Dream team - Progressive Rock Music Forum

Author

Message

Topic Search

Topic Options

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Topic: Dream team
Posted: January 30 2005 at 11:39

you're welcome

Reed Lover View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: July 16 2004
Location: Sao Tome and Pr
Status: Offline
Points: 5187

Posted: January 30 2005 at 10:38

oliverstoned wrote:

Hey reed!
You have a good cd player, not bad modulation cables and good speakers.
Just change your nad amp(which is very good budget amp)for a Jolida 302, add a good sub, and you'll be in heaven
(but maybe not your neighbours, if they don't have the same musical taste than you!)
One day, if you come to France, Paris, come to my home to listen, and i'm sure you'd change your mind!

I'll certainly hold you to that Oliver!

Big smile

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 30 2005 at 10:00

Hey reed!
You have a good cd player, not bad modulation cables and good speakers.
Just change your nad amp(which is very good budget amp)for a Jolida 302, add a good sub, and you'll be in heaven
(but maybe not your neighbours, if they don't have the same musical taste than you!)
One day, if you come to France, Paris, come to my home to listen, and i'm sure you'd change your mind!

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 30 2005 at 09:52

And btw, qed is good, but better in the little models.
You should sold your cables and change for Transparent or
other good american brand cables, like synergetic or cardas, fadel arts.

Some cheap upgrade: put your cd perfectly horizontal with
a plumb level in the two dimensions.
Check the phase/neutral eletric way, you can also put something very heavy on your CD in order to cancel vibrations.
You can do the same with your speakers, by puting granit pieces on. (this what i put also on my sub)

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 30 2005 at 09:46

"I cannot agree with the inclusion of a seperate subwoofer in an audiophile system. Buying quality speakers should give you all the natural bass you need."

I was thinking like you before i bought a Magnat omega 380 (you need at least a 38cm loudspeaker to explore extreme low freq) and this is incredible in terms of Image (3d effect), bass of course, but it increases the high freq as well.
The sound is softer also...
You can't imagine.
Of course there are good and bad subwoofers.
But believe me, a musical sub is incredible.
On a bass solo, it's like the bass player is in the room.
But this is not "bumped" : it's just incredibly realistic!
Whan you have try it, it's impossible to do without...

Reed Lover View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: July 16 2004
Location: Sao Tome and Pr
Status: Offline
Points: 5187

Posted: January 30 2005 at 07:21

oliverstoned wrote:

Reed Lover wrote:

oliverstoned wrote:

I have buy an occasion nad cd player (nad 520)for only 120€ (the price of a nasty portable player), and it beats some 3000€ player (believe me or not) like audio analogue or 3d lab...

That's a bit of an exaggeration Oliver, but the nad 520 is a lovely CD player for the money.I have a Nad 350 amp combined with an Arcam CD72T Cd player and Bi-wired B&W 602's on Atacamas.The sound is terrific and there is a high degree of resolution for the money.The system cost me about £1000 (shopping around pays dividends) plus about £250 for stands and quality interconnects. Bought gradually mind.

No exageration, reed.
I don't say that my nad is better than all 2000€players, but he's better than some.
Your arcam is better than my nad, but my nad is so optimized that it would beat your arcam easily:

-Double vibration canceller : amethyst+sicomin carbon-kevlar plate
-Double sector filter+directly wired on a single electric line direct to my home-counter.
-Eupen power cable
-Esoteric audio tech3i lmodulation interconnect with WBT
top line interconnect (600€ per meter of cable)
and i don't speak of the amplifier:
Jolida tube amplifier+kora tube preamp, etc...

I'll uppgrade to a naim cd5 or Arcam CD33,

You have a good system, but you can go much further, believe me.
Fill your stands with sand and screw your BW's on it.
Bi cable and double the bass cable.
What are your cables?

I know i can do a lot better-I was talking about what you can get for a reasonable amount of money.

My stands are filled with sand and my B&W's are fixed extremely securely.

Interconnect for CD to Amp is QED silver spiral. Speakers are connected via Chord Odyssey 2.

I have no intention of upgrading until I move to a much larger house.My b&w's are too big for my living room but when I audition anything under £500 I never hear enough to make me want to change!

I have a dream system in mind that involves a pair of beautiful Wilson Benesch floorstanders and some of the Tag McLaren stuff I've auditioned sounds superb with Prog!

BTW I cannot agree with the inclusion of a seperate subwoofer in an audiophile system. Buying quality speakers should give you all the natural bass you need.

Edited by Reed Lover

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 18 2005 at 06:22

Reed Lover wrote:

Reed Lover View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: July 16 2004
Location: Sao Tome and Pr
Status: Offline
Points: 5187

Posted: January 17 2005 at 18:35

That's a bit of an exaggeration Oliver, but the nad 520 is a lovely CD player for the money.
I have a Nad 350 amp combined with an Arcam CD72T Cd player and Bi-wired B&W 602's on Atacamas.The sound is terrific and there is a high degree of resolution for the money.The system cost me about £1000 (shopping around pays dividends) plus about £250 for stands and quality interconnects. Bought gradually mind.

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 17 2005 at 10:04

You're right

But, you can try to sold all, unfortunatly (maybe except the pionner tape deck, what is the reference?)

Look the prices for the cheapest nad player, the cheapest
nad integrated amp and a pair of Mission m71i (150€ for the pair here in france)(there are my speakers btw).
You will be AMAZED AT HOW INEXPENSIVE IT IS for the whole system!!!

I have buy an occasion nad cd player (nad 520)for only 120€ (the price of a nasty portable player), and it beats some 3000€ player (believe me or not) like audio analogue or 3d lab...

mirco

Forum Senior Member

Joined: January 04 2005
Location: Venezuela
Status: Offline
Points: 819

Posted: January 17 2005 at 09:49

Thanks, Oliver... My actual hi-fy (very old, by the way):

Amplifier, tape reel(this one is only for historical purpouses): Akai

Equalizer: Azden

Turntable, CD player, speakers: Techniks.

Cassette recorder: Pioneer.

I realize it's not state of the art, but it's better than today's integrated stereos.

Please forgive me for my crappy english!

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 17 2005 at 09:21

Mirco, a very low budget hifi sytem advice:

Cd player: Nad
Integrated Amplifier: Nad
Speakers :Mission (standfloor or bookshelf with "Atacama " stands)
Cables: QED

here's an entire english VERY MUSICAL and VERY CHEAP SYSTEM:neutral and musical

Analog sources:
Turntable:Rega planar3 with elyss cartridge
Tuner :Denon
K7 deck: Yamaha kx530 (but i have to check the model reference)

To go further:
Subwoofer Magnat omega 380

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 17 2005 at 09:11

You're right, i'm a high end amateur.
mc intosh only does crap today.
They have been sold to the japanese
They only kept the traditional mcintosh "look" but the inside is crap. Today mcintosh products are not musical.
(but expensive!)
Moreover, the only high-end tuner existing today are "Magnum dynalab" (a canadian brand) and are bad and expensive (better choose a little Denon tuner which will work better).

mirco

Forum Senior Member

Joined: January 04 2005
Location: Venezuela
Status: Offline
Points: 819

Posted: January 17 2005 at 07:59

oliverstoned wrote:

It's hard to tell Mirco, because it has nothing to do;

This Mcintosh tuner has the magical sound of tube which is very natural, present, very soft in the high frequencies, so it don't hurt your ears like a transistor standard device.
It softens the numeric music you get on the radio
(cause they broadcast cd, mostly)
There are only three equal and better tuners on the planet, which are:
-Sequerra
-Goldmund Mimesis 4
-Marantz 10b (the best of all)

Ok... Obviously you are either or a pro or a very high-end amateur on the sound field... One more question (from a very low-end amateur) Thei'r still making McIntosh Tuners?

Please forgive me for my crappy english!

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 17 2005 at 07:52

...the advice to put your turntable perfectly horizontal is also valid for Cd players. All turning-machines need to be perfectly horizontal to avoid more vibrations due to a desequilibrate position.
Avoid softs supports like "mouse carpet" pieces below your device (It's a vibration's trap.) Better use thin hard wood pieces to equilibrate.
The best is to add good cones or others vibrations cancellers between like Fadel/"Amethyst" (which works well and not too expensive): Amethyst will work well under your transistor Amp, preamp, and cd player (if the below of the device is plunt!).
Use a plumb-level to check horizontality in the two dimensions.
Better put your devices on a stable support.
Sometimes it's better to put them directly on the floor (with a vibration canceller system between) than put it
on a bad furniture which will add its own vibration.
(hifi vibration-cancellers furnitures are bad and expensive).

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 17 2005 at 06:09

...following of hifi advices

Slipperman, you have also to care about your system's electric alimentation.
Before buying good power cables, first you have to check that each power cable is wired in the good electric way
(phase and neutral musn't be reversed)You can use an electric screwdriver for that.
Also, an ordinary multiplug is very bad for the sound.
Even "audiophile" multiplug like "Axson" or siltech and many others are to avoid.

Best plug each device on his own wall connector.

Doing this, you'll avoid that your TV/Video (if you have some) will interfere on your hifi system, and moreover, that devices pollute each others.(CD players are the worst for electric pollution)

If you don't have enough wall connectors, just use a simple multi-plug adaptor, which will be less bad than a
"barette" like axson or ordinary others.
The best is to have several electric lines direct to your electric counter. (that can be a big work, but it's worth doing it, believe me).One electric line per device !

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 16 2005 at 15:02

mirco wrote:

oliverstoned wrote:

Just bought a tube tuner Mc Intosh MR67 Not disapointed...

How do you compare it's sound to the sound produced by a standard hi tech full-electronic device of this times?

It's hard to tell Mirco, because it has nothing to do;

This Mcintosh tuner has the magical sound of tube which is very natural, present, very soft in the high frequencies, so it don't hurt your ears like a transistor standard device.
It softens the numeric music you get on the radio
(cause they broadcast cd, mostly)
There are only three equal and better tuners on the planet, which are:
-Sequerra
-Goldmund Mimesis 4
-Marantz 10b (the best of all)

oliverstoned View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: March 26 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6308

Posted: January 16 2005 at 14:58

slipperman wrote:

oliverstoned,

thanks for the sound advice. I have a Rotel RC-990BX pre-amp, same for amp, and I"m planning on investing in some good cables and vibration canceler. I definitely check to make sure turntable is horiz. every now and again...thanks again!

You are lucky, Rotel is good and neutral.
What is your budget for cables?

If you have a low budget, turn on QED modulation and speakers cables .If your speakers are bicabable, do it, and buy bicables speakers cables.
This is the first step.

You have to put your turntable on a rigid and stable support.
You can upgrade your Rega 3 by putting a special granite plate under.
What his your cartridge by the way?
The Rega elyss is good.

mirco

Forum Senior Member

Joined: January 04 2005
Location: Venezuela
Status: Offline
Points: 819

Posted: January 15 2005 at 09:40

oliverstoned wrote:

Just bought a tube tuner Mc Intosh MR67
Not disapointed...

How do you compare it's sound to the sound produced by a standard hi tech full-electronic device of this times?

slipperman View Drop Down