ScooByer Trade

Hi folks, i've just looked at an Arcam Rdac and some very expensive music streamers.I was wondering if this new technology is better than vinyl records.Does anybody here think it is better or will this all phase out in the near future ?.

Nath.

ScooByer Trade

Oops wrong section.

Jazzy Jefferson

iTrader: (2)

Vinyl through a proper system will sound much better. Cds follow.
No amount of "wirelessly transmitting MP3s" will be better. For now. Depends what you want, audio quality or convenience?

ScooByer Trade

Well i've had a decent hi-fi for well over 10 years Jazzy Jefferson.This is what i have at the mo

Arcam Alpha 9 integrated amp
Arcam Alpha 8 cd player
Arcam Alpha 7 tuner
B&W P4 speakers

I would sooner listen to quality than quantity and you are probably the same as me.But i am only an average listener though.

legb4rsk

Well done! This thread is just what we need to keep us amused during a bank holiday weekend.!
Oh,and in case you get bored, how about 'What's the best car?'
8-)

Jazzy Jefferson

iTrader: (2)

Stick to vinyl or CD
you could stream losless audio files...? FLAC is the extension I believe? Not sure fit there's much point if you have the music on another format already.
Nothing is "better" its just different.

Jazzy Jefferson

iTrader: (2)

Depends if it has winter tyres...

legb4rsk

I would like to hear a good digital source as it will become more convenient & easier to source music in the future.
I have a turntable & a cd player.It would be interesting to listen to a similarly priced streamer front end to do a direct comparison.

I did hook up my laptop via its HDMI to my surround amp which I put in Pure-Direct mode to feed stereo to my hifi amp.I downloaded some FLAC & other 'lossless' files up to 192/24.Also tried some high bitrate internet radio sources.

The sound was very clean & detailed but not very 'musical' which I know is subjective & I realise my temporary experimental setup was not designed to be used as a hifi music source.

warrenm2

The trouble I noticed when going back to vinyl is... you're up and down changing it every 20 minutes! Forgot about that aspect

Graz

This, mainly from a convenience aspect, as you can box up all your CDs and store them away somewhere, then control everything from a tablet in your armchair. No changing CDs, you can mix up tracks from different albums, the music is available to every room (using media extenders).

My long term plan is to rip all my CDs to FLAC format. As this is a lossless compression format the copies of you CDs are bit exact, the digital information held by both sources is identical. The key to a good listening experience is how you get that information into an analogue form, good quality DACs, amplification and speakers are needed..

Chip

Don't the new turntables have that little thing in the middle that allows you to stack up the LP's then drops them onto whatever was last played.

Graz

I had one of them, our Dad let us loose on it after he bought some proper Hi-Fi including a Garrard turntable

warrenm2

Sounds a bit new fangled if you ask me!

wayne9t9

Bet it was an SP25.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Arcam and B&W are good, but only mid-range hi-fi in reality. Hi-fi is like watches.....how much do you want to spend?

I have a reasonable Linn/Naim system, but again that is pretty much a budget system compared to some!

TelBoy

The best type of hi-fi equipment is that which makes you want to listen to music rather than watch the tv or browse social networking sites etc. If it's still having that effect, then there's no point spending more, or slippery slopes await you.

Graz

Think it was you know, looks vaguely familiar.

SRSport

Although cost is not an indication of how well a watch can tell the time, in fact a £200 quartz Tissot will tell the time better than a £2000 automatic Omega. Hopefully with HiFi you get an improvement in what it is actually designed to do - play music.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

You will get a difference, whether it's an improvement or not depends on your taste and hearing. It can also be better made, look a lot nicer than a cheap system and say something about your personality.... a bit like a watch

Matteeboy

We have a fairly non flashy Teac Reference system but with decent Bose 301s (older ones from when they made them properly ;-) ), good speaker cable and interconnects, it doesn't half punch well above its weight.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I've got a Cyrus system: Pre VS2, CD8X, two power amps and a apir of V-SXR power supplies for the preamp and CD player.
I also have CLS70 speakers and decent interconnects.

The problem with HiFi is the law of diminishing returns.

A £1000 Hi-Fi is noticeably better than a £100 one.

A £10,0000 HiFi is probaly better than the £1000 one, but not by nearly as much.

And a £100,000 system ...well, most folk couldn't tell the difference between it and the £10,000 one.

Then there's subjectivity. My CLS 70 speakers didn't score all that well by so-called experts. But I loved the sound from the first time I heard some, and still do.

MY dad had one of these:

http://www.vinylengine.com/images/mo...rard_sl_75.jpg

We made our own plinth, and a wooden lid too...couldn't afford the fancy plastic ones.

This is the one I wanted:
http://www.stefanopasini.it/images/G...Zero%20100.jpg

And this was my first turntable:
http://www.minhembio.com/bilder/bild/?pic_id=224662.jpg

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

We were state of the art when my old man got one of these back in the day.

Ferguson hifi system 25.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Me and my old man MADE all ours:

Garrard turntable on home-made plinth with home made cover.
Home made speakers from a design by G A Briggs (Wharfedale), with Wharfedale 10" RSDD speakers.

All Sinclair amp: Two Z12 power amps, a power supply and a P25 preamp, in a home made box, of course.

It was better than anything any of my mates had, at that time.

Rapid17

I'm happy with a Rega Apollo as a CD transport, Rega DAC, Prima Luna Prologue Two amplifier and Tannoy Turnberry speakers.