The Show off your HiFi Thread

[Tim Pindar]

Hope you're enjoying it Hamish.

A good DAC is the modern-day equivalent of a good CD player from days of yore It makes a huge difference.

I use a lovely Bel Canto DAC1.5.

 

[Peter Craigs]

This thread has made me extremely jealous, I'm very into quality sound but dont have the money to afford such setups Maybe one day...I have a tonne of vinyl from my DJing days so need a turntable.

This is what I have at the moment:

 

[Chris Bennett]

Is it OK if I resurrect this old thread?

I'll stick a few (extremely poor) piccies of some of my gear here. I shall try my best to replace them with some good ones!

Speakers - Mirage M-3si / Taket Batpure Supertweeters (2 per channel)
Power Amps - Mark Levinson ML-9 (bass) / ML-11 (mid and treble)

Alternative Power Amp - Radford STA-15 Mk3

Turntable No.1 - Michell Gyrodec / Zeta tonearm / Koetsu Black cartridge

Turntable No.2 - Goldring G99 / Zeta tonearm (another one!) / Koetsu Black cartridge (another one!)

FM Tuner - Accuphase T-101

Open Reel Tape Deck - Akai GX-620

Preamplifier - Audio Research SP-8

Moving Coil Step Up Transformers - Bent Audio Mu
(These amplify one of the Koetsus to moving magnet level and then feed into the preamp's own phono stage)

Moving Coil Phono Stage - LFD MC-1
(This deals with the output of the other Koetsu and is fed into one of the line level inputs of the preamp)

CD Player - Accuphase DP-67

Streamer - Raspberry Pi / Hi-Fi Berry Digiplus
(This feeds into one of the digital inputs of the CD player enabling it t tap into the superb Accuphase digital to analogue converter. Powered by battery and principally used for the discovery of new music on Spotify. When I find something I like, I generally go and buy a real copy for myself)

Balanced Mains - NVA BMU

The full rig (including cable spaghetti)

That's the main system. There is lots and lots more all over the house!

 

[Chris Bennett]

I should mention that my wife is an extremely tolerant, music loving saint!

 

[Pete Askew]

You most certainly can. I also came here from AoS and, although I love music, and to a lesser extent HiFi, photography (at least image making) trumps it - I almost never engage with AoS but now administer RPF!

I will try to take some pictures of my current setup, I love yours, Chris). At present it comprises a pair of Rega Ela speakers (that I bought new in '89 and that I am probably too attached to, but they sound amazingly good) with Townshend Supertweeters linked to Meridian 205 power amplifiers with fairly ancient Exposure cables. That is fed by a Townshend Allegri+ pre-amplifier. The sources are a heavily modified LP12 (tangerine top plate, aKula sub-chassis, Funk F.X-R II arm with Dynavector DV DRT XV-1s cartridge) powered by the Linn Radikal PSU and motor and coupled via a Linn interconnect to a Linn Uphorik phono-stage optimised for the Dynavector cartridge. The second source is a Lector Digidrive III / Digicode 224 DAC (coupled via the Lector balanced interconnect). The other interconnects are Townshend DCT300 Isolda cables and the turntable and CD transport sit of Townshend Seismic Sink platforms. I also have an Onix tuner and used to use Onix pre-amps (in Germany I still use Onix). Mains is is fed via two Isotek Sigma units and an Isotek Titan unit. The mains cables are a mix of Isotek and Iso-acoustic units but will be changed to ones built by MCRU very shortly.

 

[Chris Bennett]

It's an interesting concoction you have there. One of the things I love about hifi systems is that the permutations are infinitely variable and there are no absolutes. Some of the most unlikely sounding combinations can sound sublime, if only you give them a chance. I have always said that there are not that many bad components, you just need to find their place in a good system.

I liked the Lector every time I heard one and I have very fond memories of Onix kit.
As for AoS, well...this thread says it all really!

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/the-audio-standard.18664/

I am now much happier at TAS, the place we made and now call home!!

 

[Shaun Haselden]

A few of my bits and pieces that enable me to enjoy gorgeous music in peace and quiet. Totally absorbed in the 'sound' of valves I've been into music of sorts since I was five and first heard the Yardbirds. Currently in love with the laid back sounds of Zero 7 , Morcheeba and Thievery Corporation.

 

[Pete Askew]

Nicely atmospheric pictures, Shaun. I have just noticed that I promised to upload a picture as well, but forgot. So here is one of the UK system.

 

[Pete Askew]

The power amplifier is now a hybrid unit from Lector. Interconnect cables are now Townsend Fractal and there is a streamer / server / second DAC etc in the system now as well.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Okay, NOW it's good enough to play my music on!

 

[Pete Askew]

Yes, I usually tap the components with spoons, although I think one of the DACs is a bit flat!

 

[Gary R. Smith]

Just this week I saw an article (somewhere) about a guy who ended up spending a million dollars on his hi-fi set-up. I believe that also included the costs of renovating the room. Over the years I've gone from transistor radio, to a component stereo with a nice turn table to CD's to streaming via YouTube. Since my ears are shot (and since almost everything ever recorded is on YouTube anyway) that works for me. Nothing beats a live performance!