The HiFi thread

NCR600

Likes Dirt
Some advice please folks!

Looking for a turntable. Doesn't need to be too flash, as it's going to be played through a mid range 80's Pioneer system, which sounds ok, but hardly audiophile quality.

So far i've looked at the following on Ebay;

Phillips GA-408 $119 1 bid 5days 22hr left

Rotel RP-830 $319 0 bids 6 days 11hr left

Connoisseur DB-2-A$149 0 bids 4 days 22 hr left

Yamaha YP-450 $299 0 bids 6 days 22 hr left

Sharp Optonica Direct Drive $133.50 3 bids 1 day 15 hr left.

Fairly wide price range I know, but if I can get something good for under my max. budget, I'll be happy!

Cheers folks!
 

fairy1

Banned
I think you can get a decent Cambridge Audio receiver and couple it with some Krix bookshelf speakers for less than $1300. You'd still need a centre speaker, cheaper rear speakers and a CD player (or a DVD player with a good DAC).

I bought a 5.1 surround sound system 11 years ago that I'm still using now: Solid Solutions speakers and sub (by B&W) and Onkyo receiver. I ditched the rear speakers a long time ago because I just don't watch enough to appreciate it that much.

I'm just about to put some money on a pair of Krix Acoustix speakers (identical to the Graphix centre speaker that I might get later). Unfortunately my Onkyo receiver/amp is way out of date with limited output options, no HDMI, etc - still good enough for a bedroom audio/radio setup.

As I'm already spending money on camera gear and bikes it's hard to justify big bucks on a new system when my old one isn't broken.

Does anyone have any comments about the low to mid range Denon amps?

Nice work on the Krix, I've got a Centrix which is an awesome speaker but it is just sitting collecting dust in the shed. I have an old(10yr) Denon amp and it is rubbish compared to an Onkyo amp of the same vintage, mine lacks any drive on the lower notes and really stuggles to get the Krix speaker performing well.

Most power output specs on new(cheap) amps are done driving only one channel so a 100x5 amp may only do 30-40WRMS running all channels, which isn't really enough to drive those Krix speakers to their potential.
 

FR Drew

Not a custom title.
CD: Audiolab 8000CDE
Turntable: Garrard 401 in Corian and brushbox plinth with Decca International unipivot arm, Shure M97 cartridge. TT thrust bearing upgraded.
Phono stage: Project phono box II
Amp: Denon AVR1800 HT receiver
Speakers: Kef "eggs" plus custom sub

Works in progress are a valve amp (Triode connected EL84's in PP Class A with 6SN7 input/phase splitter) and a pair of tapered quarter wave speakers using Fostex FE168 Sigma single drivers.

I'm gradually rebuilding things after a burglary in 2000 that cleared out my Monitor Audio Silver 7's, my Arcam Alpha 5 CD player and my Sugden Optima 140 amp.
While the DVD and the HT amp and eggs are fine for background music and non critical listening, I really want to get my dedicated 2 channel setup back to decent spec. Hope to have the amp built in the next couple of months (all the bits are there, just need to get off my butt and sling some solder around) but with only 4 or 5 watts available, it'll really need the Fostex speakers to be done before it'll sing, as they're 96dB/W.
 
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mr_casual

Likes Dirt
i have a question, i am using a 6.1 sony amp for 2 8ohm stereos, can i wire in 2 8ohm passive subs? they have low pass crosovers installed, its basically for more volume in the low frequencies. will the amp love it? or hate on it.

its a theatre av reciever thing.
 

FR Drew

Not a custom title.
Usually the 0.1 channel on a home theatre amp is just a pre out socket for running an active sub.

However... In the setup menu you can probably set the sub to "none" and the front channels to "large". If so, the bass which would normally go to the sub should go to the front 2 channels and you ought to be able to run the subs with your main speakers.

Without knowing how the sub is configured and what the setup allows, it's hard to say.

When you say you're running "two 8 ohm stereos" I take it that you mean 2 pairs of 8 ohm speakers? Are you running one pair up front as your main L+R speakers with another pair in the rear and no centre channel (centre set as phantom in the menu routed to the L + R up front)?
 

deafwish

Likes Bikes
Amp: Yamaha RXV863
Speakers: Mission 792
Sub amp: O Audio Bash 500
Sub: Exodus Audio Tempest X2 (15") in a DIY 108 lt sealed enclosure.

My windows move a good few mm. The neighbours love it.

 

Toff

Likes Dirt
Off the top of my head:

CD Rotel RCD 1070, Rotel RCC-940AX.

Vinyl: Orpheus Silex, Lenco L-75, Technics SL-1200, Dual 1009, Pioneer PL-500X.

Cassette: Nakamichi 1000 tri-tracer, Pioneer CT-F1000.

Amplifiers: Kenwood KA-7100, Pioneer SA-7500, Pioneer SA-8800, Akai AS-980 (receiver), Rotel RB-890, Marantz 1060.

Speakers: Kef Concertos (plus a whole other set of drivers), Seas home built (dual 10" woofers, oval mids and standard tweeters + another set and a half of drivers), JR 149's, Audio Nirvana 12" full range self made.

These are only the ones worth mentioning, there's countless other lower end amps, tuners, speakers etc. all over the house.

Also have a couple of self made chip amps which I'll post pics of shortly, along with pics of everything else.

Mostly vintage stuff I know, I've got a Denon receiver running a pair of Mirage speakers for casual listening and theatre, but for playing music it's a mix and match of the stuff up there ^ :cool:
 

Moggio

Likes Bikes and Dirt
A realisation over the years is that your source is most important... get the best mastered version of a LP or CD. You can tell the difference on a really crappy system, a good stereo will just show up the poor quality of the source audio even more. No point having an awesome stereo and listening to a crap version of the recording.

I have a very basic but good sounding system... reliable too.

Amplifier - Sansui Au-417 -from the 70s when they made great stuff.
Turntable - Technics SL-1400
CD - Some crap sony thing that won't die
Tape - Harmon Kardon TD420
Speakers - Wharfedale Diamond 9.0
iPod through Pocketdock playing non-lossy
 

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
I don't know if this goes in this thread, but it's where I make my music.
My humble home studio.
Nothing flash, and have quite done a few upgrades including the effects racks and digital recorder and guitars since this pic was taken and badly stitched. But still a lot of fun to tinker and 'boom tish' around.

Denon power amp
Orpheus Sig #1 Speakers
Behringer 24 track mixer
Behringer ultrafex pro
Behringer tube ultrafex
Boss GT8
Korg triton 64 with max upgraded RAM and MOSS 13 oscillator chip
Tascam Digital Multitracker
Roland VS16 + VSCDR
Alesis midiverb
Ultraverb Pro
Various guitars
Micophones, Rode NT1, NT2A, and NT3, Shure SM57 and 58, sennheisser MD421, AKG C-414 (blb), beyerdynamic M88, and some random no name ones from the tip shop.
Behringer BASSFX Pro
TL Audio Ivory 5001 Mic Tube preamp
TL Audio C-1 Tube Stereo 2 channel compressor (my prized possession. If the house catches fire, this is what I grab first).

 
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mr_casual

Likes Dirt
Usually the 0.1 channel on a home theatre amp is just a pre out socket for running an active sub.

However... In the setup menu you can probably set the sub to "none" and the front channels to "large". If so, the bass which would normally go to the sub should go to the front 2 channels and you ought to be able to run the subs with your main speakers.

Without knowing how the sub is configured and what the setup allows, it's hard to say.

When you say you're running "two 8 ohm stereos" I take it that you mean 2 pairs of 8 ohm speakers? Are you running one pair up front as your main L+R speakers with another pair in the rear and no centre channel (centre set as phantom in the menu routed to the L + R up front)?
no just stereos.

I have a pair of 8 ohm 12" speakers, and another 2 12" drivers used in these to make a sub out of. the plan was to utilise the spare 4 channels in the amp, by using two of them (setting the amp to locked stereo) and then adjusting the loudness of the subs with either settings on the amp, or by tuning it with a couple of L-Pad's.

not sure what im going to do yet, but heres a picture of the speakers at the moment, the paint jobs are average, i need to find something like acratech that doesnt show scratches as well...



the speakers are 77 litre sealed enclosures, drivers are grs 12" poly $17 each from parts express, and the horn setups are from a set of jamo's me and a mate found on the side of the road for rubbish collection. they had blown woofers and the surrounds had gone in them... ill rewire these with better crossovers and tweeters, but for now-this saved alot of time+money+design effort....

they weigh about 25kg's each. alot of fill in them too.

if you havent already built your own speakers, parts-express.com is the best!

partayyyyy
 

MarioM

Likes Dirt
One of my old workplaces was throwing away an old car stereo display board . It was only a single so i took the coverters and all the wiring and built a stand alone unit with a head deck 2 6 x 9 and 2 6 inch speakers . Stereo has stand alone usb, headphone jack , ipod connect , and sd card slot . Sound is unreal but the unit is bulky . Its pulled down at the moment until i build a smaller pine wood cabinet for better mobility .
 

FR Drew

Not a custom title.
Thought I'd dig this up rather than start another thread. I have a problem with my new setup that I'd love some help figuring out.

I recently bought myself a present; KRK Rokit 6" powered studio monitors and a cheap Novation Nio for a soundcard. Now this setup ran BEAUTIFULLY without a single hitch when setup through my girlfriends laptop at her house, though when I've brought them home and plugged them into my system, something's wrong. I'm not sure what's causing it, but I'm getting a horrible static noise through the speakers even when there's no sound playing through them. This sound is not a constant, which confuses me, as it changes depending on what my computer is doing at the time.

I'm pretty sure its a ground loop occurring....

Your help is greatly appreciated.
Ground loop would normally only result in hum I'd have thought, moreso than static. G/F's mac wouldn't have the soundcard I presume? Active speakers shouldn't be your problem. I'd be laying the blame at the soundcard. See if you can swap it out for a different card and check if that solves the problem.
 

redbruce

Eats Squid
Some Australian made three way speakers from the 90's. I don't know what they are, but they are beautiful and have a gold plate stamped to the base with a serial number 0013 and the makers signature and a 'Handcrafted In Sydney AUS' scribed in the plate. They are incredible. All gold contacts and gold (coloured?) solder, and the makers signature again on the inside under the insulation with the number 0013 again.
Sounds like you have a pair of classic speakers from AMW Acoustic Labs of Sydney Australia. A prominent 1970's and 80's aussie manufacturer with great stuff.

Their signature speaker was a massive bass reflex unit with Kef and Goodman drivers. Very similar design to the IMF TLS 80's I have. Great 80's sound though the KEF B139 bass drivers experienced significant impedance change with frequency that quickly fried amps with inadequate current capacity (just like the IMF TLS 80's did !). Any pictures?
 

redbruce

Eats Squid
Since there's plenty of music fans on here I figure there must be some audiophiles among us. So, who's into proper sound? What gear are you all running, how do you rate it, what's your setup?

Feel free to post up any new gear, custom modifications, reviews etc. in here.

If there's any interest I'll post pics of some of the various setups around the house (one for every room :cool:).
Oh dear, don't usually look at this section and what do I find, a thread to expose yet another of my addictions (but share funnily enough the same room as the families (only 3 of us ride) 12 bikes) .

Oh well hear goes:

Been into HiFi since the 80's so been through a bit of gear:

Amps: Harmon Kardon HK505, then onto Luxman L530, a Rotel RB990/ Luxman CO3 combo (all spectacularly died trying to drive my speakers ) and now a pair of NAD C272 amps with Luxman CO3 pre (bi amped)

Turntable: started with a Rega 3, black widow arm and a something electret cartridge. Now have a Linn Sondek LP12 with Linn Basic+ arm and a Grace Level 2, BR/MR moving magnet or Koestu Black goldline (second series) moving coil. The latter gets used with a home made passive stepup device using Altec Lansing 4722 transformers. Yes it deserves a better arm but I am (apparently) sponsoring my apprentice wage sons cycling.

CD: had a series of high end Luxman units (great sound but unreliable POS) and now a Rotel RCD 970BX with modified clock and caps.

Cassette: had an assortment of Pioneer, Toshiba, Sharp (rebadged Naka), high end Aiwa and Nakamichi (in the end there really wasnt any alternative but where are they now!) units, Currently a Naka 48? (in the cupboard, 1. because no one listens to cassettes and 2. the rubber drive in these things has a life of 12 months tops)

Tuner: Harmon Kardon HK 715 (but never used)

Speakers: started with JBL P40's and moved onto a pair of (now) classic IMF TLS 80 MK 2 speakers. These have had all drivers refurbished and new x overs with air core inductors made + a few tweeks to stiffen the cabinets and open up the mid range have been made.

Cables: an assortment of home made and high end commercial stuff. Lesson here is you do not get what you pay for. DIY is the shizz.

Vinyl versus CD: they each have their place but there is a good reason I maintain the Linn. And my kids agree!
 
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silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
I'm pretty sure its a ground loop occurring, but I thought I'd see if any of you have any suggestions as to what it could be. It's very odd as the sound changes quite drastically and actually becomes seriously annoying while using certain programs (VLC, BF3, COD etc).
Anyone got any ideas? I'm pretty sure its my computer as it works perfectly using an identically setup plugged into my girlfriends macbook air.

Your help is greatly appreciated.
That's a bit more than just ground loop (though basically the same thing). You have ground loop plus voltage. Speakers work on voltage, just well controlled voltage. In your case it is uncontrolled!! Some lappies are just manifestly awful as sources. I don't think an isolator is going to help but you never know, eh?
 

carpetrunner

Likes Dirt
Now this setup ran BEAUTIFULLY without a single hitch when setup through my girlfriends laptop at her house, though when I've brought them home and plugged them into my system... horrible static noise through the speakers... even when there's no sound playing through them. This sound is not a constant, which confuses me, as it changes depending on what my computer is doing at the time...
I was gonna say that this kinda thing is usually related to the PC/laptop power supply. High frequency switch mode power supplies don't need too much parasitic between primary and secondary for the secondary to float up randomly - particularly older style double insulated switchers with no earth connection...

But I was wondering about the power supply for the Nio had a look around the Novation Nio interweb and I found this...
Answerbase: The sound from the Nio is noisy

I'm guessing that the nio sucks a lot of power down the USB, so if the cable is a little thin there will be some droop. So try swapping in some different USB cables and see if it changes the performance.

- Carpetrunner
 
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