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Post by kinfauns on Apr 4, 2024 9:02:58 GMT
I would guess most of us would still start at the source. Is streaming now the obvious choice or maybe for you vinyl is still king?
Is the source now the actual output component or would you invest firstly in a dedicated mains supply and maybe associated generators/conditioners?
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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 4, 2024 9:16:01 GMT
The thought passes through my head
From scratch
Streaming. No contest
Everything follows from there
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Post by bencat on Apr 4, 2024 9:26:53 GMT
Have to agree if starting from scratch with no music then Streaming would be my first choice .
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Post by petea on Apr 4, 2024 9:35:49 GMT
I guess if starting completely anew I would start with the room and so things live power and materials. Although streaming would be a major source I think I would still want some physical media of some sort and, starting from scratch, I would probably go with LPs.
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Post by HD Music & Test on Apr 4, 2024 9:38:21 GMT
Very easy Streamer<>integrated<>Speakers you can fill in what ever other boxes you wish, but recently I have installed quite a few of these set up's and the really just work so well.
Taking Peter comments in context I am assuming the room and power locations and correct install as a given
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Post by julesd68 on Apr 4, 2024 10:01:02 GMT
Agreed. There is a notion that a system can't be any good unless you do a zillion upgrades, but get the basics of system matching right and it can be very satisfying.
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Post by mattspl on Apr 4, 2024 10:16:31 GMT
I’d probably go for something similar to what I have now.
Dac/streamer and active speakers. If I had the space and the money, they would be big speakers.
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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 4, 2024 10:22:17 GMT
I guess if starting completely anew I would start with the room and so things live power and materials. Although streaming would be a major source I think I would still want some physical media of some sort and, starting from scratch, I would probably go with LPs. Why would you want physical Pete ? |
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Post by palace on Apr 4, 2024 10:40:53 GMT
I guess if starting completely anew I would start with the room and so things live power and materials. Although streaming would be a major source I think I would still want some physical media of some sort and, starting from scratch, I would probably go with LPs. I dread the thought of starting from scratch, recently my wife told me this flat lived in since 1978 & bought when I retired in 2012 loft extension a few years ago is not her end home & when she retires we should cash up this now valuable 4 bed asset & buy elsewhere. 46 years of carefully balancing my Quad 57 speakers laterly OTA Quad 57's in a near perfect shaped room for Quad 57's L 19' x W 11.5' xH 8.5'. My Hydraulic Reference turntable sitting in an alcove on a massive paving stone, what next? The liberated cash could provide bonuses in the form of stacked Quad 57's I have a spare pair upstairs though in need of a visit to One Thing Audio. The rest of the system remaining the same though preferably a myriad of unswitched 13 amp sockets replacing multi ganged power blocks. I have just realised that the bane of my life might go ie. no more bloody RFI/EMI from all the sources surrounding me. My copper foil exploits would stay. Also possibly a big 7-10 element FM aerial Vinyl would still be my choice of source, as well as TV recorder Virgin or Skye etc & DVD also CD via the Caiman SEG 50 & FM radio & I still have audio cassettes & player. |
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Post by Clive on Apr 4, 2024 11:00:16 GMT
From scratch I’d be streaming. I still might run a vintage record deck and collect 50s / 60s jazz, frequently in mono. This just seems to match so well and it would also allow me to tinker mechanically, which I would enjoy along with record cleaning…a bit like the pride some feel from cleaning a car.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 4, 2024 11:06:34 GMT
I kinda did this three years ago. Streaming all the way for me.
Power and room treatment first, of course.
I will be doing it again when we move next year. Whatever room I end up having, I will arrange the same 60A radial circuit dedicated for the system. Internet will hopefully be the same 4G/5G idea. I have 5 TubeTraps, two PicturePanels, a GIK panel and a SubTrap, which will be re-utilised. That plus soft furnishings and drapes should do the job.
Then lots and lots of speaker positioning and listening.
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Post by HD Music & Test on Apr 4, 2024 11:07:04 GMT
I have recently taken in four high quality TT set ups, I felt the clients were changing for convience, until I went along and set up their new purchases against those TT's maybe not!
In fairness I feel if you have grown up with vinyl then you will always perfer vinyl imho its just the way its is.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 4, 2024 11:08:57 GMT
I grew up with vinyl but I'm afraid there is no contest now with streaming, which not only provides a massive catalogue but sounds better in every parameter.
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Post by kinfauns on Apr 4, 2024 11:36:09 GMT
I reinvented about a decade ago after years out of the scene. I loved the sound of vinyl then but due to circumstances a fragile TT set-up was out of the question. I settled instead on CD and sought the earliest CD pressings to be close to analogue. Today I would look seriously into streaming and tune the rest of the system to get the sound I'm after. Would also look into environment much more seriously than I have done in the past.
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Post by HD Music & Test on Apr 4, 2024 11:39:32 GMT
I grew up with vinyl but I'm afraid there is no contest now with streaming, which not only provides a massive catalogue but sounds better in every parameter. Not going to agrue here, I'm just stating that some chaps are anti anything new and phyiscal media is a must for them.
I have a very high end TT around 6 figures and it does sound wonderful, but my N20 and 30 year dac are way better even the vinyl nuts admit it so its all going forward
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Post by Clive on Apr 4, 2024 11:40:11 GMT
I continue to be amazed by how good vinyl can sound. It doesn’t sound the same as streaming but can be as good in its own way. An interesting (to me) recent experience are updates Vic made to his Salvation deck design. In essence they were all to do with reducing noise and increasing torque. These changes resulted in driving a change to the bearing setup…this latter change was due to our listening to digital (streamed) music and hearing a significant difference in bass speed/leading edge. With this fixed the deck provides huge enjoyment even when compared with streaming.
There are differences, of course - but my preference if starting over for streaming is more driven by convenience than SQ & enjoyment. Then again I’ve reached a point where I’m not chasing every last electron of improvement. But the deck is fun too and to be fair I’m not buying new records, just some older jazz on occasion.
Would re-buy a new expensive deck? No. But try to part me from my Salvation…you’d be in for a fight.
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Post by speedysteve on Apr 4, 2024 12:26:21 GMT
Definitely streaming, sheer availability of good sounding music, all the latest plus lots of remastered and previously unreleased material and versions.
There are simply not enough tracks on a vinyl disc 🙂
From there I would be looking at something unconventional.
I can't ever see myself going back to flat front baffle box speakers (phase issues).
Electrostatics clean sound maybe but harder to integrate good bass.
I could see myself buying a pair of Danley HRE1s though - Integrated FIR DSP, really clever one box design.
I've not heard them but the sound is said to be exceptionally right and hi-end.
I would demo first of course😃
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Post by John on Apr 4, 2024 13:24:51 GMT
Just to touch on vinyl, my friend has made a new TT and its pretty amazing. He did a lot of work on isolation, which is important when it comes to turntables. He has no intention of bringing it to market. I heard a earlier version and it was up with his streaming system (its not Martin or Tony's levels of streaming, but pretty good none the less).
I like the convivence of streaming myself, it allows me to keep discovering music and feeds my music addiction in a healthier way.
I do feel that not enough attention is given to finding the right speakers for your room and tastes. I never regretted trying out so many different speakers, it really allowed me to take the system to the next level.
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Post by palace on Apr 4, 2024 14:15:14 GMT
I continue to be amazed by how good vinyl can sound. It doesn’t sound the same as streaming but can be as good in its own way. An interesting (to me) recent experience are updates Vic made to his Salvation deck design. In essence they were all to do with reducing noise and increasing torque. These changes resulted in driving a change to the bearing setup…this latter change was due to our listening to digital (streamed) music and hearing a significant difference in bass speed/leading edge. With this fixed the deck provides huge enjoyment even when compared with streaming. There are differences, of course - but my preference if starting over for streaming is more driven by convenience than SQ & enjoyment. Then again I’ve reached a point where I’m not chasing every last electron of improvement. But the deck is fun too and to be fair I’m not buying new records, just some older jazz on occasion. Would re-buy a new expensive deck? No. But try to part me from my Salvation…you’d be in for a fight. The rim drive Salvation like my belt driven Hydraulic Reference is unsprung & like the unsprung rim drive Garrard 301/401's & most of their unsprung ilk have prodigious bass. Hydraulic Reference turntable like the Salvation etc. can rival digital on those records where bass is present I have not heard a sprung turntable that could do that though good in other areas. A powerful Maxon DC 12v motor with a 12v AC-AC 3 amp PSU increased torque & I have written probably ad nauseum for some about reducing noise. Do you use or have you tried Vic's Reso-mat when I saw a photo of one the raised points it copied my turntable layout. I spoke several years ago to Vic at Trans-Fi who told me that with the Reso-Mat the 9 PVC spiked pads favoured treble the blunt flatter end of the 9 pads favoured bass. Subsequently I made 9 carbon impregnated PTFE pads set at the same height replacing the foam pads David Gammon had to use rather than the hard pads he wanted to use there was a perception that hard pads would damage records. Whilst I would keep the Hydraulic Reference. I have a fantasy of buying a Salvation with terminator arm but owner's never sell them I quote one of them "But try to part me from my Salvation…you’d be in for a fight." I have about 1000 classical records & 500 or so "classic" pop albums Buddy Holly, Transformer, Tapistry Talking Book hence my love of LP's, though any source of music really. |
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Post by kinfauns on Apr 4, 2024 15:25:37 GMT
I grew up with vinyl but I'm afraid there is no contest now with streaming, which not only provides a massive catalogue but sounds better in every parameter. Not going to agrue here, I'm just stating that some chaps are anti anything new and phyiscal media is a must for them.
I have a very high end TT around 6 figures and it does sound wonderful, but my N20 and 30 year dac are way better even the vinyl nuts admit it so its all going forward
Removing the convenience factor when choosing the source I would say that it is the general characteristics of the source that folk want to preserve so we kinda still have a analogue v digital debate to this day. It obviously comes down to the expectations of the individual as to what good sounds like. Some are very fortunate to have both high quality analogue and digital sources so have the best of both worlds. On the subject of accuracy. I was in Chester recently and came across an excellent busker. I stood and listened for a while. Just her voice, unmiked and acoustic guitar. To my ears she definitely sounded analogue. One simple scenario and not intended as a sweeping statement. |
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