The Itch.......

[Shanka]

Well the little sod has got to me.....

Yesterday I heard some R700's on a Creek Destiny, not my favourite amp, and they sounded superb,hugely open, all the instrumentation sounded clear individual , precise, maybe due the driver arrangement, I don't know, I'm a listener.
The bass seemed good at low volume, a necessity for me,and couldn't really find anything to be picky about, looked better than I thought.
Maybe this was a good amp/speaker combination and the music choice was limited so could'nt hear anything I knew well, but wanted to see how they would sound on the end of a caspian.

I had only gone into Superfi to see if I could get a demo of a SBT and got talking and I was in there for a bout half hour listening, so thanks Camden.

A couple of months ago I was checking out Sonos gear at two retailers and was hugely impressed with the PMC 23's at Bartletts on a Caspian, I nearly went for the gb1i's before but lack of low volume bass detered me.
The 23's have that wonderful PMC tone and this time the bass was there and again I thought these sounded superb,this was with muic I knew and through various dac's but hugely impressed with the speakers.

Earlier that week I had also been checking out DAC's at Harrow Audio, listening to D18's on a caspian which I know sound fabulous but at volumes I can't do at home, this being the reason I went for my 140's,I knew the D18's were better when I heard them last year but low volume bass not quite there for me.

My main system is not set up at the moment but I have not been at all unhappy with my 140's in the year I have had them, building work means I want them safely out the way.

But I am getting tempted to hear all the three above at home to see how they sound if one sounded better I would go for an exchange but I am happy with what I have!!
I spent over a 18 months getting something that would be my last hifi, I happily enjoy listening to all my old hifi as I am now and am trying to get my head round digitisation which was my project for this year.

So why have I got the itch.......can I blame YOU !!

I'm off to the pub, sorry for the ramble, thanks for reading if you bothered to get this far, have a great weekend.

Oh, and thanks to the above retailers for their time, maybe they should shoulder some of the responsiblity.I keep buying bits to assuage my guilt.

 

[CnoEvil]

So why have I got the itch.......

........Don't worry, it's quite normal. At least it's a good itch!

Can I blame YOU !!

If it helps!

 

[philipjohnwright]

How does it go - I spent most of my money on wine, women, and song. And wasted the rest. So on the one hand life isn't a rehearsal; go for it.

On the other the best thing to do with an itch is ignore it, as the more you scratch it the more it itches. I've followed both paths, building my system over the years to the heady heights of one fronted by B&W Nautilus 802"s. The brand doesn't matter - it's personal choice - but that level is most people"s dream.

Then I decided to downsize, and bought some Harbeth Compact 7's, which I stil have. Again the brand doesn't matter. The question is whether the quality of life suffered. Which it might have done, as music is a big part of my life. But no, overall, my system sounds brilliant, even if my Naim-head mate in Manchester can't stand it (flat earthers heh?). Heck, I even bought a Merdidian F80 to see if my small flat would be better without the man system (no, but i kept it anyway!).

So the moral of the story, in my experience, is that above a certain level you can get a better system, but whether it adds to your enjoyment is questionable.

But that blood itch doesn't go away. Just seen some Kef ref 203/2's on eBay that look very nice indeed. Aaaaagh!

Ps. My mate"s Naim system sounds great, he"s just never forgiven me for the 802"s. Have you Gary?,

Pps I heard the R500's at the Manchester show and they were brilliant. As for the Blades......sigh.

 

[FennerMachine]

I started building a system about 10 years ago that when finished was supposed to be my last system except for replacing broken components.

Year, right! I knew I was going to change the speakers and did so. That was surely my last change or 'upgrade'!

No. One set of speakers, two pre-amps and various cable changed later...

My system is sounding really good right now, probably exactly what I always wanted from a system but never realised and I have no need whatsoever to change any part.

However, I am STILL considering a change of speakers, again, that will also require a change of power amplifiers!

Why, oh why? I have realised that its because its a hobby. Listening to good music enjoyably is the ultimate aim but its nice to change now and again, swap a component, tweak something, move things around. That is part of the fun/enjoyment.

Note: all the most recent changes (newest speakers, pre amp, cables) have either been second hand or relatively cheap so cost of changing has been very low and almost entirely funded by sold kit or spare cash. Because I will likely change things again in a few month time I will personally avoid new kit from now on.

 

[CnoEvil]

How does it go - I spent most of my money on wine, women, and song. And wasted the rest. So on the one hand life isn't a rehearsal; go for it.

On the other the best thing to do with an itch is ignore it, as the more you scratch it the more it itches. I've followed both paths, building my system over the years to the heady heights of one fronted by B&W Nautilus 802"s. The brand doesn't matter - it's personal choice - but that level is most people"s dream.

Then I decided to downsize, and bought some Harbeth Compact 7's, which I stil have. Again the brand doesn't matter. The question is whether the quality of life suffered. Which it might have done, as music is a big part of my life. But no, overall, my system sounds brilliant, even if my Naim-head mate in Manchester can't stand it (flat earthers heh?). Heck, I even bought a Merdidian F80 to see if my small flat would be better without the man system (no, but i kept it anyway!).

So the moral of the story, in my experience, is that above a certain level you can get a better system, but whether it adds to your enjoyment is questionable.

But that blood itch doesn't go away. Just seen some Kef ref 203/2's on eBay that look very nice indeed. Aaaaagh!

Ps. My mate"s Naim system sounds great, he"s just never forgiven me for the 802"s. Have you Gary?,

Pps I heard the R500's at the Manchester show and they were brilliant. As for the Blades......sigh.

Wise words and sensible advice..

...but on the other hand - http://www.thehomecinemacentre.co.uk/index.php/special_offers/clearance/kef_reference_203_2/ :shifty:

 

[Macspur]

How does it go - I spent most of my money on wine, women, and song. And wasted the rest. So on the one hand life isn't a rehearsal; go for it.

On the other the best thing to do with an itch is ignore it, as the more you scratch it the more it itches. I've followed both paths, building my system over the years to the heady heights of one fronted by B&W Nautilus 802"s. The brand doesn't matter - it's personal choice - but that level is most people"s dream.

Then I decided to downsize, and bought some Harbeth Compact 7's, which I stil have. Again the brand doesn't matter. The question is whether the quality of life suffered. Which it might have done, as music is a big part of my life. But no, overall, my system sounds brilliant, even if my Naim-head mate in Manchester can't stand it (flat earthers heh?). Heck, I even bought a Merdidian F80 to see if my small flat would be better without the man system (no, but i kept it anyway!).

So the moral of the story, in my experience, is that above a certain level you can get a better system, but whether it adds to your enjoyment is questionable.

But that blood itch doesn't go away. Just seen some Kef ref 203/2's on eBay that look very nice indeed. Aaaaagh!

Ps. My mate"s Naim system sounds great, he"s just never forgiven me for the 802"s. Have you Gary?,

Pps I heard the R500's at the Manchester show and they were brilliant. As for the Blades......sigh.

Wise words and sensible advice.. ...but on the other hand - http://www.thehomecinemacentre.co.uk/index.php/special_offers/clearance/kef_reference_203_2/ :shifty:

What a bargain! Enough to make me scratch, despite being so happy with my Harbeths... must get a listen to these Kefs some time though.

Mac

 

[CnoEvil]

What a bargain! Enough to make me scratch, despite being so happy with my Harbeths... must get a listen to these Kefs some time though.

Mac

If you do, you'll also need to get the 35i back as well :shifty: ....now that's what I call a proper scratch!

 

[Macspur]

What a bargain! Enough to make me scratch, despite being so happy with my Harbeths... must get a listen to these Kefs some time though.

Mac

If you do, you'll also need to get the 35i back as well :shifty: ....now that's what I call a proper scratch!

That's chicken pox!

 

[philipjohnwright]

There are a pair of 203/2's on eBay from AudioCinema in Truro Cornwall. Starting price £2400, no bids yet, 4 days to go. Only problem is you have to pick them up. But I live in Plymouth, so not difficult.

Where's that calamine lotion?

 

[VoodooDoctor]

Calamine lotion is fine when you slap it on but gets really itchy when it has dried...