Audiophiles, get in here!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Rotch
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phillgt2002
I don’t know anything about GS, but it seems they make great equipment from what I’m seeing on their website.

The digital I’m more familiar with. Those are good options and have pretty affordable options.

What kind of headphones are you looking to run?
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I currently use FiiO FT1 with the Velour Pads and I use the iFI Go Max DAC plugged into my iPad.

However today FiiO have just announced their new “Class A” Headphone Amp, that with a streamer and the R2R Warmer DAC would be good. I can then also link up my Phono Stage into this too.
 
I'm not a speaker guy so I'm absolutely useless there, but what about Schiit or even a Drop Amp? I'd immediately recommend the THX AAA 789 but...unless you want to find one secondhand, it hasn't come back around on Drop yet.

Schiit makes great stuff but with things they were they are here, you probably don't want to deal with that. Chi-Fi is another good option, something like FX Audio.
 
Terronium-12
I'm not a speaker guy so I'm absolutely useless there, but what about Schiit or even a Drop Amp? I'd immediately recommend the THX AAA 789 but...unless you want to find one secondhand, it hasn't come back around on Drop yet.

Schiit makes great stuff but with things they were they are here, you probably don't want to deal with that. Chi-Fi is another good option, something like FX Audio.
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I think in terms of the Analogue stuff I’ve got down the Graham Slee side as they’re just down the road from me, so if I ever need a service or upgrade I can just go knock on the door. Also if I join their forum you can get equipment on loan so you can try before buy if I want to check a possible future upgrade.

I forgot to to put Schitt on my list as thy have also been a company I’ve looked at along with Naim too.

I’ll certainly look at the others you mentioned.
 
coryclifford
I couldn’t recommend Schiit enough. A bunch of people that seem to be happy and bring great stuff with them.

NAD is my other choice. All my life.
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I’m really enjoying mine so far since buying it with my DAC and headphones.

This is the Midgard

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I have a Mjolnir with Sennheiser 600 and 650s, or 700 and 800, but the 650s are the sweet spot. A Vali for some AKG 7xx and a Mani phono stage for whatever. NAD 316BEE V2 for the stereo but use the headphones with it also. It’s okay but nothing beats the Mjolnir for literally hammering your head. Love it. Though the DNA Sonnet is really sweet. Just not a hammer when you want it.
 
coryclifford
I have a Mjolnir with Sennheiser 600 and 650s, or 700 and 800, but the 650s are the sweet spot. A Vali for some AKG 7xx and a Mani phono stage for whatever. NAD 316BEE V2 for the stereo but use the headphones with it also. It’s okay but nothing beats the Mjolnir for literally hammering your head. Love it. Though the DNA Sonnet is really sweet. Just not a hammer when you want it.
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I had a listening session and spent time on an album and a number of different songs. This is the furthest I’ve ever pushed my audio setup.

I got the Hifiman Arya Stealth headphones to pair it all together and semi-retire my Beyerdynamics.

These headphones have made me further realize the importance of good audio engineering for music production.
 
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I tried all the Beyers I could but I could very quickly find their sound and it just didn’t click with me. The old 880s were pretty good, but just had a spike up top I couldn’t ignore. Kind of the same with old Grado

Edit: now being 50, maybe they’d work better. As I’m half deaf, and it’s safe to assume really old people did the tuning on most headphones
 
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coryclifford
I tried all the Beyers I could but I could very quickly find their sound and it just didn’t click with me. The old 880s were pretty good, but just had a spike up top I couldn’t ignore. Kind of the same with old Grado

Edit: now being 50, maybe they’d work better. As I’m half deaf, and it’s safe to assume really old people did the tuning on most headphones
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I have a hard time with headphones being too bright. I was worried about FT1’s as they were a blind buy. However, after they broke in they sounded nice and smooth to my ears.

Then I upgraded the pads from stock to the velour ones, they’re thicker and firmer, this extra distance from my ears tightened all the midrange up a smidge rolled off the highs a little and gave the bottom end a boost and tighten.

All very small adjustments in the sound but just solidified my liking for them even more.

I’ve posted the graph which is on the box these came in.

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So the quest goes on, I’ve discovered a hum coming from the Audio Technica TT and well, it turns out because it has a built-in phono stage there is a wiring issue.

I took the TT apart yesterday and found I wasn’t able to bypass the problem due to it all being wired to a PCB!! Annoyed isn’t going to cut how I felt.

So the search for a new TT has also started. I don’t want anything crazy and found either the Rega P1 or P2 will suffice or of going down the P2 rout possible the Pro-ject Debut Evo 2 which I can currently get a decent discount.

However I’ve gone to the cellar and found the old Pioneer PL-12D and given it a decent clean, put a new plug on fitted the headshell from the other TT and wow, what a difference. So much nicer to listen to.

It has its fault like arm lift is buggered and the ANtiskaring has its weight missing and the cabling has seen better days. But even with these issues it’s so much better listen than the Audio Technica.

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And it’s good looking.

My sister came over the other day and I played an original Dave Brubek Take Five. Tons of surface noise. After a bit I asked her, so does all the clicks and pops bother you? She said she doesn’t even notice after a minute. Exactly. Records are the ****. Then I got into explaining the digital recording on vinyl doesn’t really count, analog, etc. Fun day

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coryclifford
And it’s good looking.

My sister came over the other day and I played an original Dave Brubek Take Five. Tons of surface noise. After a bit I asked her, so does all the clicks and pops bother you? She said she doesn’t even notice after a minute. Exactly. Records are the ****. Then I got into explaining the digital recording on vinyl doesn’t really count, analog, etc. Fun day

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Always fun times explaining that their new pressing of an old album is actually just a digital transcription on wax. While some sound fantastic others are just horrible and not adjusted for the limitations of a record.

A true Analogue to Analogue pressing and the correct curve it was mastered at and if Mono using a Mono cartridge sound just fantastic.
 
My phone is broken otherwise I’d quote the mono bit. I have a few mono albums, and a Grado mono cart. It’s just not worth the trouble though.

What I want to do is put this AT 440ml back in action but laziness prevails.

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coryclifford
My phone is broken otherwise I’d quote the mono bit. I have a few mono albums, and a Grado mono cart. It’s just not worth the trouble though.

What I want to do is put this AT 440ml back in action but laziness prevails.
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Yeh, that’s the only issue. Having to swap, would love to be able to have a two arm turntable.

I’m hoping to soon restore an SME 3009 and get an arm board for the new SL1210 I’ve got coming.

I’m already looking into upgrades for it :lol:
 
So the old man dropped off the Turntable that started my own love affair with wax and was his first TT purchase back before I was born.. I think about ‘78 or ‘79.

It was a home made type job with an SME 3009 tonearm.

Well I’ve now got it at mine and it’s been in his loft for years accumulating dirt, dust and corrosion.

Most can be cleaned off and the bearings and armrest all are still smooth and free from grinding or sticking.

The RCA cables (original SME ones) have seen better days but look like solid silver connections which is nice.

I have found a chap who worked at SME and now refurbs these arms called Mr SME. :lol: so I have reached out to find out what is involved and cost.

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So we’ve just had the quote back for the SME refurb and it’s £480 + postage charges.

Both myself and the old man don’t feel it’s worth putting that much into it. It’s a shame really as it’s such a lovely thing and feels like a Swiss Watch.

Maybe down the line if things change, or it may just get a cleaning and selling on.
 
coryclifford
Just buy a Rega?
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I’ve got an SL-1210 Mk2 coming next week.

The idea was maybe get the SME refurbed and then look into swapping it onto the SL.

I may now just get a Mono cartridge as I’ll have 3 head shells. I’ve already got an Ortofon Red 2M and an old Ortofon Blue (not sure which). The TT is coming with a new Stylus too, however not sure what that will be, probably a cheap-ish Audiotechnica.
 
old Ortofon Blue
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Well it’s not a Blue. It’s a VMS30 MkII

Tracking at 1.3g and still sounds insane. Just playing Pink Floyd ‘74 pressing of Meddle and it’s just a stupendous.

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Meddle is awesome. The cheap ish AT carts are okay in my book. I have their good one on the arm right now. I have them all. They aren’t as sparkly clear as the 440ml, or warm as a Grado Sonata, but being a 50 year old with ear damages, they sound pretty good. The street traffic and airplanes from Columbus airport every 2 minutes screw everything up anyways.

Headphones or speakers. And music these days isn’t recorded all that great. Digital crap
 

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