Your year in HiFi and Music – 2012

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

This year was a full year for me regardering Hi-Fi, i' ve build my kit from scratch, bought Rega DAC, SBT, Rega Brio R, Dynaudio Excite X12, Synology DS213, and bought loads of albuns from HD tracks, 24-96 and 16-44.1/48.

This is the streaming year, i've read alot of hifi mags, WHF, HF choice, Stereophile, HF world, Absolut sound...

i've learn alot with the reading, and with YOU GUYS i might ADD!!!

I've done some demos, and now i've exactly the sound i've had in my head before spending my money.

I've almoust give up on home theatre and dedicated my self intirely to STEREO!!!

My wife likes as mutch as I do, i'm a happy man !!!

Good thread by the way :clap:

And this has been a funny year, it has been like christmas all year round! :bounce:

:cheers:

 

[ebentjerodt]

In the 2012 I redescover my passion for music and descover the HIFI world wich has been very nice and also very expensive!!!

 

[bluedroog]

Where did my post disappear to?

 

[simonlewis]

Where did my post disappear to?

Little green men in whooly hats ate it.

 

[CnoEvil]

Where did my post disappear to?

Little green men in whooly hats ate it.

Ah, so that's where they went.....and why they are now not hungry! :wall:

I keep telling them, "No posts before lunch, as it will spoil your appetite". :twisted:

 

[The_Lhc]

I've done **** all this year.

Bought nothing to do with hi-fi, can't remember what CDs I've bought but I'm pretty sure there's nothing new in there wrt new groups/artists.

Oh, I did cobble together a mini system in the pool room (table, not swimming) from old components, Sky+ box for radio (it feeds the kitchen in the TV via RF2) and my old Pro-ject Debut II and Pro-ject Phono Box USB connected into a pair of Creative Gigaworks T20s all sitting on my old Sound Organisation rack, it's not hi-fi but the room doesn't really lend itself to that anyway (bare slate floors for a start and a pool table...) but the T20s work surprisingly well, particularly with some of the old Mono LPs I've picked up where a decent stereo stage doesn't matter.

Don't get to listen to it much though, the missus gives me black looks if I spend too long out there of an evening...

 

[bluedroog]

I thought it was only opening posts they had a taste for? Cleary this monster is getting out of control….

Well in summary I replaced my elderly integrated Arcam amp and went the pre power route as I wanted greater flexibility. Never previously interested in valve power or integrated so took the opportunity to explore valve pre-amps and am now the very happy owner of a Croft Micro 25, I paired this with my Quad 909 and now have a combination that I can see serving for many years to come.

 

[Sizzers]

I was still listening to my Marantz CD6003/PM6003 at the beginning of the year with a variety of speakers (all since sold apart from the CDP).

I bought a Marantz M-CR603 on a “whim” in late January and having listened to it (infrequently) for a few days, I decided I didn’t “like” it so I boxed it back up and forgot about it. Moved on to an all Rega set-up and eventually couldn’t live with it, so out came the 603 and this time around - having given it a chance – I LOVED it! Two out of three Rega bits were then sold, and then some very nasty financial brown stuff forced the sale of the 603, over which I was totally gutted.

I then needed a new amp so picked up an immaculate Arcam Alpha 8R which I thoroughly enjoyed apart from it’s low volume, late night listening performance. Having had enough of swapping bits around I sold the Alpha and bought my little Denon as a stop-gap untiI I can get another 603 in a couple of months or so. Will be getting different speakers at some point as well, then that's me done.

 

[CnoEvil]

I've done **** all this year.

Bought nothing to do with hi-fi, can't remember what CDs I've bought but I'm pretty sure there's nothing new in there wrt new groups/artists.

...Doesn't matter a jot, provided you've channelled your obsessive male tendencies into something else...like Golf! :twisted:

 

[Covenanter]

Great thread!

This is easy for me:

1) Getting a new hifi after years without anything even half decent. The whole process from research through auditioning to installation was great fun. Great assistance from Superfi here in Birmingham. Also had lots of very helpful comments from people on this forum.

2) Listening to my classical CDs collected over many years. So many revelations of great performances that I had half forgotten. Interestingly I find that many of the recordings from the 1970s are better than many modern recordings. I've started buying CDs again too as you can pick up classic performances at ridiculously low prices.

Chris

 

[paulyboy233]

I became the very proud and happy owner of a Sonos Connect, threw in a Synology 212 with a few tb's of space, and am now happy as a sand boy with the sound quality and functionality.

 

[chebby]

Not changed anything much.

Added a Humax HDR-FOX T2 just before digital switchover happened in our region. (A brilliant machine that I wish I had bought a lot earlier.)

Bought heaps of CDs (mostly BBC radio drama/comedy/history box-sets or collections).

 

[BenLaw]

Good thread My year, music and otherwise, has rather been defined by the birth of my son in the middle of it So I went to a few gigs in the first half; what stands out is the comparison between Florence and the Machine at the MEN arena (I have no intention of going back to such a soulless venue and have only enjoyed nights there that demand such a size of venue, ie The Wall and War of the Worlds) and New Build (worth checking out on spotify) at The Cockpit in Leeds, where I got to have a chat with the guy from hot chip afterwards

I've probably bought less than a dozen CDs as I listen to new music using spotify premium, which I still love. I only buy a CD now if the album is consistently excellent, which IME remains very rare. Much my most listening is to my own starred music in spotify, which I've chosen specifically as music so good that I will not tire of it. I of course had a very enjoyable few weeks compiling a playlist of relaxing music and made a lot of great new discoveries that way, thanks again to all those who contributed

I've bought no major kit this year. Several days often pass between listens on my hifi, and this actually serves as a stronger reminder as to just how happy I am with it. I could happily never upgrade, and am unlikely to do so except to move to active ATCs.

I did add rear speakers to my av setup shortly before the baby arrived (updating my av thread is on my list of things to do) and I absolutely love the experience of 5.1. I also bought an iPhone 5 and am weighing up my options for the kitchen and bedroom as I have 30 pin docks there. I recently bought a Soundfreaq Soundkick Bluetooth speaker for the dining room as I couldn't justify the expense of more Sonos, and I am delighted with the sound quality and usability.

In the living room, we've just got a new corner sofa which enhances film watching no end. Finally, in the last month I've signed up to lovefilm and I am so happy with how many films I'm getting to watch and how many blu rays I'm saving money on

Happy holidays all

 

[Electro]

I have not bought any new HiFi equipment this year , in fact I have not bought any new electronic equipment in the last ten years for my main system :O but I did have my power amp serviced and upgraded a few years ago.

I do keep trying to persuade myself that I need a bigger more powerful power amp but I don't really .

I bought my current speakers a couple of years ago and have no desire to change them either

I have been to about ten live music performances this year and bought about 200 Cd's to add to my rather large collection , and have discovered many new fantastic artists via recommendations on this forum and others .

In fact I doubt that I will change anything next year either as I am just perfectly happy with what I have got but I will be going to more live gigs and buying many more Cd,s :cheer:

 

[AlmaataKZ]

LoveFilm is great, isn't it!

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Not changed anything much.

Added a Humax HDR-FOX T2 just before digital switchover happened in our region. (A brilliant machine that I wish I had bought a lot earlier.)

Bought heaps of CDs (mostly BBC radio drama/comedy/history box-sets or collections).

the Humax is great, isn't it! Thanks to it I watch almost no live TV now, only the progammes I like when I like, recorded, skipping throug ads and not missing any (if I do nto forget to set the timer ;-). Brilliant. The only feature missing I think is editing - woule be nice to be able to cut out unwanted bits and link separate files.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

bought about 200 Cd's to add to my rather large collection

wow! that is about 4 a week!

 

[Electro]

bought about 200 Cd's to add to my rather large collection

wow! that is about 4 a week!

Yup ! I bought 5 last week , all second hand though and under a fiver each :rockout:

 

[domenn]

For me this year Imac , Iphone , no HiFi only AKG K450 headphones what is also biggest dissapointment of the year waste of money (shortly on ebay) I am gonna keep my Koss Porta pro and , Shenns HD25 mk2, much much better ,

I've bought about 15 Lp's and few cd's , Stacey Kent is the one of the best artist I've discovered this year .

But mainly using Spotify it's really great stuff i just realised I don't use iTunes anymore and Naim All in One boxes somehow catched my attention next year I expect new Naim Unitiqute with more powerful amp 2x60w ? :clap: to fill up the gap between Unitiqute and Superuniti (no need for cd )

and I was reading and enjoying WHF forum all year round Thank You people . :clap:

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

For me this year Imac , Iphone , no HiFi only AKG K450 headphones what is also biggest dissapointment of the year waste of money (shortly on ebay) I am gonna keep my Koss Porta pro and , Shenns HD25 mk2, much much better ,

I've bought about 15 Lp's and few cd's , Stacey Kent is the one of the best artist I've discovered this year .

But mainly using Spotify it's really great stuff i just realised I don't use iTunes anymore and Naim All in One boxes somehow catched my attention next year I expect new Naim Unitiqute with more powerful amp 2x60w ? :clap: to fill up the gap between Unitiqute and Superuniti (no need for cd )

and I was reading and enjoying WHF forum all year round Thank You people . :clap:

Hi domenn

know this is a bit off topic, but i've to ask you one thing as we have almoust the same kit, and i'm on the market to buy new cables to go along with my system.

What cables do you try, and what model are your chord?

 

[hoopsontoast]

I have bought a flat so finally will stop moving (renting) every year which meant that in the past 9 years I have had 8 different rooms! Sort of makes keeping hifi, especially speakers longer than a year or so quite hard to integrate into the different layouts.

Hifi - Since January I have been through the following:

Arcam AVR200 (Out)

Decware Zen (In/Out)

Acoustic Energy AE2 (In/Out)

Denon PMA-2000AE (In/Out)

Kord Tornado (In/Out)

Sony DVP-S9000ES (In)

Antique Sound Lab Monos (In/Out)

Icon Audio LA3 (In/Out) (On Loan)

Audion Sterling Plus KT88 (In/Out)

BK Gemini II Subwoofer (In/Out)

Heed Questar MC (In/Out)

Luxman PD-272/Denon DL-103 (Out)

Magnepan MMG (In)

Quad Elite Stereo (In/Out)

Keesonic Kolt (Out) (Loan)

Restek Challenger (In)




Music - Been listening and buying a lot more this year. Best albums IMO have been:

The XX - Coexist

Beech House - Bloom

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

Allo Darlin' - Europe

All the Young - Welcome Home

The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow

Carly Rae Jepsen - Curiosity

 

[The_Lhc]

I've done **** all this year.

Bought nothing to do with hi-fi, can't remember what CDs I've bought but I'm pretty sure there's nothing new in there wrt new groups/artists.

...Doesn't matter a jot, provided you've channelled your obsessive male tendencies into something else...like Golf! :twisted:

Well, yes, obviously, bought a couple of woods this year and got my first official handicap for five years, 10.

 

[CnoEvil]

@ Hoops

:O You put us all to shame!

 

[hoopsontoast]

Its been a busy year :rofl:

Hopefully not many changes in the pipeline....... :?

 

[CnoEvil]

Well, yes, obviously, bought a couple of woods this year and got my first official handicap for five years, 10.

...thought so....good man.

I got down to 12 before I stopped......bet you want to become a "single-figure" golfer. :shifty: