True underdog hi-fi
- Thread starter Liquid
- Start date
TimF
pfm Member
I may get a real laugh here on this one, but I bought a little Harman/Kardon BDS-2 all-in-one unit about a year ago for a small A/V setup for the living room. Wanting something that is small, easy to site and had all the goodies-FM tuner/Bluray/pre-amplifiers/Digital inputs. I bought this at a certain discount store for less than $300 new-in-box.
I had to send my Naim Uniti back to Naim for repairs, and while it was gone and things were getting sorted over the course of about a month and a half, this little HK was slotted in as the main source/amplification with my Larsen Model 4 speakers. I was quite amazed at the punch and overall sound quality of this little bugger. The amp section utilizes an HK grown class D amp at 65 wpc, and the bluray player as a CD drive, the thing was downright great sounding when kept within its power/capabilites. In fact, it made me think about why I needed the Uniti back....
No, it isn't as good as my Uniti, but it was surprising to hear how closely they are when used carefully and not overdriven. It did put a bit of a smile on my face for sure, it had no reason to sound this good. Tim
I had to send my Naim Uniti back to Naim for repairs, and while it was gone and things were getting sorted over the course of about a month and a half, this little HK was slotted in as the main source/amplification with my Larsen Model 4 speakers. I was quite amazed at the punch and overall sound quality of this little bugger. The amp section utilizes an HK grown class D amp at 65 wpc, and the bluray player as a CD drive, the thing was downright great sounding when kept within its power/capabilites. In fact, it made me think about why I needed the Uniti back....
No, it isn't as good as my Uniti, but it was surprising to hear how closely they are when used carefully and not overdriven. It did put a bit of a smile on my face for sure, it had no reason to sound this good. Tim
Thorens TD150.
Garrard 401 before people caught on, likewise the Quad 303 and Celestion Ditton speakers.
Chinese valve amps.
Aldi internet radio.
Sansa clip MP3 player.
Finally, A Teac radio thing that lives in the kitchen and does radio/CD/connection to a DAB radio duties while I'm cooking. It's not hifi but it sounds good, tunes well, looks nice and takes up no space.
Garrard 401 before people caught on, likewise the Quad 303 and Celestion Ditton speakers.
Chinese valve amps.
Aldi internet radio.
Sansa clip MP3 player.
Finally, A Teac radio thing that lives in the kitchen and does radio/CD/connection to a DAB radio duties while I'm cooking. It's not hifi but it sounds good, tunes well, looks nice and takes up no space.
daytona600
Registered User
astell & kern 122grams of audio sweetness , 24/192 & fits in your pocket
Peter Stockwell
Back for more ...
Temple Audio Bantam Gold. Fantastic little amp.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
Fat man valve hybrid iPod dock/amp into quad q lites, amazing little desktop system for relatively little money!
JemHayward
pfm Member
Denon mini systems - far too good for the money, and each generation seems to be engagingly musical...
Agreed. I had a DM-30 about 10 years ago as a dining room system with some Mission M72's. Superb little system.
Here's my garage system.
Sansui A505 integrated and T505L tuner
Sony CDP CE105 5 disc mutiplayer
Toshiba SSD2 speakers
It cost buttons to put together and is connected by pound shop interconnects and speaker cable. Yet, it is hugely musical and engaging and is able to deliver music in a way which it has no business doing.
Everytime I fire it up, it puts a huge smile on my face and the whole lot costs less than one run of speaker cable on my main system - which is actually keenly priced to start with!
Too true - advised my girlfriend to get a Denon DM-37 (2009), the word that comes to mind when playing the 128kbps 6Music stream is quite often, "musical".
Seconded I have 2 of the MD range them acting into Tannoys or their original mission designed ones they are quite frightening and good tuner
the 4 extra Naim inputs via the Denon extensive sets of pre amp outs to the naim allow much Nakimiching and cross recording in via MD and CD Vinyl and tape
The Teac ones dont sound so good but are built even more solidly than usual
+ 1 on that one.. in fact most if not all Denon stuff I have had in the past was quite musical, as was the Sansui AU 505 amp.. My old Thorens TD 145 with TP 16 arm has no right to sound soo good... after all it only cost me 12 Euro. It isn't anywhere as analytical as my G. 401 but it just sounds sweeeeeet.
david ellwood
Kirabosi Kognoscente
rega planar 2
AT95E
Ion Obelisk One
Royd A7
A true underdog HIFI!
AT95E
Ion Obelisk One
Royd A7
A true underdog HIFI!
Robn
pfm Member
Onix OA21 and OA20 - both fabulous amps for less than half the price of a NAIT 2 and not sure whether the NAIT 2 is any better
Thorens TD150 mkII - properly set up sounds better IMHO than Rega 3s
Revolver turntables, can be had SH for less than £50 with arm
Celestion Ditton 44s and 15s
Thorens TD150 mkII - properly set up sounds better IMHO than Rega 3s
Revolver turntables, can be had SH for less than £50 with arm
Celestion Ditton 44s and 15s
