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

Atriod · January 08, 2024, 08:03:53 AM

Quote from: Daverz on January 08, 2024, 07:56:01 AMIf I had the FU money for MBLs, there are a lot of speakers at, say, 10% of the price that I'd try first, at least to get a broader idea of what kind of sound I could get in my room. Brands like KEF, kiiaudio, Dutch & Dutch, Revel, and the larger Genelec or Neumann models. Also, I'd put a lot of money into the room acoustics.

I didn't mention the other speakers I'm interested in because I know enough about them. Kii 3 BXT, KEF Blade Meta, Vivid Giya G2, and some custom system from a company in Norway.

MBL are so far out of right field from anything I'm familiar with.

Harry · January 12, 2024, 01:46:44 AM

I needed an external streamer for my Sennheiser soundbar, to boost the sound and ordered the
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO streamer CXN V2. An absolute superb streamer, and at low cost, with a fine DAC and a fast processor. Look forward to it.

DavidW · January 12, 2024, 11:56:52 AM

@Harry I used to own that streamer (the cxn v 2). The hardware is fantastic, but the app sometimes is great, sometimes it is annoying. They update it enough though.

One of the reasons I originally bought it was to see the cover art and the metadata/tracking info. Funny enough I then moved to a house and ended up sitting far enough away from my stereo that I couldn't see the display anyway!

Harry · January 12, 2024, 01:16:18 PM

Quote from: DavidW on January 12, 2024, 11:56:52 AM@Harry I used to own that streamer (the cxn v 2). The hardware is fantastic, but the app sometimes is great, sometimes it is annoying. They update it enough though.

One of the reasons I originally bought it was to see the cover art and the metadata/tracking info. Funny enough I then moved to a house and ended up sitting far enough away from my stereo that I couldn't see the display anyway!

I will run it through Roon, so that should not be a problem, plus the fact that this is outward the same streamer as you had, but the software has been majorly updated. I read a review which I trust, and had a couple of friends that had the same streamer, and raved about it. But I am indebted to you for telling me this about the APP, any details what the actual annoyance was?
I sit fairly close to the streamer, and that will stay this way, for the display is a marvel, certainly at the price range this Cambridge is. If you have more info you want to share please do.

Valentino · January 13, 2024, 06:18:23 AM

I made myself a mono cartridge!

It's actually a stereo Audio-Technica VM510CB, I just latched the channels together. Audio-Technica sells a premade one called VM610MONO.
(Spinning here is Tchaikovsky PC1 with Richter, Czech Philh. and Ancerl, recorded 1954, reissue from 1966.)

DavidW · January 13, 2024, 08:47:02 AM

Quote from: Harry on January 12, 2024, 01:16:18 PMI will run it through Roon, so that should not be a problem, plus the fact that this is outward the same streamer as you had, but the software has been majorly updated. I read a review which I trust, and had a couple of friends that had the same streamer, and raved about it. But I am indebted to you for telling me this about the APP, any details what the actual annoyance was?
I sit fairly close to the streamer, and that will stay this way, for the display is a marvel, certainly at the price range this Cambridge is. If you have more info you want to share please do.

Sometimes an update will cause playback problems. One time it would just pause playback randomly and I would have to jump back in the app on my ipad and pause/play to get it to resume. Another time it lost my entire flac archive on the thumbdrive and I had to rebuild the library. Another time it would just refuse to play something or even find things on Qobuz until I rebooted both the player and the app. Cambridge Audio is quick to fix a bad update that breaks things like that (lasting no more than a week or two), but it happened just too often for my taste (or patience). And if you look at the reviews on iOS for the app, you'll see I'm far from alone, and it doesn't even have a good average rating.

Since I use an external dac, the SQ upgrade over the Bluesound Node 2i is simply irrelevant to me, so I just downgraded and the Bluesound app is far more polished. I've never encountered those kind of bugs with my Node.

Harry · January 13, 2024, 09:04:03 AM

Quote from: DavidW on January 13, 2024, 08:47:02 AMSometimes an update will cause playback problems. One time it would just pause playback randomly and I would have to jump back in the app on my ipad and pause/play to get it to resume. Another time it lost my entire flac archive on the thumbdrive and I had to rebuild the library. Another time it would just refuse to play something or even find things on Qobuz until I rebooted both the player and the app. Cambridge Audio is quick to fix a bad update that breaks things like that (lasting no more than a week or two), but it happened just too often for my taste (or patience). And if you look at the reviews on iOS for the app, you'll see I'm far from alone, and it doesn't even have a good average rating.

Since I use an external dac, the SQ upgrade over the Bluesound Node 2i is simply irrelevant to me, so I just downgraded and the Bluesound app is far more polished. I've never encountered those kind of bugs with my Node.

I understand David, I am not likely to encounter those problems, for I work through Roon. I had the bluesound Node too, and can confirm its excellence.

DavidW · January 13, 2024, 09:05:58 AM

Quote from: Harry on January 13, 2024, 09:04:03 AMI understand David, I am not likely to encounter those problems, for I work through Roon. I had the bluesound Node too, and can confirm its excellence.

Someday I should learn more about Roon, it keeps sounding like something amazing! I first heard about it from a youtuber, I think his name is Darko and he reviews hifi equipment.

Harry · January 13, 2024, 09:32:47 AM

Quote from: DavidW on January 13, 2024, 09:05:58 AMSomeday I should learn more about Roon, it keeps sounding like something amazing! I first heard about it from a youtuber, I think his name is Darko and he reviews hifi equipment.

Believe me, it's the best one can have coupled with a streamer. There is enough written about Roon and its qualities, but for most it is to expensive, but then quality has its price.

vandermolen · January 13, 2024, 10:57:43 AM

I finally got my Cambridge Audio Amp connected to my system today - the usual (silent) song and dance as I connected up the leads to the wrong inputs etc. Finally it worked. The big surprise is that it includes a radio! I wasn't expecting that. The sound is different to my old NAD Amp - a bit more 'laid back' but with more depth and a sense of slumbering power held in reserve. At least, so far, I haven't had to whack it with the fire poker to get it going.

Atriod · January 13, 2024, 03:20:25 PM

Quote from: DavidW on January 13, 2024, 09:05:58 AMSomeday I should learn more about Roon, it keeps sounding like something amazing! I first heard about it from a youtuber, I think his name is Darko and he reviews hifi equipment.

On previous Black Fridays they have done three month trials for a few bucks, that's what I would wait for. Also they recently got bought out by Harman. I don't think the normal two week trials are enough time if you have a big classical library. Maybe my tagging just sucks but I didn't like it when I loaded 20% of my library into it (made a copy on my free hard drive space then pointed Roon to that directory just in case Roon would overwrite my own tags in my permanent library). I'm certainly open to giving it another try in a couple of years.

Fëanor · January 14, 2024, 04:16:48 AM

Quote from: DavidW on January 13, 2024, 09:05:58 AMSomeday I should learn more about Roon, it keeps sounding like something amazing! I first heard about it from a youtuber, I think his name is Darko and he reviews hifi equipment.

Roon sounds like a pretty brilliant product. I like the idea of a central server, and control via smart phone, tablets, etc. Roon also manages one's other subscription serves such as Tidal and Qobuz.

For my part, though, I have strong resistance to subscription services and the recurring costs they entail -- for me personally such expenses are non-trivial.

All my listening is to computer files; I haven't listened to vinyl at all in 15+ years. My music files (and other stuff) reside on a NAS device that I can accesses via Ethernet or Wifi. Presently all listening location use Windows computer with, for music listening, the Foobar2000 player.

Just yesterday I purchase this Windows mini PC that will Foobar2000 and Netflix and Prime Video apps -- I'm sure it could work as a Roon server for that matter.

Pohjolas Daughter · January 14, 2024, 06:23:04 AM

Quote from: vandermolen on January 13, 2024, 10:57:43 AMI finally got my Cambridge Audio Amp connected to my system today - the usual (silent) song and dance as I connected up the leads to the wrong inputs etc. Finally it worked. The big surprise is that it includes a radio! I wasn't expecting that. The sound is different to my old NAD Amp - a bit more 'laid back' but with more depth and a sense of slumbering power held in reserve. At least, so far, I haven't had to whack it with the fire poker to get it going.

Oh, good! Which model did you end up purchasing Jeffrey? And did you hook up an antenna to it?

PD

vandermolen · January 14, 2024, 12:15:23 PM

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on January 14, 2024, 06:23:04 AMOh, good! Which model did you end up purchasing Jeffrey? And did you hook up an antenna to it?

PD

Cambridge Audio AX R85 PD
No. I haven't rigged up the antenna yet.

Bachtoven · January 15, 2024, 07:50:37 AM

I have a Roon Nucleus Plus and like it very much. I got sick and tired of problems with both a MacBook Pro a a Windows based laptop, so I was happy to switch to a streamer. Roon's software has a fairly steep learning curve, and I still prefer the library management of the software I used with my laptops (Audirvrana and JRiver), but I have come to terms with it and made it more workable. (I won't bore people with the issues and solutions!) Once I got used to it, Roon's software is pretty amazing.

Harry · January 15, 2024, 07:53:07 AM

Quote from: Bachtoven on January 15, 2024, 07:50:37 AMI have a Roon Nucleus Plus and like it very much. I got sick and tired of problems with both a MacBook Pro a a Windows based laptop, so I was happy to switch to a streamer. Roon's software has a fairly steep learning curve, and I still prefer the library management of the software I used with my laptops (Audirvrana and JRiver), but I have come to terms with it and made it more workable. I won't bore people with the issues and solutions!) Once I got used to it, Roon's software is pretty amazing.

Amen to that!

Bachtoven · January 15, 2024, 07:57:06 AM

Quote from: Harry on January 15, 2024, 07:53:07 AMAmen to that!

It's too bad it's so expensive. I hope it doesn't get more so now that Harmon has bought them--I still have a few months of a free subscription left.

Harry · January 15, 2024, 08:11:54 AM

Quote from: Bachtoven on January 15, 2024, 07:57:06 AMIt's too bad it's so expensive. I hope it doesn't get more so now that Harmon has bought them--I still have a few months of a free subscription left.

Yes it is, but then there is no alternative, so I pay, and happy that I can.

DavidW · January 15, 2024, 08:16:36 AM

I've started experimenting with low volume listening. I usually listen at 70 dBs with peaks quite a bit higher, and now I'm aiming for 50-60s dBs for the average instead and just making sure that it is loud enough to still hear the quietest parts.

Valentino · January 15, 2024, 08:45:20 AM

With good Mahler symphony recordings I end up at 71-72 dB average to hear the softest parts. Peaks at 105-107 dB, uha. That's on my main stereo of course.

Today I received a Sennheiser new cable for my 30 year old HD 580 Precision headphones. They are still very nice driven by the excellent little USB powered Topping DX1. Great home office setup.