Any HiFi (as in proper high fidelity) freaks?

60cycles

"Audiophiles" not welcome!
(no Voodoo allowed, plus being deaf without knowing's not an excuse when you persist in having an "educated" opinion)

A very dear subject to me and one i've devoted my life to, but it can get dodgy or downright ludicrous, after all we live in the era of digital recordings, SMD-ridden Chinese crap and iPhone music listening. So dear as the subject may be, one does learn restraint; and care regarding when and where to mention it ^^
But i've been itching to ask and i saw this 'turntable recommendations' thread here so..

Now obviously, HiFi means different things to different folks, so to put it into context and unlike the above thread, think Techdas, Furutech, old Electrocompaniets, old Audio Researches, old McIntoshes, Nakamichi, Stax, etc. etc.

Don't be shy to speak up.

/crickets, lol

TheMarlin

What did you want to know?  Not sure what your point is. 

Hifi is about enjoying quality recording to the best of your budget, whatever that may be. 

if asked about turntables, I usually recommend a decent cheap stater deck, unless I know someone has a solid budget. The is a bewildering array of seriously crap turntables (with amazing reviews, bought and paid for) for sale up to £500, many using a central arm/platter/motor arrangement what can be bought from China for £9.  The Hifi industry is expert at ripping off people. And, reviews are for sale. So they’re worthless to me. 

For a starter deck, I recommend a NAD 533, which can be picked up on eBay (lightly used) for around £100.  

It’s a rebadged Rega Plannar 2, with a decent enough arm and cartridges, and is an excellent modding platform. I have modded a few for friends with superb results. 

There is MUCH nicer gear out there, ive had a lot of it, but not everyone looking to enter Hifi has the budget for that. 

60cycles

Just asking if any other member here's into High End. Does the title mislead?

prowla

I've got a Naim system.

There's a Linn Sondek in my loft somewhere; it was put there when my kids started being inquisitive and fiddling with it, and then one day I came home and a "friend" was standing on it!

Keefy

I'm not really sure at what point Hi Fi becomes 'proper' but I'm not going to be content with streaming mp3s through a little Bluetooth speaker. I like to listen to CDs in stereo from a particular seat position so that I can hear the whole recording clearly.

My current setup consists of:

• Cambridge Audio Azur 340C CD player
• Kenwood KA-3020 SE amplifier
• Mission LX-2 loudspeakers

I don't think any of that qualifies as 'high end' but it sounds great to me and it makes me happy.

martiansunrise

I like the older British stuff and 70s Japanese direct drive TTs. My system hasn't changed in a good six months which is the longest in years. 

Currently: 

Technics SL1000 MK2 (SP10)
Rothwell indus passive pre

Radford STA25

Tannoy Cheviots

The Radford/Tannoy pairing is amazing. I had to step back as it is easy to go full nerd. 

Penn

I have:

Rega P3
Rega mm fono
Icon audio 20pp
Q acoustic concept 20
bayerdynamic dt990

Does that qualify me? Probably not. 

Ally

I've never experienced high end kit other than demo days at shops and I think the listening room layout/setup has as much to do with the sound as the kit.

My Rega and B&W setup is very good standard amongst the budget end of things. Often looked at upgrades, but at the end of the day, I think I'm at the point of diminishing returns and decent upgrades would need more money than I have, so I'm content to just buy records. I do need a new cartridge though, and at some points a speaker overhaul. 

I'd never have the money to justify for real high end kit, but certainly can appreciate it when I hear it. Thankfully I'm lucky to appreciate what I have though as its good enough for me.

viz

I’m a Kuzma / SME / Koetsu / Bryston / PMC kind of person. 

the_jaffa

I’ve got a Linn Sondek that I’ve had for 27 years or so now and it goes through a Trichord phono stage then Cyrus amps in to Linn speakers. 

It’s pretty decent gear and definitely nicer than a lot of stuff but I’ve pretty much run into the point where I can’t really hear any improve ya that I make. There are things I think I’d like to change but a lot of the reasoning for that is not entirely related to sound quality and the cost is now CNN pretty high. 

KDS

I had my HiFi packed up for a few years.

When I moved into new house I set it up again.....  set off buying some new kit, Olson power supply (great value buy), then Rega RP10, Aphete 2 cart and then PMC Fact 8 speakers to compliment my existing Music Fidelity A5 Amp and MF A5.5 CD player. The RP10 is stunning, kicked off buying lots of vinyl.

 Thinking of upgrading the amp, nothing in mind, but would like to hear quality valve amp.

prowla

My main system is Naim CDS2/XPS, 82/Supercap, 250, into Linn Kabers; I'll probably get a streamer to go with it soon-ish and may replace the Kabers at some point.

In my office I have a Naim Mu-So Qb which I just use for iTunes.

I've also got a few unused pieces of kit, including a Linn Sondek in the loft, a pair of Linn Kans & stands, a Naim Nait 2, a Naim CD3.5 & Nait 3, and a Naim 12s preamp.

sweave

Some of these are v old but still happy with the sound:
Avondale Arcam Alpha 5 CD
Naim nac72 pre-amp + NJM replacement boards + Avondale Spx1 external power supply
Naim nap140 power amp
Linn Keilidh speakers
Also have a Linn Axis turntable and Naim Nait3 amp sitting in the attic
At some point I'll switch to a streaming solution
Steve

TheMadMick

I've recently been through "upgraditis".

Sold my Townshend Rock with arm and cartridge and bought a BluSound Vault. Ripped all my CDs.

Sold my Musical Fidelity NuVista 3D

Sold my Musical fidelity kW5550 and bought an NVA P50SA preamp and a pair of A80 power amps (the A80's go by a different name now).

Plumbed it all up with NVA cables into my Monitor Audio PL200's.

Reclaimed my Meridian 506 CD spinner from my eldest and was gobsmacked how good it still sounds after all these years.

Silly money stuff but it is really good to listen to and I love it.  I'm very grateful I can afford stuff like this.

Zoolooter

@prowla if you ever come to sell the Kans and the Nait 2, give me a shout.

prowla

Zoolooter said:

@prowla if you ever come to sell the Kans and the Nait 2, give me a shout.

I bought those Kans (Mk I) new, back in the 80s; I live in a fantasy world where one day I'll get the LP12/Nait/Kans set up again...

sweepy

My little setup is quite straightforward
Linn Isobark DMS speakers
Tube Technology Valve Power Amp
ELV Preamp 
Project DMXperience 2 turntable 
Ortofon Black
Marantz CD6700
https://i.imgur.com/HJUiyHs.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/F3u21op.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rYnC2RK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/EcFI7aD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/CbjCrfz.jpg

RustySpanner

I've played in brass bands and orchestras, albeit at a very low level. 
I'd like to think I know what live acoustic  instruments sound like. 

For me, my 35 year old Rega TT (with Denon cartridge), Marantz PM66KI, ancient Technics MASH CD player and Tannoy speakers sound as close to that as I've heard. 

If it can't make a piano sound like a piano, it's worthless, no matter how expensive or 'high end' it pretends to be. 

Brass band stuff is a great test - you can go and hear good brass almost everywhere. Does your system reproduce the detail, power, soundstage and dynamics of a good band?

Spoken vocals are a great test as well. 

If it can't reproduce the simple things, a violin or a drum kit, it might be a nice system, but it ain't HiFi. 

TheMarlin

I’ve had a load of vintage valves amps, my favourites being the Radford STA25 and Leak Stereo 20. Always with Quad ELS57’s or Tannoy Dual Concentric speakers. 

I’m currently using NVA P90SA passive pre amp, with NV600 monoblocks. All NVA cables, LS6 speaker cables. 

I’m running Tannoy little gold monitors, and a Rel sub. 

Sources, home made turntable, based on Rega geometry. Nagoaka MP500 cart. schiit Mani with linear power supply. 

Bluesound Node 2i with power upgrades. I use that with Tidal HD with MQA out to my Topping D90-MQA.  It outperform my CD player, so. It used that for a few months.  

I play a lot of vinyl, I buy at least 6 LP’s a month

 

I do miss my old Garrard 401 with SMEV. That sounded epic. My current deck is beautifully detailed, but doesn’t quite have the weight of music that the Garrard did. 

Would like to get another Radford STA25

blobb

QUAD for me, British industrial design at its best.

Keefy

blobb said:

QUAD for me, British industrial design at its best.

I think my brother-in-law had that amp in the 80s.