Just curious. With the shrinking availability of music on hard copy i wonder where the world of high end audio will go. Theres big strides in the world of streaming,so i guess as long as the bit rate is far higher than CD or with more resolution than vinyl, its all good..although i will miss digging a CD out of its box. Ive been into HiFi for years, but havent upgraded in a long time. Like anyone whose into audiophile systems i started with the usual mass produced junk then went on my quest. My kits old these days but will still knock spots off most stuff out there. Currently im rocking a Naim CDS 2 with XPS power supply, Naim 250 power, and a Naim 82 pre with two Hi Caps if that means anything to anybody on here. My upgrade wil be to the 82's power supply then their flagship 52 pre..i love the Naim olive stuff, always have. I went back to it after owning some current kit..too 'hifi' for my liking, not live enough. Speakers wise ive got some glorious B&W 802's matrix's which i intended to upgrade to 802D's in the next 18 months or so. The great thing with Naim kit is that you never lose money on it..in fact, more often than not ive made a modest profit when ive sold it on!
I'm a vinyl junkie but won't pay big money for 1st issue/rare LP's and try not to pay more than £20 for any album. I've got a 1970's Michell Hydrolic Reference turntable which although highly collectable and looks the nuts is not highly rated amongst hi fi purists. It sounds good enough to me through a Quad 405 and 44 pre amp with Kef 403/4 Reference floorstanding speakers. I put a perspex platter on the turntable a while back and have been considering having the 405 modded with one of the upgrade kits available.
not sure I qualify as fully paid up audiophile, Linn deck with akito arm, cyrus amp, mission speakers, all aquired back in 1990 BC (before children) but still enjoying the vinyl when I'm allowed to, "Dad turn it down" best played when they all go out then, now if only i could work on the bikes at the same time, hmm?
Linn deck with akito arm Naim Nait Mission Cyrus PCMII CD player which is on the blink (has been for years) but works very well when it works. Problem is that I'm convinced it needs some simple inexpensive component replacing and I don't feel like binning it just for that. One day... (needless to say, the component is probably no longer made). There is also its replacement, which isn't as good - a NAD of some description. Speakers are the excellent Jean Maurers, which you won't know as they are handmade by a local guy (I've had 'em about 20 years) but are quite superb. About CHF 10'000 a pair. So, not a hi-fi nut, but I like good quality stuff.
I blew most of my grant and Uni bar pay packets 25 years ago on this: Rega Planar 2 Arcam Alpha CD Player Onix Pre & Power combo Rogers LS2A2 It has now been largely superceded by a Sonos system with FLAC copies of all my CDs on an AVA RS3 media server. I do promise myself a proper British hi-fi upgrade one day soon but I'm afraid I'm hopelessly out of touch so I only know the big names ... Naim? Linn? Cyrus? B&W? KEF? It really needs to do home cinema as well as music, so what else should I be auditioning?
Enjoy my naim kit Naim CD5X, 202 pre, 200 power, flatcap 2x, and napsc, and the latest addition the Kudos S10 speakers which are absolutely fab, just waiting to go into the streaming game saving for an NDX (Naim) but like funkyrimpler think I may miss the morning after the night before when you have to re catalogue all the CD's that have been strewn all over the floor with a hangover in tow.
Vinyl junkie here, getting close to a 1000 albums these days, been collecting since I were a lad. I do CD's as well but mainly only for convenience and for stuff I can't find on vinyl. Had all sorts of systems in the past Michell Gyrodeck/Mission/Ortofon Quad 34/405 Kef 104/2 which was better than I thought it would be but nothing on "The Void"/SME which one day I still hope to find running through Audio Innovations out to a tasty pair of Snells (best system I ever heard). Currently run an ageing Roksan Xerxes with Rega arm and cartridge. Through a humble Yamaha amp with a pair of half decent Kef's and a Cambridge CD player with VDH cables and some custom made interconnects. I've tried Linns but couldn't gel with them (no bass) + I consider them poorly built for the money (PTFE bearing ffs) and have favoured fast Musical Flids over Naims stuff but know that both have a hardcore following so don't beat me up!!
My kit is getting a little old now, but its still ok, arcam alpha 7 se cd player, yamaha RXV395 amp, and gale rock monitors. The sad reality is its mainly used as an amplifier for my MAC mini.
Most of my stuff is getting on a bit and I'd probably consider it mid-fi rather than true hi-fi, but here goes: Systemdek IIXE900 turntable with Roksan Tabriz ZI arm, Marantz CD6004 cd spinner, Sony TC-K661S tape deck, Tascam 34B Reel to Reel, Arcam 8R integrated amp, Arcam 8P Power amp and Triangle Titus TZX speakers. It sounds good to me, especially with vinyl and would probably sound even better if I was allowed to have it in a proper room rather than being banished to the conservatory with all that nasty sound reflecting glass! If I were to make an upgrade it would probably be a better cartridge & another Arcam 8P power amp.
Another vinyl junkie here. As with a few others all purchased BC (except the OC9) but more recently I started tinkering with the old stuff. LP12 (Valhalla replaced with Hercules), Ittok, Asak, Asaka and currently OC9, Quad 34/405 2 and Spendor SP1s. I rebuilt the 34 and 405 amps using current spec Burr Brown op amps, replaced all the caps and a few other components including the 405 wiring and replaced the din interconnects with gold RCAs. For £160 in components and a couple of nights with a soldering iron the amps sounded £2000 better. For anyone who has the 34/405 (streetfighter) check out some of the upgrades available you will not be disappointed. Soon to test out a subchassis/armboard Vivid upgrade for the LP12 whilst it is having a major service and set up. After 30 years of digital playback I still have not heard any digital device which makes me want to sit down and listen and none of it sounds better than my LPs.
OC9's are the biz!! I've got one here sat in a box for yonks that needs re-tipping again - last time it was VDH re-tipped and cost an absolute fortune! Any ideas for a more resonable service?
Greyman I got mine a couple of years ago for £250 from Sound HiFi in Devon but that was just before the MkIII came out, he sells the MkIII version now for around £460. However the AT33ev is getting better reviews and can be bought a little cheaper.
I've got lots of vinyl, and a technics system I can play them on. For more recent stuff, I've got : Arcam FMJ P7 power amp, AV8 Pre amp, DT91 tuner, DV29 DVD/CD, Hitachi screen, M&K sub & speakers.
Thanks Denzil, it's an option the AT33, didn't know it even existed to be honest. I just can't help but think that someone out there must be able to do a re-tip for a reasonable fee? The trade-in offered by AT at the time I first had it re-tipped was an insult hence why I had it done. After a bit of digging I managed to find that VDH still provide the service, so I think I'll give them a call and see what they have to say. It's far too good to leave in a box. Van den Hul: International Distributors
* * * Snake Oil Alert * * * AT33ev 500 sods for a cart & stylus I need to put you in touch with Russ Andrews audio interconnects, hdmi and Kimber speaker cable from Russ Andrews for your hifi and home cinema get ready to drop your pants for some Kimber cable, Torlyte Platters & Zapperators
Got 1970's Marantz seperates in champagne gold. The tuner has an oscilloscope for fine tuning. Must dig out the old mans Garrard 401 turntable.
I'd love a 301 or 401 to play with, I fancy doing a massive Panzerholz or maybe a slate plinth. I keep looking round the junk shops for one, but eBay seems to be killing them off nowadays.
No time to listen anymore,no money to spend anymore(never did have).Technics 1200 with rega251 arm thru a Dino into Audio Note M1R and 2 P Zero s and a pair of Hifi World KLS3 s.CD player is aShanlingT80.Sounds quite nice to me but,as with bikes,you can always spend more.
