Ultimate Guides for 2009 – have your say!

[admin_exported]

Evening all
We're putting together our schedule for Ultimate Guide magazines for 2009, and I'd like you to have your say over what we cover. As a reminder, this year we produced titles dealing with Systems, Hi-Fi kit, TVs, High-End kit, Blu-ray and Home Cinema and, shortly, New Technology 2009. 
So fire away – what would you like to see next year?

 

[professorhat]

I reckon an Ultimate Guide to computer based music would be a good one...

 

[daveh75]

professorhat:
I reckon an Ultimate Guide to computer based music would be a good one...
i second that

 

[Anonymous]

daveh75:professorhat:
I reckon an Ultimate Guide to computer based music would be a good one...
i second that

i third thatÿ

 

[timwileman]

cables???....

i'll get me coat

 

[John Duncan]

So computer-based music is not covered by New Techology then?

 

[Anonymous]

Let's have a guide completely dedicated to computer based audio. DAC, FLAC and all things WAP.

 

[Babur72]

JohnDuncan:So computer-based music is not covered by New Techology then?

Yeah,that's ol' hat now JD!..How about environmentally(and partner) friendly Hi-Fi & Home Cinema?

BABUR.

 

[timwileman]

is their enough kit for an issue on outdoor hifi?

maybe the issue out in the summertime would be best

 

[ianr23gp]

Running with the computer theme... internet radio for me. Perhaps a comparision between the new Pure Digital Evoke Flow and some other computer based options. Any developments in DAB radio would be interesting as well, up the band width please!

Tim - how many cables is it possible to own? I actually have a bag of unused cables collected over the years!! Essential link in most systems, old & new ; )

 

[Babur72]

timwileman:is their enough kit for an issue on outdoor hifi? maybe the issue out in the summertime would be best

Well,the family have talked 'bout having music & movies played over a decent,yet discrete,weatherproof system by our extension & under the awning over our patio.Especially for when we have a Barbie' or me Ma's garden parties.

Worth considerin'(?)

BABUR.

 

[Clare Newsome]

JohnDuncan:So computer-based music is not covered by New Techology then?

yes, it is - including lots of hot DAC action

 

[PJPro]

Errr, yes. Computer based music for me.

I'll put in my usual request for more DAC reviews....especially the Stello DA100 or the signature version. As far as I can tell from other forums, etc, there is no other DAC (within it's price range) that can touch it.....and it's not easy for a UK based citizen to audition.

Under the heading of computer based music, I'd like to see a bit more headphone amp coverage. Again the Stello HP100, but there are others eg Little Dot V5 Dual Mono and other fairly exotic models/brands.

How about a feature on lesser known eastern offerings and the pros and cons of buying from overseas?

Comparison of media players? Loads and loads to choose from. Foobar2000, Winamp, Media Monkey, dbpoweramp. Oh and some of you use iTunes I think.

Media streaming.

The HDD vs CD debate is over. Andrew has covered that and HDD won out. I would still like the victory rammed home with a suitable head to head.

Something I would really like to see is a comparison of a Mac and PC as an audio source. This might be a little tricky as (I believe) the Mac would win hands down without a little fiddling with the PC setup to eliminate the KMixer and bypass the other needless windows audio processing. Could use USB I suppose....but I've heard mixed reports.

I'm starting to ramble aren't I? OK I'll leave it at that.

 

[professorhat]

PJPro:Something I would really like to see is a comparison of a Mac and PC as an audio source.
The other problem with that surely is, there's no such thing as a standard PC. So it would really be a soundcard comparison rather than PC vs Mac...

 

[Alec]

i support prettyy much all the computery proposals.

especially DACs. i wonder if there are any around that dont look cheap or stupid for a reasonable budget (whatever happened to hifi stuff being nice and shiny and silver? or is that jsut some strange romantic "memory" i have...)?

Shallow and tactless? Meh, its 3:48am, gimme a break...

(be nice to know how they sound too, obviously).

 

[Anonymous]

PJPro:As far as I can tell from other forums, etc, there is no other DAC (within it's price range) that can touch it.....and it's not easy for a UK based citizen to audition.

I can name a few...

You're right though, it's ludicrously hard to get your mitts on some of them for a comparison test as most of the manufacturers only offer a trial with full amount down. Without spending a few thousand quid to get a few models at home at the same time they are very difficult to compare. I'm tempted to buy a couple, maybe Stello and Harmony, compare them to my Benchmark and then post my findings on here.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

If you keep the 'Systems' and 'Hifi' guides I'll be happy.

jules.

 

[PJPro]

professorhat:PJPro:Something I would really like to see is a comparison of a Mac and PC as an audio source.
The other problem with that surely is, there's no such thing as a standard PC. So it would really be a soundcard comparison rather than PC vs Mac...

Well, to a certain extent yes. However, unless you have a truely amazing soundcard, I'd have it configured to pass right through (one reason why knowing the setup of test equipment for DACs is soooo important IMO).

What I was really after was a comparsion of windows and apple operating systems. Not surprisingly perhaps, the audio architectures appear to be different.

So, in the pursuit of optimal audio quality, the windows user needs to put in a bit of effort to bypass some of the "features" of windows while the Mac user appears to be able to use the OS pretty much as it comes (I haven't researched this thoroughly).

Moreover, certain posters have claimed that the apple computer is a superior audio source. One in particular springs to mind. Thought the topic might justify a few column inches.

 

[PJPro]

Octopo:
PJPro:As far as I can tell from other forums, etc, there is no other DAC (within it's price range) that can touch it.....and it's not easy for a UK based citizen to audition.

I can name a few...

You're right though, it's ludicrously hard to get your mitts on some of them for a comparison test as most of the manufacturers only offer a trial with full amount down. Without spending a few thousand quid to get a few models at home at the same time they are very difficult to compare. I'm tempted to buy a couple, maybe Stello and Harmony, compare them to my Benchmark and then post my findings on here.

Well, I can name a few I think....Harmony, Lavry, errrr and others I can't recall. Benchmark, Cyrus DAC too expensive so not included (in my list).

But I do agree with your comments generally. Would be interested to hear any review you're able to provide.

 

[Anonymous]

If the new technology one covered portable headphone amps with dacs that would be good eg the predator and the pico.

An article on home music servers / networked raid disks and how to set this all up.ÿ

Multi-room would be helpful

balancing music and 5.1 in one room, common enough scenario.

Not sure if there is enough to warrant a whole guide, but portable audio would be good, headphones etc.ÿ

looking forward to the new tech one and the hifi one too, thanksÿ

 

[SouthaK]

I'd like to see an ultimate on high-end installations, from conception through design, selecting components, any DIY required, chasing in cables etc through to final installation and set-up.

There must be loads of people having this sort of thing done all the time and it would be really interesting to follow their progress from start to finish.

Actually maybe this would be better as a regular feature in the magazine? It could replace Reader Rescue which is, frankly speaking, utterly pointless as it has developed into some kind of "i've bought loads of equipment can you come and plug in in for me" article.

 

[Anonymous]

With the way the latest AV amps have improved on Hi FI, how about some back to back testing against stereo amps?

More and more people are using them for both and good 5:1 systems are becoming excellent for playing music through.

 

[topbloke55]

How about home automation without ripping up your floor boards or chiseling into walls.

This could cover using universal remote controls to remove all of remotes in your house, linking them with lighting, curtains, blinds etc: ÿHowever the theme throughout should be that these can be archived with the need to remove plaster, rip up floors etc: ÿThere must be enough wifi / radio controlled items out there to make this happen?

Would be good if it did not look like a bad trip to B&Q after the installation was complete. ÿÿ

 

[the record spot]

I'd love to see some decent turntable coverage; there's a good range of decks out there now, including one whose name escapes me which hifi+ reviewed at £499 a few issues back but which was up there with the P3, albeit with a different presentation to the music.

Please let's have more than just Project and Rega; yes they're high profile manufacturers from £130 up to £1000, but can you encourage (phone 'em!) Audio Note to send a TT1 (the present day Systemdek) over, please talk to Linn and make Ivor prmoise to send an LP12 out! How about turntable accessories - Ringmat and Funk produce platter mats which are very highly rated?

Please put something substantial in about cartridges; it's scandalous you have nothing in the Buying Guide for this important area of vinyl replay (it is I tell you)! There's everything out there from Nagaoka's £15 MP-11 up to Ortofon Kontrapunkts and Lyra Dorians, never mind Koetsu gear and it's missing and that is a very big gap when it comes to source components. You could redress the imbalance by adding something along this line in an Ultimate Guide.

Sorry for the ramble; I'm a bit keen on this subject....!

 

[Murdo Mathewson]

The increasing popularity of services such as BBC's iPlayer means lots of us are watching more and more telly on our Macs, PCs, etc. Can you sort a big old test of desktops and laptops, so we can make a shortlist of machines that excel with images and deliver good sound? And if you can tell us what we can add - external speakers, subs, external hard-drives, headphones, conditioners, etc - to further boost performance that could be interesting.

Cheers!