What equipment do you use?
Tue, Apr 27 2010, 11:31AM
I've always found it hard to put together a system that truly does classical music justice so I thought it would be good for everyone to share their successes here.
After a great deal of swapping, trialling, and changing (documented over at What Hi-Fi's excellent forums) I've finally settled on a budget system that gives me everything I want until I can eventually afford the Sugden gear I ultimately aim to own.
I'm currently using a Rotel RCD965BX CD player with a NAD C326BEE amplifier and a pair of Roth Audio Oli2 speakers. Interconnect is Atlas Equator II and speaker cable is QED XT Evolution. The speakers are placed on 50cm Apollo A2-5 stands. I do also own a NAD C545BEE CD player but the transport is so noisy that I can't stand using it and the Rotel actually sounds better in many respects.
I love this system and would be fascinated to read what other forum members have found to be good for classical music.
Thu, Apr 29 2010, 1:43PM
#2
RE: What equipment do you use?
I'm using a AR Legend turntable, Linn Ittok arm and Goldring 1042 cartridge into Arcam 8R amp and Tannoy M3 floorstanders (soon to be replaced with Monitor Audio Silvers, I'm hoping.)
A couple of years ago I upgraded my Marantz CD63SE CD player to a Cambridge Audio Azur 740C, which was an improvement, but not the equal to vinyl for which I was hoping. The rather pasteurised string sound and relative lack of definition to woodwind voicings, which I find typical of most CDs, still bothers me. Maybe SACD is the way forward for me?
Sat, May 8 2010, 1:05AM
#3
RE: What equipment do you use?
I use floorstanders, integrated amp, tuner, turntable, CD player.
This thread is no different from other audio threads I read. There is always a lot of name-dropping and switching going on. Most of the time, I wonder whether the equipment is at fault.
I guess I'm lucky. I've had the same primary system for 20 years. The only modifications have been a CD player that needed a cleaning and a door fixed, and occasional interconnect and speaker wire changes.
Every five years or so, I've done audio equipment auditioning (mid-price) to hear what I'm missing. So far it's been nothing.
Count me lucky.
Tue, Jun 8 2010, 4:12PM
#4
RE: What equipment do you use?
My amplifier is a NAD C326BEE. Good value for the money.
CD/DVD Player: Harman Kardon DVD20 (Excellent CD audio quality!)
Computermusic: Own recordings ( FM Radio4 Netherlands). Recorded with aid of Marantz receiver SR4320 (average amplifier but very good tuner section) Audacity for iMAC (24b/48kHz) and exported as mp3 320kbps. Streamed wireless via Squeezebox Classic to Nad Amplifier. Sounds great, never hang ups! (Question: What the hell am I doing sampling FM radio arial broadcast with 24b/48kHz, may be 16b/44kHz is already more than enough. I have also experimented with recording 32b/98kHz and exporting as flac files. Can't make out the difference but I'm 67 you know.
Speakers: Monitor Audio RX6 Silver
Thu, Jun 10 2010, 10:32AM
#5
RE: What equipment do you use?
I use floorstanders, integrated amp, tuner, turntable, CD player.
Similarly, except that I also use a Squeezebox to stream files from a server, the vast bulk of my music now being stored as mp3 or flac.
This thread is no different from other audio threads I read. There is always a lot of name-dropping and switching going on. Most of the time, I wonder whether the equipment is at fault.
I know what you mean, although if it's done with sufficiently low ego, and enough objectivity, discussing kit can be useful. There's another forum I use where such discussions do occur, although because they have to be as objective as possible they tend to be much rarer than those on regular 'hi-fi' forums.
I guess I'm lucky. I've had the same primary system for 20 years.
I've only had three main systems since I spent my first term's grant on hi-fi almost 30 years ago :-)
I do have some 'alternative' stand-mount speakers that I wheel out from time to time - a pair of venerable but still perfectly functional British-made ones from the 1970s that have a different quality of treble* from my floorstanders. (I got them for nothing, via freecycle - I was more than happy to help the person who wanted to dispose of them.)
* I won't say it's 'better' because it depends what I play through them. I find them very good for acoustic material, especially things like guitars and harpsichords. (Other people might not, of course.)
Thu, Jun 10 2010, 7:05PM
#6
RE: What equipment do you use?
I have owned many brands down the years. All have brought me pleasure. Once you get to a certain standard of gear from reputable manufacturers, the differences are minor -- apart from speakers. Auditioning speakers with recordings you know well is essential.
The only items I have bought in the last ten years that have generated a significant increase in my enjoyment are a number of Squeezebox streaming devices. Released from the tyranny of jumping up and down to change CDs, switching recordings with a few flicks of a remote. Squeezebox devices were designed by people who know what they're doing. Reliable streaming over ethernet or wifi, the ability to handle many formats (including, critically from my point of view, FLAC and OGG). The devices also contain perfectly decent DACs, although if you are one of those listeners with golden ears, you can deliver digital out to a DAC of your choice. My two Squeezebox Classics and my Squeezebox Radio have been my best audio technology purchases of the last decade.
Sun, Jun 13 2010, 5:26PM
#7
RE: What equipment do you use?
I have different systems but all are valve based amplification. I recently upgraded my 40+ year old system by adding a pair of KEF IQ 30 'speakers on Atacama Nexus stands to a Rogers Cadet III valve amp, Lenco GL75 turntable with Shure M75ED Type 2 cartridge, and an old Technics CD player (all with the exception of the new 'speakers following, of course, excellent reviews in "Gramophone"). The results are very satisfying, particularly on LP. Just listening to the ASMF's Argo LP of Mendelssohn's Octet, closed my eyes and it really did sound as if they were there with me, fabulous!
Sun, Jun 13 2010, 6:26PM
#8
RE: What equipment do you use?
I have found Dynaudio speakers to be excellent for classical music. Coupled with a powerful amp, they would be hard to beat.
Wed, Jun 16 2010, 4:45PM
#9
RE: What equipment do you use?
Hello!
I use a Thorens TD 126 Mk III / SME 3009-R to which will soon be fitted a new Shure M 97xE, along with Quad 44 Mk I - 405 Mk I amplifier and Sonab OA 116 loudspeakers.
Thu, Jun 17 2010, 5:24PM
#10
RE: What equipment do you use?
I moved so much and had little dosh in my 30s but I had heard a couple really interesting high end systems 20 years ago. One was a friend with an outrageous stack of components and wires etc. But putting the needle on an LP the music popped out in 3 dimensions, I was fascinated.
In 2001 I had money and nice apartment so went hunting for a "system". I didn't want one of every different component. I stumbled upon Naim a 30WPC separates with Spendor speakers. I had to buy the whole thing , soup to nuts, as I had nothing to fall back on. The dealer lives an hour north of LA and said if I waited 3 weeks he had another customer upgrading and I could get his year old system for 30% off. Also the speakers were a year old as the guy that turned them in said his wife objected to cherry not fitting their rosewood furniture.... his loss my gain at 30% off. I've never dealt with another dealer because Gene is so great. I don't go into stereo stores as they never sound great and too confusing with other people and music, it just drives me crazy. I'd never buy a system from a big box store. I guess I'm elitist as I really like the British built products which are about minimalist boxes with the best electronics possible.
I have my system on almost all day and night and never get fatigued listening to it. Also DVD and TV thru it. Tho now it has become one of those cobbled systems...LOL, oh well.
Clearaudio turntable with DVXX-2 cartridge, Naim CDX2, Roksan tuner, LFD integrated pre with 80wpc into Harbeth SHL5 speakers. Some people drive expensive cars, I"m home all day and want great sound.
I listen to old vocal jazz, classical and some rock/pop.
Mon, Jul 26 2010, 3:20PM
#11
RE: What equipment do you use?
My system is vintage solid state.
I have a Marantz 2230 stereo receiver feeding a pair of Energy 22 speakers.
For my sources, I have a Thorens TD160t/t with a Shure ME95HE cartridge, I still have my Lenco L75 t/t with a GEVRII mono cartridge for playing 78's. For cd's/dvd's I use a JVC dvd player which doubles as my cd player.
My primary music listening is classical, but love '80's pop.
The nice thing about this system is seems to have a well 'rounded' sound for almost all types of music
Mon, Jul 26 2010, 4:09PM
#12
RE: What equipment do you use?
I'm using a AR Legend turntable, Linn Ittok arm and Goldring 1042 cartridge into Arcam 8R amp and Tannoy M3 floorstanders (soon to be replaced with Monitor Audio Silvers, I'm hoping.)
A couple of years ago I upgraded my Marantz CD63SE CD player to a Cambridge Audio Azur 740C, which was an improvement, but not the equal to vinyl for which I was hoping. The rather pasteurised string sound and relative lack of definition to woodwind voicings, which I find typical of most CDs, still bothers me. Maybe SACD is the way forward for me?
I agree 100% with what you said as for digital sound.
Recently I was beginning to think I was hearing things, BUT as I listen more on headphones on either cd or MP3, something became clearly evident.
High frequencies in the digital media have a nasty glare and complex passages just can't cope in the digital mode. I think know why and will briefly explain.
Most acoustic based music produces a sine wave. We know digital is a square wave, so imagine what happens when the conversion happens!!!
Just a thought
Mon, Jul 26 2010, 7:02PM
#13
RE: What equipment do you use?
I agree 100% with what you said as for digital sound.
Recently I was beginning to think I was hearing things, BUT as I listen more on headphones on either cd or MP3, something became clearly evident.
High frequencies in the digital media have a nasty glare and complex passages just can't cope in the digital mode. I think know why and will briefly explain.
Most acoustic based music produces a sine wave. We know digital is a square wave, so imagine what happens when the conversion happens!!!
Just a thought
I think it's more to do with engineering than anything intrinsically wrong with the technology. There are magnificent digital recordings and the opposite, just as with analogue. But there is certainly a tendency to overblow the upper mid-range. Whether that's intentional, to make a recording sound more impressive on cheap equipment, or simply because most engineers don't know their stuff (or are using lousy reference equipment) I don't know. Certainly, glassy string sound is an endemic problem in the recording world.
It's interesting to compare the various regenerations of classic recordings as they're offered to the public with accompanying techy hype. I have three versions of the famous Decca Britten/Grimes, starting with vinyl. The early cd version was horrible, way inferior to the lp. But the latest issue I have, described on the sleeve as "remastered at 96kHz in 24-bit digital stereo from the original analogue mastertapes." is a vast improvement, at least as good as the original. On the other hand, I still haven't heard a cd of the D.G. Karajan Sibelius 4 that comes close to the vinyl. D.G. struggle with their string sound, swinging from strident to dull. They seem to be incapable of recapturing the bloom and space of those 1960s BPO recordings.
Tue, Jul 27 2010, 1:06PM
#14
RE: What equipment do you use?
I agree 100% with what you said as for digital sound.
Recently I was beginning to think I was hearing things, BUT as I listen more on headphones on either cd or MP3, something became clearly evident.
High frequencies in the digital media have a nasty glare and complex passages just can't cope in the digital mode. I think know why and will briefly explain.
Most acoustic based music produces a sine wave. We know digital is a square wave, so imagine what happens when the conversion happens!!!
Just a thought
I think it's more to do with engineering than anything intrinsically wrong with the technology. There are magnificent digital recordings and the opposite, just as with analogue. But there is certainly a tendency to overblow the upper mid-range. Whether that's intentional, to make a recording sound more impressive on cheap equipment, or simply because most engineers don't know their stuff (or are using lousy reference equipment) I don't know. Certainly, glassy string sound is an endemic problem in the recording world.
It's interesting to compare the various regenerations of classic recordings as they're offered to the public with accompanying techy hype. I have three versions of the famous Decca Britten/Grimes, starting with vinyl. The early cd version was horrible, way inferior to the lp. But the latest issue I have, described on the sleeve as "remastered at 96kHz in 24-bit digital stereo from the original analogue mastertapes." is a vast improvement, at least as good as the original. On the other hand, I still haven't heard a cd of the D.G. Karajan Sibelius 4 that comes close to the vinyl. D.G. struggle with their string sound, swinging from strident to dull. They seem to be incapable of recapturing the bloom and space of those 1960s BPO recordings.
That's why for pop music, I look for FIRST GENERATION '80's cd's. They're out there, you just need to know what to look for.
I also agree that most reissues of classical material have a problem with string sounds.
This could be another thread!!
Wed, Jul 28 2010, 7:23AM
#15
RE: What equipment do you use?
It would also be very nice to know what equipment each Gramophone reviewer uses to review the new compact discs each month. Gramophone used to have a listening room where all the equipment was listed thereby setting a kind of "standard".
Perhaps once a year all the reviewer's equipment should be listed especially if it is updated.
Robert.
I've had similar problems in finding equipment that does full justice to classical music, but recently found a combination that I feel works very well.
After trying components from Naim, Rega, Cyrus, Arcam, Cambridge Audio and speakers from Spendor, B&W, Rega and AE I've settled on a Yamaha CD2000 and AS2000 with ATC SCM 11 speakers. It sounds great, just very slightly on the warm sound of neutral and more importantly doesn't seem to get in the way of the music by adding much character of its own.
I'm now eagerly awaiting delivery of my ATCs and should be able to add the amp next month.
Incidentally, I found that the easiest way to get the sound I want was to buy a Rega P3-24 and switch to vinyl, but given that I don't want to stop using my CD collection (which I've been building for the last 20 years), the Yamaha system is the next best thing.