aiming for is something approaching the bass extension and dynamic openness of my full sized 4 way American corner horns. The bass tightness, texture and toe-tapping ability of my wardrobe sized 1960's infinite baffles. The midrange and treble clarity and dynamic openness of my 1970's drinks cabinet sized theatre PA horn hybrids.

With an aimed budget of £1000 to £1500.

The plan is to have a good 18" or 24" woofer in a sealed cabinet. A 12" upper bass & lower midrange driver in a sealed cabinet. Compression drivers and horns for the midrange and treble. A miniDSP for the crossover, time alignment, plus some equalisation.

I'm on the lookout for appropriate used drivers, horns and minDSP. Getting the tweeters plus tweeter horns that I wanted was easy. It will need some patience and persistance to get the rest...

Not that I'm in any hurry as I'm happy enough to enjoy using what I have already.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Visits last month to the North West Audio Show and Owston were enjoyable and informative. Owston was inspirational too.

The way forward for me is a DIY Frankenstein / blended whisky pair of speakers. An approach that I've been reading about for years on American enthusiast websites.

What I'm aiming for is something approaching the bass extension and dynamic openness of my full sized 4 way American corner horns. The bass tightness, texture and toe-tapping ability of my wardrobe sized 1960's infinite baffles. The midrange and treble clarity and dynamic openness of my 1970's drinks cabinet sized theatre PA horn hybrids.

With an aimed budget of £1000 to £1500.

 

The plan is to have a good 18" or 24" woofer in a sealed cabinet. A 12" upper bass & lower midrange driver in a sealed cabinet. Compression drivers and horns for the midrange and treble. A miniDSP for the crossover, time alignment, plus some equalisation. 

I'm on the lookout for appropriate used drivers, horns and minDSP. Getting the tweeters plus tweeter horns that I wanted was easy. It will need some patience and persistance to get the rest...

Not that I'm in any hurry as I'm happy enough to enjoy using what I have already.

I could go for/live with that also
Sounds awesome

 

[stereoman]

If everyone invested time and found ( calculated ) the perfect spot for your system ( not easy but possible ) almost everyone would be more happy with their system. The point is - most have wrongly placed speakers with wrong room acoustics treatment and this could be the point of dissatisfaction. I am pretty sure.

You should change your signature to "A Bad Room Kills Good Music".

Lol...I can do this. But honestly I am no acoustics freak like others - I simply was trying to stay away from this but I just came to the point when I realised that this is really the all in and out of all systems' drawbacks. Look at this: with small treatment you can boost your speakers up to +5dB or minus if not more. Plus treble refelctions - these are the culprits of all bad sound. Why music in Studios sound so good ? Mainly because they have got only one plexi glass and the rest is all damped.

 

[Electro]

I am absolutely over the moon with my system , I find it hard to imagine better .