If You Were To Start Again....

[stevebrock]

Chebby,

THAT IS CLASSIC

 

[plastic penguin]

If I were to start from scratch now, I'd just go with either a Marantz 610 or Arcam Solo Neo and, possibly, PMC DB1is.

I had the same reaction! Not the post I expected from the Penguin of Plastic.

What post were you expecting piano of the Matthew?

Something that makes connecting the digital audio output from your HD TV and it's peripherals (all with one simple optical cable) impossible and employing SCART and the analogue outputs from an ancient DVD recorder (with SD Freeview only) instead.

(In such a way that HD Freeview on the TV is cleverly bypassed in favour of the DVD recorder's SD tuner.)

Half a dozen FM tuners of varying vintage but no FM roof antenna.

A CD player and an amp that cannot boast even one (externally usable) DAC between them.

Three miles of cables and two racks to hold everything.

A high 'box-count'. (Can't help noticing another one is about to join the fold in the shape of an outboard TT PSU.)

Ensuring the near impossibility of ethernet connection (for streaming) by locating the router in the attic, or shed, or Ma-In-Law's (or wherever is furthest from the system).

NO 'DIGI-BOXES' ! (You have said this so often that I struggled with your mention of the M-CR610.)

I don't think you'd actually enjoy your system unless all these (or similar) difficulties and restrictions were built in.

Some of what I wrote might now be 'historical' (or at least a bit exagerrated 🙂 ) but I think I have encapsulated the way you like things.

Do pay attention, Chebby.

1) Only 3 tuners in the last 35 years

2) I do have a roof aerial. Had it for about 18 months, since the engineer came to rejig our TV for digital switchover.

3) Had a Sky digi box since last March (and it's all free as the bro-in-law is the IT manager for Sky TV) 😛

4) Only have 1 kit rack to house all my hi-fi stuff.

You're spot on about the DVD set-up - it suits my needs and sounds bloody marvellous. If the DVD player had a HMDI connection I would ditch the Scart immediately.

 

[John Duncan]

Bluray player, receiver, flat KEF speakers and a Sonos Connect plugged in the back. If I could have the bluray player and receiver all in one box, all to the good.

Oh, and a bigger telly.

 

[Electro]

I think I would investigate something completely different but I would still spend a similar sum of money because IMO what I want can't really be done for much less so .... ,

I would keep my EMC1UP Cdplayer and add a pair of PMC IB2S - A , active DSP speakers .

http://www.pmc-speakers.com/products/professional/active/ib2s-a

Probably won't happen but I would love to listen to a pair of these with the EMC1UP in front :rockout:

 

[plastic penguin]

If I were to start from scratch now, I'd just go with either a Marantz 610 or Arcam Solo Neo and, possibly, PMC DB1is.

I had the same reaction! Not the post I expected from the Penguin of Plastic.

What post were you expecting piano of the Matthew?

Something that makes connecting the digital audio output from your HD TV and it's peripherals (all with one simple optical cable) impossible and employing SCART and the analogue outputs from an ancient DVD recorder (with SD Freeview only) instead.

(In such a way that HD Freeview on the TV is cleverly bypassed in favour of the DVD recorder's SD tuner.)

Half a dozen FM tuners of varying vintage but no FM roof antenna.

A CD player and an amp that cannot boast even one (externally usable) DAC between them.

Three miles of cables and two racks to hold everything.

A high 'box-count'. (Can't help noticing another one is about to join the fold in the shape of an outboard TT PSU.)

Ensuring the near impossibility of ethernet connection (for streaming) by locating the router in the attic, or shed, or Ma-In-Law's (or wherever is furthest from the system).

NO 'DIGI-BOXES' ! (You have said this so often that I struggled with your mention of the M-CR610.)

I don't think you'd actually enjoy your system unless all these (or similar) difficulties and restrictions were built in.

Some of what I wrote might now be 'historical' (or at least a bit exagerrated 🙂 ) but I think I have encapsulated the way you like things.

Do pay attention, Chebby.

1) Only 3 tuners in the last 35 years

2) I do have a roof aerial. Had it for about 18 months, since the engineer came to rejig our TV for digital switchover.

3) Had a Sky digi box since last March (and it's all free as the bro-in-law is the IT manager for Sky TV) 😛

4) Only have 1 kit rack to house all my hi-fi stuff.

You're spot on about the DVD set-up - it suits my needs and sounds bloody marvellous. If the DVD player had a HMDI connection I would ditch the Scart immediately.

In fact, Chebby, the last time anything was as wrong as your statement was when Chamberlain stood on the hardstanding of Heston aerodrome, waving his white papered declaration, stating: 'Peace For Our Time'

Correction to my estimation of the switchover: It was April last year and not 18 months ago.

 

[chebby]

You appear to be replying to your own posts.

 

[stevebrock]

You appear to be replying to your own posts.

🙂

 

[plastic penguin]

You appear to be replying to your own posts.

Nope. For some strange reason there's no 'Edit' icon.

 

[chebby]

Nope. For some strange reason there's no 'Edit' icon.

You can't edit your own post after someone has quoted it or replied to it. Including if that 'someone' is yourself.

 

[ID.]

Luxman DA-200 working as DAC, pre-amp and headphone amp running into a pair of Adam A7Xs. Not sure what I'd have streaming to the DA-200, but I'd try to keep it small and simple. I'd also consider a Benchmark DAC1 HDR for DAC and pre-amp duties, which would be more compact and have a remote control.

I'd also consider an Onkyo DAC1000 feeding a Luxman 507u amplifier powering some slim floorstanders. Not decided on which ones, but something like the PMC Twenty 23 should be nice.

 

[CarlDW]

I would love to try a Meridian set up - probably an Audio Core 200 & DSP3200. I will still have a CD player though!

But as that would be mega-money (which I don't have), then perhaps a Naim all-in-one with some Neat Iotas.

 

[Leeps]

I've found everyone's experiences a really interesting read. One common thought seems to be a desire to reduce the number of boxes in the living room and make the whole thing simpler. I sympathise with that view. My surround system does LOOK imposing in my room, and I'd really prefer things to be far more discreet (and I don't even have full-size surround speakers).

If I was starting again, I'd consider these:

a) Airport Express (for Spotify) and Cyrus CD into Naim Unitiqute beefed up with a NAP 100 into Gurus (Junior or QM10 2's) or Neats (Iotas or Petite SX)

b) Airport and Cyrus CD6SE into Cyrus 8DAC into Neats (as above) or Spendor SA1's

c) Arcam AirDAC into Roksan Kandy K2 CD/Amp into Neats or Spendors - although this is larger than I'd really like, but I've always had a soft spot for the Roksan sound.

I also quite like the idea of scrapping the telly for a projector - yet more to hide away, but this is tricky to set up in a rented house.

The Marantz MC-R610 seems to be pretty universally liked. It almost warrants its own 'club' thread. Anybody heard comparisons between that and something like the Naim Qute / Unitilite? I know price-wise they're incomparable, but is the Naim performance THAT much better?

 

[utomo]

How about waiting a little bit.

Wait for the high resolution audio review

Wait for hi res audio become affordable

 

[relocated]

I would do exactly as I have done in the last couple of years. Go active.

Although I spent far too many years and ££££££££££s, chasing a promised quality of replay that passives just are not capable of, there are some items I would never regret buying. Nakamichi DT 600, Nakamichi Tri-Tracer 1000 and the Technics SL10 all very special pieces of kit.

 

[BigH]

How about waiting a little bit.

Wait for the high resolution audio review

Wait for hi res audio become affordable

That could more 10 years or more or never take off.

 

[BigH]

Its surprising that so many on here seem to be going away from separates and/or passive systems.

 

[skippy]

I don't know whether it's convenience or just a change in listening habits, but I just use my Sonos connected to my NAS and signed up to rdio and pipe it to the various systems in the house.

If I were to start again it'd be Sonos into a dac into active speakers.

 

[jcbrum]

How about waiting a little bit.

Wait for the high resolution audio review

Wait for hi res audio become affordable

That could more 10 years or more or never take off.

Domestic replay of recorded program material has always (well, for more than 100 years) followed the commercial availability, and affordability, of published program material on popular media.

I don't personally believe that so called 'high resolution' audio has any use or benefit in the domestic replay arena. It simply makes no audible difference, beyond the fact that some publishers take more care with the mastering on such products.

Popular music is primarily social and political comment, romance, and revisions of previous renderings.

The mass market will provide the commercial drive to publish on whatever format is popular on the day.

HiFi is driven by popular music publishing, without that the equipment isn't much use.

JC

 

[drummerman]

Its surprising that so many on here seem to be going away from separates and/or passive systems.

It's not that many. Most here will continue with separates.

Thats not to say the other options are not valid, quite the opposite.

regards

 

[altruistic.lemon]

I think you'll find there's big a move to the all in one unitiqute type system. I wouldn't, except perhaps for the top Naim stuff.

 

[jcbrum]

Why would you make an exception for the top Naim stuff, lemon ?

JC

 

[the record spot]

Bluray player, receiver, flat KEF speakers and a Sonos Connect plugged in the back. If I could have the bluray player and receiver all in one box, all to the good.

Oh, and a bigger telly.

The little seen but still out there Marantz Movie Melody perhaps?

http://www.marantz.co.uk/uk/products/pages/productdetails.aspx?catid=systems&subcatid=0&productid=mer803melodymovie

Didn't catch on anything like the MCR-603 but gives you Blu-ray and receiver in one unit. HDMI but no coax or optical. Probably available for under £500 now.