Hi-Fi Equipment

[choffer]

I can't see how this is a good thing (although it's obviously quite a cool thing):

Surely the mechanics of maintaining a reliable revolution using magnets are a nightmare?

Edited October 13, 2016 by choffer

[Xann]

My CD player is dying.

The machine I had in mind to replace it has gone from £750 to £1000 since Cameron's Folly.

It's now the same price as a Cyrus, or Rega, or Roksan, or Creek - Utter madness.

Oppo's new audio optimised machine rolls out in the next few weeks.

Here's the regular one.

$549 is £449 - Fecking Ow, we are so getting stiffed.

The old dollar to pound rule on tech and music gear is right out the window

[Chindie]

I'm no audiophile or hi-fi fanatic (I easily could be, but that way lies bankruptcy), but I'm surprised a UHD Blu-ray player would be the first port of call to replace a CD player.

[Xann]

6 minutes ago, Chindie said:

I'm no audiophile or hi-fi fanatic (I easily could be, but that way lies bankruptcy), but I'm surprised a UHD Blu-ray player would be the first port of call to replace a CD player.

The tweaked for Audio version arrives in the next couple of weeks. No price yet.

They play Blu Ray Audio and SACD, of which I have a number.

[Tegis]

Very nice!

[Xann]

It's predecessor would accept 384 kHz WAV or FLAC files via USB. That's pretty mental. Way beyond human hearing.

This is the Opera Consonance CD120 player I'd wanted for a while. CD only and filterless - Unusual for CD players.

At launch in 2006, £695. Still in production at the post brexit vote price of £995 - The same money as a Cyrus CDi, a very refined CD only machine that's 8 years newer.

Also in the running are the Arcam CDS21 and Marantz SA8005.

Both play SACD, both accept exterior digital sources and both have had the decency to have come down in price since launch to less than £600.

Will look at the new Oppo, but I think the UK price will piss me off.

She wants carpets and a sofa too

[rjw63]

Should start playing vinyl

[chrisp65]

Spotted this box in a cabinet of bits n bobs in a shop. Asked the guy about it and he said he thought it was just an empty box, picked it up and announced 'ooh no, there is something in it'. Opened it up and voila! Shiny things. The headshell even has a cartridge in it.

I asked him how much he wanted and he didn't know, hadn't priced it. He said £50? In the seconds of gap whilst I was thinking, he added that he was open to offers! So I laughed and said £40.

Walked away with it for the £40.

I say walked, more of a light jog...

 

[Xann]

On 29/12/2016 at 18:44, rjw63 said:

Should start playing vinyl

I'll leave you fashion victims to the glorious sound of Rice Krispies

Couldn't afford the stuff I like either. 

[Xela]

4 hours ago, chrisp65 said:

Spotted this box in a cabinet of bits n bobs in a shop. Asked the guy about it and he said he thought it was just an empty box, picked it up and announced 'ooh no, there is something in it'. Opened it up and voila! Shiny things. The headshell even has a cartridge in it.

I asked him how much he wanted and he didn't know, hadn't priced it. He said £50? In the seconds of gap whilst I was thinking, he added that he was open to offers! So I laughed and said £40.

Walked away with it for the £40.

I say walked, more of a light jog...

 

As I know nothing about these things, how much is it really worth? 

[chrisp65]

6 minutes ago, Xela said:

As I know nothing about these things, how much is it really worth? 

about £45

No, I don't know really, it's a bit of a niche market and I've never ever previously seen one in the original 50 year old box. On e-bay most of the bits n pieces are individually available, but not all of them. That card template can cost ten or twenty on its own, if you can find one, the headshell in this good condition usually costs about twenty, the cartridge is a decent shure model so worth about twenty or thirty. The tiny little counterweights are usually lost, they can be a tenner each, it's the first time I've ever seen a full set, I've never had a few of the bits in this box. Usually, the chrome on the arm is pitted and shabby, this one was shiny. Never seen that box before.

If he'd asked for a hundred, I'd have handed it over without hesitation. I reckon, one twenty, one thirty would have been where I was out. I think if I put it for sale at £100 on one particular website, it would be sold same day. But she's a keeper! Lots of other companies make much better arms, for much much more money, but this is original kit for the 1968 turntable I'm using - and I currently have a spare turntable with a ropey old arm sagging off it.

 

[Xann]

The big new Luxman is the absolute nuts -  It comes in at 10K.

There's a good enhanced audio format group on Facebook...

[chrisp65]

apparently this was used to record some album called Dark Side of the Moon and it's coming up for auction if anyone is interested...

auction is at Bonhams I shall employ my usual tactic of a low £10.01 bid and hope nobody else has seen it..

[blandy]

New Speakers came. Awesome.

 

[Xann]

Tannoy?

How did you go about choosing them?

[blandy]

9 hours ago, Xann said:

Tannoy?

How did you go about choosing them?

Yes. The the hi if shop had some Neat speakers which probably sounded better, to my ears, in terms of sort of 3D sound, but were a fair bit more expensive. These ones sound more 2d, but just kind of lovely.

[Xann]

Nice Naim CD player.

No wonder you were underwhelmed by your reintroduction to the magic of vinyl 

[blandy]

43 minutes ago, Xann said:

Nice Naim CD player.

No wonder you were underwhelmed by your reintroduction to the magic of vinyl 

Thanks.

i dunno about "underwhelmed". About 95% of the time, music sounds best played through the CD player, but there are a few exceptions. It stands out more with the new speakers, but there are a few albums where I have both CD and vinyl versions and for example "the colour of spring" talk talk, sounds better on vinyl. I think the cd mix or mastering is too harsh and too bright. Also some music just sort of suits vinyl. The lovely eggs stuff does, for example, but ultimately you're right that the CD player is amazing.

[Xann]

My friend engineered 'Colour Of Spring', he's a long time Tannoy monitor man

CD's technical superiority counts for naught if the mastering isn't right.

This is the Dynamic Range Database. Obviously not completely comprehensive and *compression isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's useful.

Recommend 'Queen Of The Wave' by Pepe Deluxe. It's a multi layered sonic gateau of plenty.

 

*It's fairly essential on music often described as 'banging'.

[blandy]

1 hour ago, Xann said:

My friend engineered 'Colour Of Spring', he's a long time Tannoy monitor man

CD's technical superiority counts for naught if the mastering isn't right.

This is the Dynamic Range Database. Obviously not completely comprehensive and *compression isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's useful.

Recommend 'Queen Of The Wave' by Pepe Deluxe. It's a multi layered sonic gateau of plenty.

*It's fairly essential on music often described as 'banging'.

You have good friends, Dave, clearly

I confess to not knowing what that link is actually telling me, other than green is good, and red is bad.

The vinyl version I have is from the year it came out, so '86 and the CD is from '97 Digital remaster (presumably the top one listed below) - I bought it when I sold my record deck maybe 2002, I think.

Listening to them again, just now (well the first track on each) the CD version is almost painfully "bright" - there' a lot more stuff in there, but it almost hurts. The vinyl is more subdued at the higher end and much nicer to listen to, and softer. On the CD version the bass almost leaps out and punches you, too, which I like, mind.

I shall now go seek 'Queen Of The Wave' by Pepe Deluxe. [edit] - Blimey, there's a lot going on in there! Not totally my thing, but pretty impressive.