I'm liking the idea of running it off my pc, i shall do some looking into some amps and speakers to see what options i have ^-^

But please don

I used to be into HiFi like crazy in the old analogue days - spent SO much money.

Listen to a system (if poss under the situations I described) - listen if you can pick out the individual threads with ease (underlying themes also) ; if you can 'place' the singers, the instruments ; that you can hear the plectrum aginst the guitar strings, the intake of breath ; that the bass is really taut and not overfull.

Alternatively if you listen to mp3s there

Alternatively if you listen to mp3s there

Am I sounding old or what?

Chris

PARDON

So true. So sad that many youngsters today think the Ipod is the pinnacle of sound quality. Am I sounding old or what?

Chris

Chris, I tell you what - I'll swap you anyday.

Says the old f*rt of LinnSondek, Naim amps, Isobariks etc days

And, far too much money spent on passions :eek:

Chris, I tell you what - I'll swap you anyday.

Says the old f*rt of LinnSondek, Naim amps, Isobariks etc days

And, far too much money spent on passions :eek:

No trade I'm afraid. I wont be parted from my old gear (DNM / Rega hybrid, Musical Fidelity A1 with "improvements" and a set of home made 3 way floorstanders with CF drive units).

When the amp went phut recently, I was stuck for a replacement at anything even remotely affordable so rebuild was the only option.

I do have a CD player, a mixture of Marantz top end transport and Mission bitstream DAC.

When I get time, I am going to try building my own turntable.

Chris

No trade I'm afraid. I wont be parted from my old gear (DNM / Rega hybrid, Musical Fidelity A1 with "improvements" and a set of home made 3 way floorstanders with CF drive units).

When the amp went phut recently, I was stuck for a replacement at anything even remotely affordable so rebuild was the only option.

I do have a CD player, a mixture of Marantz top end transport and Mission bitstream DAC.

When I get time, I am going to try building my own turntable.

Chris

Ok

Was on about age

Wife insisted (several years ago) I moved the turntable from(stable) window ledge to unstable floor.

Consequentltly, mostly listen to music via PC and Winamp (OK, sort of).

Ok

Was on about age

Wife insisted (several years ago) I moved the turntable from(stable) window ledge to unstable floor.

Consequentltly, mostly listen to music via PC and Winamp (OK, sort of).

Hmm needs replacement (the wife that is).

Got to get my amp rebuilt. Luckily, I have tracked down one of the original engineers that worked on these and he is going to fully refurbish it for me with a few upgrades as well.

Talking of age, the gear was mostly bought in 1989! CD player was a few years later and DAC after that.

It is bloody frustrating listening to CDs through headphones when you have hundreds of decent albums on vinyl sitting there gathering dust.

I am going to have a go at recording many of the albums to CD for use in the cars.

Chris

USB turntable maybe ?

I bought a cheap Dongle to do this for about

I was in my local Sony Centre this evening and they had some pretty decent sounding and looking midi systems under

I'd recommend second hand too. In fact, I have an Arcam alfa 8 cd player I've been toying of passing on......

Anyway, I'd also be slightly wary of reviews in the like of What HiFi. They're not the most unbiased reviewer and do tend to always pick the "flavour of the month". I pay more interest to reviews such as Home Cinema Choice although they are more on the cinema side of things.

But as suggested, best bet is your set of ears. Book yourself an hour demo slot in a richer sounds. Take a collection of CDs which you *think* you know. I can guarantee that you'll walk out of there after a demo having heard things you never heard on the CD before

I'm also suspicious of expensive cables. Whilst not something to skimp on, I wouldn't spend megabucks on them either. Chunky mains cable is more than adequate for speaker cable (unless you go to a platted Cat5e configuration :crazy: ).

Also, IMHO, the equipment to chose will depend on what type of music you listen to most, if you have a preference. If you listen to hard rock all day long, you want something with a bite, bit of bad *** attitude. If you listen to Jazz or classical, you'll want something more refined.... Again, your ears are the one and only judge on what YOU like the sound of.

Go out and experiment

1989? Pah! Newest bit of my kit is the CD player - vintage about 1990, but the amp and speakers date from 1978 or thereabouts - must get some better stuff one day. Used to buy an item a term out of my student grant (had to do a lot of bar work thereafter to keep eating )

PS amazing isn't it that Julian Richer who started by flogging end of line and bankrupt stock from a shop with no audio facilities at all, is now the benchmark of hi-fi shops although there are still some nice independents about. Years since I went in one though.

I've still got a pair of JR149 speakers I bought about 1977. Based on the old Rogers L5a (?) BBC speakers. They still sound OK against newer kit. I've got a Cambridge A5 amp gathering dust that I also should pass onto someone else.

Andy

PS amazing isn't it that Julian Richer who started by flogging end of line and bankrupt stock from a shop with no audio facilities at all, is now the benchmark of hi-fi shops

Basemark rather than benchmark... It's a national chain that offers good value and lots of entry level gear, and they don't carry an air of "elite" that a lot of hi-fi vendors do.

Rob.

I'm aware of what Richer Sounds is, thanks - we have one here in Swindon. I just meant when people mention hi-fi, they're one of the first names that come to mind now. It used to be Lasky's - do they still exist? Most of my gear came from there.

Laskys were bought by Tandy IIRC.

Tandy were bought out by Carphone whorehouse a while back and effectively closed in a year.

As for richer sounds , they aren't anywhere near as good as they used to be 15 years ago.

Now all they sell is flat tvs and a poor choice of hi-fi , half of which is brands that they own like cambridge audio

I've still got a pair of JR149 speakers I bought about 1977. Based on the old Rogers L5a (?) BBC speakers. They still sound OK against newer kit. I've got a Cambridge A5 amp gathering dust that I also should pass onto someone else.

Andy

I think the drivers are the same as the old LS3/5As. We still use them in BBC Radio OBs if we haven

I'm aware of what Richer Sounds is, thanks - we have one here in Swindon.

Didn't doubt that for a second, was just backing up my comment about it being basemark...

Rob.

Lintone Audio in the North East are very good, high end in general, but cater for the enthusiast with a smaller budget too.

this thread has just reminded me, I've got one of these sat around the flat. Last time I checked, it worked:

All I know is that its at least as old as me, 28, anything up to 5 yrs older and that it was never a good stereo in its day let alone now but it sounds much better than a cheap all in one. Any suggestions what to do with it?:confused:

this may help you with your hi fi needs:thumbup:

Richer Sounds - The UK's Hi-Fi, Home Cinema & Flat Panel Tv Specialists!

derek

Alternatively if you listen to mp3s there

Oh, I dunno...joy of places like Richer Sounds...

If it were me, I'd go for:

Cambridge Audio amp for a ton, I actually got one of the slightly cheaper end-of-line Cambridge Audio amps for playing the output from my computer, and for the money I think they're ace.

CD player...Acoustic Solutions - it's cheap, but IMHO there's not a right lot of difference between the