Insane_Homer wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2024 1:54 pm
Many moons ago (~20 years) I had a really nice TEAC amp and 3 CD player with Mission M70 speakers setup and it was great. Then kids arrived and at some point a friend's little shit stuck his grubby little fingers into both dome tweeters and the system ended up in the garage when we moved house and eventually got recycled.
So picked up a Pro-ject T1 BT (bluetooth) turntable back in ~July, intitally to see if the bug would bite. Only had it connected to Bose Bluebooth speaker (which sounds suprising good even for it size and bluetooth compression) and Bose headphones. Needless to say, LP collection has grown rather quickly!
I was then looking at a ton of options,
My orignal plan was to go all Pro-ject with MAIA S3 Amp and the Box 5 S2 speaker bundled set, but it didn't have HDMI arc/earc as I wanted to pump the new LG TV through it and keep it simple on the remote for the wife to turn off/on.
Then looked at the Wiim Ultra paired with Fosi Audio V3 Mono Power Amplifiers (2) [no frills beast amps with very good reviews] (2) ~£650
But for a very similar price I could go tried and trusted with all the bells and whistles with the Marantz Cinema 70S, which does all the shit, gives all the options and leaves plenty of room to add/upgrade later. (5.2, 7.1 dual sub) and most importanly has come down in price. Initital launch was £1000 plus but can now be had for a very reasonable £679 (and 6 years warranty through Richer Sounds).
Added bonus the turntable has it's own phono stage, so will have a choice of using that or the one in the Marantz, I suspect the Pro-ject phono might edge it... time will tell.
Next was the speaker pairing, in the end opted for the investement in the Pro-jectBox 5 S2 which come very highly reviewed.
Next will be to get a decent Sub Woofer.
Possible next plan it then to add the Fosi Audio V3 Mono power amps to the setup.
Also dug out all the old CDs which have been gathering dust for some time and will be maticulously ripping them to flac for streaming to Marantz (streaming server suggestions welcome, currently going with Plex as I've used it before for movies).
Just got the call that they're ready for collection
So collecting the Marantz and S2's tomorrow
I have been running midrange Yamaha AV amps for several years. I've been happy with them. The Marantz looks like the next step up.
I use EAC to rip my CDs. I don't stream but several friends use Plex
I have a home made 18" subwoofer that's yours if you want it. Takes up too much space in my flat
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2024 10:18 am
by Insane_Homer
Got it all installed, plugging in took no time.
Setting up all the config/software/bits&bobs et al took the best part of the rest of the day.
VERY HAPPY with the choices. It sounds amazing already - speakers still need some time to bed in.
The Marantz is still a big unit.
London Grammar sounds utterly spectacular!
The Marantz come with a calibration mic for room correction which is a huge+ and not very well advertised.
Only gripe so far is the remote is IR and requires a precise line of sight to the unit which has a very narrow 30 degree range.
Setup streaming server via Jellyfin
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2024 2:29 pm
I use EAC to rip my CDs. I don't stream but several friends use Plex
yup, still the best ripping tool. The problem is finding a CD/DVD/Bluray drive - currently borrowing a portable USB one from work and half of my CD collection is somewhere in a box in the loft or the garage...
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2024 2:29 pm
I have a home made 18" subwoofer that's yours if you want it. Takes up too much space in my flat
I might just take you up on that offer, do you deliver on your bike ?
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2024 12:01 pm
by Dinsdale Piranha
Insane_Homer wrote: Mon Oct 07, 2024 10:18 am
Got it all installed, plugging in took no time.
Setting up all the config/software/bits&bobs et al took the best part of the rest of the day.
VERY HAPPY with the choices. It sounds amazing already - speakers still need some time to bed in.
The Marantz is still a big unit.
London Grammar sounds utterly spectacular!
The Marantz come with a calibration mic for room correction which is a huge+ and not very well advertised.
Only gripe so far is the remote is IR and requires a precise line of sight to the unit which has a very narrow 30 degree range.
Setup streaming server via Jellyfin
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2024 2:29 pm
I use EAC to rip my CDs. I don't stream but several friends use Plex
yup, still the best ripping tool. The problem is finding a CD/DVD/Bluray drive - currently borrowing a portable USB one from work and half of my CD collection is somewhere in a box in the loft or the garage...
I have a Plextor PX-W4824TU cd drive which might be similar to what you are using. I've had it for years but it's still one of the best. They turn up on ebay quite frequently.
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2024 2:29 pm
I have a home made 18" subwoofer that's yours if you want it. Takes up too much space in my flat
Insane_Homer wrote: Mon Oct 07, 2024 10:18 am
I might just take you up on that offer, do you deliver on your bike ?
A bit too big for the bike - it's almost a metre long :) Nice as a coffee table though.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2024 1:31 pm
by Insane_Homer
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2024 2:29 pm
A bit too big for the bike - it's almost a metre long :) Nice as a coffee table though.
I'll have to pass. I won't have the space for a box that large.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2024 2:15 pm
by inactionman
I used to have an all-analogue system in my study in my old house, which was really just an ancient project record deck linked via a second hand NAD amp to some decent monitor speakers.
Since moving I managed to break the old deck so I've replaced it with a Rega Planar 1+ (has an inbuilt pre-amp) and a Denon CEOL and I find I spend more time streaming than using the deck. It all sounds really good, much better than I expected from an all-in-one box, and I'm a convert to streaming unless there's something I really want to sit down and listen to.
We'll shortly be shifting the house round a bit so my speakers etc will end up in the same room as the TV - in which case something like the Marantz Cinema looks very interesting indeed. I would once have been very anal about my hi-fi being a dedicated stereo with non-digital (i.e. potentiometer or similar) amp, but the Denon has really changed my mind on what's possible.
(I have a mate who went with a wireless Sonos up but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to try all active speakers)
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2024 2:45 pm
by Lobby
inactionman wrote: Mon Oct 07, 2024 2:15 pm
I used to have an all-analogue system in my study in my old house, which was really just an ancient project record deck linked via a second hand NAD amp to some decent monitor speakers.
Since moving I managed to break the old deck so I've replaced it with a Rega Planar 1+ (has an inbuilt pre-amp) and a Denon CEOL and I find I spend more time streaming than using the deck. It all sounds really good, much better than I expected from an all-in-one box, and I'm a convert to streaming unless there's something I really want to sit down and listen to.
We'll shortly be shifting the house round a bit so my speakers etc will end up in the same room as the TV - in which case something like the Marantz Cinema looks very interesting indeed. I would once have been very anal about my hi-fi being a dedicated stereo with non-digital (i.e. potentiometer or similar) amp, but the Denon has really changed my mind on what's possible.
(I have a mate who went with a wireless Sonos up but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to try all active speakers)
I wouldn't touch Sonos with a bargepole after the fiasco with their attempt to update their app a few months ago, which still hasn't been fixed.
inactionman wrote: Mon Oct 07, 2024 2:15 pm
I used to have an all-analogue system in my study in my old house, which was really just an ancient project record deck linked via a second hand NAD amp to some decent monitor speakers.
Since moving I managed to break the old deck so I've replaced it with a Rega Planar 1+ (has an inbuilt pre-amp) and a Denon CEOL and I find I spend more time streaming than using the deck. It all sounds really good, much better than I expected from an all-in-one box, and I'm a convert to streaming unless there's something I really want to sit down and listen to.
We'll shortly be shifting the house round a bit so my speakers etc will end up in the same room as the TV - in which case something like the Marantz Cinema looks very interesting indeed. I would once have been very anal about my hi-fi being a dedicated stereo with non-digital (i.e. potentiometer or similar) amp, but the Denon has really changed my mind on what's possible.
(I have a mate who went with a wireless Sonos up but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to try all active speakers)
I wouldn't touch Sonos with a bargepole after the fiasco with their attempt to update their app a few months ago, which still hasn't been fixed.
And apart from that, the sound quality of Sonos is pretty bad. It's Hifi for people who've never heard Hifi before.
Naim / Bowers & Wilkins setup in my house. Sweet enough for me.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2024 9:16 am
by Sandstorm
clydecloggie wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2024 9:03 am
And apart from that, the sound quality of Sonos is pretty bad. It's Hifi for people who've never heard Hifi before.
Naim / Bowers & Wilkins setup in my house. Sweet enough for me.
clydecloggie wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2024 9:03 am
And apart from that, the sound quality of Sonos is pretty bad. It's Hifi for people who've never heard Hifi before.
Naim / Bowers & Wilkins setup in my house. Sweet enough for me.
And about 4 times the price of Sonos.
Sonos are pretty overpriced to start with
Amplifiers aren't very complicated pieces of electronics. You don't need to pay much to get a decent one.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2024 3:33 pm
by Sandstorm
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2024 12:56 pm
Amplifiers aren't very complicated pieces of electronics. You don't need to pay much to get a decent one.
I agree, although you bought Naim which is expensive (and high quality). I assume you have one of their non-budget streamers too?
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2024 12:56 pm
Amplifiers aren't very complicated pieces of electronics. You don't need to pay much to get a decent one.
I agree, although you bought Naim which is expensive (and high quality). I assume you have one of their non-budget streamers too?
It's me who's got Naim. I'd say it's very British: partly utterly brilliant - in particular, how it sounds. But the build quality is more '70s British Leyland than I'd bargained for when buying it. Still, the sound it makes through the B&W speakers is...very addictive.
I've got a Uniti, which is streamer and CD player in one. Coupled with a Tidal subscription I'll happily admit to being an audio snob.
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2024 12:56 pm
Amplifiers aren't very complicated pieces of electronics. You don't need to pay much to get a decent one.
I agree, although you bought Naim which is expensive (and high quality). I assume you have one of their non-budget streamers too?
It's me who's got Naim. I'd say it's very British: partly utterly brilliant - in particular, how it sounds. But the build quality is more '70s British Leyland than I'd bargained for when buying it. Still, the sound it makes through the B&W speakers is...very addictive.
I've got a Uniti, which is streamer and CD player in one. Coupled with a Tidal subscription I'll happily admit to being an audio snob.
As a Salisbury resident, I had to end up owning some Naim kit. I currently have a Uniti Nova with Kudos X2 speakers and a Muso Qb along with an Innuos Zen music server which has all our CDs ripped onto it.
Spend most of my time streaming from Tidal and listening to Radio Paradise.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 8:09 am
by Gumboot
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2024 12:56 pmAmplifiers aren't very complicated pieces of electronics. You don't need to pay much to get a decent one.
Yep. Back in the early '90s, after doing a bit of homework on inexpensive amps, I bought a Proton AM-455Pro in Singapore. Got a pair of Epos ES11s and a Nakamichi tape deck at the same time. Haven't used the tape deck in ages and should probably flick it now, but the other kit is still going strong.
Still more than happy with the Proton (although a few "audiophile" mates scoffed at the time) and I just love my ES11s - they're awesome little speakers.
As a Salisbury resident, I had to end up owning some Naim kit.
A girlfriend of a mate/work colleague worked for Naim, she was ex-MOD, as were many of the Naim staff according to her, the workmanship would be very good you'd think. Having said that, this was quite a while ago and I don't know if the gear is still made in Salisbury.
I almost bought Naim, but I went for Krell instead when a second hand amp came up for grabs. It's nearly 30 years old but I wouldn't part with it, it is capable of driving pretty much any speakers you put in front of it.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 9:10 am
by Sandstorm
Tichtheid wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2024 9:08 am
I went for Krell instead when a second hand amp came up for grabs. It's nearly 30 years old but I wouldn't part with it, it is capable of driving pretty much any speakers you put in front of it.
As a Salisbury resident, I had to end up owning some Naim kit.
A girlfriend of a mate/work colleague worked for Naim, she was ex-MOD, as were many of the Naim staff according to her, the workmanship would be very good you'd think. Having said that, this was quite a while ago and I don't know if the gear is still made in Salisbury.
I almost bought Naim, but I went for Krell instead when a second hand amp came up for grabs. It's nearly 30 years old but I wouldn't part with it, it is capable of driving pretty much any speakers you put in front of it.
Most of the high end products are still made in Salisbury, Muso is made in China. Design and technical side is also in Salisbury.
Company is now French owned (Focal) and I'm not sure how long it will remain with a Salisbury base.
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2024 12:56 pmAmplifiers aren't very complicated pieces of electronics. You don't need to pay much to get a decent one.
Yep. Back in the early '90s, after doing a bit of homework on inexpensive amps, I bought a Proton AM-455Pro in Singapore. Got a pair of Epos ES11s and a Nakamichi tape deck at the same time. Haven't used the tape deck in ages and should probably flick it now, but the other kit is still going strong.
Still more than happy with the Proton (although a few "audiophile" mates scoffed at the time) and I just love my ES11s - they're awesome little speakers.
I bought a dac for my old NAD amp to stream from my computer, cost me less than £20. I thought I'd just be steaming test match special but it was surprisingly good for music.
It's in the loft now I've got a streaming amp, but easily the best value bit of kit I've ever bought. You don't always need to spend a fortune.
Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2024 12:56 pmAmplifiers aren't very complicated pieces of electronics. You don't need to pay much to get a decent one.
Yep. Back in the early '90s, after doing a bit of homework on inexpensive amps, I bought a Proton AM-455Pro in Singapore. Got a pair of Epos ES11s and a Nakamichi tape deck at the same time. Haven't used the tape deck in ages and should probably flick it now, but the other kit is still going strong.
Still more than happy with the Proton (although a few "audiophile" mates scoffed at the time) and I just love my ES11s - they're awesome little speakers.
I bought a dac for my old NAD amp to stream from my computer, cost me less than £20. I thought I'd just be steaming test match special but it was surprisingly good for music.
It's in the loft now I've got a streaming amp, but easily the best value bit of kit I've ever bought. You don't always need to spend a fortune.
I used one of those Behringer units for years with my turntable. It was fine.
As a Salisbury resident, I had to end up owning some Naim kit.
A girlfriend of a mate/work colleague worked for Naim, she was ex-MOD, as were many of the Naim staff according to her, the workmanship would be very good you'd think. Having said that, this was quite a while ago and I don't know if the gear is still made in Salisbury.
I almost bought Naim, but I went for Krell instead when a second hand amp came up for grabs. It's nearly 30 years old but I wouldn't part with it, it is capable of driving pretty much any speakers you put in front of it.
Most of the high end products are still made in Salisbury, Muso is made in China. Design and technical side is also in Salisbury.
Company is now French owned (Focal) and I'm not sure how long it will remain with a Salisbury base.
Focal is not one to go for cheap. They do their stuff in France mostly.
I have some headphones from the "cheap" range made in China but seriously they are very good quality. (still sell for 300€)
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2024 1:21 pm
by tabascoboy
Been using - and happy with - bookshelf speakers Ruark Epilogues on stands for nearly 25 years, but having relocated the hi-fi into a slightly larger room felt it was time for an upgrade and try out some floorstanders. So have invested in a pair of Dali Oberon 5s (+ free QED XT25 cable ). They're pretty compact for floorstanders and quite slim which I needed for the space they have to sit in.
It's recommended to "run them in" for up to 100 hours but after only a few, have really been struck by the big increase in bass response even though the woofers aren't any bigger than the Ruark's. Early days and your ears always need to get attuned to a new sound but while they are said to be "neutral" (as is my amp) I'm liking what I'm hearing so far from various types of music from jazzy to orchestral to rock/pop and hard rock ( bass drum kicks I can now feel. That said, the difference in quality of recordings is more noticeable, with some having a strong but overly boomy bass that makes the bottom end sound a bit woolly - while others have a very precise and clean bass that still kicks ass. Will be interested to see if/how this changes with more use over the next week+. Listening is mostly from CD player (analogue output) or bluray player (analogue or digital output) that also accommodates USB sticks with FLAC music files.
I find Peter Gabriel's 'So' is a good example for a "reference" disc
The Ruarks aren't going to waste, I'll use them in the bedroom with my small secondary system
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2024 2:04 pm
by Sandstorm
tabascoboy wrote: Fri Nov 01, 2024 1:21 pm
Been using - and happy with - bookshelf speakers Ruark Epilogues on stands for nearly 25 years, but having relocated the hi-fi into a slightly larger room felt it was time for an upgrade and try out some floorstanders. So have invested in a pair of Dali Oberon 5s (+ free QED XT25 cable ). They're pretty compact for floorstanders and quite slim which I needed for the space they have to sit in.
It's recommended to "run them in" for up to 100 hours but after only a few, have really been struck by the big increase in bass response even though the woofers aren't any bigger than the Ruark's. Early days and your ears always need to get attuned to a new sound but while they are said to be "neutral" (as is my amp) I'm liking what I'm hearing so far from various types of music from jazzy to orchestral to rock/pop and hard rock ( bass drum kicks I can now feel. That said, the difference in quality of recordings is more noticeable, with some having a strong but overly boomy bass that makes the bottom end sound a bit woolly - while others have a very precise and clean bass that still kicks ass. Will be interested to see if/how this changes with more use over the next week+. Listening is mostly from CD player (analogue output) or bluray player (analogue or digital output) that also accommodates USB sticks with FLAC music files.
I find Peter Gabriel's 'So' is a good example for a "reference" disc
The Ruarks aren't going to waste, I'll use them in the bedroom with my small secondary system
Nice speakers, enjoy!
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2024 3:12 pm
by Insane_Homer
Bought a REL TZero MKIII sub last week. very happy so far.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 10:04 am
by Insane_Homer
Anyone had any experience with DIY projects from IanCanada?
Some really interesting projects available for quality streamer & DACs builds.
I was allowed to choose my Christmas present his year (so no novelty socks or pyjamas, thank god) so I chose some new headphones. My in-ear ones are slowly giving up the ghost and I've a set of B&W over-ear but they're a pain to carry.
I went with the B&W pi8. I've only used them a couple of times - not yet been on commute into work, which is where I'll be using them most - but early indications are very good. A good, deep sound but very lively and clear.
Some person or other wearing them:
Sod's law dictates I lose them in the first week.
eta: just an aside for UK board members, John Lewis are offering 15% off these at the minute.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 10:21 am
by Insane_Homer
Nice - I'm definitely an over the ear guy. In ear has never really sat well with me too sweaty (and harder to lose)
... and a busy December.
Signed up to Tidal too, significant improvement over Google Play/YouTube Music or whatever it's called
I also managed to pick up the classic Sennheiser HD650's for ~£230 as my x-mas pressy to myself (Home use). Uber happy with them. Quite the jump up from Bluetooth Closed Bose NC 700's (for commuting).
A good few years ago I almost bought kits from a Glasgow-based company called White Noise Audio, I think the guy behind it was called David White - they were ultra high-end pre and power amplifiers, plus phono stages. I never took the plunge because I thought my soldering skills weren't up to it.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 10:56 am
by inactionman
Insane_Homer wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2025 10:21 am
Nice - I'm definitely an over the ear guy. In ear has never really sat well with me too sweaty (and harder to lose)
... and a busy December.
Signed up to Tidal too, significant improvement over Google Play/YouTube Music or whatever it's called
I also managed to pick up the classic Sennheiser HD650's for ~£230 as my x-mas pressy to myself (Home use). Uber happy with them. Quite the jump up from Bluetooth Closed Bose NC 700's (for commuting).
I definitely prefer over-ear, they're a lot more comfortable, but I needed a set that fit into my coat pocket - I looked a twat last time I took my over-ears on the bus to the pub for the rugby, having them hanging round my neck all game.
I've used tidal for a good few years - mainly as my wife is studying (originally Masters and now PhD - perennial student) and it's half price for students - and it's always been pretty good. The only drawback is it doesn't have the penetration of spotify etc for integration into alexa and some car systems, but that's more for sharing with kids or ease of use. I've nothing to directly contrast it with as I've not used other services, but I've never found the sound quality anything other than good.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:38 am
by Insane_Homer
So I ordered and received the DIY Stream from Ian Canada last week.
£275 + £30 shipping
Import duty was £61 from Canada
2x Batteries + £31 (18650 LiFePO4, 3.2V) - Pain in the arse to source - RS components won't sell to non-trade, but managed to get them via our work account.
Hooked up to a Loxjie D40 Pro DAC via I2S HDI
All in, ~£935 (+Power, SD cards, Pi, cables et al)
Running Volumio Premium (£60 pa) on the PI for the streamer and have that connected to Tidal Connect.
Sounds friggin' amazing with my HD650's
snip_20250129-082119.png (460.9 KiB) Viewed 549 times
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:40 am
by inactionman
Insane_Homer wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:38 am
So I ordered and received the DIY Stream from Ian Canada last week.
£275 + £30 shipping
Import duty was £61 from Canada
2x Batteries + £31 (18650 LiFePO4, 3.2V) - Pain in the arse to source - RS components won't sell to non-trade, but managed to get them via our work account.
Hooked up to a Loxjie D40 Pro DAC via I2S HDI
All in, ~£935 (+Power, SD cards, Pi, cables et al)
Running Volumio Premium (£60 pa) on the PI for the streamer and have that connected to Tidal Connect.
Sounds friggin' amazing with my HD650's
snip_20250129-082119.png
It looks like a crab
Love it. I'm toying with trying out a home-built streaming device for our (hopefully) soon-to-be-built shed - this looks far too too high end for that use, but it's definitely inspiration.
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 10:16 am
by Sandstorm
Will get a bit dusty
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 10:18 am
by inactionman
Sandstorm wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 10:16 am
Will get a bit dusty
Sandstorm wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 10:16 am
Will get a bit dusty
Stick some tupperware over it
Silk scarf
Re: The official NPR Audiophile thread.
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 11:14 am
by Insane_Homer
Sandstorm wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 10:16 am
Will get a bit dusty
My retired neighbour has just bought himself a laser cutter so I'll give this project to build me case for it.
I do need some rubber/plastic pads for the tips of the stand so it doesn't scratch the shit out the DAC. I need to raid my son's lego.
?
I'll have to pass. I won't have the space for a box that large. 
- I'm definitely an over the ear guy. In ear has never really sat well with me too sweaty (and harder to lose)