Time to Upgrade My Hi-Fi

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JoeyB

Go on, tilt your head!
Onkyo TX-R508 and matching 5.1 speaker setup, Apple TV and HP Microserver running ESXi5 with a couple of VMs, one of which has my iTunes library running permanently so the Apple TV can stream my music through the 5.1 setup.

PS3 for blu ray, Xbox 360 for real games lol
 

Basil.B

Guru
Location
Oxfordshire
I still got my Rega Planar 3 turntable, NAD3020 Amp and Linn Speakers.
Sounds great still after 30 years!
 

RhythMick

Über Member
Location
Barnsley
If you want sound quality above all else then valves are the way to go, with highly efficient horn speakers like Lowthers. The bottom end suffers a touch and it took me a long time to find a subwoofer that didn't ruin the sound but I got there. Yes I know how old that makes me sound.

I rarely have time to tinker now but a few years ago with a lot of help I designed and built my own valve pre-amp, with power supply in separate box. Looks shoot, sounds stunning.

Perhaps we should do an audio-ride, stopping at different houses to hear the hifi? Lol

Even the stock off the shelf valve kit will sound better than transistors. It will play whatever you give it which can include movie input and disk-based MP3/FLAC etc.
 

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
Assuming you're what you appear to be - a regular chap who just wants something that plays music nice and loos good - I'd get on ebay and buy something like this. It won't give you quite the sound you could get by wiring together your own valves, but I suspect the quality would amaze you - and even your missus would admit it looks quite cute.
 

RhythMick

Über Member
Location
Barnsley
Assuming you're what you appear to be - a regular chap who just wants something that plays music nice and loos good - I'd get on ebay and buy something like this. It won't give you quite the sound you could get by wiring together your own valves, but I suspect the quality would amaze you - and even your missus would admit it looks quite cute.

Yeah I have one of those for the bedroom. Not as much fun as electrocuting yourself though.
 
It's a case of deciding what you want to do, how much space you have, deciding on a budget, then getting out and hearing the options.
Also if you go loud just get some damned heavy speaker stands so the neighbours will never hear it.
I perused What Hifi Sound & Vision magazine a lot doing my research.
Have fun!!

I've read about the valve amps, but I'm not wanting to go that far myself. The quality is supposed to be brilliant.
My next addition is either a Pro-ject or Rega turntable.
A separate stereo amp would be good too... maybe Rotel... the DVD player is a little out of date... hmm...
 

the_mikey

Legendary Member
I still have an amp and speakers, but it's almost never used, I hardly listen to music anymore, I've gone through a process of minimising, reducing the amount of possessions and stuff down to the minimum so I don't need a big expensive removal van when I need to move to a new flat.
 
All music stored on a pc we use as a server on our wireless network, fire up the Xbox, load a game then play away while streaming the tracks via he Box, through a Bose Lifestyle 300 7.1 full surround system

Awesome
 

Nearly there

Veteran
Location
Cumbria
My listening is done via ipod or smartphone these days :music: ive a CD cassette and vinyl collection that I cant bring myself to throw away but don't play,my teenage daughters music rules the roost these days :surrender:
 
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