audio equipment-what's your gear

[yuppiejr]

OK Guys, cool thread. I don't mean to derail the thread . . .

Now normally I am a really effective web-searcher and I'm able to get to the core of most of my interests rather quickly on the internet. For instance when I started to research an escape from the three blade fiasco, it didn't take me long to find mantic's videos, Badger and Blade, and the rest . . . This resource, I think we can all agree is right at the core of the 'meat and potatoes' of DE shaving resources on the internet.

I wouldn't describe myself as an audiophile because I simply don't know anything about quality audio equipment, what matters in making good sound, etc. But I'd like to learn. Can you recommend me a link or two to a couple good, established sites or forums where I could go to begin learning about this stuff? I have googled the topic a few times and have never seemed to end up in the right places. Where do you begin reading?

Cheers and happy listening,

K

I spend a fair bit of time at AVS Forum which has been around forever. It's a fairly large community similar to this one with a focus on all things audio-video.

[bald1]

Like cityjim I'm a big Magneplanar fan :)

My systems descriptions: main, HT, and bedroom

[Scissors]

Quite a bit of drool-worthy equipment! I'm a bit surprised there aren't more Quad ESL 63 owners among us. Maybe they're just too occupied listening to their systems when not in the shaving forums here.

Warms my heart to see Magneplanar fans. That firm's been around a while and prospered the way it's supposed to be done: make a fine product for a good price. I wish I could have a pair but SWMBO would never consent to even the smallest Maggie, and given the size of possible locations, she has a point.

Stereo:

• Rega P3 turntable w/silver colored base
• Clearaudio Aurum Beta cartridge.
• NAD PP2 phono preamp. I had a hifi store salesman sniff at me that the Aurum "deserved better" than the NAD. It's probably true that there are better phono preamps and I'm a sucker for the up-sell, but his attitude made me dig in my heels.
• ARCAM CD62 CD Player. It's my old player, and I'm not crazy about it. I got the sig.other a Rega Planet that I much preferred, but it needs repairs now—it skips tracks, stutters, etc. A shame and a surprise: build quality seemed excellent and it was shockingly hefty for a CD player that wasn't high-end.
• NAD M3 Integrated Amp.
• Tangent Acoustics RS/2 loudspeakers. Best way to describe the sound would be to say they're like the LS3/5A but with more bass. It was a psycho-acoustic trick: there was a hump in the response somewhere in the octave between 100 and 200Hz. So the first overtone of things in the 50-100Hz octave would come through, and the brain would fill in the missing fundamental. Works for me!
• Stax SR-303 Earspeakers and SRM-313 amplifier (replaced by the SRM-323II.) I wanted a pair of these since I was a teen and was finally able to afford them a few years back. Beautifully made and lovely sound, but I think the difference between dynamic transducers and electrostats has narrowed in the intervening thirty years.

I started doing recording a few years ago (the sig.other is a pianist) and now audio gear means microphones, mic preamps, D/A and A/D units...now there's a truly deadly acquisition disorder...

[tam.audio]

I used to co-own a 24 track studio. That kept me from acquiring fancy home audio.

I prefer NS10s and my long gone Genelec nearfields to just about everything else. I also miss my Nakamichi Dragons... best cassette decks ever *sniff*.

I wish I could find a pair of NS-10s to buy!

[slcsteve]

Same old stuff that I've owned 20 years or more.

1. Vandersteen 2Ci speakers with stands.
2. PSE Studio Two mono-amps 500w
3. PSE Studio Three Tuner
4. PSE Studio SL Pre-amp
5. Rotel RCD-855 CD player

[raylinds]

I love audio gear (and video for that matter) and prefer a combination of tube and analog gear.
My amp is a Woo Audio WA5 300B tubed single ended triode amp:



My turntable is a tricked out VIP Aries 3:



My phono stage is a BAT VK-P10 that uses 10 tubes:



My reel-to-reel is an Otari MX5050:



My speakers are Paradigm Millenia 300s:



For digital, I rip all of my CDs as FLAC files to a network hard drive through as usb to S/PDIF converter into a Audio Aero Prima DAC and into my tube amp.

[MaxTO]

PC>Musiland Monitor 02>Millett Hybrid MiniMAX>Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro

[s1mp13m4n]

I own a Tivoli Audio Model Two in cherry wood and the matching Model Subwoofer. I love the little thing. I do not have the matching Model CD for it but I do want one.

[Sir Ronald]

OK Guys, cool thread. I don't mean to derail the thread . . .

Now normally I am a really effective web-searcher and I'm able to get to the core of most of my interests rather quickly on the internet. For instance when I started to research an escape from the three blade fiasco, it didn't take me long to find mantic's videos, Badger and Blade, and the rest . . . This resource, I think we can all agree is right at the core of the 'meat and potatoes' of DE shaving resources on the internet.

I wouldn't describe myself as an audiophile because I simply don't know anything about quality audio equipment, what matters in making good sound, etc. But I'd like to learn. Can you recommend me a link or two to a couple good, established sites or forums where I could go to begin learning about this stuff? I have googled the topic a few times and have never seemed to end up in the right places. Where do you begin reading?

Cheers and happy listening,

K

right here my friend

[andrew98]

I'm into music in a big way, but I like keeping my electronic life simple and uncluttered. I have a Bose Wave Radio (single CD version) with a line in that has a toggle switch to connect my Mac Mini and DVD player. It's all I need for home audio (music, TV, and DVDs).

-Andy

[mdevine]

Krell KAV-300i integrated amp, Music Hall Maverick SACD player, Magnepan 1.6 speakers and Kimble Kable 8TC speaker wires.

[ouch]

Krell KAV-300i integrated amp, Music Hall Maverick SACD player, Magnepan 1.6 speakers and Kimble Kable 8TC speaker wires.

I think that would qualify as a very well thought out, simple, and killer system.

[Jawaburger]

[YetiDave]

Are you sure that rig has enough drivers?

[ouch]

I need to replace the tubes on my VTL preamp.

Any suggestions?

[Jawaburger]

Are you sure that rig has enough drivers?

I didn't even show pictures of my four surround speakers and my other two subs! I thought that would definitely be overkill.

[YetiDave]

I didn't even show pictures of my four surround speakers and my other two subs! I thought that would definitely be overkill.

Jeez, I'm counting 6 tweeters and 8 mid range drivers just on the tops there... I presume they've got passive crossovers in the boxes? Or do you have a separate crossover too? That thing must be LOUD

[Jawaburger]

There is a 1" soft dome tweeter and a 1 1/2" soft dome midrange in each speaker. The Left and Right speaker have a 6" midbass driver and 2 6" wooofers. The center speaker has two 6" woofers. The speakers are made by Phase Technology, an American company (not many of those anymore). Yes, all the speakers have internal crossovers, and yes, it will play loud. The two 15" subs are separate. The surround speakers and identical to the center speaker, and I also have 2 10" subs in back. I never lack for bass in movies. I like to feel the bass in my chest.

[Tralfaz]

Main system:
VPI Aries turntable/Fidelity Research FR-64S tonearm/Denon DL-103 cartridge
Music Hall Maverick SACD player
Fanfare FT-1 tuner
EAR 834P phono stage
EAR 834L line stage
A pair of EAR 509 II 100w tube mono amps
ATC SCM 20 speakers

Second system:
Sony 222ES SACD player
Magnum Dynalab FT11 tuner
Fi 2A3 X integrated SET amp
Omega Super 3 single-driver speakers

While I still read the magazines sometimes, I've pretty much checked out as far as new purchases go. I'm very happy with what I have and am at a point in my life where money is better spent on other things.

[petr]

I can't think of any other subject that has left me in stone cold analysis paralysis mode more than buying a simple good quality two channel system.

I was listening to sonus faber cremona Ms this weekend in a shop and as the well educated sales person droned on about non-sense of some mystical qualities it hit me again ... duh

I just want a simple system that sounds outstanding. The choices are overwhelming ...

(those sonus fabers did sound amazing though!)