What audio system do you have, or plan on getting?

Started by Bonehelm, May 24, 2007, 08:52:55 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 10 Guests are viewing this topic.


Mandryka

I've just bought my first valve amp, a Radford STA25 Mk 3. My first foray into valves - any advice appreciated.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

springrite

Well, after completely remodeling my apartment, I bought a new audio system as well, AUDIOLAB 8300XP 140W, 8300CDQ CD Player, and KEF R7 speakers.

That should keep me happy for a while.  :)
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

aligreto

Quote from: Mandryka on August 26, 2019, 08:18:27 PM
I've just bought my first valve amp, a Radford STA25 Mk 3. My first foray into valves - any advice appreciated.

Congratulations and I hope that it serves you well. Very simply valves tend to yield maximum performance when at optimum temperature. I always switch on my pre and power amps between 20 and 30 minutes before playing anything through them.

Mandryka

Quote from: aligreto on August 27, 2019, 07:22:44 AM
Congratulations and I hope that it serves you well. Very simply valves tend to yield maximum performance when at optimum temperature. I always switch on my pre and power amps between 20 and 30 minutes before playing anything through them.

Yes well this is a problem. In the past I've just left my amps on all the time. Then I got a Krell Class A and all that stopped for obvious reasons, and so far I'm being good about turning it off when not in use (the threat of an enormous electricity bill is encouraging my good behaviour.)

Plato was keen on saying to people γνῶθι σεαυτόν, know yourself! Well I know myself well enough to be sure that I won't be disciplined enough to turn it on for 20 minutes before I want to listen to music!
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

aligreto

Quote from: Mandryka on August 27, 2019, 12:41:12 PM
Yes well this is a problem. In the past I've just left my amps on all the time. Then I got a Krell Class A and all that stopped for obvious reasons, and so far I'm being good about turning it off when not in use (the threat of an enormous electricity bill is encouraging my good behaviour.)

Plato was keen on saying to people γνῶθι σεαυτόν, know yourself! Well I know myself well enough to be sure that I won't be disciplined enough to turn it on for 20 minutes before I want to listen to music!

Well, looking on the positive side of things, if you do decide to leave it on all of the time the compensation for enormously high electricity bills will be a constantly warm room.  ;D

aligreto

Quote from: springrite on August 26, 2019, 08:37:41 PM
Well, after completely remodeling my apartment, I bought a new audio system as well, AUDIOLAB 8300XP 140W, 8300CDQ CD Player, and KEF R7 speakers.

That should keep me happy for a while.  :)

Enjoy your new equipment in your newly redecorated apartment  :)

Daverz

Quote from: Daverz on June 19, 2019, 05:23:05 AM
And I just ordered a pair of these, which have gotten a lot of hype lately:



Buchardt S400 speakers.  Free shipping and free return within 30 days.

My Buchardts finally came last week, and I've been breaking them in.  I'd have to say that they live up to the hype.  Excellent imaging, neutral frequency response with no frequency range calling attention to itself, airy sounding, and excellent bass (not just "good for their size"), with only the bottom octave missing.  In a 2nd floor condo, having to dial back the low bass is more of a pain than not having much there to begin with.  I might try a subwoofer later.

I was a bit worried since none of the reviews mentioned how they did with big orchestral works, but I've tested them with numerous "hi rez" orchestral recordings (e.g. Bruckner and Shostakovich) and they do a great job with large scale and high dynamic range music.

I did not opt for Buchardt's own stands and got some cheap ones on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KRVDSB2

Irons

Quote from: Mandryka on August 26, 2019, 08:18:27 PM
I've just bought my first valve amp, a Radford STA25 Mk 3. My first foray into valves - any advice appreciated.

Bare in mind that valves at some time need to be replaced. I have been told they can blow as a light bulb which sounds pretty worrying but I have not experienced this, thankfully. Valves can after time become noisy though, which can be heard placing an ear up to a loudspeaker or through headphones. I always purchase a new set when this occurs as they are on the way out. I have dealt with an excellent and reliable supplier based in the UK for some time - there are a few out there not so good - if of use to you I would happily PM you contact details.     
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

aligreto

Quote from: Daverz on August 29, 2019, 02:12:33 PM



My Buchardts finally came last week, and I've been breaking them in.  I'd have to say that they live up to the hype.  Excellent imaging, neutral frequency response with no frequency range calling attention to itself, airy sounding, and excellent bass (not just "good for their size"), with only the bottom octave missing.  In a 2nd floor condo, having to dial back the low bass is more of a pain than not having much there to begin with.  I might try a subwoofer later.

I was a bit worried since none of the reviews mentioned how they did with big orchestral works, but I've tested them with numerous "hi rez" orchestral recordings (e.g. Bruckner and Shostakovich) and they do a great job with large scale and high dynamic range music.

I did not opt for Buchardt's own stands and got some cheap ones on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KRVDSB2

That reads like they sound great. Happy listening and enjoy you new purchase Dave.

Daverz

#1550
Quote from: Irons on August 30, 2019, 06:45:47 AM
Bare in mind that valves at some time need to be replaced. I have been told they can blow as a light bulb which sounds pretty worrying but I have not experienced this

When I was still using KT-90s, they could go out with a spectacular purple light display.  A KT-120 died silently, but usually they just get dull sounding after a couple years .  I had one KT-88 that seemed to light up fine, but wouldn't bias.

I also had a monster solid-state amp that blew a fuse with a loud bang.  For some reason, that behemoth scared me more than my tube amps ever have.

Fëanor

Quote from: Mandryka on August 27, 2019, 12:41:12 PM
Yes well this is a problem. In the past I've just left my amps on all the time. Then I got a Krell Class A and all that stopped for obvious reasons, and so far I'm being good about turning it off when not in use (the threat of an enormous electricity bill is encouraging my good behaviour.)

Plato was keen on saying to people γνῶθι σεαυτόν, know yourself! Well I know myself well enough to be sure that I won't be disciplined enough to turn it on for 20 minutes before I want to listen to music!

Yes, I understand the problem exactly.  My Pass Labs X150.5 needs about 40 minutes to warm up to sound its best, but leaving it on all the time seems wrong given that is soaks up 200 watts at idle.

Mandryka

#1552
Quote from: Irons on August 30, 2019, 06:45:47 AM
Bare in mind that valves at some time need to be replaced. I have been told they can blow as a light bulb which sounds pretty worrying but I have not experienced this, thankfully. Valves can after time become noisy though, which can be heard placing an ear up to a loudspeaker or through headphones. I always purchase a new set when this occurs as they are on the way out. I have dealt with an excellent and reliable supplier based in the UK for some time - there are a few out there not so good - if of use to you I would happily PM you contact details.   

It is arriving today so I'm excited. I'm looking forward to exploring the mysterious, and no doubt expensive, world of what seems to be known as tube rolling. I'm also looking forward to turning the lights down and staring at the warm orange glow.

I had lunch last week with a friend of mine who was a prof of electronics at the OU -- he's long retired. Anyway, he thinks I'm completely mad for buying anything with tubes, that transistors are just an improvement in every way. But a good amp is a question of design, there are some good transistor amps and some good valve amps, that's just the way it seems to be.


My experience with the Krell KSA50 has shown me how important an amp can be, that a great amp is quite a thing.

Quote from: Irons on August 30, 2019, 06:45:47 AM
I have dealt with an excellent and reliable supplier based in the UK for some time - there are a few out there not so good - if of use to you I would happily PM you contact details.   

Yes please!
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Moonfish

Hmm, my old receiver is starting to falter. Any glorious recommendations for a two-channel receiver in the realm below $2,000? It will solely be devoted to listening to music (so not a home theater).  I have been out of the loop too long so I have no idea of what is on the market.  Thoughts?

"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Todd

Quote from: Moonfish on September 08, 2019, 02:45:44 PM
Hmm, my old receiver is starting to falter. Any glorious recommendations for a two-channel receiver in the realm below $2,000? It will solely be devoted to listening to music (so not a home theater).  I have been out of the loop too long so I have no idea of what is on the market.  Thoughts?


Receiver:

Outlaw Audio RR2160

Any Marantz or Yamaha or Integra products.  (Check out Crutchfield.)

I have an el cheapo Insignia NS-STR514 in my garage system driving some Joseph Audio RM22Si Signatures, and it works just fine.  The tuner section is actually better than some old, dedicated tuners.

For $2K, I recommend going with a cheap tuner (Yamaha ~$250; NAD ~$450) and spending the rest on an integrated amplifier.  If you don't want a tuner, you have a wider array of options for an integrated.  Yamaha, Marantz, NAD, Arcam, Rega, Schiit, Rogue Audio, Hegel.   Then there's used, which brings Parasound, Exposure, maybe Naim, and others into the picture.  The biggest NAD Class AB integrated you can find would be a great place to start.  My daughter has my old C372, and it has practically unlimited power for most uses and sounds excellent.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

drogulus

Quote from: Mandryka on August 26, 2019, 08:18:27 PM
I've just bought my first valve amp, a Radford STA25 Mk 3. My first foray into valves - any advice appreciated.

     Get a backup EF86. Also look for a Blackburn Mullard GZ34, an f32 like this:

     

     
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:123.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/123.0
      
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:109.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/115.0

Harry

I ordered a new DAC, the Atoll 300, to be implemented into my secondary system. Any insightful comments?
Quote from Manuel, born in Spain, currently working at Fawlty Towers.

" I am from Barcelona, I know nothing.............."

Mandryka

Quote from: "Harry" on September 27, 2019, 07:22:12 AM
I ordered a new DAC, the Atoll 300, to be implemented into my secondary system. Any insightful comments?

Do DACs really make much of a difference?
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Harry

Quote from: Mandryka on September 27, 2019, 10:04:31 AM
Do DACs really make much of a difference?

Yes, they actually do, otherwise I would not buy it.
Quote from Manuel, born in Spain, currently working at Fawlty Towers.

" I am from Barcelona, I know nothing.............."

71 dB

Quote from: Mandryka on September 27, 2019, 10:04:31 AM
Do DACs really make much of a difference?

In theory they shouldn't, but...

...somehow DACs seem to make some difference. I believe it's their analog output stage that makes most difference, but also the overal linearity matters. I have selectable reconstuction filter in my CD player and with headphones I can hear tiny differences in stereo image witdh with different filters. Digital technology has evolved so much (jitter is generally well below what human can hear) that nowadays practically any DAC gives practically "transparent" sound, but if you have extra money to burn, you can have "finesse" in your transparent sound by selecting a pricier model.
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"