suggestions for a system tweak?

T.white

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Dec 31, 2005
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Hi all,

Has anyone got any opinions on how I could get a reasonable lift in performance on my current setup?

I'm not particularly unhappy with the sound I'm getting, though I'm wondering what views are out there on thepossible upgrade/sidegrade-ish paths to explore. Currently I'm using a Yamaha CDRH1300 as a source, though I've also got aM.F A3.2cd (apologies), A Qinpu A1.0x and PMC GB1s with QED I/Cs and Nordost Solar wind speaker cable.

I like the Yammy sound over the M.F, and, also like the versatility it provides through the hard drive, the Qinpu amp is excellent I think and the GB1s are fabulous.

Should I spend £300-£500 on therapy instead????
sos.gif.b46fa5e4a1b4ea9bb8774a15a6092288.gif


 

harv

Hard working slacker
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Jan 5, 2006
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erm... guess
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
if your happy why change ...

only thing I can think of is adding some mains gubbins eg an isotek but err:run:

 

Jasper

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Jul 29, 2005
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I don't think you're going to seea worthwhile upgrade in hardwareon that budget.If it were me I'd either put it towards some more music or save upsome more...

 

T.white

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Dec 31, 2005
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Yeah I think so too.

I could get rid of the 3.2cd and stick a bit on top to get another source but don't know what sort of improvement I'll be getting or even what I'm looking for to be truthful.

I like the versatility that the Yamaha gives me and would question whether another cdp is justifiable (I suppose it would be if it were good enough).

Perhaps I'll get an award for the most pointless "thinking out loud" thread ever to be posted eh?

Therapy it is then. :Unhappy:

 
G

Guest

Guest
snapper wrote:

Some folks swear that :djermaica: is the best upgrade you can have.
certainly one of the cheapest and most consitant, and it's "retailers" still have somescrupples, sadly the same can't allways be said of hifi dealers

T white, you could chop and change around your budget like icehockey boy, and get slightly different presentations, for a huge jawdropping improvement usualy only comes with speaker and amp ugrades, and you often need to really up your budget for those type of products

 

Anthony

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Jan 9, 2006
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HiFi Trade?
  1. No
how about a turntable with the money you get for your mf A3.2? will give a different sound to add to your system instead of changing what you like, and means you can shop for records and cds.

hope to do it myself in the future.

 

T.white

Wammer
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Dec 31, 2005
562
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analoguekid wrote:

snapper wrote:
Some folks swear that :djermaica: is the best upgrade you can have.
certainly one of the cheapest and most consitant, and it's "retailers" still have somescrupples, sadly the same can't allways be said of hifi dealers

T white, you could chop and change around your budget like icehockey boy, and get slightly different presentations, for a huge jawdropping improvement usualy only comes with speaker and amp ugrades, and you often need to really up your budget for those type of products
AK, am I right in thinking your opinion is that the largest improvement in sound/presentation is via amp and/or speakers? Would you say the source isthe component in my system which is likely to give me least noticeable change?

What would bi-amping my GB1s likely give me? (other than aspace in my pocket where there used to be some cash?)

Always interested to hesr your thoughts
26.gif.8017d59dcd366c78cba0db9463c65b0f.gif


P.S. Anthony,

I've done the black stuff when I were a young lad, now though, (and with much regret I might add) I've got no albums left, Ive been and gone and sold the buggers years ago.

Sadly I'll bet some would be worth a bit now
f_doh.gif.2bfa1ec008d0c8800eee305d3a30be23.gif


 

Davewhityetagain

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Jul 24, 2005
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T.white wrote:

Hi all,Has anyone got any opinions on how I could get a reasonable lift in performance on my current setup?

I'm not particularly unhappy with the sound I'm getting, though I'm wondering what views are out there on thepossible upgrade/sidegrade-ish paths to explore. Currently I'm using a Yamaha CDRH1300 as a source, though I've also got aM.F A3.2cd (apologies), A Qinpu A1.0x and PMC GB1s with QED I/Cs and Nordost Solar wind speaker cable.

I like the Yammy sound over the M.F, and, also like the versatility it provides through the hard drive, the Qinpu amp is excellent I think and the GB1s are fabulous.

Should I spend £300-£500 on therapy instead????
sos.gif.b46fa5e4a1b4ea9bb8774a15a6092288.gif
How about a rack to put it all one ?

 
G

Guest

Guest
T at the level of your current Kit, then speakers and or amp would give the biggest change for pound, IMO cdp's are less obvious, and changes to them are often only really worthwhile when the rest of your kit is able to resolve the differences.

Bi amping will give better results, but not easy to do with your current amp, as best to keep power amps from same manufacturer, otherwise you could have gain problems, treble soundig louder than bass eg, and with passive biamping your often better to use budget to get a better single amp.

From your posts I'd say your system should give you many hours of pleasure, leave it for a while, buy more music and enjoy what you have, forums often make you think the grass is greener, elsewhere, but it's still grass

 

T.white

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Dec 31, 2005
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Built my own rack so no need for that one.

I'd have to admit also to being a little sceptical on how much improvemnt a rack will give me or anyone else for that matter (I feel a good bollocking coming on here).

Any further suggestions welcome (all those which end in "off you stupid t**t) need not apply.

ta

 

Steve

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Dec 18, 2005
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Steve
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I shan't comment on the electronics. Suffice to say, I'd choose none of it!

Just get rid of the Nordost Solar Wind cables. In interconnect form they are pretty decent. As speaker cables they are bloody awful (imho) with their one-note bloomy and gritty bass. If they were the only thing available to tie a pair of speakers to an amp I'd throw the lot off a cliff.

I've got a couple of 2.5m lengths of NACA5 kicking around I don't need that will be a vast improvement on the Nordost. The lengths will be adequate if you place your kit between the speakers, slightly behind them.

A decent rack, a proprietary mains block etc will certainly help as will cable dressing - no wire touching another or the walls/skirting boards.

 

T.white

Wammer
Wammer
Dec 31, 2005
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analoguekid wrote:

T at the level of your current Kit, then speakers and or amp would give the biggest change for pound, IMO cdp's are less obvious, and changes to them are often only really worthwhile when the rest of your kit is able to resolve the differences.Bi amping will give better results, but not easy to do with your current amp, as best to keep power amps from same manufacturer, otherwise you could have gain problems, treble soundig louder than bass eg, and with passive biamping your often better to use budget to get a better single amp.

From your posts I'd say your system should give you many hours of pleasure, leave it for a while, buy more music and enjoy what you have, forums often make you think the grass is greener, elsewhere, but it's still grass
Yeah, I think that I know you're right on all counts, searching really I suppose. The forum thing is not what's started the ball rolling though, I'm just seeking suggestion or experience of those who've maybe the knowledge or the GB1s to see what makes them work for them.

I'm not dissecting everything I hear when the music plays, I'm too busy with the music to do that. I was considering whether there may be summat that'll offer a little more, but if there isn't, I'm enjoying what I hear now, it does sound v-good.

biggrin.png
:D:D:D

 

T.white

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Dec 31, 2005
562
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Steve wrote:

I shan't comment on the electronics. Suffice to say, I'd choose none of it!Just get rid of the Nordost Solar Wind cables. In interconnect form they are pretty decent. As speaker cables they are bloody awful (imho) with their one-note bloomy and gritty bass. If they were the only thing available to tie a pair of speakers to an amp I'd throw the lot off a cliff.

I've got a couple of 2.5m lengths of NACA5 kicking around I don't need that will be a vast improvement on the Nordost. The lengths will be adequate if you place your kit between the speakers, slightly behind them.

A decent rack, a proprietary mains block etc will certainly help as will cable dressing - no wire touching another or the walls/skirting boards.
Hi Steve ta for the comments.

I've tried a few speaker cables but am not noticing too much of a diff to be truthful. The Solar Winds are clean but possiblyno better than some QED original mk2 bi-wire I've triedthat are spare to me. I'd be keen to find something that does alter the sound noticeably though ....(in a good way).

Can't say I've tried the mains block thing or the cable dressing thing either, is it really going to make any real difference???

I can see where this is leading and I'm gonna get a verbal kicking from all directions imminently I can see it!

 

mosfet

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Jul 20, 2005
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Richard
For £300 you could:

Plant 75 trees (£24)

Provide safe drinking water for 100 people (£72)

Invest in three pairs of goats (£144)

And fund the teaching of a class of children for one month (£68)

Doing so will give you a tremendous sense of well-being and make your hi-fi sound a lot, lot better. Guaranteed.
wink.png


Genuine customer testimonial:

"As for the goats we received from Oxfam… I consider them a gift from the sky. Giving animals to people like us is very important. It gave me confidence and increased my family's security because we now had assets." Aiche Mint Imizine, Mauritania

 
G

Guest

Guest
mosfet wrote:

"As for the goats we received from Oxfam… I consider them a gift from the sky. Giving animals to people like us is very important. It gave me confidence and increased my family's security because we now had assets." Aiche Mint Imizine, Mauritania
that reminds me of the phrase, "give a mana fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him how to fish, and he'll eat forever more"
 

Steve

Wammer
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Dec 18, 2005
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AKA
Steve
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Can't say I've tried the mains block thing or the cable dressing thing either, is it really going to make any real difference???
There is only one way to find out.

 
E

earl of sodbury

Guest
Flog the MF since it's just wasting space.

Then, eithergo for a pacier-sounding CDP - Exposure 3010, Copland ?model - depends on budget, Naim CD5i, Densen B400; or a valve-hybrid - Copland (again), Unison Research, Consonance, Shanling, for a spacierfriendlier more organicsound (e&oe).

I'd also junk your wires (sorry), mebbe try some silver speaker cables, and get a variety of interconnects from a dealer, see what works for you.

Mains treatment can be cost-effective - cables(Krystal) + filters (ETA PD8) = cheap and effective.

Slap one of these: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8420486/Trail/C%24cip%3D35826.Homewares%3EC%24cip%3D35905.Kitchenware%3EC%24cip%3D35911.Chopping%2Bboards.htmunder your CDP, and some of these little fellas under the slab: http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/products/caseaccessories/acoustifeet

Aside from the CDP change, the other effects are subtle, but cumulatively (with a bit of experimentation) they can give a system a real lift.

Good luck, churz, eofs

 

Steve

Wammer
Wammer
Dec 18, 2005
660
55
58
55
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AKA
Steve
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Then, eithergo for a pacier-sounding CDP - Exposure 3010, Copland ?model - depends on budget, Naim CD5i, Densen B400; or a valve-hybrid - Copland (again), Unison Research, Consonance, Shanling, for a spacierfriendlier more organicsound (e&oe).
The Densen B400 I wouldn't recommend to anyone. It was Densen's first CD player and it was a bit of a dog -I had one in my system for 7 weeks.Some were worse than others. The B400+ may be a different story though. The B400XS is the daddy (and I want one)but at 2.6k it should be.

 

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