Want to start another audio discussion here. The longer this goes on the better) ;)

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Sorry about this, but since coming out of hospital last week I have had very little sleep. I've got 3 weeks at home to recuperate,and think starting this thread will help me get some sanity.

Getting Spotify on Monday ( trial via Vodafone), got me thinking lots. First, I cannot believe how fast it is to connect to an artist. Secondly,for the price of a couple of beers, I think it's great value. It gives me a chance to checkout artists I've overlooked or ignored.

I've got loads of vinyl( and had much more before I sold some and bought CDs in the'80s). Obviously ,now got MP3. Many were transferred from cd anyway.
Do I miss the artwork? Not really.
I did think of getting a couple of those picture frames , where you put your fave album sleeves in . Has anyone on here done that?
Audio quality; do you prefer amp/ speakers., or is a dock the way forward? Soundbars off the TV anybody?

I know things have been said before about the above, but I'm trying slightly different angles;)

Cheers

[neepheid]

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1424259565' post='2694408']
I did think of getting a couple of those picture frames , where you put your fave album sleeves in . Has anyone on here done that?
Audio quality; do you prefer amp/ speakers., or is a dock the way forward? Soundbars off the TV anybody?

I know things have been said before about the above, but I'm trying slightly different angles;)

Cheers
[/quote]

Yes, I've done the LPs in a frame thing, bought a couple of LPs to support friends' bands despite not having a device to play them on. They look nice on the wall.



I have a Bose Soundlink Mini and fire everything to it via Bluetooth, either from laptop or phone. It's surprisingly good sounding for the size of it, and being portable, if I want to listen to some tunes while doing some dishes in the kitchen, I just pick up the thing out of its charging dock and take it through with me. Not quite as swish as a Sonos multi-room setup perhaps, but works for me

[discreet]

Amp/speakers for me every time. But then I do have a Linn system, so a dock or soundbar isn't going to cut it. Yes I know, I'm an arse. Art is a completely subjective thing, if you want to hang it on your wall then do so! I do miss vinyl, though and everything that went with it.

I might invest in a 70s turntable this year and start collecting again. The smell! The sound! The nostalgia! The artwork!

Good to know you're out of that madhouse, by the way. Get some rest!

Edited February 18, 2015 by discreet

[Drax]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1424260065' post='2694417']
I might invest in a 70s turntable this year and start collecting again.
[/quote]

Surely a Linn Sondek. Eternal GAS for one of those

[EliasMooseblaster]

Hope you're feeling alright post-hospital; I'm sure it will be good to catch up on that sleep over the next three weeks!

Still, oddly enough, I'm going in the opposite direction to you! I'd got to the stage where, having got most of the albums I wanted on CD (including using trips to Brussels as a chance to track down Hooverphonic albums), I was going to have to accept downloaded .mp3s as my future medium of choice, as most of the new artists I was discovering were small, independent and often in different countries. All well and good...until a good friend told me he was looking to flog his amp/speaker system, and Ms Mooseblaster bought me a vinyl LP for my last birthday.

So very soon, I'll be moving (partially) onto a nice amp/speaker system, with a nice CD player (I've had to play my CDs on the computer for the last few years) and a turntable. In anticipation of this, I've gathered a few LPs that I'm looking forward to playing. Will I be able to hear and appreciate the difference (especially after years of abusing my ears in loud bands)? Watch this space and I shall report back as soon everything has come together!

[discreet]

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1424260547' post='2694425']
Surely a Linn Sondek. Eternal GAS for one of those
[/quote]

Yes, only since about 1972! But due to financial constraints it may have to be a Thorens TD or similar.

[Mornats]

Amp and speakers for me. Mine are over 24 years old. I got a Rotel RA930AX amp and a pair of custom bi-wired and sealed Tannoy the E11s. I pump my pc soundcard through that, an Asus Xonar Essence STX. I also have a Rega Planar 2 turntable. It all sounds crystal clear to me and nothing else will match it by a long mile.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Wow! Interest in the thread already! Cheers.and thanks for the kind words etc;) . I forgot to mention my system(s). Bedroom/hallway (I live in a small upstairs-maisonette). Cambridge audio amp/ nackamitchi 5cd player/ cheap ceiling speakers
Living room : was Cambridge audio amp / b&w speakers . Now use cambridge audio soundbase . Bluetooth. Mac mini/ studio monitors .
( may have made a mistake with soundstage . Space saving idea. B&w Speakers eyesore for brother who's still with me).

I'm thinking about the picture frames. At the moment, I have a tour poster in my bedroom.(used to be in the spare/ bass guitar room;) pic later.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1424261073' post='2694441']
Amp and speakers for me. Mine are over 24 years old. I got a Rotel RA930AX amp and a pair of custom bi-wired and sealed Tannoy the E11s. I pump my pc soundcard through that, an Asus Xonar Essence STX. I also have a Rega Planar 2 turntable. It all sounds crystal clear to me and nothing else will match it by a long mile.
[/quote]

I had rega 2 . The nuts. I now have pink triangle. An old friend of mine, used to know a best friend of his who worked there.Unfortunately ,he died tragically.
I bought unfinished turntable from his brother. Lid broke , but it's lovely

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1424260023' post='2694416']


Yes, I've done the LPs in a frame thing, bought a couple of LPs to support friends' bands despite not having a device to play them on. They look nice on the wall.


Nice owl

I have a Bose Soundlink Mini and fire everything to it via Bluetooth, either from laptop or phone. It's surprisingly good sounding for the size of it, and being portable, if I want to listen to some tunes while doing some dishes in the kitchen, I just pick up the thing out of its charging dock and take it through with me. Not quite as swish as a Sonos multi-room setup perhaps, but works for me
[/quote]

[paul j h]

not wanting to highjack this thread but does anyone buy CD's anymore I have loads that I want to sell but not sure if the market is there anymore. I guess Ebay is the way to test.

[Drax]

[quote name='paul j h' timestamp='1424261684' post='2694453']
not wanting to highjack this thread but does anyone buy CD's anymore I have loads that I want to sell but not sure if the market is there anymore. I guess Ebay is the way to test.
[/quote]

Some stuff just isn't available on stream / itunes, so you might find some buyers.

I use Deezer / iTunes - but they don't have this. What is probably my 5th copy arrived in the post today.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='paul j h' timestamp='1424261684' post='2694453']
not wanting to highjack this thread but does anyone buy CD's anymore I have loads that I want to sell but not sure if the market is there anymore. I guess Ebay is the way to test.
[/quote]
Not a hijack . if I really like a band, I will still buy cd . Just seems right . Could advertise here?

[Mykesbass]

All the best with the recuperation Ray. Another amp and speakers here, other systems always seem a little unnatural to me. Oh, and another vinyl evangelist I'm afraid!!

[toneknob]

[quote name='paul j h' timestamp='1424261684' post='2694453']
not wanting to highjack this thread but does anyone buy CD's anymore I have loads that I want to sell but not sure if the market is there anymore. I guess Ebay is the way to test.
[/quote]

Only when vinyl with digital download isn't available, or too expensive. How about Music Magpie?

[toneknob]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1424274262' post='2694629']
All the best with the recuperation Ray. Another amp and speakers here, other systems always seem a little unnatural to me. Oh, and another vinyl evangelist I'm afraid!!
[/quote]

+1, well vinyl enthusiast. Rega Planar 2, Marantz PM6005 amp, Celestion DL4 Series 2 speakers.

[toneknob]

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1424261563' post='2694449']
I had rega 2 . The nuts. I now have pink triangle.
[/quote]

You can probably get some ointment for that

Edited February 18, 2015 by toneknob

[Drax]

Sound wise Ray, we just stream everything from phone through a bluetooth Bose speaker. Sounds pretty good. Life moves too quick at the moment to have time to sit back and appreciate a decent system.

Once I'm confident the kids won't spread jam over Santana - Live in Japan triple gatefold, all the vinyl will come back out.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1424275115' post='2694649']


You can probably get some ointment for that
[/quote]
;)

[Roger2611]

I have a Rega Planet deck with an exposure amp and CD player and PMC TB2 speakers, yes it sounds great but I still can't be bothered to play vinyl very often, I have an old Dell computer hooked up to the system, it has not been allowed to go online for the last ten years, all music is tranferred to it via memory stick, it works perfectly and just gives me easy access to my full song library, through the amp and speakers it sounds fine

[RhysP]

[quote name='paul j h' timestamp='1424261684' post='2694453']
not wanting to highjack this thread but does anyone buy CD's anymore I have loads that I want to sell but not sure if the market is there anymore. I guess Ebay is the way to test.
[/quote]

I only buy CDs. If I can get my Rega record deck working I'll start buying vinyl again too.

I've never downloaded anything & when the day comes when that is the only way to get hold of music then I shall simply stop buying new music. Don't listen to music anywhere near as much as I did when I was young anyway, so it won't be any big deal to be honest.

[happynoj]

[quote name='paul j h' timestamp='1424261684' post='2694453']
not wanting to highjack this thread but does anyone buy CD's anymore I have loads that I want to sell but not sure if the market is there anymore. I guess Ebay is the way to test.
[/quote]

I buy CDs. I do own 3 vinyls, but I don't have a player for them.

[Musky]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1424260763' post='2694433']
Yes, only since about 1972! But due to financial constraints it may have to be a Thorens TD or similar.
[/quote]
Get an Ariston RD11 - essentially the same thing only much cheaper, to buy nowadays that is. There was some controversy over who actually invented the Sondek, with the founder of Ariston having originally gone to Ivor Tiffanbraun (sp?) to manufacture them.

I had the Sondek, my brother had the RD11 ('S' version I think) and they sounded very, very similar with the Ariston sounding a bit more exciting for rock. Though maybe that was the arm - we weren't bothered enough to swap the tonearms.

[discreet]

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1424289755' post='2694862']
Get an Ariston RD11 - essentially the same thing only much cheaper, to buy nowadays that is. There was some controversy over who actually invented the Sondek, with the founder of Ariston having originally gone to Ivor Tiffanbraun (sp?) to manufacture them.

I had the Sondek, my brother had the RD11 ('S' version I think) and they sounded very, very similar with the Ariston sounding a bit more exciting for rock. Though maybe that was the arm - we weren't bothered enough to swap the tonearms.
[/quote]

Well that's very interesting, thanks for the info.

[Leonard Smalls]

As an ex-BBC sound recordist I'm a bit obsessive about sound quality: