- May 30, 2015
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So, having previously thought that I'd be happy to continue with the hifi as-is for the time being, that bloody trip to Cranage seems to have uncovered an itch.
I heard some great stuff - as previously covered off in the show review thread I did a month back - and when I got home and played some music, there was that moment where I had the dreaded thought..."this could be a smidgin better".
This wasn't necessarily megabucks gig-rigs I'm on about, but the Musical Fidelity X-LP is getting on for 30 years old and what does a step-up in performance come in at.
So, I had a look around the web, and last weekend, popped down to Carlisle to go to Peter Tyson's. Actually, it wasn't intended to be a trip to PT's but the trip to the Cumbrian western coast became too onerous in the heat (even with the AC in the car) and slow traffic, so a quick 180 was in order!
I posted another thread recently on the poor service I received from a dealer in Edinburgh (hello again Hi Fi Corner!), but this time round was really very different. Being near to Carlisle still, it was an easy re-route and into Tyson's I went. The showroom is huge, although it's fair to point out at this time that the majority of the estate is given over to electrical appliances and TVs. The hifi gear sits in a smaller, but well proportioned area towards the back of the building.
I explained to the guy what I was looking for (new phono stage and at a later date, possibly new actives - no, I'm not interested in new passives and an amp). I have to say, the service was excellent. Truly excellent.
We had a chat, went through the options which were available (I proposed the Project DS phono box which is around £530) and the guy mentioned in passing the Chord Huei of which they had one in their Newcastle warehouse, and a couple of other options, albeit, into the £1,000 range which was a tad outwith my budget).
We had a good chat about hifi and I saw a setup that comprised a traded in McIntosh MA6000 amp, Dali speakers and Naim streamer (no idea the models).
The staff throughout were polite and attentive. My slight critique might be that my budget was stated at the outset - £500-600 - but I appreciated the offer of the Chord Huei discounted model (I've since opted against this given the Chord preferred interface which doesn't suit my preferences) and other options slightly further up the price line.
The experience compared to Hi Fi Corner was a gulf away - attentive, cared for a prospective customer and opened up channels for future communications if I wanted to pursue the Chord - at the same time, it's pretty obvious to see where mainstream hifi retail is at - online. When washing machines and fridges take up prime retail space, with TV's taking up a fair bulk of the reomander, you know where your hobby gear is at. Peter Tyson: 9/10
And yes, I did mention the Cambridge Duo way up there at the top. If ever a hobby was riven with doubt about the quality of what you already have against what you might have, then this is it. I saw a good deal on the Duo with £100 off and thought that it was too good to pass up. If there's an insufficient improvement, I'll send it back. We'll see how it goes, arrives Tuesday. The other one in the sights just now is the Tisbury Domino. Time will tell, etc....
I heard some great stuff - as previously covered off in the show review thread I did a month back - and when I got home and played some music, there was that moment where I had the dreaded thought..."this could be a smidgin better".
This wasn't necessarily megabucks gig-rigs I'm on about, but the Musical Fidelity X-LP is getting on for 30 years old and what does a step-up in performance come in at.
So, I had a look around the web, and last weekend, popped down to Carlisle to go to Peter Tyson's. Actually, it wasn't intended to be a trip to PT's but the trip to the Cumbrian western coast became too onerous in the heat (even with the AC in the car) and slow traffic, so a quick 180 was in order!
I posted another thread recently on the poor service I received from a dealer in Edinburgh (hello again Hi Fi Corner!), but this time round was really very different. Being near to Carlisle still, it was an easy re-route and into Tyson's I went. The showroom is huge, although it's fair to point out at this time that the majority of the estate is given over to electrical appliances and TVs. The hifi gear sits in a smaller, but well proportioned area towards the back of the building.
I explained to the guy what I was looking for (new phono stage and at a later date, possibly new actives - no, I'm not interested in new passives and an amp). I have to say, the service was excellent. Truly excellent.
We had a chat, went through the options which were available (I proposed the Project DS phono box which is around £530) and the guy mentioned in passing the Chord Huei of which they had one in their Newcastle warehouse, and a couple of other options, albeit, into the £1,000 range which was a tad outwith my budget).
We had a good chat about hifi and I saw a setup that comprised a traded in McIntosh MA6000 amp, Dali speakers and Naim streamer (no idea the models).
The staff throughout were polite and attentive. My slight critique might be that my budget was stated at the outset - £500-600 - but I appreciated the offer of the Chord Huei discounted model (I've since opted against this given the Chord preferred interface which doesn't suit my preferences) and other options slightly further up the price line.
The experience compared to Hi Fi Corner was a gulf away - attentive, cared for a prospective customer and opened up channels for future communications if I wanted to pursue the Chord - at the same time, it's pretty obvious to see where mainstream hifi retail is at - online. When washing machines and fridges take up prime retail space, with TV's taking up a fair bulk of the reomander, you know where your hobby gear is at. Peter Tyson: 9/10
And yes, I did mention the Cambridge Duo way up there at the top. If ever a hobby was riven with doubt about the quality of what you already have against what you might have, then this is it. I saw a good deal on the Duo with £100 off and thought that it was too good to pass up. If there's an insufficient improvement, I'll send it back. We'll see how it goes, arrives Tuesday. The other one in the sights just now is the Tisbury Domino. Time will tell, etc....
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