Recent content by F1eng

Mahler 10th Symphony Solti /Chicago SO CD

For me it is the end game amplifier. I shan't be considering another. I believe it to be completely audibly transparent and mine is powerful enough so no point in considering anything else.

It coincided with the beginning of subjective reviewing. Earlier all reviewers had the equipment and expertise to evaluate how well stuff worked. In the 1970s, following the lead of Jean Hiraga it was open season for anybody to review stuff just by listening to it, for better or worse, so...

I would observe that HiFi is mainly a fashion business and this has been reinforced by working in different countries. What. the journalists rave about tends to be whatever the local well connected importers and manufacturers are selling because they get the best reviews and that permeates...

As a noise and vibration research engineer back in the day I noticed going back many years most, if not all, the "tweaks" recommended to improve PRaT reduced internal damping of mechanical parts in the turntable, arm and speakers. FWIW. No idea what it could be in electronics.

Added amounts of short duration resonance.

That is the rumour for the speakers not the amps but that seems not to be true either. The amps are definitely serviceable but like most with lots of surface mount components will possibly be board replacement rather than component replacement. I have Devialet and I would say it is the cleanest...

30dBA, 34dBC

I am 70. The big thing for me is that I have enough kit now so any upgrading seems stupid, or at least pointless. The one thing I have abandoned, even though I was an early adopter almost 20 years ago now, is file based music. It always was shite for finding classical music things to listen to...

After 50 years of dicking about with hifi I have my own conclusions about what makes a difference. Record players are very sensitive and can pick up all sorts of spurious vibration so not only are the deck and arm important but also their interaction. Where they are located makes a difference...

I still have a Sooloos control 15 and had a 6 months trial with Roon. IME both are excellent with pop music but poor with classical. Splendid if you are not sure what to listen to next and want a suggestion linked to your preferences. I am not keen on this, I prefer to choose what to listen to...

I have only tried some old Sennheiser, AKG Q90 and B&W PX with NC. I used Etymotic ER4S for decades on flights but they used to cause an excessive build up of ear wax with frequent use - completely blocking my ear more than once. The B&W are brilliant for travelling without wires and effective...

I retired when I was 60. It will be 10 years ago at the end of this year. I have done 3 "expert witness" gigs since otherwise having fun with grandchildren and listening to music. I used ripped music files a lot whilst working since I was away from home and on a plane every week. I researched...

I stayed in a B&B in Huntingdon when I was consulting for Lola cars. One other regular occupant was a consultant who worked on the FE modelling of the NXT and BMR drivers and specifying and building prototypes. He told me the difficulty with BMR drive units is manufacturing consistency since a...

From 1968 Wharfedale 8" RS/DD in home made cabinet. Kefkit 3 in home made cabinet Monitor Audio MA3 Nightingale point 5 Yamaha NS1000M (still own these, they are in my bedroom) Sonus Faber Extrema Apogee Diva active Goldmund Epilog 1&2 still in use Tune Audio Anima still in use I had Goodmans...