I agree, it's just a question of personal tastes. I care a bit, but not that much to spend money in audiophile grade equipment, so my hi-fi is quite poor: a Technics amp, two old Pioneer speakers and a Yamaha sub. This is my main setup, which works well also for audio monitoring although I have to care a bit for the mid-high frequency range, which is a bit dampened by the room I'm in (mostly wood, quite rewarding for long listening sessions, very warm and full of subtle harmonics). My setup is generally good for sparse and quiet music, although it can cope well with rock music too. Spatial image is a bit poor, but I trade that off happily for warmth. Most glitch and experimental musicians who come in my room like very much the global feeling they get from the sound.
For my PC I use a pair of Ego-Sys near05 nearfield monitors coupled with a Waveterminal 192X. Ego-Sys stuff generally beats blue M-Audio stuff, but support is poor, so I think my next soundcard - unless Ego-Sys proves me wrong - will be an M-Audio. I'm quite happy about the speakers, excellent for their purpose, although I'd never call them pleasant to the ear. They're not meant for that.

Can't 100% completely agree with that post their Vic - having used TFTs, although there are some aspects to the picture/the way it is presented I much prefer, I can never wait to get back to my CRT(s).

Al - moving the speakers sounds fine, but they're already closer to the walls/corners than I'd like, ideally I need to move my desk, PCs and monitors back by two thirds of the room length, so that I'm a good distance from the speakers when at my desk, and then move the speakers out of the corner a little. Only then the monitors will be blocking all the sound. It's bloody hard to get good sound while sitting at a PC unless you're using a laptop... or on headphones. Although the headphone out on my amp is pretty naff, I should probably get a dedicated headphone amp.

just for interest

spirit Absolute4P's (active)

(yes mixer's a bit empty - the previous one broke down a couple of days ago so this is a temporary one)

Whoa, this discussion just flew over my head. I thought I was picky about sound quality, but flippin' heck.

Therefore I offer the following snobbish contribution: Bose headphones rule. Even though I've never heard a set.

I tilted my speakers for better driver alignment

using custom milled brass spikes (my father works in a metal processing company) . It seems a bit much but the speakers are not tall. Since I moved them away from the walls (ca. one metre) I noticed an improvement in sound spatiality and the tilting got me some clarity. My room echoes a lot though.

Here are interconnects.

Quote from TiJay :

Therefore I offer the following snobbish contribution: Bose headphones rule. Even though I've never heard a set.

I've tried some, frankly they're crap (IMO). It's all just marketing. The way I look at it, if you've heard of the name but not sure where from, it's a crap brand. If you think, who the hell are they, chances are it's a small firm producing high quality goods. Much like LFS then.

Vic - ooh, active speakers. Not a very common design, what made you pick speakers of that type?

they sounded good at a sweet price (almost 10 years ago)

An audiophile at home? Nope. On the road, yup, sure am. Or I was anyways. I built a system in my old 1992 Geo Storm (US import based on Isuzu Impulse to give you an idea). Infiniti Kappa 63's, MBQuart 5.25, and Alpine 1" tweaters up front driven by a Kenwood KAC-642 that ran 20w rms x 4 bridged down to 2 channels driving a 1 ohm load on each channel. That Kenwood was rated I think 0.0001 db total harmonic distortion. It was super clean and still super clean with a 1 ohm load. I also had a Denon DCA-500 100w rms x 2 bridged to 1 channel mono driving my 2 MTX Blue Thunder 12 inch subs. Another fantastic amp. The thing really hit hard. The head unit was a simple Pioneer AM/FM with cassette. For CD sound I had one of the first trunk mount CD changers, a Sony (can't remember the model).

I didn't build it back then to pound out and annoy everyone with rap crap. It was built for one thing to be played on it, Pink Floyd. And oh did it play Pink Floyd! You could sit in the front seat and completely lose yourself listening to it. You could hear Roger Waters/David Gilmore breathe between lines when they took a breath. You could hear the snap of the pick on the strings of the guitar.

That was built in 1992 when I bought that Geo Storm. To this day, it's been installed in 5 different vehicles and I just removed it from the latest about a month ago when I sold that truck. The CD changer is still kicking and still never misses a beat. I can still go 4 wheeling in my truck bouncing all over the place and a CD will never skip. I've long ago since gotten out of buying components for it, but like right now, it's all sitting in a box waiting for winter to break when I can get out and install it all in what I'm driving now. The best part of it all is, I've removed and reinstalled it so many times in so many vehicles, it only takes me about half an hour to an hour to install. It's driving me crazy listening to a stock stereo in the car now (with no CD even). Can't wait for some warmer weather to get my music back....

Got this for PC:
http://www.ariabeta.co.uk/Prod ... er+System?productId=23322

Got this for home use (as it were)
https://www.pricerunner.com/so ... dio-systems/159348/prices
http://img.clubic.com/photo/00073483.jpg

My front setup, for anyone interested...

Quote :

I've tried some, frankly they're crap (IMO). It's all just marketing.

From what I heard from an audiophile friend, they're better than the Sennheiser DJ headphones we both have. How would you say they compare to Sennheisers?

I also stuffed the bass reflex ports of my speakers. With an EQ I get better bass now too.


I also opened an amp recently. I removed the screws of the transformer and glued it to the chassis. Now there is no humming to hear anymore.

Quote from TiJay :

From what I heard from an audiophile friend, they're better than the Sennheiser DJ headphones we both have. How would you say they compare to Sennheisers?

I've never tried full size Sennheisers, nor do I use DJ style headphones.
I have some open back Grados myself. Sound is a touch sharp and they're not the most comfortable cans (over long periods) but the clarity and well everything else is just great.

Shopping around and doing some research online for a new stereo system recently, I came across a YouTube video about a Greek Audiophile club...

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=xs1aUws0Lrs

Hilarious and awe-inspiring in equal measure, these guys are truly 'nuts' about audio. The systems themselves... what can I say???

Rusted brandy in a diamond glass
Everything is made from dreams
Time is made from honey slow and sweet
Only the fools know what it means

Temptation...




Anyway, thought this would make a nice inclusion to an old thread.

Quote from AtomAnt :

I own a Kicka** audio system, anyone care to discuss.

I only use Pioneer componets for playing, I use only Studio Lab Digital Serires Monitors for listening.

Discuss

You're not an audiophile.. you're a studiophile. End of discussion.

Quote from Dik Dolan :

Michell Gyrodec (orbe platter upgrade kit) with an SME IV arm and Lyra Dorian cartridge into an EAR 834p phonostage. Preamp and amp are Glasshouse tvc and 300b SET amp kits, speakers are IPL S3 (ribbon tweeter version) t-line kit. All the kit stuff I built myself. Cables are a mix of Missing link, Zanash and chord odyssey.
NO Cd player.

Now we're talking audiophile!

How you find the IPL speakers to build ? I'm assuming you got the kit?
I've built my own speakers too, (own design), my last ones were horn speakers (horn bass loading) unfortunately they were far too big and I was told to get rid.

My current sytem (long in the tooth now):

Roksan Xerxes, SME IV, Lyra Clavis DC
Musical Fidelity MX Pre
Musical Fidelity A370 Power (modified with A470 input stages)
Kimber 4TC Speaker cable. Black Slink Interconnects
AE AESPRIT 309 speakers - seriously letting the side down.

Mmm, Logitech Z-3es for the console (when I have one) and Sennheiser HD570's for music/PC gaming/PC general/Movies, etc.

Quote from AtomAnt :

I own a Kicka** audio system, anyone care to discuss.

I only use Pioneer componets for playing, I use only Studio Lab Digital Serires Monitors for listening.

Discuss

Ego ...

Well, im running on 4x15" woofers, 2x10" woofers. All are correctly polarized and smoothy 31.5Hz makes me go crazy. Aint got the picture but maginate ... 4x15", and yes ... i cant call myself an audiophile because 15" isnt good.

In that case - a fact
Bigger sized woofer = low quality.
Bigger sized woofer = more low hz's than 25Hz (only playable, u cant hear it - only feel it and audiophile will feel it)

Edit: And all Logitech owners, forget the 'quality'. U dont know what speakers they use - i know ... I wont mention it. I can tell, that when i heard the secret and facts - i sold my Z5500.

My setup is more of a DJ one. Although it sounds fantastic. Lovely and crisp on the high end.

Plus I'm poor, kinda limits me

2x Technics 1210s
2x Pioneer CDJ1000mk1s (Oldskool )
Vestax PCV275 (Gotta have nice snappy faders! Although I'd happily murder several people for a DJM800 and 2 CDJ1000 mk3's)
2x Behringer Dualfex Pro EX2200's
Set of Alesis M1 Active mk2's

Quote from hazaky :

Ego ...

Well, im running on 4x15" woofers, 2x10" woofers. All are correctly polarized and smoothy 31.5Hz makes me go crazy. Aint got the picture but maginate ... 4x15", and yes ... i cant call myself an audiophile because 15" isnt good.

Are you putting on concerts for your whole neighbourhood?

I used to gig a backline bass guitar rig that was 2 Ampeg 15"s and a 300W valve amp, it would reproduce sub-audio bass notes at volumes that were beyond comfortable household listening.

I get the feeling you're talking bollocks.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Are you putting on concerts for your whole neighbourhood?

I used to gig a backline bass guitar rig that was 2 Ampeg 15"s and a 300W valve amp, it would reproduce sub-audio bass notes at volumes that were beyond comfortable household listening.

I get the feeling you're talking bollocks.

Yes

Ok

I dont know, i dont undestand atm.

And btw, i dont know is this somekinda new style-quote'ing? Just got the idea to reply like that

Quote from Niels Heusinkveld :

Cables for $1000 per meter are commonplace, yet you can't fault a piece of $1 piece of decent copper. Try those cables on your coffee machine and enjoy a new taste! Err.. Oh not to mention your washing machine; colors preserve a lot better with a 2000 quid cable.. But in audio, yes, every expense somehow changes.. no.. not that.. IMPROVES the sound!

Ah yes, i love that cable discussion. Even 100MHz oscilloscope probes aren't that expensive. And when you pop the lid of the mighty expensive amplifier, behold, masses of unshielded ribbon wire running next to the power supply.
It gets even better with SPDIF/TOSLINK. I've even seen shielded gold plated optical interlinks If you can find something at home that is able to bend light please tell me, I want to be sure that i'm not living next to you

Quote from Niels Heusinkveld :

Cables for $1000 per meter are commonplace

i think not even the 70ghz measurement cables at work cost that much

Quote :

Acoustics (sp).. A stone room or Granny's living.. Huge huge differences in how sound bounces / decays..

i wonder what my boss would have to say about me putting a home cinema in our antenna anechoic chamber which is for most intents and purposes acoustically dead

Quote from kingfag :

I've even seen shielded gold plated optical interlinks If you can find something at home that is able to bend light please tell me, I want to be sure that i'm not living next to you

Excellent!

Beyer Dynamic DT250 80ohm headphones. SB X-Fi platinum sound card.

I have a friend with a Focusrite platinum Pre amp in his home entertainment system. I think he's insane :P