Simplicity...

[coonmanx]

Lots of threads about streaming sources, DACs, mini DSP, REW...

I don't have any of that. In fact the system that I was listening to today cost me just over $300. Panasonic portable CD player plugged into an MCS 3872 that I got off of the Bay for about $130. Portable CD player probably cost $35. Scott 166 speakers with the Philips tweeter probably around $150. And it sounds fantastic. Only thing I really did for setup was toe in the speakers slightly and place them the same distance from the wall. Listened to some Hendrix today. Closed my eyes and enjoyed the music...

 

[coonmanx]

That MCS unit is 110 watts per channel with ridiculously low distortion. Not even a hint of background noise. Made by NEC late 80s... Hendrix is timeless...

You can see the Panasonic portable CD player behind the stack of CDs...

Also getting into Robin Trower a lot lately.

 

[coonmanx]

Basement system...

Used to be my main system but now resides in the basement where I can jam along with either electric guitar, acoustic guitar or harmonica... MCS 3842 (Technics), JVC XL-V151 CD player (early 90s), Fisher 10 band EQ, Speakerlab 1s and some Celestion Ditton 110s with replaced drivers (good quality). Also a Carver C-9 for fun. That system puts out some music but is a bit much for the living room. Was going to mount the TV on the wall behind it and then run TV sound through it as well but never got that far with the TV. Woofers in the modified Ditton 110s are Allison and the tweeters are M&K (Vifa)...

The lowly MCS 3842 has no problem driving those four speakers to some loud levels.

 

[coonmanx]

Upstairs bedroom system. I used to listen to this one a lot but then the local college radio station took a dump and went to news only. So my late night listening is now done on the computer speakers instead. Still a good system. Kenwood amp and tuner. Scott CD player and tuner. Toshiba EQ. Speakers were a two way kit from Willys Hifi in England that I built in the Celestion Ditton 110 cabinets because I like the form factor. Sounds good but doesn't really get used all of that much anymore.

None of these systems will break the bank...

Speaker stands courtesy of Home Depot...

Just turned the left "speaker stand" around so that the label doesn't show...

 

[ta240]

....Closed my eyes and enjoyed the music...

In the end, that is what it is all about.

 

[RayDunzl]

For years I had a CD player, passive volume contorl (a pair of 10k pots), a power amp featuring alottawatts, and a pair of electrostatic hybrid speakers.

Still using all but that CD player someplace in the house, but have added a fair amount of complexity, now that I'm inhabiting a more permanent domicile.

 

[coonmanx]

For years I had a CD player, passive volume contorl (a pair of 10k pots), a power amp featuring alottawatts, and a pair of electrostatic hybrid speakers.

Still using all but that CD player someplace in the house, but have added a fair amount of complexity, now that I'm inhabiting a more permanent domicile.

The thing that I like about CDs is that they can be had for so cheap these days. And there are pretty much unlimited titles available. Still a great music source. And I own it...

Plus I can usually preview the album on YouTube if am wondering whether or not I might like it.

 

[DVDdoug]

Lots of threads about streaming sources,

If you've got the music you want and it's convenient for you, you don't need streaming. I'm old so I've already got most of the music I want... I don't find newer music that interesting/enjoyable. I did buy 3 CDs recently but they were new releases by old artists. The only streaming I have is a free Spotify account.

All of my CDs are "ripped" and I have an "extra" laptop connected to my home theater system.

DACs

Your CD player has a DAC and the odds are, it's better than human hearing.

mini DSP

But I see that you do have an equalizer.

REW...

Just about everybody can benefit from room measurement and correction.

But, I've only used what's built-into my AVR and although I've run it, I didn't look into what it's doing and it didn't make a huge difference.

I do have bigger speakers than you, and a surround setup. I like to use one of the soundfield settings on my AVR to give a little delayed reverb in the rear to simulate a bigger room. And I like the "power" from my subwoofers.




...I "appreciate" Jimi Hendrix and I do have some of his music, and his Monterey Pop Festival show on DVD. And I have the movie, Hendrix. He was a great talent and innovator. But his music doesn't do much for me. I think it's his voice.

I heard a story once told by some "rock star". I don't remember who it was but he saw Hendrix (in England, I think) and decided to give-up guitar and switch to bass!

 

[coonmanx]

If you've got the music you want and it's convenient for you, you don't need streaming. I'm old so I've already got most of the music I want... I don't find newer music that interesting/enjoyable. I did buy 3 CDs recently but they were new releases by old artists. The only streaming I have is a free Spotify account.

All of my CDs are "ripped" and I have an "extra" laptop connected to my home theater system.


Your CD player has a DAC and the odds are, it's better than human hearing.


But I see that you do have an equalizer.


Just about everybody can benefit from room measurement and correction.

But, I've only used what's built-into my AVR and although I've run it, I didn't look into what it's doing and it didn't make a huge difference.

I do have bigger speakers than you, and a surround setup. I like to use one of the soundfield settings on my AVR to give a little delayed reverb in the rear to simulate a bigger room. And I like the "power" from my subwoofers.




...I "appreciate" Jimi Hendrix and I do have some of his music, and his Monterey Pop Festival show on DVD. And I have the movie, Hendrix. He was a great talent and innovator. But his music doesn't do much for me. I think it's his voice.

I heard a story once told by some "rock star". I don't remember who it was but he saw Hendrix (in England, I think) and decided to give-up guitar and switch to bass!

I don't do much with the EQ. Just a slight curve to my liking. I remember when I got my very first system back in 1980. Those very same Speakerlab 1's hooked up to a 40 WPC Technics SU-V2. Great system. I actually bought an Audio Control EQ that came with a mic and you could use pink noise to calibrate the system. Everything came back perfectly flat in response except for the rolloff on the low end because of the 8" woofer. So I sold the EQ and moved on. These days I use one in all my systems (MCS 3872 has a built in five band EQ that I use to slightly boost the bass with the 6.5" woofers) but very sparsely. No smiley face nonsense...

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The two CDs I am looking at right now are 20th Century Blues by Robin Trower and Strontium 90, which is a pre Police version of the Police...

 

[Killingbeans]

All I can think of is what that Nintendo 64 is doing there

 

[DonR]

My system in the late 80s/early 90s was a Sony CD player hooked up to a Realistic SPA100 PA amp and DIY two-way homemade speakers. I thought it sounded great... but it probably didn't.

 

[coonmanx]

All I can think of is what that Nintendo 64 is doing there

Definitely a classic, although that belongs to the roommate. Loved that system. Donkey Kong required the booster pack or whatever it was called.

 

[mhardy6647]

Works for me.

 

[Killingbeans]

Definitely a classic, although that belongs to the roommate. Loved that system. Donkey Kong required the booster pack or whatever it was called.

I'm a massive Sega fanboy who switched to PC gaming right around the time when the first PlayStation entered the market, so I don't have much first-hand experience with the N64. Any console that uses cartridges as the storage media gets a big plus in my book though.

Back to topic: Love those 80's amps with a pseudo block diagram on the front!

 

[coonmanx]

Back to topic: Love those 80's amps with a pseudo block diagram on the front!

They were definitely everywhere. I was quite surprised with the quality of this amp. Really sounds good. I had been using a silver face Technics SU-V707 but that amp needed some work. So I was going to just get a temporary replacement amp and then get the Technics worked on. But now that I am hearing the 3872, I really don't have the desire to get the SU-V707 fixed anymore...

 

[Brian Hall]

Upstairs bedroom system. I used to listen to this one a lot but then the local college radio station took a dump and went to news only. So my late night listening is now done on the computer speakers instead. Still a good system. Kenwood amp and tuner. Scott CD player and tuner. Toshiba EQ. Speakers were a two way kit from Willys Hifi in England that I built in the Celestion Ditton 110 cabinets because I like the form factor. Sounds good but doesn't really get used all of that much anymore.

None of these systems will break the bank...

Speaker stands courtesy of Home Depot...View attachment 341499

Just turned the left "speaker stand" around so that the label doesn't show...

I want to see a review about how much those speaker stands improve the separation and air of the whole system done in the style of a snake oil reviewer. I bet they work just as well as stands costing $500 a piece.

 

[coonmanx]

I want to see a review about how much those speaker stands improve the separation and air of the whole system done in the style of a snake oil reviewer. I bet they work just as well as stands costing $500 a piece.

Yup. $5 each at Home Depot. LOL.

 

[mhardy6647]

I want to see a review about how much those speaker stands improve the separation and air of the whole system done in the style of a snake oil reviewer. I bet they work just as well as stands costing $500 a piece.

Isn't that what ChatGPT is for?

 

[Berwhale]

Back to topic: Love those 80's amps with a pseudo block diagram on the front!

I am reminded of the Sansui amplifier I bought as a teenager from the soon to be defunct Lasky's Hifi in the UK. I think it may have been an A-710 (it definitely had a linear volume control and rotary tone controls)...

 

[wunderkind]

That MCS unit is 110 watts per channel with ridiculously low distortion. Not even a hint of background noise. Made by NEC late 80s... Hendrix is timeless...

You can see the Panasonic portable CD player behind the stack of CDs...

Also getting into Robin Trower a lot lately.

IIRC MCS was a house brand of Sears. I think the MCS amps that were made by NEC were the TOTL units. Also known as NEC Authentic series.

I like OP's philosophy of simplicity. Curious about the milk crate and buckets as stands.