HiFi (stereo stuff) [Archive] - Badders.com Forum

smashin'

14th January 2005, 04:29

Redkingjoe, I wanted to hopefully discuss some audio-related topics with you. I'm thrilled to find someone interested in badminton AND audio. I'm not sure I should start this now, as I'm not sure when I'll next be able to get back online and check on it but...

What kind of a set-up do you have?

I currently have some Klipsch RF-35 floorstanders for main speakers. (http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=633) I'm pushing them with a Yamaha RX-V1400 HT receiver. (http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/receivers/RXV1400.htm) I'm having to use my computer as a source right now, but I'm looking at CD players. My receiver is a HT receiver, but I really only listen to stereo music right now. Then, I have some cheap bookshelf speakers filling out my corners for a cheap 5.1 system.

Anybody else here into audio?

redkingjoe

14th January 2005, 05:14

I currently have some Klipsch RF-35 floorstanders for main speakers.
I'm pushing them with a Yamaha RX-V1400 HT receiver.
I'm having to use my computer as a source right now, but I'm looking at CD players. My receiver is a HT receiver, but I really only listen to stereo music right now.
Anybody else here into audio?

1) klipsch is a good brand for speaker
2) a receiver normally cannot generate good sound quality, an upgrade to a minimalist Amp will give you a lot better sound quality, the choice of amps depends on tastes
3) cd, or digital players, are changing on a daily basis. but to my surprise, mainland chinese are producing superior (hi-end)cd players with good prices. If you don't mind buying chinese cd player, I'll check out the name for you. besides the chinese cd player, marantz amd sony are making good ones.
4) a good pair of speaker cable(sc) will almost immediately upgrade your enjoyment if the "sound source" is good
5) a good pair of inter connecting(ic) cable will bring the hifi to a next level
6) power cord's influences on hifi is so strong that it's close to ic or sc.
7) putting wooden cones under the loudspeaker, cd, amp will produce better quality of sound, and diff "cone material" change the tone of the sound and have diff sound quality

I spent too much money on hifi. 15 years ago I played with branded stereo. Now I play with "hand made" tube pre-amp, power-amp and even loudspeaker, the component of which are of selected quality. Only the CD player that I'm using is with brand: it's a Wadia cd turntable and a digital convertor.

Back to the questions: budget is a main concern.

red

smashin'

15th January 2005, 19:39

Yeah, I really want to get into separates, but I really don't have the money nor need to do that - yet. I'm completely content with my current set-up (besides the lack of a CD player), so I guess I'll just stick with it for a while. I really would like to, one day, get some tube amps, though. I've been looking at Antique Sound Labs' new 25watt monoblocks. They're only $350 each, offer plenty of power, and I could use my Yamaha as a pre until I could get a better one. Tubes would be a ways down the road, though. I might get some B&K stuff in a few years. I understand they have a real warm sound that would go well with my Klipsch; besides, they look real nice. :D

As for CD players, I've really been looking at Cambridge Sound Works' stuff. They seem to have really high-quality equipment that's pretty capable for very good prices. I hear they're coming out with a universal player next (woops; now it's this, lol) summer; I'm gonna wait and see how much they're asking for that. As for cables, well.....my ears are far from audiophile ears, so I'm not going to spend a lot of money on cables that won't make a difference that I'll be able to hear. Maybe one day I'll be a more critical listener....but right now, I really don't need a lot of expensive gear to please my ears.

So you pretty much have an all hand-made set-up, huh? Those are the best. Did you do a lot of the stuff yourself? What kind of speakers/gear have you gone through before you went to hand-made stuff?

I know somebody else here has to at least have a stereo system.....even if they're not crazy like some of us..... :D

redkingjoe

16th January 2005, 06:10

I'm completely content with my current set-up (besides the lack of a CD player), so I guess I'll just stick with it for a while. I really would like to, one day, get some tube amps, though. I've been looking at Antique Sound Labs' new 25watt monoblocks. They're only $350 each, offer plenty of power, and I could use my Yamaha as a pre until I could get a better one. Tubes would be a ways down the road, though. I might get some B&K stuff in a few years. I understand they have a real warm sound that would go well with my Klipsch; besides, they look real nice. :D

As for CD players, I've really been looking at Cambridge Sound Works' stuff... :D

1 Those brands name that you mentioned are good ones in hifi.
2 Your view on hifi are very "mature" and "wise"....as long as you are content with your current set-up...it good enough.
3 I think a nice CD players and some "best buy" cable will definitely enhance your enjoyment.
4 Based on my past experience, generally speaking, the UK/European equipments(cd or amp) are more "civilized" while the Japaneses or US tends to be more "analytical".
5 Too much money on the Hifi already: playing with the resistors, capacitors, internal wiring, power transformer.....
6 When you start working,start think about the tube amp. Even cheap tube amp can produce warm sound and get better enjoyment than those expensive such as "Mark".

red

Loafer

17th January 2005, 19:08

redkingjoe

18th January 2005, 02:18

I have a Sony Dolby Digital/5.1 Amp and Sony Speakers + Sub, mated to a Toshiba DVD player and a Cambridge Audio CD player.

love the sound quality I get out of it all

I listen to a lot of Bass heavy music and any setup that remains clear whilst rattling all internal doors and crockery in the kitchen sounds good to me!

cambridge audio cd player is very good quality for the price. Which model did you get? if you put some hifi spikes or cones under the cd players, the definition of the sound stage will be clearer and more stable. bass will be tighter and more focus.

Loafer

18th January 2005, 18:31

cambridge audio cd player is very good quality for the price. Which model did you get? if you put some hifi spikes or cones under the cd players, the definition of the sound stage will be clearer and more stable. bass will be tighter and more focus.
I have the D500 special edition.

I have heard putting spikes under the SPEAKERS making things clearer, which makes perfect sense as it isolates the speaker from the floor.

However, how on earth does mounting my CD player on spikes help?

smashin'

18th January 2005, 22:44

Not floor spikes; just 'spikes', 'cones', or some kind of pad. I am not nearly a critical enough listener yet for me to even be able to IMAGINE this making a difference, but by putting 'cones' under the feet of all your equipment you reduce vibrations and thus increase the sound quality.

redkingjoe

19th January 2005, 04:53

but by putting 'cones' under the feet of all your equipment you reduce vibrations and thus increase the sound quality.

1 that's exactly what the cone does on hifi.

2 the first one should be put on cd or speaker. The improvement is so huge that you just can't do without.

3 of course you need to have good source equipment first.(cd)

4 the correct way of trying is do A/B/A comparision. listen carefully for the most familiar song, than add cone. listen to it for a while than remove the cone than add the cone back: just use one/two good songs.

I have the D500 special edition.
D500SE is really best buy in the market. Good pick.

However, how on earth does mounting my CD player on spikes help?
the spikes isolate the virbration of CD from the floor/rack making the cd player more stable. sound become very stable immediately and better focused.

cones will work on amps, turner, loudspeakers....try it. :D

diff cone material(good wood vs steel vs bass vs plastic) will significantly affect sound quality.

smashin'

15th July 2005, 04:05

littlemissloud

15th July 2005, 12:04

boatboy

24th July 2005, 11:54

Hi Folks

So how difficult is it to build your own amp then?

I've got a pair of 400w speakers and not enough power to drive them at the mo.

I'm playing with the laptop as my source straight to the amp and it's proving to be interesting what with a serious case of ground loops if I coneect the laptop to the mains. Been looking at an Xitel ground loop isolator or one of their funky usb things which I think is supposed to solve the ground loop and bypasses my souncard!!

redkingjoe

4th August 2005, 09:54

:eek:

oh my word... u's are showing your age now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

get back on the badminton court!

power cable influence?!?! spikes under speakers>!?!?!? ABBA comparasions!?!?blah blah blah

do people actually know what this means!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????!??!

oh dear!!

*shaking head*

hay little baby,

you don't really understand!!!! i love listerning to all kind of music...but i don't go to disco, bar, concert hall etc. to listern to life music...so i spent quite a lot of time(and money) to tweek those power cable, spike, speaker, interconnect cable etc. to create sound effect that's approaching the real one!!!

OK. to give you an update(though u haven't asked or wouldn't care): we have a good piano(play by my wife and my son).... the sound quality of the piano had been far superior to the Hi-fi....but after changing those "stuff" constantly for 12 years, the Hifi's "piano" sound has finally surpassed the sound of the real piano that we have(the price of the piano is roughly 6,000 pounds)!!!! my wife said that it's because the CD was recorded with an ultra expensive piano played by super pianist!!!

well still need to work on the bass!

littlemissloud

4th August 2005, 12:10

rite :confused:

redkingjoe

5th August 2005, 06:21

rite :confused:
yeh, unmistakenly car and hifi are mostly male's items...when i was a kids, i started to play with my bigger bro's hifi like toys

littlemissloud

5th August 2005, 12:09

i really dont have a clue what your talking about!

what on earth is a 'hifi like toy'?!??!?!

redkingjoe

8th August 2005, 12:16

i really dont have a clue what your talking about!

what on earth is a 'hifi like toy'?!??!?!

i was saying when i was a kid, i started to play with HIFI. (ie Hifi is not restricted to oldman!!!)

and during that time i played with my bigger brother's hifi like playing with toys(e.g. throwing some CD like flying sauces)

so do you like listerning to music? what do you like?

littlemissloud

9th August 2005, 12:16

why would u throw cds like flying saucers?!?!?!!?

i truly hope it was an Abba Cd or some other tripe that you were ruining!

yes i listen to music. on a cd player like most people. to improve the sound i turn the volume up ! :)

redkingjoe

10th August 2005, 06:57

why would u throw cds like flying saucers?!?!?!!?

as a kid...i really couldn't care too much over the reasoning or the motivations on playing the flying saucers game...indeed i've even heard of some other kids blowing condoms into full sized balloons when their parents were not there...hehehe...anyway, it's fun

i truly hope it was an Abba Cd or some other tripe that you were ruining! :)

how come you know it's abba!? :confused: chopin, boney m, beatles, BeeGees and some chinese singers also joined the game involuntarily ;)

yes i listen to music. on a cd player like most people. to improve the sound i turn the volume up ! :)
hehehe, i also turn the volume up untill the room is a little bit shaking!!
btw, what kind of music do you like? what's your fav?

littlemissloud

11th August 2005, 12:03

ive not heard of any 'kids' doing that. only perhaps immature 16 year olds

how old are you?

redkingjoe

17th August 2005, 04:14

Well, I stil haven't made any changes to my stereo system. However, I now have a job and a seriously looking at the Cambridge Audio Azur 540C. I've also started buying some CDs. (lol..I know...but now that I have a job..I can) I bought Eric Clapton 'Pilgrim', a Bruce Hornsby CD, and a Vince Gill CD. I'm very impressed with Eric Clapton. I have his 'Unplugged', 'From the Crade' (though I don't care for this one), 'Cream of Clapton', 'Clapton Chronicles'. Great stuff.

have you bought the cambridge 540c yet...it should be a nice one!!! cambridge always produce decent cd...nevertheless, the CD technology is developing so quickly that i've lost track on the "which one is best buy"!!!

by the way, where are you working?

redkingjoe

17th August 2005, 04:31

ive not heard of any 'kids' doing that. only perhaps immature 16 year olds

how old are you?

hehehe, i have a son who's almost 13...i use tube amp...mid-life crisis is coming soon