My system through the years

[cheyworth]

1st thoughts!

Well what can I say not much change in the sonic character...

...But a massive change (improvement) in detail, soundstage, instrument placement, vocals, and integration to all parts of the music...

... more to follow on Sunday, I am busy listening!

Chris

 

[Anonymous]

Through 35 years I've owned a lot of stuff, and it's virtually impossible to list anything but my first kit and what I've got running today.

First kit (1975):

A Sansui amp with more inputs, outputs and controls than one can possibly imagine

Seas DIY speakers that could accomodate a couple of St. Bernhards

A Philips turntable that won some award and were considered unbeatable value for money the week I bought it. Nice touch controls

An ancient Radionette portable with compact reel-to-reel tape recorder (!), serving as an FM tuner

Sennheiser headphones

Today, living room set-up:

AVI ADM9.1s w/subwoofer

Inday DA4X-R S/PDIF switchbox to connect all digital sources to one of the ADM's TOSlink ports (leaving the other one free for my MacBook Pro when I want to experiment with 24bit sound)

Pro-Ject Switch Box to be able to use more than one analog source on the ADM's -- though just as much to be able to use the analog outputs of my digital sources for a 'zone 2'

21 years old Rega Planar 3, still with the original cartridge (hardly used), playing through a cheap NAD RIAA stage

Apple TV

Sagem cable box (also serving as a DAB radio)

Cambridge azur 650DB on its way in, but still not put to a real test, as I hardly play CDs any more and had to postpone the new TV

Apple MacBook Pro as main source, with iTunes library stored on WD NAS

Sleeping room set-up:

NAD C320BBE amp; once bought to replace a more exotic amp that broke down, and for many years indispensable because of it's many inputs

Snell Type K speakers, used in various set-ups for more than 20 years. Simply loves them. Twice the size of similarly specced modern speakers, but with virtually no positioning problems

Apple AirPort Express, currently playing through a Matrix DAC

Cheap 'DAB Adaptor'

Hitachi DVD/HDD recorder, for the occasional CD -- but mostly for TV

Other equipment, for the bathroom, balcony, picnics etc:

Several T-Amps, cheap speakers and AirPort Express'es playing through cheap Chinese DACs

The most remarkable equipment between 1975 and today, would be a NAD 3020 (lost in divorce), and a Cyrus amp that virtually fell apart inside its rock-solid case, and costed more in repair money than it's purchase prize. Plus a few Sony boxes that did their job and never failed.

 

[cheyworth]

My thoughts on the KW DM25 DAC:

Changing from my Tag Mclaren CD20R (now the transport) to the DM25 has just given the biggest increase in Hi-Fi terms since the start of my Hi-Fi adventure.

listening to Ryan Adams or Norah Jones the vocals are crystal clear and stand clear of the music around them (but still part of the music). Timing is now spot on notes start and stop with pinpoint precision the tempo to the music just brings a smile to my face, and this just adds to the emotion on the recordings, weather the music is slow and moody or fast and lively it is always reproduced acordingly.

The space and placement of instruments is almost above reproach the soundstage is vast and rock solid. Details previously unheard grab your attention and then hurl you into the heart of the music.

When listening you find that your toe starts tapping to almost every track and I find that I am torn between wanting the CD to finish so I can put another one one and hoping that I find an extra track on each CD that I have missed the previous dozen times I have listened to it.

The extention and solidity to bass tracks is fantastic I originally thought that I had lost some but it is infact beeped and more integrated into the music, rock/dance/classical tracks benefit from the extra weight and punch.

I have spent the best part of 8 hours on Saturday listening to CD's old and new.

Chris

 

[cheyworth]

Just got a second hand Clearer Audio Copper line cable (0.5m) and originally had...

1) Copper line to T175, Chord SuperScreen to KW DM25,

but have just swapped round and has given a marked improvement to sound stage.

Also sould be recieving a Monitor Audio GSW12 Sub (£490 delivered) will give thoughts once tested.

Chris

 

[cheyworth]

I am now sat at work with the GSW12, and won't get home until 5pm.

Chris

 

[Craig M.]

great setup chris, bravo on the rack too. if i'd made that it would look like i'd used my feet!

 

[cheyworth]

I do like the rack, but I will make a new one next year, and will learn from the few mistakes I made making this one.

Chris

 

[cheyworth]

Well guess what turned up today?

Monitor Audio GS60's and a pair of Silver Arcam P1's.

A bit of a gamble as I have not heard the pair together (I have heard separately).

My word the speakers are imposing!!!!

They make my old Silver 8i's look small.

I will put some pick's up on Wednesday.

Chris