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design me a system for folk music

he has a cambridge amp so he might like an arcam a80 or arcam a85 . these are about 250 . they go superbly well with amphion argon one . it was one of the best sounds at daventry. i have used both and can recommend it . you can do all this for around 1000 pounds [ i just paid a lot more than that for argon one] . the wood finish is more than standard
here you go :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/19475056...d=link&campid=5338728743&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

https://www.hifi-forsale.co.uk/more...CAM_A80_Diva&p=&prod_id=98650&q=arcam&offset=

or find an arcam a75 . they are fairly plentiful
 
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If he can find room for them, the JBL 308P MK2 measure incredibly well according to audiosciencereview.

I'd be tempted myself if I had a use for them...
 
A pal who is a folk musician and luthier (which credentials just to state he has an acute ear for tone and detail) listens to nothing else. Much of his music is digital, with few records and he listens but rarely. however when he does, he needs it to sound 'live', with the acoustic of the hall or studio present with all it's nuances. Folk ofc is all vibrating wood and strings and voices. Maybe an occasional Cello or Double bass, maybe a low brass note but rarely anything lower, so little need for anything low low and powerful.

Right now he is still using a 40 year old pair of LS3 alikes (kits from Wilmslow audio) an ancient Cambridge amp and etc. He is not a HiFi lover, has no interest in its looks apart from it being well made and woody at a guess and is as poor as a church mouse. The speakers have to be small since they'll grab a spare inch on the shelves in his workshop. Forget Vinyl. Where do I start?


I think it's a really hard call, even if he keeps the speakers (are they positioned properly? How is the room?)

I've spent quite a bit of time and money looking at amps and dacs for a similar setup and it's not easy to find suitable equipment which is good at timbre. He won't want to go to valves because he's not interested in hifi, and valves are potential cost and trouble when they need to be replaced, and you have to remember to turn them off. He won't want to go class A because again you have to turn it off. I also think some power is a good thing, unless he is prepared to listen near field -- the problem comes with CDs which have been recorded at a low level.

The power amp I've settled with is a Conrad Johnson solid state amp, I picked up mine for around £700. It may be a question of patience to get one at that price, but I expect one will come up eventually. It is outstanding at timbre, but I don't think that he'll get the illusion of "live" and "hall" -- for that I think you need something with a bit more energy, more energy on the attacks of notes -- but unless you pay ££££ and get into "vintage" and "difficult" equipment, Krells, Radfords, you lose out on the timbre in the process. You may also need better speakers, I mean bigger speakers - speakers which can easily move more more sound into the body of his room.

The DAC is important for timbre. I use theta dacs and Museatex. Again he may have to wait till one turns up. As I say, what he wants is hard and so better wait IMO than be sorry. He should get a Theta DAC for the £300 to £400 mark.

I don't know anything about preamps. That could be an issue.
 
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Kef LSX at £999?

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I think it's a really hard call, even if he keeps the speakers (are they positioned properly? How is the room?)

I've spent quite a bit of time and money looking at amps and dacs for a similar setup and it's not easy to find suitable equipment which is good at timbre. He won't want to go to valves because he's not interested in hifi, and valves are potential cost and trouble when they need to be replaced, and you have to remember to turn them off. He won't want to go class A because again you have to turn it off. I also think some power is a good thing, unless he is prepared to listen near field -- the problem comes with CDs which have been recorded at a low level.

The power amp I've settled with is a Conrad Johnson solid state amp, I picked up mine for around £700. It may be a question of patience to get one at that price, but I expect one will come up eventually. It is outstanding at timbre, but I don't think that he'll get the illusion of "live" and "hall" -- for that I think you need something with a bit more energy, more energy on the attacks of notes -- but unless you pay ££££ and get into "vintage" and "difficult" equipment, Krells, Radfords, you lose out on the timbre in the process. You may also need better speakers, I mean bigger speakers - speakers which can easily move more more sound into the body of his room.

The DAC is important for timbre. I use theta dacs and Museatex. Again he may have to wait till one turns up. As I say, what he wants is hard and so better wait IMO than be sorry. He should get a Theta DAC for the £300 to £400 mark.

I don't know anything about preamps. That could be an issue.

Lot's of issues and good points here, thanks. If only I could talk him into taking it all seriously, but he is just too busy, the workshop is so packed you can barely move and the speakers currentlt sit on the floor.
I know i know. It's enough to make a grown man cry:)
I actually think that is has to be nearfield and i did seriously think twice about ESL's on chains but? never going to happen. I think he'd be fine with valves...he's busy but not forgetful and loves anything old...he is dedicated to restoring the old and interesting so whatever it is will look amazing but electronics? No probably not. Simple reliablity will be the order of the day.
 
Single driver, full range speakers should make most of acoustic music and major on emotional/tonal aspects. With a small p/p el84 or el34 type amp will major on involvement and relaxation.
 


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