Question What's your next HiFi purchase?

[A-Line]

Some of us are old! If I bent down that far, I'd need Sparrows Crane Hire to get me back up!

Sorry to hear that.
Well I'm only 62 years old. I suppose that if it becomes a issue for me later on then I'll need to do some rearranging. 😉

 

[valkyrieorion]

I am trying to decide on a 3rd amp for the house and which room I want to use it in.
I currently have a lyngdorf 1120 in my media room with Elac Carina FS. I would like this to be a home theatre setup and am hoping for something like a Marantz Cinema 40 with more speakers etc long term (1-2 years)
I have a Quad Vena 2 which was my office setup (Elac Carina BS) but has been used with my living room (Triangle Comete 40th, Thorens TD-160 and a bluesound streamer). The living room gets used rarely and the vinyl very rarely.
I am trying to decide should I get a cheap slimline Marantz cinema 70s so I can use a Elac Carina C speakers that I got on clearance now or a Marantz M1 or Stereo 70, and then shift it to the living room eventually and not worry about the C speaker for now.
My other thought is to get a Peachtree Carina 150 or 300 for my office which is probably overkill and continue to use the lyngdorf until I am ready to go for an AVR. I would probably sell the lyngdorf or quad amp at this point.

 

[Stuart83]

A work of art going on inside that pc 😮

I like the mechanical stuff maybe too much given both my arms are nearly fully sleeved with ongoing tattoo's of the Terminator 2 endoskeleton I was obsessed with as a kid so that is right up my street.

The mosquito I first glanced looked like the blades off Freddy Krueger glove until I looked through the dirt and grease on my phone 😂
What a cool as 🧊 touch that mosquito is.

As for the keyboard put simply I want it 😉

Say.....
The fuse type reactor isn't one of those quantum science audio fuses you've reversed engineered and retro fitted for the quote "advanced graphene ring technology and Quantum treatment" is it 😂
It's also caught my eye.

 

[Jasonovich]

A work of art going on inside that pc 😮

I like the mechanical stuff maybe too much given both my arms are nearly fully sleeved with ongoing tattoo's of the Terminator 2 endoskeleton I was obsessed with as a kid so that is right up my street.

The mosquito I first glanced looked like the blades off Freddy Krueger glove until I looked through the dirt and grease on my phone 😂
What a cool as 🧊 touch that mosquito is.

As for the keyboard put simply I want it 😉

Say.....
The fuse type reactor isn't one of those quantum science audio fuses you've reversed engineered and retro fitted for the quote "advanced graphene ring technology and Quantum treatment" is it 😂
It's also caught my eye.

Thanks for the kind words Stuart!
My laptop is for work, my desktop is for fun 🙂 You can get the bugs fully assembled or DIY from Aliexpress.
Better to get a standard mechanised keyboard and use as base for custom keycaps, some of the brands are bespoked and keycaps can cost a little more. We can always pick this up further on the PC thread 🙂

My two grandsons are always whacking the glass to switch on the arc reactor lights. It's touch sensitive, I keep telling them, you don't have to whack the glass, just clap your hands!

Thankfully, the mosquito is lodged into arc, no chance it falling off!

 

[Vicarious]

Hello all, this my first post on here. I've been using headphones for about 14 years and only recently bought hifi gear again.
My Cambridge S30 speakers are the only things I kept from before. To be honest I'm loving listening to music through speakers again!
Having said that, speakers are definitely my next purchase. I've got my eye on some AE100s or possibly the Dali Oberon 1.

 

[Amormusic]

Incoming are 2x NOS Telefunken PCC88 valves for my Big Bottle 3 valve phonostage. I already have a TF ECC83 in the centre position.

I'm about to buy an IsoAcoustic Zazen platform to go underneath it, to stop any vibration.

I'm also seriously considering a Line Magnetic 805IA valve amp at some point in the near future.

 

[Revolutions]

I'm off to listen to some active speakers shortly. Trying to not get too excited, because my last demo experience of entry level 'reference' gear was a letdown (Soulution, Pass Labs, Adam Audio), albiet great for my wallet.

Going to demo a few preamps today, starting with my current unit, so hopefully my ears can be my guide instead of reading reviews & getting sucked into "more is more" on internet forums. The ATC pre with DAC & CD player seems like a cool option, but thanks to me letting my ADHD/ASD run riot & not having a clear budget in mind, the rabbit hole calls... 🙃

The more I dig into preamps, the more confused I get though. Which is a great thing. Going for analogue leads me to wonder if I just want a passive attenuator for the 2 inputs I use. Using the WiiM Pro Plus as DAC for CD Transport & streamer for Tidal seems to be perfectly good enough.

Has anyone come across any reviews of the WiiM pro plus vs high-end pre-amp streamers equivalent for sq? Doing a google doesn't find many people who've actually compared these things, just seems like folks are in one of three camps: budget streamers, Hifi Rose/Eversolo, or Naim/Linn. And rarely do they cross over when it comes to the minimal features I'm interested in.

 

[Jasonovich]

Has anyone come across any reviews of the WiiM pro plus vs high-end pre-amp streamers equivalent for sq? Doing a google doesn't find many people who've actually compared these things, just seems like folks are in one of three camps: budget streamers, Hifi Rose/Eversolo, or Naim/Linn. And rarely do they cross over when it comes to the minimal features I'm interested in.

I have the WiiM Pro Plus and much more expensive Matrix Mini i-4 streamer, the DAC of the latter is more capable, more better sounding but I wouldn't say it's night and day. I think it is the same with higher end models, there's the diminishing returns. Matrix Mini i-4 streamer is pitched against the Eversolo DMP A6 and the sound quality is roughly on par. I haven't tried it, I think both Matrix and Eversolo and WiiM Ultra can operate as a preamp, mine has RCA line input. Ultra has phono RCA input.

I'd opted for the Matrix because the price has been greatly reduced, about £170 cheaper than the Eversolo. The price on the Eversolo has also come down, standard version originally £850 but if you check out on AliExpress it's fallen to about £650ish or less.

If DSD isn't your thing, I think you're better off with the WiiM Ultra if you're thinking to bridge something of value with sound quality.
The Ultra and Matrix allow USB storage but to access the contents you need your mobile and for most of us it isn't an issue but somethings I'm old school and I prefer direct access rather than fluffing about with the mobile. That is why I got another digital transport, which allows you to play your locally stored music directly into the DAC/Streamer device, works really well with the Matrix.
I also have the same combination with the Eversolo Z8 DAC.

My JF digital transport is Android OS based, and I have Tidal, Spotify and others on app and this negates the use of a streamer, if you prefer to save costs and just have it aligned to a better quality DAC. If you don't mind Android that's fine otherwise align it with a streamer DAC. 🙂

 

[Revolutions]

I have the WiiM Pro Plus and much more expensive Matrix Mini i-4 streamer, the DAC of the latter is more capable, more better sounding but I wouldn't say it's night and day. I think it is the same with higher end models, there's the diminishing returns. Matrix Mini i-4 streamer is pitched against the Eversolo DMP A6 and the sound quality is roughly on par. I haven't tried it, I think both Matrix and Eversolo and WiiM Ultra can operate as a preamp, mine has RCA line input. Ultra has phono RCA input.

I'd opted for the Matrix because the price has been greatly reduced, about £170 cheaper than the Eversolo. The price on the Eversolo has also come down, standard version originally £850 but if you check out on AliExpress it's fallen to about £650ish or less.

If DSD isn't your thing, I think you're better off with the WiiM Ultra if you're thinking to bridge something of value with sound quality.
The Ultra and Matrix allow USB storage but to access the contents you need your mobile and for most of us it isn't an issue but somethings I'm old school and I prefer direct access rather than fluffing about with the mobile. That is why I got another digital transport, which allows you to play your locally stored music directly into the DAC/Streamer device, works really well with the Matrix.
I also have the same combination with the Eversolo Z8 DAC.

My JF digital transport is Android OS based, and I have Tidal, Spotify and others on app and this negates the use of a streamer, if you prefer to save costs and just have it aligned to a better quality DAC. If you don't mind Android that's fine otherwise align it with a streamer DAC. 🙂

Thanks Jason, that was actually really helpful to read before going into the demo.

And of course, listening changes everything. After proclaiming loudly that I have no need for a streamer/preamp, I might be just about to eat my hat in the most surprising way.

I left the store with a lot to think about, including do I burn my modest collection of CDs to a hard drive in order to reduce 4 units to 1? Seriously considering swapping my preamp, WiiM pro+, phono pre, & cd transport for a single unit, which delivered a deliciously enjoyable experience from the unit to app to sound… 🙀

 

[Jasonovich]

Thanks Jason, that was actually really helpful to read before going into the demo.

And of course, listening changes everything. After proclaiming loudly that I have no need for a streamer/preamp, I might be just about to eat my hat in the most surprising way.

I left the store with a lot to think about, including do I burn my modest collection of CDs to a hard drive in order to reduce 4 units to 1? Seriously considering swapping my preamp, WiiM pro+, phono pre, & cd transport for a single unit, which delivered a deliciously enjoyable experience from the unit to app to sound… 🙀

Thanks Rev for the compliment 🙂
Yeah knock yourself silly, er not too hard! Use a feather.
I think Hegel, Lyngdorf and et'al have what you're looking for. Just do the due diligence, other than listening, do a little research on the product you're interested. 🙂

 

[A-Line]

I've just purchased a new McIntosh digital audio cable and a McIntosh MB25 Bluetooth Transceiver. My previous ReVox S119 Digital Network Receiver didn't like the DAC's of my new McIntosh MCD12000 CD/SACD player. The previous cable was inadequate for the job of streaming and with the ReVox the sound dropped out kind of like Morse Code...lol.

The new digital cable has already arrived so I'm using it with my Cambridge Audio iPod dock until the new Bluetooth Transmitter arrives tomorrow sometime. I'll post a photo of both tomorrow sometime..

 

[Revolutions]

Thanks Rev for the compliment 🙂
Yeah knock yourself silly, er not too hard! Use a feather.
I think Linn have what you're looking for. Just do the due diligence, other than listening, do a little research on the product you're interested. 🙂

FIFY 😶‍🌫️

 

[A-Line]

My new McIntosh MB25 Bluetooth Transceiver arrived on time today. This unit is rather small but sonically excellent.
Sound wise it's comparable to my Magnum Dynalab MD90t tube tuner. 🙂

Sorry techies I'm not a EE so I'm only posting opinions regarding sonic attributes vs a detailed electronics report...

The new MAC digital cable seems to be perfect match for my MB25 as well as my iPod.

Right out of the box streaming European radio stations and YouTube vids are a breeze.
Those seeking a high quality Bluetooth streaming device should consider the new McIntosh MB25 paired with a McIntosh Digital Audio Cable.
Highly recommended! 🙂

 

[manicm]

he Ultra and Matrix allow USB storage but to access the contents you need your mobile and for most of us it isn't an issue but somethings I'm old school and I prefer direct access rather than fluffing about with the mobile.

I'm being direct - you're cutting off your nose to spite your face. On my Arcam Solo Mini I used to browse the USB stick/iPod through its interface via the remote.

Fast forward many years later I used HEOS and browsed my USB drive through the app, and it's much quicker and simpler - no more tiresome and clumsy scrolling or navigating blindly, and plus you have album art.

If you're doing streaming of any kind then make your phone your friend.

Having said that I am old school in that I always want a remote control to control volume and play/pause. That's non-negotiable for me. Which is why the Marantz Model M1, an otherwise really great product, may not be a choice for me. Which makes me wonder - do the new Bluesound Node models come with remotes?

The Sony Bravia Quad system remote does not have play/pause!!

 

[Revolutions]

Big changes 1/2 completed. First up is preamp. And I’ve well and truly eaten my hat. It’s streamer 😶‍🌫️

The man who didn’t want an all-in-one got taught another valuable lesson in hearing things. When I demoed this it just sounded right. Given this wasn’t even on my shortlist of units to try, it was a wonderful surprise. Everything sound-wise is similar to my current setup, yet nicer.

It seems crazy to say that the sound is similar. I’m sure the Linn brings more detail, but nothing obvious from my test tracks. So I bought this based on a refined sound, ans the experience of using it. Great looks, sounds even better, the unit feels quality, and the app is really usable. It gave me a lovely feeling just interacting with the preamp.

Bought the one from the demo room fitted with the newer, upgraded power supply & Organik dac. The phono stage, easily as detailed as my £1k Graham Slee Accession, has the same refined ease that I’m realising I love. I never realised it, but the GS was shouting in comparison.

This is a keeper. Matt is in love ❤️

 

[Jasonovich]

Big changes 1/2 completed. First up is preamp. And I’ve well and truly eaten my hat. It’s streamer 😶‍🌫️

The man who didn’t want an all-in-one got taught another valuable lesson in hearing things. When I demoed this it just sounded right. Given this wasn’t even on my shortlist of units to try, it was a wonderful surprise. Everything sound-wise is similar to my current setup, yet nicer.

It seems crazy to say that the sound is similar. I’m sure the Linn brings more detail, but nothing obvious from my test tracks. So I bought this based on a refined sound, ans the experience of using it. Great looks, sounds even better, the unit feels quality, and the app is really usable. It gave me a lovely feeling just interacting with the preamp.

Bought the one from the demo room fitted with the newer, upgraded power supply & Organik dac. The phono stage, easily as detailed as my £1k Graham Slee Accession, has the same refined ease that I’m realising I love. I never realised it, but the GS was shouting in comparison.

This is a keeper. Matt is in love ❤️

Congrats Matt. Enjoy 😊👍

 

[Jasonovich]

Big changes 1/2 completed. First up is preamp. And I’ve well and truly eaten my hat. It’s streamer 😶‍🌫️

The man who didn’t want an all-in-one got taught another valuable lesson in hearing things. When I demoed this it just sounded right. Given this wasn’t even on my shortlist of units to try, it was a wonderful surprise. Everything sound-wise is similar to my current setup, yet nicer.

It seems crazy to say that the sound is similar. I’m sure the Linn brings more detail, but nothing obvious from my test tracks. So I bought this based on a refined sound, ans the experience of using it. Great looks, sounds even better, the unit feels quality, and the app is really usable. It gave me a lovely feeling just interacting with the preamp.

Bought the one from the demo room fitted with the newer, upgraded power supply & Organik dac. The phono stage, easily as detailed as my £1k Graham Slee Accession, has the same refined ease that I’m realising I love. I never realised it, but the GS was shouting in comparison.

This is a keeper. Matt is in love ❤️

From your big thing to my small thing (er not the best wording!) 🙂
The way my HiFi in the bedroom was stacked was doing my head in, it was a bit of a dogs dinner. So i got a printer rack (took the wheels off). It was the 50cm wide, One centremetre more and it would be too big.

The amp is restricted with ventilation space, that's the downside but it looks much better. I need to get something that would allow me to elevate it higher to give the amp a bit more breathing space.

Before:



After:

 

[Revolutions]

Love it @Jasonovich 😎 From jenga to Awoooga!

Looks really smart. Proof that if you only have a little thing, it's what you do with it that counts.

 

[daveyjay]

Acoustic energy ae1 active speakers....coming soon

How are you getting on with the AE1s? (Assuming you took delivery of them back in June).

 

[skinnypuppy71]

How are you getting on with the AE1s? (Assuming you took delivery of them back in June).

Hi Dave..I'm loving the ae1 active..if these were my first ever hifi purchase....I don't think I'd ever have had upgradeitis. I could quite happily be done with it all......I'm toying with the idea of bringing them in to my living room ( from the summer house)and pairing them with the Brooklyn bridge and my turntable.....pack up the primaluna and Neats for a while and see how that goes...I could also play around with my njc audio kit as the headphone amp can be used as a pre amp and the dac has a handy analogue pass through input which I can connect my phono stage....lots of options..lol

 

[Jasonovich]

My TODN cables nice as they are, the two headed pythons are heavy and create unnecessary clutter. So I have decided to move these to the AV HiFi setup in the lounge.
I have ordered from AliExpress; the Nordost Valhalla 2 (pair), 1.5m for £125 including delivery. These are nice Norwegian(ish) flat ribbon cables and can be tucked away nicely. The feedback from other purchasers are very positive. The TODN with 502 OFC multi-strands gave a nice bass lift and the top end was smooth.
I think these ribbons will regress the bass but hopefully not too much. I suspect more open detail and space from the Valhalla's. It is claimed to have 97% of the speed of light, mighty Odin has made these cables from thunder 😆
Still, one thing is certain, missus will be happy with the less clutter!

View: https://youtu.be/_0-L4U7Acd0?si=y2ZOJJDQeyNrP71H



LABEL CABLE WARNING ON THE PACKAGE 🙂

Please take stock of your budget don't waste unnecessary expense on costly cables.
Steve Huff is on the button.

View: https://youtu.be/I0yFQi4b5cE?si=oEr-Q-CcvzhjUH1D

 

[Friesiansam]

My TODN cables nice as they are, the two headed pythons are heavy and create unnecessary clutter. So I have decided to move these to the AV HiFi setup in the lounge.
I have ordered from AliExpress; the Nordost Valhalla 2 (pair), 1.5m for £125 including delivery. These are nice Norwegian(ish) flat ribbon cables and can be tucked away nicely. The feedback from other purchasers are very positive. The TODN with 502 OFC multi-strands gave a nice bass lift and the top end was smooth.
I think these ribbons will regress the bass but hopefully not too much. I suspect more open detail and space from the Valhalla's. It is claimed to have 97% of the speed of light, mighty Odin has made these cables from thunder 😆
Still, one thing is certain, missus will be happy with the less clutter!

View attachment 7385
View attachment 7386

View: https://youtu.be/_0-L4U7Acd0?si=y2ZOJJDQeyNrP71H



LABEL CABLE WARNING ON THE PACKAGE 🙂

Please take stock of your budget don't waste unnecessary expense on costly cables.
Steve Huff is on the button.

View: https://youtu.be/I0yFQi4b5cE?si=oEr-Q-CcvzhjUH1D

At £125 from AliExpress, are you sure these cables really are Nordost or, if you believe as I do, they are Chinese knock-offs, are you sure £125 isn’t a rip-off?

 

[Jasonovich]

At £125 from AliExpress, are you sure these cables really are Nordost or, if you believe as I do, they are Chinese knock-offs, are you sure £125 isn’t a rip-off?

That's a fair point Friesian'

I had a look on Nordost dealerships and I think, they're selling for £5K a metre!
It's fair to say, Nordost wealthy customers don't shop at AliExpress 🙂

They're obviously knocks offs, imitation is the greatest flattery but I don't think anyone genuinely thinks these are the real deal. Who, in their right mind, particularly if you earning a modest living, would want to pay this absurd amount of money for the real cables?

Still, I don't think £125 is a rip off, the materials and composition is of reasonable quality and reviews from customers show some satisfaction for the product (I would mention sound quality, but mindful about promoting another cable debate 🤣 )

I was tempted by Erumpent cables below, which apart from the colouring, were almost identical in composition to the Valhalla 2 but twice the price, so I opted for the cheaper cables.


I'm not expecting the same kind of quality as authentic Nordost cable per se, and many would argue, and I don't disagree, there's quite a bit of snake oil in the cable business, so I don't think the sound quality of these 'fakes or replicates', will be significantly worse than the real ones. Even if it is 40% of the quality, it would be reflective of the materials and costs. I suspect from AliExpress customer commendations, the sonic merits are in line with the costs.

Essentially, I just need better cable management without paying the earth for them and these have very low profile. I'm nervous of knocking accidently against the TODN snake cable, which will send the Dali speakers crashing to the ground, with these I can tuck them safely behind the set of drawers.

 

[jjbomber]

It is claimed to have 97% of the speed of light, mighty Odin has made these cables from thunder 😆

Not so sure on 97%. The speed of Thunder depends on altitude, as the thinner the air, that faster the speed. It peaks at around 700mph way up in the sky, where Thunder lives. The speed of lightning is around 270,000mph. Hence the bigger the gap between seeing lightning and hearing thunder, the further away they are. That's today's totally useless fact taken care of. Might win the pub quiz though!

 

[Revolutions]

If the pub quiz consisted of one random question, I might have stood a hope in hell of ever winning one.