The kit we bought, our current setups

[Johnkeizer]

My Gullibility Occasions:
Cardas Quadlink Interconnect.
PSAudio BHK preamp.

 

[Budgie]

Still it's a beauty to keep around, I loved those ole consoles!
Zenith, The Quality Goes In, Before The Name Goes On.

My 1939 Zenith Racetrack. still in working condition.
I can still imagine the original owners sitting around listening to FDR's fireside chats before and during WW 2
View attachment 521877

Those old radios had style!

 

[Sal1950]

Those old radios had style!

The cars too. Today, BLAH

 

[Shinano]

A brief list of what I have (not all working or even accessible right now). Pictures of my current setup are on this thread: Thread
Current system: SMSL RAW-MDA1, Stax New SR-3 and SRD-7, Hifiman HE6SE (just got today), RAM audio systems 512 (my somewhat poor try at a subjective review and more info can be found here: Info plus my review).
In storage: Teac A-3300SX, Tandberg 10XD (general transport issues), Sony CDP-605ESD, Yamaha DSP-A1, Yamaha RX-V2090, Pioneer VSX-95 (mains hum on outputs), Late 2000's Arcam AV Receiver (can't remember exact one), Harman Kardon HK870, and two S-VHS vcrs (one with tape load issues) and two Laserdisc players.

 

[Johnkeizer]

 

[Johnkeizer]

Oppo 105 under the cover on the bottom of first pic

 

[Johnkeizer]

The Rotel 991 power amp I bought new some 25 years ago or more. Never failed, gets a service every 10 years.
Has seen off Krell ksa150, mark levinson 100 watt amp, big musical fidelity cr5 I think it was called, and a few others.
Also own a big Tonewinner class A power amp but it failed in a year and has been at the service agents for 3 months now while they try to get some service manuals from Tonewinner. Very disappointed.

 

[PristineSound]

My Gullibility Occasions:
Cardas Quadlink Interconnect.
PSAudio BHK preamp.

You weren't gullible, it was just that there were a widespread of misinformation and accurate information just wasn't widely available.

The tide has changed. . .for the better.

 

[xanalog]

I have an old-buddy that has had crap for audio hardware, dating back to the crappy 1990s.
I decided he needed major upgrades and I also aimed to put a smile on his face:

Initially, it took me a while to help him make basic sense out of the differences between analog/digital audio, between Single-Ended/Balanced (RCA/XLR), and between pre/power amps, etc.
Next, I baited him with some starter freebies, that I had lying around: FOSI *ZA-3, *P4, and a xDuoo X5 DAP.
Then, I made him spring for a pair of ELAC Debut DB63 passive bookshelf speakers, and a FOSI DS1 portableDAC, keeping costs below $500 and w/o breaking his bank!

Not OT: This reply discusses a current, purchased, set up, as requested!

 

[Ropeburn]

Hope this fits here. Just ordered this funky thing:

Korg SQ-64 polyphonic stepsequencer. 3 polyphonic tracks, 1 drum track with 16 subtracks, extensive I/O including 2x MIDI out, 3x CV/Gate/mod, and 8x trigger.

Should be a lot of fun. I'm not a good live player but sequencing is a different story. Quite cheap too at 210€ for B-stock. Full alu case and Star Wars imperial design won't hurt either.

 

[BenF]

My current setup top to bottom:
Fosi S3 streamer
SONY Minidisc Deck MDS-JE500
NAD CE316BEE Mark 1 amplifier, Fosi X5 phono pre-amp
T + A CD 1210 R CD player with SMSL PS200 Pro DAC
Fosi Luna3 turntable with VM95E cartridge
SONY TC-K515S tape deck
Backes & Müller AML 50 loudspeakers

 

[xanalog]

AM/FM/BT Clock Radio.
Sight unseen, quality unheard!
Wagered $50 and hoping that it is NOT the size of a postage stamp and does NOT sound like an empty tin-can.

 

[napfkuchen]

... and hoping that it is NOT the size of a postage stamp ...

I don't get it. Just look at the product images...

 

[benchmarkmannen]

 

[MmmGuacamole]

After outfitting our home with Sonos a decade ago, and doing all my music listening via Astell&Kern DAPs, I decided I wanted to set up a stereo system again.

Since I do most of my listening in the bedroom relaxing after work I started there first.

I have a pair of KEF R3 Meta Indigo
Aiyima A20 Amp (thank you Amir, I wouldn’t have known about it without your review).
WiiM Ultra (currently pulling my flacks from a Mac in my home office).

No it can’t compare to a lot of what I’ve seen here, but I’m off to a good (re)start and I couldn’t be happier with the results so far.

 

[Thighsofsteel]

After outfitting our home with Sonos a decade ago, and doing all my music listening via Astell&Kern DAPs, I decided I wanted to set up a stereo system again.

Since I do most of my listening in the bedroom relaxing after work I started there first.

I have a pair of KEF R3 Meta Indigo
Aiyima A20 Amp (thank you Amir, I wouldn’t have known about it without your review).
WiiM Ultra (currently pulling my flacks from a Mac in my home office).

No it can’t compare to a lot of what I’ve seen here, but I’m off to a good (re)start and I couldn’t be happier with the results so far.

View attachment 552163

Looks very nice indeed. I would move the right hand speaker in towards the screen to avoid reflections from the right hand wall causing SBIR but apart from that. Fabulous

 

[Thighsofsteel]

View attachment 540625View attachment 540626View attachment 540627View attachment 540628View attachment 540629View attachment 540630

I like the minimalist look, I feel some carpets and something in and around the screen and soeakers would improve acoustic performance a fair bit. But I like the overall vibe.

 

[benchmarkmannen]

I like the minimalist look, I feel some carpets and something in and around the screen and soeakers would improve acoustic performance a fair bit. But I like the overall vibe.

I agree regarding having more carpet in front of the speakers. I therefore moved the carpet such that much less of it (ca 4 sqm, 43 sqft) is under the sofa, and instead in front of the speakers. The room is 50 sqm (538 sqft) and has good acoustics. The carpet is 3.5 m x 2.5 m (11.5 ft x 8.2 ft). This is how it looks now:

 

[napfkuchen]

I agree regarding having more carpet in front of the speakers. I therefore moved the carpet such that much less of it (ca 4 sqm, 43 sqft) is under the sofa, and instead in front of the speakers. The room is 50 sqm (538 sqft) and has good acoustics. The carpet is 3.5 m x 2.5 m (11.5 ft x 8.2 ft). This is how it looks now:
View attachment 552314

I’m a guy too (and certainly no interior designer) but one tip I’d offer is to make use of the vertical space (lights, furniture, art). As the room is currently set up, all the "action" takes place on the floor and up to about mid-height. The rest is still a blank (white) canvas. There’s little to draw the eye as it moves through the room, and the color scheme is largely monochromatic.
The potential is there, though, and if you already like the sound (which isn't surprising, given the speakers)...

 

[benchmarkmannen]

I’m a guy too (and certainly no interior designer) but one tip I’d offer is to make use of the vertical space (lights, furniture, art). As the room is currently set up, all the "action" takes place on the floor and up to about mid-height. The rest is still a blank (white) canvas. There’s little to draw the eye as it moves through the room, and the color scheme is largely monochromatic.
The potential is there, though, and if you already like the sound (which isn't surprising, given the speakers)...

You have only seen a small part of the room (your claim is wrong). The room has six paintings (two of them are very big), floorstanding lamp, big dinner table, kitchen part (not white worktop), huge windows with view to the balcony and the city, etc.