Brennan JB7

Thaiman

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The JB7 seem to get some good press lately, including Gramophone mag. (Was Mr. E wrote the review?)

Anyone bought it yet?
 

Big Chris

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I was looking at it to replace my Sony CMT-SE1 mini in my bedroom. There's a better looking gun-metal finish too, as I thought the blue looked a bit cheap, but I think it's just for the largest capacity unit.
 

Gerrardasnails

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Big Chris:I was looking at it to replace my Sony CMT-SE1 mini in my bedroom. There's a better looking gun-metal finish too, as I thought the blue looked a bit cheap, but I think it's just for the largest capacity unit.

I prefer the look and idea of the Monitor Audio Airstream 10 for the bedroom as it can stream music from my pc.
 

RodhasGibson

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Hi Thaiman, I think you will find Andrew E owns one. My brother has the larger memory one; with Tannoy F1"s in his dining room and he rates it. Not heard it myself yet as he only got it a couple of weeks ago and lives 100 miles away on the coast in Bournemouth.
 

Thaiman

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I would be interest to see if Mr. Brenan can take this further. Digital outputs and monitor out, may be? even if it has no amplification on board, I would be very interest. As it is i am sure it will do wonder as a 2nd system or Hotel/restaurant owners or even part time DJ.
 

Big Chris

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Gerrardasnails:Big Chris:I was looking at it to replace my Sony CMT-SE1 mini in my bedroom. There's a better looking gun-metal finish too, as I thought the blue looked a bit cheap, but I think it's just for the largest capacity unit.

I prefer the look and idea of the Monitor Audio Airstream 10 for the bedroom as it can stream music from my pc.

Aaah yes. But for Luddites like me who don't use computers for music, the idea I can put all my CDs on a compact and half decent sounding unit is quite appealing.

I'd want some nice compact glossy finish speakers to complete the package too.
 

smuggs

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i went for the cambridge audio 640h in black which is class, but i would also like to hear anyone who has this as i am filling my 160gb harddrive up. I'm not compressing any down. how much are they going for these days?
 
A

Anonymous

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Brennan J7 and vinyl records. I have two problems and two questions. The problems are that what I know about Music systems you could write on your thumbnail and I have never sent a message on a 'forum' in my life ! Hope I am doing this right ?I have bought a J7 and think it is an amazing way of keeping, selecting and playing music. I have loaded all my CD's and now want to load all my LP,s as well. ( Being of a 'previous generation' I have a lot). I am anxiuos to buy a good quality record played that is compatible with the J7 so that when I load records to it I get the best results. Also interested in upgrading the speakers I got, as a 'package', with the J7.

Any assitance would be appreciated. P.S. if it influenzes the recommendation I should say I am an opera fan.

Thanks - Keith
 

Andrew Everard

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cse:Do you use a seperate amplifier with this unit, or does it have a built in one of audiofile quality?

It has one built-in, which is more than good enough for the audio files it stores.
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew. My name is Keith and I posted a message last evening which you may have seen regarding the JB7and Vinyl records. As I explain in my message I have no real idea how this forum works and hope it is in order for me to send this message ?

As you seem to have knowledge of the subject I wonder if you have any advice for me regarding my questions that you would kindly pass on ?

Rgds

Keith 999
 

Andrew Everard

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You'd need to use a turntable with a built-in phono stage, or a turntable plus an add-on phono preamplifier. Both would connect to the Brennan's aux input. The Pro-ject range has products to suit.
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew. Thanks so much for your advice. I will buy the besto of these I can within my budget. Do you have any advice on the question of speakers for the J7 or are the ones supplied good enough for normal use (bearing in mind I am not a HiFi expert !). The sound for CD's I have loaded sound pretty good, however not sure if loading vinyl would require anything better ? I appreciate your assistance. Keith
 

Andrew Everard

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The speakers available as standard are OK, but I think would be challenged by the likes of the Cambridge Audio S30, and bettered by models such as entry-level Tannoys, Monitor Audios and Wharfedales.
 
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Anonymous

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I have just bought the Brennan and am finding it very easy to upload CDs. I'd like to begin transferring from my cassette collection, using my Sony Micro Hifi CMT-GPX9DAB stack (sorry). However (unbelievably) this doesn't have any LINE OUT connections

The Brennan manual says to connect via the headphone socket in cases like this. Can you tell me what the difference in quality (if any) will be if I go down this route? My turntable is wired into the SONY as well, via a pre-amp. So if I want to transfer any vinyl I will have to use the Brennan headphone socket too. Will this give good results?
 

chebby

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Tim. Go to ebay. Buy a Yamaha KX-580 cassette deck for £30 or so (example). Use it to transfer all your cassettes in top quality to the Brennan - direct from the cassette deck output with no intermediary amp to degrade the signal - and then sell it for the same money you bought it for when you have finished with it.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks. As you can probably tell I'm not a hi-fi buff (otherwise I wouldn't be converting all my CDs to MP3s). Even if I do buy another cassette deck to transfer my cassettes as you suggest, there is the issue of the vinyl transfers.

Can someone tell me if it is likely I will notice a big difference in quality between:

1. Plugging the phono outputs from my turntable preamp straight into the AUX IN connection on the Brennan.

2. Leaving the pre-amp plugged into my SONY micro stack, and taking the output from the SONY headphone socket into the Brennan.

Clearly option 2 is far more convenient as with option 1 I'll have to reconfigure the wiring every time I want to transfer some vinyl.
 
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Anonymous

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Further to previous questions about transferring vinyl to the Brennan, I have tried unsuccessfully using my old Trio KD1033 turntable. I take it that I will need to purchase a newer turntable which has the correct connections, such as the Pro-ject you mentioned earlier in this thread? Their cheapest product seems to be the Essential at £155.00.

Is this absolutely the only way possible to get my vinyl onto the Brennan or is there another cheaper way? Any help/guidance would be much appeciated, thanks.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks for the interest Lhc. Tried again yesterday and managed to transfer one LP side onto the Brennan. The next problem was trying to find what I had transferred - it wasn't in the Browse Albums section as the Brennan notes state. Did manage to find it eventually, think it was in Browse Tracks, then I renamed it as advised. Now I have the problem that I can find the music I have renamed!

Later I discovered some more guidance notes on the Brennan website "How do I rename LPs and Cassettes that I have recorded?" Will see if that throws any light on my problem.

To sum up, I would not recommend the Brennan for transferring easily anything but CDs. The guidance notes seem to be ongoing with input being asked for by users (a bit like Wikipedia). What it needs is easy step by step guidance for LP transfer procedure, otherwise it is extremely frustrating!!!!
 

The_Lhc

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hifidinosaur said:
To sum up, I would not recommend the Brennan for transferring easily anything but CDs. The guidance notes seem to be ongoing with input being asked for by users (a bit like Wikipedia). What it needs is easy step by step guidance for LP transfer procedure, otherwise it is extremely frustrating!!!!

The trouble is there's no easy method for identifying albums and tracks on an LP, even ripping it directly to a PC you have to manually create the track breaks and enter all the track names and so forth. There's no way a relatively simple device like the Brennan is going to do that automatically.
 
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Anonymous

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I've got one and like it! The only weakness is the database which is outdated as soon as it's put on! That and there's no option for bi-wiring
 

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