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It's 2022. Thinking of making any changes to your system? Like what?

I’ve been slithering around the idea of returning to an MC cartridge, the problem is the stop gap AT 150ml sounds so good that it’s a very expensive way to get that extra percentage of performance and auditioning a cross section is not possible where I live.
I use a cheap old Sony XE520 CDP so may investigate a different one in the coming year.
 
Mostly divestment here: need to decide between my Exposure 3010s2d and a Croft/Quad 306 for the Berkeleys. Both combinations sound great with vinyl and digital so no desire to change anything else.

However if I can sell some surplus gear I’d really like to try an old LP12 this year.
 
joe9407 said:
I'm turning my attention to the LP12, as well. COVID permitting, Peter Swain hopefully will be visiting in the spring and I'll be getting a new plinth to replace my black ash one (I have no idea why I chose that color in the first place), a Karousel, an Aro Keel, a new DV 20x2L, and, though I haven't mentioned it to him yet, probably a Radikal 2. Oh, and a new platter: my current one has a spot on it that drives me nuts.

Happy new year to all!

--Joe
Click to expand...
I would guess Peter will bring a spare outer platter anyway - when he put the Karousel on mine, there was no way the existing outer could be made to fit, even with a lot of lanishing/polishing. But it was nice to have a new one anyway, without fingerprints :)

Happy New Year to you too!
 
I suspect an OrganiK upgrade to my KlimaxDS will be on the cards this year, just as soon as Linn release it!
 
Initially I plan to raise funds by selling off a few items as I have accumulated to many bits of kit in 2021.
The bigger items are some Class D amps and a pair of AE2 speakers - possibly my Meridian 200 CD player.
Also, going to move on some speaker cables, VD and Tellerium Q Black, and a few records that I don't listen to.

Possible purchases include a Big Bottle 3 phonostage and a Cambridge 851N streamer. Although if a Denon PMA2500 Integrated came along at a good price it might jump to the front of the list.
 
Already started, just ordered a pair of Chord RCA Epic interconnectes for my Linn Akurate DS to preamp. Hope to look at a better phono in the summer.
 
I am happy with my Stereo, but The Daughter has given me permission to help her improve her system.

I think I am going to start with speakers as the IMF’s are past it. Started looking on ebay today.
After that, an amplifier maybe. The old Technics amp she has is functional but little else.
 
Hoping to complete an update to the main AV system and use some of the cast offs in the bedroom AV. Both systems are now Atmos after fitting ceiling speakers. Might not happen due to chip shortages, HDMI 2.1a being announced and the fact every AV Proc and Amp released recently seems to be bug ridden even Yamaha which are usually solid as…

Main stereo system is in a good place, if I see some Luxman gear at a decent price I may go for a couple changes.

Home office system will likely get new bookshelves and a streamer, depends what pops up used later in the year, probably stick with the Cyrus electronics, I do like my matching stack of boxes.
 
Picking up an SP10 motor unit tomorrow, plan to house it in a Panzerholz plinth. Have a Terminator arm ready for it, and a Decca C4E to go to John Wright that'll be fitted to it.
 
Well I need to do something about my speakers. Why? This is why:

P1010137 by grilled snapper, on Flickr

We moved house a year ago and are a waiting for a major renovation to happen; in the meantime I have very limited space for my system. So the unholy speaker combination you see above has been assembled. It started as a two-way - the woofer boxes (originally built for a different system) combined with the little Bandor wide-rangers, crossed over actively. I really liked the combo, so much that I posted enthusiastically about never going back to speakers with tweeters.

But then I spotted some Raal ribbons going cheap (thank you eBay :D). When I bought them, I didn't have a clear idea about what I'd do with them, but I knew I needed to connect them up, to check that they were working at least. So I sat them beside the Bandors, elevated them a little with a couple of spare ball-point pens, stuck some speaker cables to them with masking tape (via some rather randomly chosen capacitors), and re-set the crossover.

Yes, they work. So why are they still there three months later? Because they sound wonderful! I honestly hadn't thought I was missing anything in the treble, but I was wrong, completely. The extra life and detail the Raals provide is astonishing, and it's all done with amazing delicacy.

Since then I've made another slightly impulsive purchase - a Pass Aleph 5 power amp. I admit that doesn't make much sense when I'm running a three-way active system. Still, I bought it, and when I got it home I wanted to connect it up to check it out. I decided to power the tweeters with it, mainly because the impedance of the Raals is 8 ohms, while the mids and woofers are both 4 ohms - not what the Pass likes best. Well, for the second time in a matter of months I was (cliche alert!) blown away. With my other amp, the Raals did sometimes draw attention to themselves a little, or sound a little lean. But the Pass made the Raals sound warm, sweet, and even more delicate. Moreover, it hasn't done it by smoothing over the fine detail. On the contrary, the combination really has (major cliche alert!) lifted a veil, letting me hear into the soundstage in a way I don't think I've ever achieved before.

So, happy days. But it goes without saying that I can't keep things the way they are. The ball-point pens need to go soon, as does the masking tape. A properly designed and built exclosure is needed. And I'd really like to work towards a passive crossover, to see what the Aleph can do in the rest of the frequency spectrum. And that means different mid and bass drivers. First, though, I need to finish building a workshop in the garage. Hopefully that carpet will go soon as well. :oops:
 
Probably: TeddyCap, Avondale PSU, or Naim Flatcap (approximate order of preference) for my NAC 122X

Maybe: EWA Starting Point interconnects and/or speaker cable, pending a trial. Otherwise possibly Witchat N2 or Avondale Blacklink as a sidegrade from NACA5 for better manageability.

Only if I'm feeling saucy: DAC upgrade for the main system (NJC Audio Reference DAC + outboard DDC for USB?) or to replace the audio interface in my desktop studio setup (RME ADI-2 non-pro?)

Otherwise better to save up and just buy music.
 
irb said:
Well I need to do something about my speakers. Why? This is why:

P1010137 by grilled snapper, on Flickr

We moved house a year ago and are a waiting for a major renovation to happen; in the meantime I have very limited space for my system. So the unholy speaker combination you see above has been assembled. It started as a two-way - the woofer boxes (originally built for a different system) combined with the little Bandor wide-rangers, crossed over actively. I really liked the combo, so much that I posted enthusiastically about never going back to speakers with tweeters.

But then I spotted some Raal ribbons going cheap (thank you eBay :D). When I bought them, I didn't have a clear idea about what I'd do with them, but I knew I needed to connect them up, to check that they were working at least. So I sat them beside the Bandors, elevated them a little with a couple of spare ball-point pens, stuck some speaker cables to them with masking tape (via some rather randomly chosen capacitors), and re-set the crossover.

Yes, they work. So why are they still there three months later? Because they sound wonderful! I honestly hadn't thought I was missing anything in the treble, but I was wrong, completely. The extra life and detail the Raals provide is astonishing, and it's all done with amazing delicacy.

Since then I've made another slightly impulsive purchase - a Pass Aleph 5 power amp. I admit that doesn't make much sense when I'm running a three-way active system. Still, I bought it, and when I got it home I wanted to connect it up to check it out. I decided to power the tweeters with it, mainly because the impedance of the Raals is 8 ohms, while the mids and woofers are both 4 ohms - not what the Pass likes best. Well, for the second time in a matter of months I was (cliche alert!) blown away. With my other amp, the Raals did sometimes draw attention to themselves a little, or sound a little lean. But the Pass made the Raals sound warm, sweet, and even more delicate. Moreover, it hasn't done it by smoothing over the fine detail. On the contrary, the combination really has (major cliche alert!) lifted a veil, letting me hear into the soundstage in a way I don't think I've ever achieved before.

So, happy days. But it goes without saying that I can't keep things the way they are. The ball-point pens need to go soon, as does the masking tape. A properly designed and built exclosure is needed. And I'd really like to work towards a passive crossover, to see what the Aleph can do in the rest of the frequency spectrum. And that means different mid and bass drivers. First, though, I need to finish building a workshop in the garage. Hopefully that carpet will go soon as well. :oops:
Click to expand...

You don't know what your on about!

Think about it. how many times have you been on the phone and needed a pen and you can never find one!?
"One moment let me get a pen from under my tweeter..."

We need more speakers that hold pens not less!

Have you tried a pencil under the RAALs BTW, more organic sound than a pen.
 
Space is the Place said:
You don't know what your on about!

Think about it. how many times have you been on the phone and needed a pen and you can never find one!?
"One moment let me get a pen from under my tweeter..."

We need more speakers that hold pens not less!

Have you tried a pencil under the RAALs BTW, more organic sound than a pen.
Click to expand...

Surely someone has to mention the inky blackness from a pen....?

My main plan, having bought @Whaleblue's Tannoy Balmorals which my wife actually doesn't dislike the size of as much as I feared is to convert the office/spare room into a music room.
I'm at the stage of making a ceiling light from a slice of tree and some mini spotlights, making some lamps, thinking hard about colours and stressing about noise transfer to our bedroom and the neighbour. Christmas saw me getting a few prints to hang, so all the bits are in place, just need to get the room sorted. I also need to get my ear sorted - a day after getting the Balmorals I perforated an eardrum (in my sleep, not even by playing loud music) so I've not really heard what they can do. How sad is that !
In terms of hifi purchases my system is at a level that I can't imagine improving on without major expense, but the sitting room will need something for TV and whatever music will be in there.
I may add to my Bluesound system by adding a second Node (I hope it's possible to have 2 Nodes in one system..?) and then use my PS Audio Sprout amp and some smallish speakers. Given how much I like EWA cables I'll need to factor in some of those too, but all this is dependant on my selling my Graham Audio LS6f's to raise the money and me getting the use of my shoulder back enough so that I can decorate and sort out the music room. Anyone want to buy an almost new sofa, old telly and all the other junk currently in there ?
 
irb said:
Well I need to do something about my speakers. Why? This is why:

P1010137 by grilled snapper, on Flickr

We moved house a year ago and are a waiting for a major renovation to happen; in the meantime I have very limited space for my system. So the unholy speaker combination you see above has been assembled. It started as a two-way - the woofer boxes (originally built for a different system) combined with the little Bandor wide-rangers, crossed over actively. I really liked the combo, so much that I posted enthusiastically about never going back to speakers with tweeters.

But then I spotted some Raal ribbons going cheap (thank you eBay :D). When I bought them, I didn't have a clear idea about what I'd do with them, but I knew I needed to connect them up, to check that they were working at least. So I sat them beside the Bandors, elevated them a little with a couple of spare ball-point pens, stuck some speaker cables to them with masking tape (via some rather randomly chosen capacitors), and re-set the crossover.

Yes, they work. So why are they still there three months later? Because they sound wonderful! I honestly hadn't thought I was missing anything in the treble, but I was wrong, completely. The extra life and detail the Raals provide is astonishing, and it's all done with amazing delicacy.

Since then I've made another slightly impulsive purchase - a Pass Aleph 5 power amp. I admit that doesn't make much sense when I'm running a three-way active system. Still, I bought it, and when I got it home I wanted to connect it up to check it out. I decided to power the tweeters with it, mainly because the impedance of the Raals is 8 ohms, while the mids and woofers are both 4 ohms - not what the Pass likes best. Well, for the second time in a matter of months I was (cliche alert!) blown away. With my other amp, the Raals did sometimes draw attention to themselves a little, or sound a little lean. But the Pass made the Raals sound warm, sweet, and even more delicate. Moreover, it hasn't done it by smoothing over the fine detail. On the contrary, the combination really has (major cliche alert!) lifted a veil, letting me hear into the soundstage in a way I don't think I've ever achieved before.

So, happy days. But it goes without saying that I can't keep things the way they are. The ball-point pens need to go soon, as does the masking tape. A properly designed and built exclosure is needed. And I'd really like to work towards a passive crossover, to see what the Aleph can do in the rest of the frequency spectrum. And that means different mid and bass drivers. First, though, I need to finish building a workshop in the garage. Hopefully that carpet will go soon as well. :oops:
Click to expand...

That makes me feel so much better! I love seeing the immaculate homes and dust free systems ... but a cobbled together system next to a bike warms the cockles of my heart. As I have I have said on a few threads (sorry!), my system is in boxes following house move. I have a year's worth of upgrades to test out, so might set up the hifi just for a few months until it needs to be reboxed to allow for renovation.
 
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Starting to seriously think about selling off my vinyl and turntable and going up to totl (for me) digital front end. In the last month or so I've pretty much exclusively listened to CD/SACD and ripped Flac & DSD files. Haven't felt the need to play much vinyl and, as I'll never go beyond my current analogue front end, I could easily get to a "final" digital setup without too much more outlay. Just to clarify, this would be for the "upstairs" setup, downstairs is already 100% digital front end. I think now I've reached the (old) age of not replacing an LP collection if I sell this one - I've done it before and succumbed but I think a good digital front end is at least as good as analogue and vinyl is getting pretty variable in terms of quality.
 
mikechadwick said:
Starting to seriously think about selling off my vinyl and turntable and going up to totl (for me) digital front end. In the last month or so I've pretty much exclusively listened to CD/SACD and ripped Flac & DSD files. Haven't felt the need to play much vinyl and, as I'll never go beyond my current analogue front end, I could easily get to a "final" digital setup without too much more outlay. Just to clarify, this would be for the "upstairs" setup, downstairs is already 100% digital front end. I think now I've reached the (old) age of not replacing an LP collection if I sell this one - I've done it before and succumbed but I think a good digital front end is at least as good as analogue and vinyl is getting pretty variable in terms of quality.
Click to expand...
Made the same decision last year. No regrets so far. Kept my vinyl... just in case.
 
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