What sound system do you use for listening?

[orangettecoleman]

I'm hopefully moving to a bigger place in a few weeks and will have a little more room for music listening, so I was going to at least upgrade my speakers from the cheapo Yamahas I got on clearance 10 years ago to some good Wharfdales or something... I was also thinking about replacing my 20 year old CD player as well since it doesn't like CD-R and a lot of the stuff I listen to comes in that format now... Well I'm not looking for specific recommendations or anything, just wondering what everyone out there uses as far as audio (listening) equipment/setup and how you like it, if there's a particular component you are happy or unhappy with, etc.... I myself have a Panasonic SL-PJ316 CD player I got from Circuit City on clearance for 90 bucks in 1993 or so, a Stanton belt-drive turntable I got new in 2000 and haven't used all that much, a Sanyo dual tape deck and Technics SU-Z760 I bought from the thrift store, and the aforementioned Yamaha 3-way speakers I got for something like 45 bucks for the pair. I'm also kind of curious how many of us listen to music on a stereo and how many go the MP3/laptop/Ipod route exclusively...

[faster]

I use pretty cheap NAD cd & amp & a pair of small Acoustic Energy speakers. My cd player is starting to get queasy, though. I have good headphones (Beyer DT-880), but I almost never listen with headphones. Don't like it.

[Gaendaal]

I'm actually in the middle of down-sizing my stereo set-up to make room in my shoe-box flat. I've had the same setup since Uni (a long time ago now) and, although it's pretty good, I never really crank it up to what it can do. I've also come to hate cabling with a vengeance so separates kind of grate...

[orangettecoleman]

I'm at least looking at replacing my speakers with some nice little studio monitors, I was looking at some M-Audio ones that are like 350 for the pair. I'll probably replace my CD player with a DVD player too, since a normal consumer grade DVD player probably has better D/A converters than my CD player...

[kangaroo?]

don't bet your money on the DVD player having better D/A's than most dedicated CD players, i'd say. While they do seem to have advanced audio capabilities (with 5.1 and the like), the actual components in the consumer range of products, usually remain base-level. I'd say get an above-base-level CD player from a dedicated company (you know, someone who actually focuses on audio products) if you're planning to spend some time with it. I'm not suggesting anything fancy -just slightly above entry level will do.

myself, i have a great ~$400 Technics CD player that i got off a friend when he switched to a DVD player (DVD sounded much weaker and he knew it, but he wanted to save up space). Player must be nearing 15 and it has only bugged me once for a lens cleaning. Amplifier is an entry level Yamaha that doesnt sound all that different from an entry level Technics that i used to have -nothing to write home about that is. B&W 303 bookshelf speakers which cost me slightly less than 300 euro back in the day. These i cannot recommend enough; they are more than adequate in most situations, but they really overperform in a larger space and when properly positioned. Oh, and a shitty Gemini -Technics-MKII-clone- turntable that has no quartz lock for maintaining a stable rpm count

[Gaendaal]

I'm actually in the middle of down-sizing my stereo set-up to make room in my shoe-box flat. I've had the same setup since Uni (a long time ago now) and, although it's pretty good, I never really crank it up to what it can do. I've also come to hate cabling with a vengeance so separates kind of grate...

And now I have this...



S'pretty good.

[Yii]

sony cmt-ex1, it's still working soundly.

[cheerios]

My Dell computer with logitech speakers, with a subwoofer. Real great sound, only like $35 from froogle.

[Stevo]

hp computer with logitech Z4 speakers for the front room, mainly playing torrented flacs/wavs etc.

& a Sony midi system in the bedroom for cds. that's a 3 changer with tape cassette option too.
Bought it about 5 years back & hope it lasts quite a few more.

[yonhosago]

My laptop (plus a M.Audio FT PRO interfase) or a cheap portable cd player, connected to a Pioneer Stereo Receiver SX 300, with its original pair of Pioneer speakers (my dad bought the set in 1978 plus a pick up; the later disappeared long ago, before I inherited the set).



For cassettes

JVC TD-W354, connected to the receiver. When only cassettes where my playing option (1992-1997), I never had something with a sound quality as good as this machine.

Sooner or later I'm gonna replace the cheap cd player for a real cd player. And, more later than sooner, I'll buy me a pick up.

[p_ano]

my home stereo system is rather odd. i purchased a b-52 matrix 2000 system for a venue i was starting here in atlanta, but the venue fell through so i brought the system home. i then started experimenting with ultra low frequencies and blew the amp and sub. in lieu of dealing with warranty, i repaired/customized the amp myself, and replaced the sub with a peavey black widow prorider. the system now pumps 3600 watts of house rattling power. needless to say, this is overkill, so most of the time i listen on my beyer dynamic headphones.

[bedouin]

For years I owned a
Micromega T-Drive/T-DAC.
Naim 72/140
Sonus Faber Minuetto

nac72_nap140.jpg (47.04 KiB) Viewed 9119 times

These go b-hand for around $1.5k (audiogon/ebay).
The DAC can then be hooked to a computer's digital output and play that way too, without much loss in quality. Even stream the digital signal via an Airport Express (around $100).
I also found that placing the system (i.e. on a solid surface) and placing the speakers (i.e. away from glass, presence of curtains and carpets) is half the job.

Four years ago I switched to a bigger system but kept the Naim/Sonus combination which I always liked, as it sounds very natural and works really well with experimental music or music where attention to individual instruments and the relation between them counts more than say beat or high energy.

[orangettecoleman]

I did end up getting a pair of PSB Alpha B1 speakers and a Music Hall cd25.2 player, very happy with them. I recently acquired an old Yamaha r-50 reciever which sounds great as well, so I ditched the Technics, which sounded crap in comparison. I have a Fisher amp from the 70s that sounds even better, but there is some 60 cycle hum I can't seem to get rid of so I need to fool around with it a little, and the phono in has some kind of grounding problem as well. Time to do some research and teach myself a bit about electronics! Anyway, the difference between the Music Hall and my old CD player is small but noticeable, but the jump in sound quality that came from switching from my old Yamaha and Realistic speakers to the Alpha PSBs was HUGE. Best 300 bucks I ever spent.

[jumpskins]

w/ regular bookshelf speakers, nice mids - doesn't sound too sharp or crisp

[MRS]

Mildly off topic, and probably a stupid/lazy question: will an SACD play on any CD player? I'm specifically talking about Nono's Prometeo 2SACD off Col Legno. Thanks.

[free math]

Pretty sure not unless it's an SACD/CD hybrid, like the Dylan reissues from a while ago, which I think were two-sided.

[frozen reeds]

Mildly off topic, and probably a stupid/lazy question: will an SACD play on any CD player? I'm specifically talking about Nono's Prometeo 2SACD off Col Legno. Thanks.

That one is a hybrid so yes it should.

[james]

I'd like to hear that Naim/Sonus Faber setup above. Audio is in a great spot right now. Such great stuff can be had for so little cash.

I've got two systems setup at the moment in two separate rooms (both are relatively budget rigs). The main system is a Rega P3 w/AT440mla cart into a Cambridge Audio 640p phono stage feeding a NAD C320BEE integrated amplifier which drives a pair of Vienna Acoustics Bach Grands.

I've been through a bunch of speakers over the past few years and for the type of music I listen to, the Vienna Acoustics have been excellent. I imagine they'd work well for a lot of IHM reader's musical preferences, so give them a listen if you get the chance.




My second system is a pair of Klipsch Heresy's driven by an old Pioneer integrated amp from the early 70's and a Panasonic Blu-Ray player/Airport Express. This mainly does music DVD duty.

[holy ghost]

^ james, beautiful setup!

My wife and I just moved into a condo so I had to do some downgrading, I took about 1/3rd my LPs, none of my CDs and my cassettes are stuck in a box just to the side of the picture...... anyway I use a NAD receiver that I think it great, a sony cassette deck my dad had in the 80's that I had cleaned up real nice, and a technics turntables from the 70's...... I have a matching NAD CD player in storage that I need to bring in since I forgot that even though I had to pack up my CDs I'd still buy new ones from time to time....... other than that I rely a lot on MP3 versions..........

Oh also I use Canadian made PSB speakers that are fantastic to my ears. Heartily endorsed!!