What stereo(s) do you listen to? What do you want?

[Oswald Cornelius]

I consider myself an audiophile but I'm not, really. I've built 3 or 4 rigs and then listen for 10 years or so, get the itch and do it again. I'm getting closer....

 

[CDFS]

I sort of fool myself that I like the tube sound (I have a tube preamp, poweramp as well as a tube DAC), but in all honesty I was also happy with the sound from the Denon all in one (RCD-CX1). It's just a hobby of sorts, totally subjective. During my time, I've fallen for some of the usual 'audiophile' rubbish - I recall there was a vogue in the 80s for black markers for CD edges, also some adhesive 'stabilizing' rings. Lifting speaker cables off the floor with polystyrene cups etc.

I'm not saying people can't tell the difference between setups but 99% of the time, I'm not truly just listening to the music (perfect listening position, doing nothing but listen to the music). Plus most of the music I listen to, isn't what you'd call audiophile quality eg James Brown. I love JB, but his recordings were totally crap in quality. Doesn't stop me from strutting to 'Sex Machine' though. Or 78s, I've been listening to Sidney Bechet, Billie Holiday - I like that it's (sort of) the original format but of course, I'd get better sound from a well mastered CD or vinyl.

Apologies, just my regular re-statement of what i do with music. If you like the sound, whatever the setup, it's fine.

Never heard about Sidney Bechet. Very enjoyable (on my Sony WH-1000XM3).

 

[brokeassp]

Pioneer SX-780

 

[chobochobo]

I hadn't heard of Sidney Bechet until a year or two ago. I got some LPs as a lot. I put on this random record, supposedly from the 1960s and the first track was Crazy rhythm, sound was crisp and the melody captivating (to me) and I was hooked. I've since accumulated a few dozen Bechet records including 78s. He was a bit of a jerk as a guy, but a damn good musician.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Pioneer SX-780

Have or want?

 

[brokeassp]

Have. Paired w thorens tt

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Have. Paired w thorens tt

Which Thorens? What speakers? Any pics?

 

[brokeassp]

Nothing special. Just a TD-166 mk II. Speakers are some Wharfdale Diamonds. I have a pair of vintage Heresy that I need to clean up

 

[chobochobo]

Nice. I had Wharfdale Diamonds when i was a student - NAD amp, Sony CD, Aiwa cassette and a Dual turntable. All bought after hours of study of hifi mags, for max bang for buck.

Currently I'm having a bit of 'fun' with 8 tracks. I bought 3 players, one works well. Tapes are fun, but the geometry stumps me at times. You end up with impossible loops of tape. Repairing them is also 'relatively' therapeutic. Music quality is strictly 'nostalgic' value only.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Started the long and hard task of getting my g/f to agree to "upgrade" from her bluetooth Soundsticks.

Yeah.

If I had my druthers we would go with a Quad 33/303 setup

A Bluesound Node streamer (she an Apple flunky and they don't play well with chromecast)


A Thorens TD 160 turntable

And some ESL-57 speakers

Check back to see how this ends up

 

[Oswald Cornelius]

Is that your rig? It's pretty special.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Is that your rig? It's pretty special.

Nope...not yet at least

So I stumbled across a Sansui 5000A the other day and tested it out for the first time this morning

 

[Oswald Cornelius]

Man, you've got the treble pegged... ???

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Man, you've got the treble pegged... ???

I was playing around with the levels trying to minimize the snap, crackle & pop.

 

[Biggskip]

It's funny how the experiences of your youth influence your desires as an adult. Used to visit the old Magnolia HiFi chain when I grew up in the Seattle area. Idolized Klipsch and McIntosh.

Flash forward 30 years later and I buy a pair of Klipsch Heresy III's to go with my long term Peachtree integrated. Really liked them, but never loved them so I switched them out for the Magnepan LRS+.

Got my bonus this year and decided to splurge on a McIntosh Integrated. Beautiful, but too "warm" to my liking.

Did some research and while the preferred pairing for Magnepan is Bryston, Parasound is a cheaper (and suitable) substitute.

So my "final" system is:

Preamp: Parasound P6
Amp: Parasound Halo A21+
Speakers: Magnepan LRS+ - splurged for the Magnariser stands which made a world of difference (I was legit surprised how much it changed the sound)
Sub: SVS Micro 3000
Streamer/DAC: Auralic Altair G1
Turntable: Technics