Why did you buy that hifi?

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Anonymous

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igglebert:nemof:i bought my hifi for one simple reason my love of music ...buy why that one?..

Budget, sound stage, depth of sound, not looks ( B&W 685's) and the sa cdp because i have a fair amount of sa cds
 
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Anonymous

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Sound and looks for me. I was lucky enough to have saved up for my first proper hi-fi system back in 88 and I decided on an Audiolab 8000A integrated, Systemdek IIX in Rosewood with a Linn Akito tonearm and Infinity RS4001 speakers and never looked back ! Had to sell the lot due to miserable circumstances alas and only now have I got a system together that I think betters it apart from picking new speakers over the next few weeks.
 

idc

Well-known member
If I had the money I would be buying new hifi at every opportunity. Every room would have its own set up. Booking into a hifi shop (any, I have yet to experience a bad one) and sitting testing kit is the only shopping experience I have enjoyed. I once got into the listening room at the Linn shop in Princes Square in Glasgow for a demo of their £20,000 odd mega system. They must have been having a quiet day or something as I had made it quite clear I would not be buying. Deep joy!
 

Sc00bied00

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Sep 3, 2007
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Well got the bug to buy as system after hearing a mates, started reading reviews. Bought my first Sony power amp and sony speakers (remember the ones with the flat, square bass units, what hifi awarded?) after having a further 2 amps that still didn't know that zero on the volume control meant no sound decided upgrade, after having a MF /meridian based system, totally laid back, I was keen to have something more revealing, and the upgrade path was well on its way. Next was the audiolabs, bliss clarity, punch, dynamics, neutral and the AE1's went well, couldn't afford the B&W 805's so they were the next best for me. Would have continued but kids cost more than hifi! Most recent was the change to AV, compromise though, would prefer to be dedicated hifi in another room but well one can only dream.... I stayed well away from this for a long time, an now that itch is back....
 
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Anonymous

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I got into hifi on the cheap for love of music, was impressed by how good it sounded, and it excites me the idea that it could sound better (I'm sure you guys can relate).

Audiolab amp -- bought it from ebay because the Mordaunt Short MS-A5000 amp that my friend had given me had a channel go funny then finally die. People were recommending I buy a new one at 3 or 400 pounds, I got this one for around 150 and it had a phono stage. Later learned that later audiolab amps aren't as well regarded (I think?).

MS Speakers -- they were cheap and on offer at Richer Sounds because MS was bringing out the new line. I wanted floorstanders in part because I felt they would be a physical symbol of how much I love music. So they should be big. They should dominate the room. I want bigger ones :)

Marantz tuner I got for 20 pounds because I was curious what was on the radio these days -- now it's mostly a glorified alarm clock that scares me out of bed in the morning.

Technics CD player I got for free, hardly use it, disconnected it to connect my phono stage.

Roksan turntable I got from suggestions on the forum, because of looks, and because I wanted to have a "proper" piece of hifi.

Latest kit was Cambridge Audio 640p, an upgrade from my onboard phono stage -- because I'm now thoroughly infected with the upgrade bug, and because they raised prices so I snagged one from ebay at 60 quid because they've gone up to 100.
 
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Anonymous

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I had recently lusted after the Naim Supernait after hearing it playing Janine Jansen playing Bruchs violin concerto in my local Hi Fi shop and it sent shivers down my spine, it was absolutely sublime as if I was standing a few feet from the player and the closest I have ever heard to a live performance which to me is the real point of Hi Fi.

I new I could not afford it at the time but really liked the features of the unit internal DAC ect, anyhow about six months later I received a letter from a solicitor telling me that a long lost relative whom I never even new had fallen off the perch and had kindly left me a few grand, and so the rest is history, so the unexpected windfall was my chance and a week later the Supernait was delivered and has never looked back.
 

margetti

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May 29, 2008
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My very first separates system was bought solely on price - the cheapest CA amp at the time and some speakers I don't remember the name of, using the cd-walkman I already owned as a source! Bought on the back of seeing the RS ads in Viz magazine each month!

Since then hi-fi setup has all been auditioned with the same fantastic local dealer and bought purely on the basis of what sounded best (to me) - hence no remote for the amp, and a silver fascia on the cdp that doesn't match anything else in the rack!ÿ
 
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Anonymous

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I listen to music at home, in the office, in the tube (ipod), in the car - basically whenever I am not sleeping.

So when I moved and sold my old beloved JVC micro/separates system, Sony subwoofer and my car, I was left with just my iPod. I decided to save space and went for an Onkyo 725 micro system with top notch specs and plenty of power with MA BR2s. The sound was great, but always left me wondering what I am missing, especially b/c I was used to the bass output of my old sub and the BR2s by themselves didn't satisfy. As the Onkyo developed a fault with reading CDs in its first month, I thought - why not use this opportunity to get a proper amplifier? And then it started - a new amp, new DAC, new speakers, new cables... which during this crisis have cost me over 4 times what I planned to spend originally!
 

idc

Well-known member
lydgate:

Audiolab amp -- bought it from ebay because the Mordaunt Short MS-A5000 amp that my friend had given me had a channel go funny then finally die. People were recommending I buy a new one at 3 or 400 pounds, I got this one for around 150 and it had a phono stage. Later learned that later audiolab amps aren't as well regarded (I think?).

First time I looked seriously at upgrading I lusted after Audiolab, but it was too expensive. Now, after getting an invite to a listening evening at Loud & Clear and hearing a Krell system, thats the one I would to first if I had the means to go back to a full size system. So the first time looks were important, but now I would want to hear it first. Having gone all ipod, future testing will be easier, just take the ipod along and plug it in to various speaker docks. I bought my Bose just using the shop's own ipod, which they happily let me adjust to my usual EQ setting and the Led Zeppelin that was on it. So sound is the prime reason, but I do like the look of the Lars & Ivan PA40Ti hybrid amp with dock...........
 
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Anonymous

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lydgate:
Audiolab amp -- bought it from ebay because the Mordaunt Short MS-A5000 amp that my friend had given me had a channel go funny then finally die. People were recommending I buy a new one at 3 or 400 pounds, I got this one for around 150 and it had a phono stage. Later learned that later audiolab amps aren't as well regarded (I think?).

It's funny how people perceive things differently. I had my Audiolab for nearly twenty years - longer than any other single piece of hi-fi equipment I have owned. During that time I had a 2ft x 2ft square piece of 1" thick plaster fall from my ceiling straight on top of the amp causing me a state of panic, it being only about 6 months old. After a call to Audiolab for advice, I removed the cover, hoovered the worst of the plaster out and unplugged the amp from the rest of the hi-fi - turned the volume up full and left it running hot for three days. Result, a small scratch on the cover and worked perfectly for all the time I owned it (and probably still going strong). A classic bit of British engineering and I would bet that most amps now wouldn't survive such a disaster quite as unscathed !
 

idc

Well-known member
jubair:sound, size, appearance, simplicity

Certainly agree with simplicity jubair. I hated cables all over the place and I think that the less there is between source and output, the better the sound.
 

jubair

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Yes i'm not keen on having too many boxes, i'm a minimalist but also want a good sound. The cyruses and spendors are ideal for my tastes in terms of both sound and looks, compact and understated with a lively and dynamic sound.

When I have more cash and a bigger pad I'd quite like to get the meridian g08.2 cd player and meridian dsp5200 digital loudspeakers. Heard them at a dealers recently when auditioning speakers and was very impressed by the sound and looks. Then again, I'll probably change my mind before then as theres always so many new exciting products being released.
emotion-1.gif
 

idc

Well-known member
Jubair, your kit list seems to have grown since your first post to include an ipod. How do you rate the ipod with the GQ-24 into the amp compared with the CD player, with speakers and headphones?
 

jubair

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Jun 21, 2008
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Yeah I thought I'd include a few more bits on my profile. The ipod doesn't sound as good as the cd player but it's useful for parties when I don't want drunk people scratching my cd's. Also means I can listen to downloaded tunes through my system without having to burn them on to a cd. The sound is still pretty good tho considering most of my tunes are 128 kbps quality and I'm a fan of kimber cables as you can see. I've not got the spendors yet, still waiting for them to be delivered. Already sold the MA rs6 I previously had so only listening through headphones at the moment.
 

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