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Good hifi this year

DanielT

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It can be anything between heaven and earth when it comes to music and hifi. Something, which you this year, acquired that you are really happy with.
For example: A pair of speakers, a new smart software, a really nice listening chair, an unusual vinyl record and so on. :)

Personally, I like my bargain, an old classic amplifier NAD 3020. A little racer, a fun piece of audio candy. I have it as part of my secondary system.Given the low power, of course, sensitive speakers are needed. Even then, the power may not be enough to have as an amplifier in the main system (probably also depends on the type of music, signal in which it is fed).

Nowadays, well, the melody of the times is speakers (with low, well not all) distortion and low sensibility paired with enough power. It's a sensible development, I think. NAD 3020, from a bygone era. However, it can be recommended with the mentioned reservations. Mostly because it's about hifi history. So now I will not waffle more about NAD 3020.



Edit:
I thought they could be fun to share experiences and then maybe you get some idea in return.

Edit 2
A soldering station, which, uh, really not much more to say than that I found it at a good price at an electronics store. Perhaps a little far-fetched, from a sound point of view. Have mostly just soldered banana plugs. Will try to build a small DIY OP amp based pre amp in the future, mostly for fun.:)
 
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GD Fan

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Denon 3700H to replace the Yamaha A1080 that was purchased a mere 4 months before Amir reviewed one (and before ASR was a part of daily life). Audyssey just blows away YPAO by a mile.

Incidentally the A1080 is for sale, not that I'd expect many takers here considering how it performed in Amir's review.

P.S. Great idea, a thread about positive things. Hopefully it keeps the bitching to a minimum!
 

Chazz6

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I hooked up a Pioneer SX-205 receiver and BIC Venturi Formula 2 speakers that I had not used for twenty-some years. I could tell there is a thing called high fidelity even as I noticed flaws in the sound.

That began a sequence of substitutions of components. I was willing to spend beyond mass market prices but not audiophile prices. I arrived at a system that sounds great to me and is a delight to fire up every day in a modest-size living room at my preference for moderate volume:

Digital inputs go into a JDS Atom Lab DAC.
Its output goes into a Quicksilver Integrated tube amplifier.
The speakers are Focal Aria 906s, snagged off craigslist for under half of the U.S. list price.
 

jsrtheta

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My rig remains relentlessly old school. I picked up a Rotel RC-980BX pre that does what every Rotel I've ever owned (and there have been a few down the years), namely, cleanly play what it's fed and get louder when I turn the volume up.

Latest toy: a used Niles SI-245 power amp for a song that outperforms its size. So I'm happy.
 
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DanielT

DanielT

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This was fun. Good that you are satisfied. Congratulations.:)

Old amplifier, part 2. Most people probably know this, but for the rest. Hold on to your hat. Old electronics in amplifiers may need to be replaced. I'm most of the school if it ain't broke, do not fix it. My friend, trained in electronics, is on the other end of the spectrum. He's a recap addict. Well after nagging, he got the NAD 3020 to replace the capacitors (44 pcs). Okay, I'm kidding. Of course I'm grateful.:D According to the friend, it measures nicely (as well as an old small budget amplifier can measure). Nice clipping 40 W , 8 Ohm.But before that when he changed capacitors I got SMS messages from him. Check DC offset. Not as it should be. More fixing.Please note I am not whining now. Notes only facts. On the contrary, it's a little fun when it happens. A little unexpected (not really at all unexpected). A little extra excitement in hifi everyday.:cool:

Still a bargin, NAD3020.Now with x number of hours extra driving to the dump with my trailer and throwing a lot of junk that the friend has accumulated over the years. The payment (in addition to the material cost of the parts) for his recap. No problem. I'm happy to help him.:p

Well, this thread may be a bit scattered but it does not matter, I think. Fun with tips. Here are a few more:

Here you can look at some pictures. My recacp addictive friend holds this fair:


His interest in old tape recorders (seen in the pictures).

Take advantage now when this with corona hell seems to be solved to in addition to going to live concerts take the opportunity to go to a little different hifi fairs. I will publish photos after I was at this year's DIY vintage in November.:)

Tip 2. For those who are interested in sound, old history around tubes, radio and so on. Check if there is any sound, radio museeum where you live. Take the opportunity to take part in the sounds of times gone by.

Edit:
If you do not know electronics, or have someone who can help you, do not buy old amplifiers. If you do not want to spend a lot of money and pay for a change, recap for example. It can be expensive. Takes time = $ that you have to pay a repairman. No stranger than if you buy a vintage car for example. Then just put on the mechanic's pants.:)

There are many sensible affordable new amplifiers with clean sound. Better to buy such an amp than vintage. Good and many watts are now pretty cheap. Vintage hifi as a hobby. Maybe in a secondary system. I think, anyway.:)
New car for everyday driving. Old petrol-smelling, with poor performance but fun to drive at weekend from time to time.

But ok a little "killer" it is:
 
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Drengur

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I've been quite happy with the Topping D30pro and most recently with my Dan Clark Æon 2 Noires. I am, however, not all that happy with the delivery time of my E30/L30, I would expect higher fidelity from those shipping companies.
 
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DanielT

DanielT

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I hooked up a Pioneer SX-205 receiver and BIC Venturi Formula 2 speakers that I had not used for twenty-some years. I could tell there is a thing called high fidelity even as I noticed flaws in the sound.

That began a sequence of substitutions of components. I was willing to spend beyond mass market prices but not audiophile prices. I arrived at a system that sounds great to me and is a delight to fire up every day in a modest-size living room at my preference for moderate volume:

Digital inputs go into a JDS Atom Lab DAC.
Its output goes into a Quicksilver Integrated tube amplifier.
The speakers are Focal Aria 906s, snagged off craigslist for under half of the U.S. list price.
Congratulations, but have you researched this:

BIC Venturi Formula 2:
Impedance: at no time below 4 Ω

Pioneer SX-205
Speaker load impedance: 8Ω (minimum)


So you do not blow your receiver. Maybe it was not expensive, but still.:)
 
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