System for a 16yr old, could I do better than this?

[antcollinet]

“what the “”” have you done?, you’re a total ****”

LOL

 

[Somafunk]

I would add the NIOSH sound level app for iPhone, iPad, or iPOD touch. Sorry not for Android.

Yeah it’s surprisingly decent isn’t it?, it compared favourably with my Umik mic which I’ll probably give him to measure with once he’s lived with the basic iPhone setup for a while

And as for earplugs?, this year I’ve bought 2 tickets for a gig or two each month (underworld, arab strap, cigarettes after sex, etc) and bought him These 22db attenuation earplugs for his Xmas last year, surprisingly he hasn’t lost them (yet!)

 

[Soniclife]

I imagine the sub volume will get turned right up

This is the correct way to install a sub, sensible can show up later on, have some fun first.

 

[Mojo Warrior]

How about headphones or a decent IEM for portable listening from his phone ?
And a year's student subscription to Qobuz ?

 

[Somafunk]

How about headphones or a decent IEM for portable listening from his phone ?
And a year's student subscription to Qobuz ?

He’s got my old Airpod pro (Gen 1), Airpod Max (I never used them, felt too heavy on my head) and Audeze Maxwell (Xbox version) that I bought him with his Xbox Series X he got last Xmas, it was a special black Friday deal for £550 so a bargain……if you squint hard enough whilst blindfolded

He’s got a Spotify sub, as have all his mates etc - playlists and sharing wi others is the thing, being an audiophile bore is not what music should be about at that age, , if he wants otherwise he can listen to my setup

I kinda spoil him but he’s really helpful to me around the house, cuts my grass, chops logs etc. Offers to do similar for my mum (but she’s too bloody stubborn to accept help) as I lost my dad 6 years ago as well, he was one week into retirement at 69 and was diagnosed with myelodysplasia , dead 3 months later (bloody cancer ).

I dunno know how I’ll cope when he goes off to uni in two years but I’ll be sooooooo chuffed to see him flourish, as he will….absolutely no doubt in my mind.

My new antispasmodic meds for spms/muscle spasms seem to be working, or I’m taking the wrong dose as I’m quite chatty t’day and feel better than I have for ages - I even managed a shower!!! (too much information?) , think I’ve posted more shite in the previous two days than I have all year

Right…., I’ll step or rather stand and shuffle/drag my carcass away from the keyboard for now.

 

[Robin L]

I used to have a couple of 1210’s 20 odd years ago but sold them , along with my 500+ 12” dance/electronic singles.

I’d like to buy the best I can, but “best” is out of budget so I’m happy with “acceptable” and something that will last.

You would be surprised at how good Audio Technica's cheap turntables are:

AT-LP70X

At the heart of the AT-LP70X is a top-notch phono cartridge for unmatched, high-fidelity audio. Built with Audio-Technica’s industry-leading phono cartridge expertise, the AT-VM95C is a vers ...

www.audio-technica.com

 

[kemmler3D]

I’d absolutely love to be able to help him out but I can’t get into his mums house never mind up the stairs to his room due to my spms so it’ll have to be a self-learning experience for him, I imagine the sub volume will get turned right up and I’ll get a phone call from his mum on Xmas morning saying “what the “”” have you done?, you’re a total ****”



Nah….he's actually quite sensible, I’ll let him get on with it but if necessary I’ll watch YouTube stuff on the Wiim setup/room correction and talk him through it.

He’s helped/watched me set up my system with peq through roon so he’s got a rough idea as to what’s involved/the worth of doing such a setup

That counts as helping. Should be a real treat for him. I didn't get corrected bass in my system until... gosh, my 30s.

 

[johny_2000]

This would get him started with good enough sound quality to satisfy pretty much anyone and be more “HiFi” than what 99% of the population own/use, he’s got a lifetime to explore the black hole of audio and upgrade if he sees fit.

Forgive my ignorance of turntables, but does he have a vinyl record collection that he will listen to? If he doesn't and plans to buy new records, I've heard that they are basically re-recorded copies of digital content. Kind of like CD tracks burned to vinyl records. In this case, we get nothing but quality loss. CD Audio has a dynamic range of 96 dB. The dynamic range of a turntable is 65 dB, which is 32% less, plus Wow and flutter distortion, speed variance, rumble, noise, physical degradation, etc. Bluetooth signal transmission is also a lossy protocol, so the final sound will be even worse.

The perception of analog audio being demonstrably superior was also called into question by music analysts following revelations that audiophile label Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab had been covertly using Direct Stream Digital files to produce vinyl releases marketed as coming from analog master tapes, with lawyer and audiophile Randy Braun stating that "These people who claim they have golden ears and can hear the difference between analog and digital, well, it turns out you couldn't.

 

[Somafunk]

Forgive my ignorance of turntables, but does he have a vinyl record collection that he will listen to? If he doesn't and plans to buy new records,

Yeah, he’s been building his collection for the past couple of years, he’s got around 70ish (one and a half dj cases full) at the moment and I try and buy him at least one a month (for educational purposes of course). For Xmas he’s got the new Underworld, Mogwai, Craven Faults, Aphex Twin box set, Unkle box set (his dads fav) and my mum has bought him a couple of his choosing

You would be surprised at how good Audio Technica's cheap turntables are:

You bloody genius, I had totally overlooked those.

And it’s available in white to go with everything else and his room, gonna get him This in white , and I’ve found it online for £200 from a dealer with 6year warranty. I’ll phone them t’morn to make sure it’s in stock and white……..it comes with the basic AT-VMN95C cartridge
, do I upgrade to the AT-VMN95E cartridge?………just joking

Ta very much indeed.

 

[Robin L]

Yeah, he’s been building his collection for the past couple of years, he’s got around 70ish (one and a half dj cases full) at the moment and I try and buy him at least one a month (for educational purposes of course). For Xmas he’s got the new Underworld, Mogwai, Craven Faults, Aphex Twin box set, Unkle box set (his dads fav) and my mum has bought him a couple of his choosing



You bloody genius, I had totally overlooked those.

And it’s available in white to go with everything else and his room, gonna get him This in white , and I’ve found it online for £200 from a dealer with 6year warranty. I’ll phone them t’morn to make sure it’s in stock and white……..it comes with the basic AT-VMN95C cartridge
, do I upgrade to the AT-VMN95E cartridge?………just joking

Ta very much indeed.

Just remember that the cartridge body can take anything in the VMN95 series. However, I doubt he'll want to spend as much for a replacement stylus as you're going to pay for the turntable.

 

[antcollinet]

I upgrade to the AT-VMN95E cartridge?………just joking

With that catridge you can just upgrade it by changing the stylus. I'd be worth considering the micro line (ML) stylus - expensive at about £130 - but lasts twice as long, and (allegedly) wears the vinyl less. And most of the money is in the vinyl. If he has 70 albums the cost of that has been more than double the total system.

 

[johny_2000]

Yeah, he’s been building his collection for the past couple of years, he’s got around 70ish (one and a half dj cases full) at the moment and I try and buy him at least one a month (for educational purposes of course). For Xmas he’s got the new Underworld, Mogwai, Craven Faults, Aphex Twin box set, Unkle box set (his dads fav) and my mum has bought him a couple of his choosing

Okay. All he cares about is the physical connection of music and devices at this time. That's what all those DJ turntables provide.
It's not about fidelity, accuracy, distortion, or other objective metrics. It's mostly about the fun and show-off among teenagers at this time who have never had a physical source of music since they were born.

 

[Mojo Warrior]

Maybe get him an inexpensive disc spinner with optical output. CDs are the "new vinyl". Cheap as chips at thrift stores and great sound quality.

 

[Multicore]

That counts as helping. Should be a real treat for him. I didn't get corrected bass in my system until... gosh, my 30s.

Mid 50s here

 

[Multicore]

And it’s available in white to go with everything else and his room, gonna get him This in white

Has he got the KLF album too?

 

[Somafunk]

Has he got the KLF album too?

Course he has , Bills home town is 15 miles away from my town, I gave him my pristine original copy of The White Room signed by Bill Drummond and he knows to take care of it. Bill went to school with my dad (3 years between them) here in Galloway.

He’s got a few of these album display thingys on his walls with select albums in them

I'm given him the musical education he needs to be a guru (or a music bore depending on your definition) for when he goes to university

 

[Joe Smith]

The AT-120xUSB table (copy of the Technics classic table look) is very good; the standard 95 elliptical stylus is fine, stepping up to the 95 microline stylus is a plus.

I bought one of these a few years ago to try out, use as my main table in my workroom system, no complaints. I think it's worth the money to step up to from the lower end AT tables.

Make sure he has a nice carbon fiber brush, a good mat and an inexpensive weight, and he'll be all set!

 

[Somafunk]

Thanks all for help/advice etc, I’ll post pics once he’s got it all set up,

I may hold off ordering till the “so called” black Friday sales, every few £ saved counts

 

[HalSF]

Reading through this thread has cheered me up immensely. Great stuff.

 

[Somafunk]

Phew….the stress of researching and hunting for the “perfect” teenage solution is now over thanks to Black Friday, just mum and bro to fret about but they’re both easy to buy for.

Kanto Ora in white + elevated white stands £320
Audio Technica AT-LP70BXT in White/Silver £185
Wiim Ultra in silver £269
Total £775

Along with the 6 LP’s I’ve got him, 24pack IPA craft beer, Signed Underworld t-shirt, two tickets for Mogwai next year and Aphex Twin - A Disco Pogo Tribute book I think he’s done not bad. Like I’ve mentioned he helps me out loads due to my spms so it’s payback for his work as he won’t let me pay him

A decent wee system for a teenager that’ll see him through university and beyond (hopefully), I didn’t bother with the matching Kanto Sub8 subwoofer as it’s £240 and if his mum hasn’t throttled me and hoofed me in the nads by the end of April I may buy him it for his 17th birthday