the chances of getting Mahler 8 to work in my front room.... though truth be told I am a peasant, I get bored listening to Mahler.
Covenanter
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Ellenoctopus said:
IMO it's the speakers that will make the biggest difference to your experience. I listen to a lot of the same type of music as you and what you need above all else is clarity. If I were you I'd be spending a large proportion of my budget on speakers.
Chris
PS No you can't make your room sound exactly like a concert hall but you can get to a simulation that is satisfying.
Thanks Chris, that is very interesting. The speakers I have already are Missions and B&Ws and they are not too knackered so am hoping they will cope OK for now, whereas the amp and CD player are broken. Plus I have a gzillion CDs behind the sofa and I never play most of them so am really keen to have them ripped where I can see them.
Upgrading speakers is definitely planned though for Phase 2- what do you find works well?
mahler- I dunno, I have done a fair bit of it in concert, and its just so big I cant see how you can do that at home. The last time I did Mahler 8 we were in the Albert Hall doing a Prom and it was just immense. But as for enjoying it, it goes on sooooo long and things get repeated a lot..... I think its a matter of personal style here.
Labelling classical music is a pain and I can see that there are bespoke software systems out there but I cant see if they would work with a vortexbox and naim or only on a computer....
Upgrading speakers is definitely planned though for Phase 2- what do you find works well?
mahler- I dunno, I have done a fair bit of it in concert, and its just so big I cant see how you can do that at home. The last time I did Mahler 8 we were in the Albert Hall doing a Prom and it was just immense. But as for enjoying it, it goes on sooooo long and things get repeated a lot..... I think its a matter of personal style here.
Labelling classical music is a pain and I can see that there are bespoke software systems out there but I cant see if they would work with a vortexbox and naim or only on a computer....
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Ellenoctopus said:
Could you remind us what B&Ws/amp and cdp you have? And what would be the ballpark budget?
Well the amp is bust but for many years I happily played an A&R Cambridge A 60 with Mission 70s speakers that I bought in 1985. the B&Ws belong to a friend, I think they are DM 14s. There's a cyrus tuner too. CD players have come and gone. So you see it is basically my old student kit, bodged together with things friends have lent me when stuff breaks.
What I am comparing it too though is not the kit I had before, but my long and not-illustrious career performing with various bands and semi-pro choirs. I have golden ears and a cardboard budget.
This time though I would spend £3k on the set up of ripped CDs to amp/DAC and then in a couple of years I am hoping to persuade the other half that another £3k really isnt too much for speakers.
What I am comparing it too though is not the kit I had before, but my long and not-illustrious career performing with various bands and semi-pro choirs. I have golden ears and a cardboard budget.
This time though I would spend £3k on the set up of ripped CDs to amp/DAC and then in a couple of years I am hoping to persuade the other half that another £3k really isnt too much for speakers.
speaking of which, have to go do a quick gig now (cathedral boys on half term, depping in the choir) but will read your kind advice tomorrow
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Ellenoctopus said:
I'd look at an all-in-one system. Probably something along the lines of Arcam Solo Neo (amp/CD/Tuner/streamer and add a device that'll rip... storage could be done (temporarily) on the computer. Connect that lot to Totem Arros speakers or Dreamcatchers, Focal or perhaps PMCs.
Along the same sort of lines Marantz CR-603 with PMC speakers.
If separates are the route, Roksan Kandy K2, Audiolab CD8200, with B&W 685, CM5 or even Quad 12L2 speakers.
TBH, you'll need to hear a few different combos, but that would be my starting point given your budget.
thank you! I think I am up for all-in-one, as the electronics in themselves aren't the hobby for me, so I dont mind paying a bit over the odds compared with what a skilled electronics bod could put together.
Do you know if the software supporting all in one systems can cope if I want to use specialist classical tagging software like musiChi?
I'll see if can audition the Arcam and Maranz alongside the Naim. Thanks for the speaker thoughts as well.
Do you know if the software supporting all in one systems can cope if I want to use specialist classical tagging software like musiChi?
I'll see if can audition the Arcam and Maranz alongside the Naim. Thanks for the speaker thoughts as well.
Covenanter
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Ellenoctopus said:
Your budget is rather more (overall about 3 times) what I spent and I haven't auditioned speakers at your price point so it would be silly for me to comment about specific kit.
What I found is that speakers that are often highly rated in mags like WHiFi are actually not very good at the type of music I like. For example I took along Nigel North playing Dowland's Lute music (on Naxos) and on the Kef Q500s I actually bought the impression if I closed my eyes was that he was sitting playing 10 feet in front of me whereas on other speakers he was not "there". That's a bit vague but there was an impression of realism. I also got that impression of realism with solo voice (Anne Sofie von Otter singing Grieg) and with polyphony (a Naxos Victoria mass I am particularly fond of). My speakers also make a piano sound like a piano and not a recording of a piano.
As you are involved with music you will have an aural memory of instruments, voices and performances and you should take your favourite recordings along with you and listen and listen and listen. For example I always take Joan Armatrading's album "Joan Armatrading" along as I have owned it in a variety of formats for what nearly 40 years and have seen her live singing songs from it on a number of occasions and I have a clear idea of what I think it should sound like. Equipment which can't reproduce what I want to hear is easy to reject.
Chris
Covenanter said:
If that is true and given the budget, Ellenoctopus should consider Avi ADM40s. Based on what the ADM9.1s sound like, the 40s should offer exceptional clarity.
Back to the op, bagpipe music and throat singing.
Native_bon
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This is interesting. I think my system plays everything well. May be a bit bass heavy, but still very musical but this is due to my big floor standing speaking & size of room. I listen to classical to Jazz to house to acid Jazz, folk, world, soul & old skool rap. Sometimes rock. I love my system. My friends still cnt believe how good my av amp sounds with my speakers. Cause the amp is clean sounding sometimes it shows up very bad recording cause of my reaveling speakers.
All in all very enjoyable.
All in all very enjoyable.
Craig M. said:Good, isn't it. First time I saw that video I almost wet myself.
I've only just mopped the puddle up!
steve_1979
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steve_1979 said:Craig M. said:
Has anyone tried to do this? :shifty:
It's harder than it looks.
You think it looks easy? :O
steve_1979
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I imagine audiophiles all over the world are sitting in front of their computer screens making silly noises right now. :rofl:
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Have to concede, I've only just put the hi-fi on for the first time this evening (last night) and it sounds better than usual.
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