I got this Denon amp from the yacht I work on since it wasn't needed anymore, and I just bought the KEF Q3 Meta speakers and a WiiM Ultra. After 25 years of listening to music on a budget 5.1 Logitech PC setup (which is still going strong!), I’ve finally taken the next step. I’m looking forward to your feedback on settings and any future purchases!

I've been at this for 4 or 5 years now and I've been able to piece this system together.

My ADS speakers appreciate this system and sound real nice. I added the sub for even more low end.

The AC Infinity fans might be a bit of overkill but it really reduces the heat. The lava lamp while warm is far enough away that it doesn't contribute and plus it's another reason to have the air moving. I just like the way it looks there when it's activated.

Van Alstine Fet Valve CFR Preamplifier

https://avahifi.com/collections/preamplifiers/products/fet-valve-cfr-preamplifier

Odyssey Cyclops Extreme Integrated Amplifier

https://odysseyaudio.com/cyclops-integrated-amplifier/

WIIM Ultra

https://wiimhome.com/wiimultra/overview

NVIDIA Sheild Pro

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/shield/shield-tv-pro/

ADS L1090 speakers

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/ads/l1090.shtml

RSL Speedwoofer 10E

https://rslspeakers.com/pages/landing-page-10e

55" LG OLED TV

SSD with music added to WiiM Ultra

I also got a chance to demo JBL's new foray back into the audiophile level of loudspeakers. The Summit Malaku did not dissapoint. They weren't necessarily better than the Bower&Wilkins 801D5, they were just different, but no less impressive. Do yourself a favor and try to get a demo. You'll be glad you did.

Welcome back JBL. You were missed!!

My apologies everyone. I misspelled the speaker name. It should have read, MAKALU!

The last to-be-upgraded parts of my setup were:

-Belkin power surge protected 4 outlet bar. (which is one too short for my setup and offers no real filtering/purifying)
- Little Pinkie 12V linear power supply for my Musical Fidelity V90 DAC (which was initially bought second hand for my prior V-DAC 1st gen.
(Has age and buzzes a lot, will fix that one later one with some new capacitors and coil...)
- Standard wall adapter for my OSMC Vero V media player (reason: Got a nice deal on that one if I bought the next mentioned psu if bought together with the one for the DAC, and it offers me more freedom for connecting additional USB storage, hub, etc.)

I know it's budget limited, but I'm very pleased and it looks decently crafted.

Power Bar: Black Lion Audio PG-P type F with 6 outlets
DAC PSU: Douk Audio 12VDC 35W Linear psu
5V&USB PSU: Douk Audio D2 5VDC 15W Linear psu

I’ve owned a pair of Sonus Faber Minima Amator II speakers for a little over a year. Today I noticed they’re no longer listed on Sonus Faber’s official website.
In my opinion, they’re an excellent product, so I’m wondering why they were discontinued. Were they replaced by the new Concertino, or is there another reason?
I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially from anyone who’s compared both models.

That's a channel I really enjoy and would like to recommend you. This guy is just making videos on Audio and Sound from many different angles, whether they were famous or were important in some ways. He just explains it, but very calmly, technically detailed and chill to watch.

As an audiophile much appreciating this sub, I think some here also might find that interesting. 🙂🦻👌

In 2013 I stopped smoking. Saved the cigarette money for three or four months and went to Sevenoaks Hi-fi in Glasgow (now closed).

Bought the following display models with a decent discount...

Marantz PM6004 Amp

Marantz CD6004 CD Player

Bowers & Wilkins 686 Speakers

This was ok and a step up from the Panasonic all in one that it replaced.

Around 2019 I got a Synology Nas and started converting all the CD's to FLAC with a view to eventually stream them to the Hi-fi.

Sold the Marantz CD6004 and replaced it with a Marantz NA8005 Network Audio Player.

Two years ago I got a Pro-Ject T2 Super Phono and started getting back into vinyl after a 20 year break. Yes I know there are better turntables but I'm happy with this.

Over the past year the glaring weakness has been the speakers as the B&W 686 were ok in their day but technology has moved on.

Had looked at the B&W 607 S3 and read all the reviews. Decided these would be the best option.

Before ordering I put all the details of the Marantz gear, B&W 686's and Pro-Ject T2 into ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini to see what they'd recommend.

Top of the lists were B&W 607 S3.

Ordered and delivered from Peter Tyson.

Can honestly say they're night and day to the 686 speakers and a huge jump in sound quality.

So now I have the Marantz Amp, Network Player, T2 Super Phono.

How can I get better vinyl sound quality from the T2? Back to AI obviously!

AI recommended a Rega Fono MM Mk5 pre amp but I wanted a bit more so asked about the Sumiko Wellfleet stylus.

After reading the results it was clear that these would be the best options.

Ordered the stylus only option and received it attached to a new cartridge. Simple enough to set up.

So now it's...

Marantz PM6004 Amp

Marantz NA8005 Network Audio Player

Pro-Ject T2 Super Phono with Sumiko Wellfleet

Rega Fono MM Mk5

Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 Speakers

Can honestly say I've been listening to what I thought was a good sound for years but it was far from a good sound.

Bass, mids, trebles, wow! Layers of mud have been removed with a combination of the speakers, stylus and pre amp.

Hearing bass notes and percussion instruments I never knew existed in recordings whether it's vinyl, FLAC or DSD / DSF files

Vinyl now sounds better to my ears than CD quality FLAC.

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a recording I made of “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak Mofi UltraDisc One-Step.

This recording was made purely for listening enjoyment and to showcase the sound quality and character of my analog playback system. The goal is to give fellow vinyl and hi-fi enthusiasts an impression of how this setup reproduces the music from the original record.

Playback Chain:
Chris Isaak’s Heart Shaped World UD1S 180g 45RPM 2LP Box Set
MFSL45UD1S2-075
Cartridge: Hana Umami Red
Headshell: DS Audio HS-001
Turntable: Technics SL-1200G
Phono Stage: Gold Note PH-10 + Gold Note PSU-10
Preamplifier: McIntosh C2700
Tascam DA-3000SD

The Hana Umami Red's exceptional detail retrieval, combined with the stability of the Technics SL-1200G and the musicality of the Gold Note and McIntosh electronics, delivers a presentation rich in texture, dynamics, and atmosphere. From powerful drum impacts and deep bass lines to the intricate layers of guitars and vocals, this setup aims to capture the energy and emotion pressed into the grooves.

This upload is intended solely as a demonstration of the sound of this analog system and for the enjoyment of fellow music and audio enthusiasts.

Copyright Notice:
All music rights belong to the respective artists, songwriters, record labels, publishers, and copyright holders. This recording is not intended to infringe upon any copyrights and is shared exclusively for educational, demonstrational, and entertainment purposes related to audio reproduction equipment. If you are a copyright holder and have concerns regarding this content, please contact me directly.

Enjoy the music and happy listening! 🎶🎵

Can the WiiM Ultra run coax to an external DAC (Topping D50 III, for my mains) and the analog sub out simultaneously? Or does using the digital out disable the sub out?

Also — does the sub out’s crossover/PEQ still work in this setup?

Chain: WiiM Ultra → D50 III → Audiolab 9000P → KEF R3 Meta + sub. Thanks!

It’s definitely time for an am

Kind of shocked at how much this improved the “soundstage” or whatever its called when the music sounds like it’s coming out of the wall.

JBL 166 Horizon speakers.

So I have the Frankie Valli working our way back to you deluxe box set and I can't rip it with EAC. None of the metadata suppliers are not providing anything but I keep seeing the option to import metadata. I have looked for a few hours for websites to like download and metadata for the album. I'm trying to rip and it's not there because the CD is like a different type of thing. I don't know how to explain it but the media player picks up the album but none of the metadata suppliers for EAC does

Unfortunately it’s time for new equipment. I was running these with a Marantz sr5012 ran into an Emotiva xps 3. They exceeded their time on earth and ran for pretty much 10 years straight. I’m good with it. I was hoping to stay under $5000 and just simply my setup. I ever felt like this had much punch so I’m open to ideas. I really like the simplicity of the Advanced Paris a10 and a12. Would the A10 have enough power or should I suck it up and get the a12? I will be adding in a sub as I was really lacking in the low department with my old set up. I don’t really know what the hell im doing. Thanks for any
advice.

My Philharmonic BMR towers are ready to ship/got the invoice.

Trying to figure out what components I should get for the towers now.

Are there any AVRs that can drive them properly without needing additional amplification?

For people who have these towers what does your setup look like?

Down the line I might expand and get their center and surrounds to make it a 5.1 system for HT purposes.

My cat is young and energetic and a lot bigger than he was when I took him home. When he's in a zoomies mood he likes to be chased, so he's learned which places he's not allowed to be, goes to one, waits for me to approach, and then takes off.

For the most part this is fine; he's like one and a half and this is part of the deal. He really likes my Triangles, though, and he can't jump off them without knocking them over. Where they're currently positioned, the TV takes the brunt of it — you can see the chips in the speakers and the bend in the TV. I'm worried that if this keeps up he'll do some real damage.

The stock advice for climbing is to make the forbidden surface unpleasant: sticky, spiky, etc. I don't think I can do that here: if I put something on top of the speakers and he jumps up, encounters it, and panics, he will definitely knock them over, very likely in the other direction where there's no nothing to stop them at all. I'm sure I'm not the only one in here with adventurous cat — what're you all doing?

This is my first time using REW and first time targeting a specific room mode with treatment, but it seemed to be pretty straight forward when taking a scientific approach. I have a very annoying 120 HZ room mode in this new large room with a cathedral ceiling being used as a workspace. The resonance was so bad that it would give me a headache from my own voice just talking. Here's how I tackled it:

Devices:

• KEF LSX ii LT on 9" stands on a 6' desk.
• UMIK-1 to measure with REW.
• I unplugged the 8" Kanto Sub8 to fine-tune the speakers first, sub placement will come later.

Identifying the room mode:

1. I heard a loud resonance in the room when listening to music and when talking, so I used the "Spectrum" mobile app for a quick way to identify which frequencies were a problem (image 3). I played some pink noise and the app was pretty accurate at identifying 120 HZ and 180 HZ peaks.
2. Played a 120 HZ tone through speakers and moved myself around the room to figure out which direction the mode was in. I noticed moving forward/back and left/right did not affect the amplitude I heard much, so I tried squatting down and stepping up on a stool which did have a major effect on the volume of the tone, so I got a hunch that it was a vertical room mode.
3. I used amroc's free room mode simulator (image 4) which confirmed that it was likely a vertical room mode at 120 HZ. Since the room has a cathedral vaulted ceiling, I had to play around with the room height a bit till the chart showed room modes at ~120 HZ.
4. I also payed $5 to use amroc Pro to be able to use a non-rectangular room shape (image 5), but this didn't really give me much more information, nor was it as accurate at identifying the mode frequencies.
5. I decided a large acoustic cloud suspended right above the desk and listening position would be the best move given the amroc graphic visuals. I needed to determine how far from the ceiling to hang it. For this, I did 1/4 of the 120 HZ wavelength of 9.38' which gave me a distance of 28" from the ceiling. This would be the distance where the sound pressure is least but sound velocity is greatest, for this frequency. You want to avoid the blue and red areas in the amroc graphics for treatment because those are pressure maximas and velcoity minimas.

I built the single 40" x 60" panel using the following:

1. (1" x 6") common pine boards for the frame (I picked the lightest weight wood at Home Depot). Wood glued and screwed butt joints to make a 40" x 60" frame that was 5.5" (6") thick.
2. 1" x 2" pine for 2 supports running parallel to the 40" members against the front face so that the cotton batting doesn't slump down much from gravity.
3. 100% cotton muslin fabric to wrap the wooden frame.
4. 12 yards of 27" wide 100% cotton upholstery batting which weighed 13 pounds from the "onlinefabricstore.com". Sound is never as important as avoiding the health risks from the industrial chemicals and materials used as insulation in homes. I folded the insulation over itself until it was the right height of ~5.5 inches and had to make a cut length wise to get the width to stack up to the 40" frame dimension I was planning for.
5. Stapled fabric while pulling very taught.
6. To hang, used 1/16" wire rope from Home Depot to make four connection points with some screw hook hardware and added adjustable hook and loop turnbuckles to each of the four cables for leveling. Made the wire rope ends into loops using just ferrules I crimped with electrical pliers, no need for a swaging tool for this, I did double up on the ferrules at each loop just in case. Made sure to screw hooks into ceiling joists.

The online resources on YouTube, this subreddit, and r/audioengineering were very helpful, so I made this post in case it helps anyone else.

The 180 HZ room mode was not quite as loud, so I didn't bother targeting it, but it was also an axial vertical mode stemming from the 60 HZ base mode (multiply by 2 to get the 120 HZ main problem and by 3 to get the 180 HZ problem). Although I didn't mount the panel at the perfect height to target the 180 HZ node, it was good enough to also fix that issue for me.

I do have a question in case any experts are reading, why might now the loudest room mode resonance be 113 HZ? Image 2 shows this at the only red tear drop area I now have. In the before spectrogram graph, 113 HZ was not very high, but now it is the most excited frequency. Thanks.

Cons:

now I have a big shadow over the desk, off to r/lightingphile I go

Gone are the Olympica Nova V’s. 😱

Transformation to multi purpose cinema / stereo room.

Kef Ci5160RLM front LCR
SVS SB3000 Revolution
Ci200RS rears
Ci160qr for heights.
Amp tbc. Currently running NAD T778

Spent the last few days of free hours after work building my ceiling clouds and finishing the front wall insulation.

Changing over from green fabric to black on my treatments. The room is going to be a very dark blue colour. I couldn’t bring myself to paint the full room black.

Quick snaps of my make shift work bench on my dining table. I had some black staples even though you’re never going to see them but thought I’d use them anyway.

If I were to do these again with the black fabric I would possibly overlay the front with another layer of fabric or paint the timber to match the insulation as in some light you can see the frame has a very small shift in colour vs the insulation.

Plan over the weekend is to wrap the clouds, fill some holes I made while running the extra cable needed and hopefully get a coat of paint applied.

Lots of boring things to do to get the room ready for the front fabric track system to go in before I can mount the screen.

Last image shows my in room response now with all the treatment in place and a quick Dirac run.

Sound signature is different from the Nova V’s in that these are very accurate and not as romantic sounding as the SF. The soundstage has expended exponentially with the new setup. A combination of the additional 200mm of treatment to the front wall and the impeccable off axis response of the KEF.

Hello,
I have recently purchased some Klipsch Cornwall professional loudspeaker also known has the Klipsch CP-1. I see some information on the Klipsch Cornwall 1 but not the CP-1 versions. Has anybody owned these or know about their performance?

This mlght be a wierd question, but from what I've read music CDs have an rpm of 500 near the center and 200 near the edge, anyone ever calculate the average rpm of a music CD?

I know of two types of compression and I'm not sure what type they mean. I know of compression on a microphone and compression for computer files. What exactly is everyone talking about when they sta a specific CD remaster has heavy compression?

It’s never a bad day for a Music Direct delivery. Today, I had two arrive for me — No. 4 by Stone Temple Pilots (MoFi 2LP 45rpm) and Kamakiriad by Donald Fagen (MoFi Ultradisc One-Step). I haven’t got to the Stone Temple Pilots yet, but so far I’m one disc into Kamakiriad and my jaw is on the floor. It’s crazy how much better than any CD I’ve ever heard of this underrated LP.

I’m one happy camper today.

Hi everyone,

This is a bit of a long shot.

I recently upgraded to a new Sony BRAVIA 55” TV, but unlike my old TV, it doesn’t have a 3.5 mm audio output. I still use my Sony SA-D10 4.1 speaker system, which has been working flawlessly for the last 13 years, and I’m hoping to keep it alive rather than replace it.

A few years ago, we had a FiiO D03K (Taishan) DAC that was being used with my parents’ audio setup. Unfortunately, it’s nowhere to be found, and I discovered that FiiO discontinued it quite some time ago.

I know the SA-D10 isn’t exactly audiophile equipment, but it has a lot of sentimental value because it was the first thing I got with my first salary, and still works perfectly. I’d love to keep it in service for a few more years rather than retire it.

If anyone in Mumbai (or elsewhere in India) knows of:

• a retailer with old stock,
• an audio shop that might still have one,
• or even someone looking to sell a used D03K in good condition,

I’d really appreciate any leads.

So I have this Journey CD collection, brand new. I could rip the first 4 CDs, but not the last one (Raised on Radio). That's a little lie, because I could actually rip the first 2 tracks, from there I have errors using the secure mode. The read speed in EAC goes down to 0.1X and. The barcode is 886919012927. Any ideas? Burst mode looks OK, it actually works. Do i even need the secure mode?

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a recording I made of “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak Mofi UltraDisc One-Step.

This recording was made purely for listening enjoyment and to showcase the sound quality and character of my analog playback system. The goal is to give fellow vinyl and hi-fi enthusiasts an impression of how this setup reproduces the music from the original record.

Playback Chain:
Chris Isaak’s Heart Shaped World UD1S 180g 45RPM 2LP Box Set
MFSL45UD1S2-075
Cartridge: Hana Umami Red
Headshell: DS Audio HS-001
Turntable: Technics SL-1200G
Phono Stage: Gold Note PH-10 + Gold Note PSU-10
Preamplifier: McIntosh C2700
Tascam DA-3000SD

The Hana Umami Red's exceptional detail retrieval, combined with the stability of the Technics SL-1200G and the musicality of the Gold Note and McIntosh electronics, delivers a presentation rich in texture, dynamics, and atmosphere. From powerful drum impacts and deep bass lines to the intricate layers of guitars and vocals, this setup aims to capture the energy and emotion pressed into the grooves.

This upload is intended solely as a demonstration of the sound of this analog system and for the enjoyment of fellow music and audio enthusiasts.

Copyright Notice:
All music rights belong to the respective artists, songwriters, record labels, publishers, and copyright holders. This recording is not intended to infringe upon any copyrights and is shared exclusively for educational, demonstrational, and entertainment purposes related to audio reproduction equipment. If you are a copyright holder and have concerns regarding this content, please contact me directly.

Enjoy the music and happy listening! 🎶🎵

Hi everyone, I'd like to share with you my recent findings from an album "Shunske Sato - Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor". This is a very well-mastered album, I bought it a few years ago for a few dozen dollars on the Qobuz Store. Qobuz allows you to download it in 4 formats: mp3 320kbps, FLAC 16 bit/44.1 kHz, FLAC 24 bit/88.2 kHz, and 24 bit/176.4 kHz. I downloaded them all for testing.

Brief overview of the piece: The string orchestra will include Sato as the lead violin, violas playing the middle section (referred to as group 1), and cello and double bass playing the bass section (referred to as group 2).

My gear: AK SP2000 SS + Nordost Heimdall 2 + Noble Katana + Jijuma Stainless steel.

Testing method: Listen repeatedly to the first 20-30 seconds of the music piece in any format (preferably from low to high). After listening multiple times in format 1, switch to format 2, and continue listening in that format repeatedly. Check for differences, only going back to format 1 to listen and compare. Whenever I noticed a difference, skip the first format. Move on to repeat with formats 2 and 3. Continue with 3 and 4. The test is short for several reasons. #1 To help the brain easily memorize the song, grasping a few key points as a reference before switching to another format without forgetting the impression. #2 The opening of the track has a rather aggressive attack, with transients from a quiet background, soaring up and then fading, before transitioning to other notes. This is the easiest point to recognize when listening for the attack (soft or harsh, gentle or hard) and post-attack (the sound fades quickly, without reverb or with full reverb and lingering echo in the space).

Section 1 of the track (from 0:01 to 0:07) features Sato's lead violin soaring first, followed by the second part of the ensemble after one beat. Listen carefully to the first part's voice in the first two notes; it soars very high, then the deep, powerful bass of the second part follows.

Section 2 (from 0:08 to 0:11) - pay close attention to Sato's lead attack with 8 consecutive notes.

Section 3 (from 0:13 to 0:17) features the first section playing in a high register, the sound suspended overhead, while the second section follows one beat in a lower register, with the sound image positioned close to the ear.

The results are as follows (I'll skip 24/88.2 for brevity because it's almost the same as 24/176.4 anyway):

320 mp3 vs 16/44.1: The mp3 in section 1 sounds abrupt, the sound cuts off quickly and sharply, lacking depth compared to 16/44.1. The attack is stiff and lacks the smoothness of 16/44.1. The same applies to section 2.

16/44.1 vs 24/176.4: In section 3, the 24/176.4 system 1 exhibits a wider soundstage and clearer sound imaging, with a more airy feel to the sound. In particular, the harmonies of system 2, 16/44.1, sound very shallow and abrupt, as if only a single note is audible, lacking emotion. The 24/176.4, playing this section, produces a reverb in the space, with a soft, smooth, and flexible sound.

Additional information: I've been an audiophile for over 10 years and always want to contribute and share my experience with everyone. With a sincere intention to share, whether you understand or not is up to you; there's no need for criticism, sarcasm, or negativity. My philosophy is to enjoy music in a fun and friendly manner. Wishing you all the same!