Tell us about your stereo!

[LG]

^^I am terrible when it comes to taking photos George, even though this little camera is not that complicated I still haven't spent enough time to figure it all out, like how to turn off the flash indoors.

^Thanks for the reply^
I was looking through an audiophile mag today when i was out and came across your speakers in a comparison test with others in that price range.They came out very favourably indeed.
Ive a question for you in relation to bad sibilance on the vocals.I get this a lot from downloads even at 320.
Do you ever get it from vinyl sources or from your own cds...
I looked up the definition cos im an idiot lol


Sibilance is a sound characterized by pronouncing words with the letter 's'. In audio reproduction the letter 's' should sound clear and distinct, not smeared or distorted as in 'sh'. The letter 's' should sound like a hissing sound.

^^I did look into Monitor Audio along with the other contenders before heading out to do a listening test, all the manufacturers I mentioned make good quality gear, it was just a matter of the "right deal" coming my way.

Sibilance...that's a tricky question, it can depend on so many factors including the microphone the singer used, the studio itself the way it was mixed at the console.

Last year I bought a "cheap" Grado cartridge for about $60, for the singular purpose of going through about 200 old vinyl recordings to see which ones were still playable. I didn't want to use my good cartridge for that. Anyway one of the strengths of the Grado was the bass and lower midrange, but it also had a tendency on certain records to "smudge" the SH sound just as you described. Yes's Fragile comes to mind right away, along with certain other records. Most of the time the Grado was fine, so I have to conclude it wasn't just the cartridge but the actual recording itself.

However having said all that...when I got my new Dynavector cartridge it does such a superior job on the midrange/high end that the same albums that I heard the "SH" sound on was not nearly as noticeable when I played them with the new cartridge.

Not sure how much help that is 2LITTLETIME, but for me I will always want the Highest Quality files period, which means the highest bitrate.

Have you ever listened to a vinyl rip at 24-192 of any of your favorite albums? If not you should and see what you think of the difference.

 

[2LITTLETIME]

"I have to conclude it wasn't just the cartridge but the actual recording itself".Im suprised i thought vinyl would be perfect.Interesting point.I do a lot of downloading via various blogs and one fella is constantly comparing different versions/remasters of the same cd(see below)
When I'd heard that Metal Mind Records was re-issuing the album in 2006, I simply could not wait! I still had my original CD copy but was ecstatic to know that it might be possible to hear it sounding even better. The verdict? yes and no. As it does sound 'fuller' there is a bit of clarity that has been lost in translation from the original source files. And it is the 'source' files that are suspect to me: The newly re-mastered version almost sounds as if it was transferred from a cassette tape. It has all of the characteristics of having been transferred from a cassette (you know, the hiss and wonderful lack of high frequency response, that you can only get from a well worn tape) and because of this, I am sorely disappointed, but also so glad that I held on to my much loved original (and to think that I almost sold it)! But alas, you can be the judge yourself. Listen and compare the two: they are quite different.
Ive downloaded this version and its as he says.
Ive also came across a blog where the chap has ripped all of his vinyl to 320 so ill be looking at that.
Re 24-192 those bloody sods at apple do not allow that format on the old ipod.However i can connect a flac player to my speakers via a lead if the situation arises.
Just to finish i borrowed paranoid from my neighbour the other day and ripped it at 320 and also apple lossless(about 998).
Both were amazing and i could actually hear ozzys breath as he was about to sing and the slight feedback from tonys guitar.I actually thought there was a problem with the track and then i sussed the above.I could not tell the difference in bit rate at all.
I was using my ipod as a source and sennheiser px 100 headphones.I think the track was war pigs but can re check if need be.

 

[Sweaty]

I ended up talking to Wade at National Music last Saturday, and we demo'd a couple of speakers. I asked him what kind of sale price he could do, and after thinking it over I picked up a pair of these.

Monitor Audio Silver RX-8's. I was looking for a pair of dedicated speakers for my analog vintage system and loved the feel of these. A really nice resonant bass, not harsh on the high end and the midrange feels just right. Been breaking them in this week and they sound better and better. Tested them thoroughly with my best vinyl and they passed with flying colours.

The competition were, PSB's, Paradigm's and Totem's and the 3 online companies I mentioned a page back...for the price point Monitor Audio fit my needs and budget like a glove.





The finish is excellent, dark walnut real wood veneer. The drivers are mounted with long hexagonal bolts from the rear, so the baffles haven't got any screws showing, a rather neat innovation.

Specifications, from 32 Hz - 30 KHz, 6 Ohms and 50 - 200 Watts to drive them comfortably.

I'm very impressed with them so far.

Nice LG, real classy looking, bet they sound amazing..

 

[LG]

^^Thank you Sweaty, I wish you could pull up a chair and enjoy a cold beer with me and listen to them, I'm sure you'd enjoy yourself.

"I have to conclude it wasn't just the cartridge but the actual recording itself".Im suprised i thought vinyl would be perfect.Interesting point.I do a lot of downloading via various blogs and one fella is constantly comparing different versions/remasters of the same cd(see below)
When I'd heard that Metal Mind Records was re-issuing the album in 2006, I simply could not wait! I still had my original CD copy but was ecstatic to know that it might be possible to hear it sounding even better. The verdict? yes and no. As it does sound 'fuller' there is a bit of clarity that has been lost in translation from the original source files. And it is the 'source' files that are suspect to me: The newly re-mastered version almost sounds as if it was transferred from a cassette tape. It has all of the characteristics of having been transferred from a cassette (you know, the hiss and wonderful lack of high frequency response, that you can only get from a well worn tape) and because of this, I am sorely disappointed, but also so glad that I held on to my much loved original (and to think that I almost sold it)! But alas, you can be the judge yourself. Listen and compare the two: they are quite different.
Ive downloaded this version and its as he says.
Ive also came across a blog where the chap has ripped all of his vinyl to 320 so ill be looking at that.
Re 24-192 those bloody sods at apple do not allow that format on the old ipod.However i can connect a flac player to my speakers via a lead if the situation arises.
Just to finish i borrowed paranoid from my neighbour the other day and ripped it at 320 and also apple lossless(about 998).
Both were amazing and i could actually hear ozzys breath as he was about to sing and the slight feedback from tonys guitar.I actually thought there was a problem with the track and then i sussed the above.I could not tell the difference in bit rate at all.
I was using my ipod as a source and sennheiser px 100 headphones.I think the track was war pigs but can re check if need be.

Vinyl is not perfect, but for Old 60's-80's rock music it's almost always better than any of the lossy digital formats and CD's I've listened to over the years.

I can tell the difference between a CD of "Machine Head" and my new 180 gram vinyl record, there is a warmth and feel to the vinyl that digital simply cannot produce, unless you spend about $6,000 on a CD player, which I would never do.

There used to be a handful of vinyl enthusiasts who had the highest quality equipment that shared beautiful Hi Resolution rips of their vinyl recordings with anyone who took the time to download them. Once you listened to a 24-96 vinyl rip of Metallica's Black Album for example you would never be able to listen to the CD again, at least that's my experience.

 

[2LITTLETIME]

^Im going to have to get myself a flac palyer and connect it-Ive edited a review re my speakers.........
As Lifestyles Changed, Audio Got Lost in the Shuffle
How we listen to music has changed. Thanks to portable, digital music playerslike the iPod,

we no longer dedicate a room to music listening that's built around stacks of high fidelity

audio gear. Now we're carrying our music collections in our pockets as CDs begin to

disappear. Meanwhile, lossy digital audio formats like MP3 sacrifice quality for smaller

file size. Traditional speakers can't reveal the dynamic range and spatial qualities trapped

in lossless digital audio tracks, let alone MP3 files. Truth is, most of today's music

lovers have never really heard their music the way the artist intended them to hear it.
The speakers are voiced for high resolution playback of digital audiofiles, so it reproduces

all genres of music with amazing fidelity. It handles the vital crossover function entirely

in the digital domain. This results in an incredibly smooth octave to octave balance with

zero signal degradation.Whether it's an orchestra exploding from a quiet interlude to a

thunderous roar or a high-decibel rocker taking it down to a whisper to bare his soul,

Clarity HD reveals the full dynamic range of your music... just as the artists intended.From

the complex textures of jazz to the multi-layered sampling of hip hop, Clarity HD exposes

the inner detail of any piece of music with startling accuracy and the kind of breathtaking

three-dimensional soundstaging you'd expect from much larger systems.

"I can tell the difference between a CD of "Machine Head" and my new 180 gram vinyl record, there is a warmth and feel to the vinyl that digital simply cannot produce, unless you spend about $6,000 on a CD player".
Thanx for depressing me .Machine head is one of my fav albums(in rock is better though imho )

 

[LG]

^^Machine Head > In Rock...

No need to feel depressed 2LITTLETIME, you have plenty of time to experiment and find something that satisfies you when it comes to listening to your music.

I read the review you posted...some of it I agree with but other parts I don't. There is no doubt some speakers today are built with a singular purpose to extract the most out of a digital signal, makes sense that is what the market is dominated by these days.

However many speakers are just as comfortable with an old analog signal with vintage gear as they are with a digital set up. When I play a DVD on my digital surround system the results are spectacular, but when I listen to a CD and compare it to my ancient analog gear the difference is astonishing.

The new speakers I have are good at everything I've thrown at them so far, movies, CD's, and vinyl records, because the vinyl is played through my vintage integrated amplifier it sounds silky and smooth just like any of my 20 year old speakers.

At the end of the day your choice of stereo equipment is based on personal taste more anything else, what sounds good to me might come across as awful to someone else. I'll use Klipsch as an example, I cannot stand the sound of horn drivers, not for home stereo use, and yet some people think they are to die for.

But I do think you would enjoy a FLAC capable player, for digital files it's my codec of choice.

 

[2LITTLETIME]

^That above review was copied i could never be that eloquent .I would love to visit someone elses listening room with a top quality system and relax to my fav albums.Ive sort of stepped on the first rung of the ladder re my system and headphones.Im a bit of a minimalist when it comes to possessions so what ive got suits my needs .My next step may be a portable dac for the old headphones but well see.Its been good for me to listen to your views on the traditional way that music is heard.Were you too young for the Quadraphonic sound(4 speakers)or do you have experience of that.Incidentally i was blown away with a download that i had on the other day-Camel-Rain dances.Now that has been very well recorded.

 

[Sweaty]

I hope to have a listening room in the future where I can surround myself with music, so that I can listen when I want and what I want, I can buy all sorts of equipment to play with...

 

[LG]

I can picture you sitting in your "throne room" surrounded by all your CD's and a rack of gear to fiddle with at your leisure Master of the Brown & Golds.

^That above review was copied i could never be that eloquent .I would love to visit someone elses listening room with a top quality system and relax to my fav albums.Ive sort of stepped on the first rung of the ladder re my system and headphones.Im a bit of a minimalist when it comes to possessions so what ive got suits my needs .My next step may be a portable dac for the old headphones but well see.Its been good for me to listen to your views on the traditional way that music is heard.Were you too young for the Quadraphonic sound(4 speakers)or do you have experience of that.Incidentally i was blown away with a download that i had on the other day-Camel-Rain dances.Now that has been very well recorded.

Quadraphonic albums/electronics were available in the early-mid 70's, but they never caught on. Many of the high end receivers had the decoders built in and you also needed a special cartridge to play them...but the record labels didn't produce enough albums to support it so it withered on the vine and is now a novelty. I still see the odd "Quadraphonic" vinyl album in the 2nd hand shops, but I can't play them so I don't buy them. They were the first step towards the Dolby Surround phenomenon though, and look where we are now.

DAC's are a good idea, that's why esoteric CD/DVD/SACD players cost so much you are paying for the most sophisticated DA converters money can buy that are built in and they aren't cheap.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Unfortunately I have no vinyl...(shipping costs are just way too high to make it practical) but I do have a pretty sweet CD collection..

And this is what I use to play it with

...nothing fancy (and over 10 years old now), but it sounds awesome to me & packs quite a punch:






Marantz CD 6000 CD Player
Technics RSB9-45 3-head tape deck
Onkyo TXDS 777 Receiver (bi-wired in stereo)
Mordaunt Short MS-908 tower speakers

I recently added that strange looking DIY tube preamp/VU meter on top (that I made myself) ...and now it sounds deeper/sweeter/more tubey ...& slams even harder!


Btw, those Monitor Audio Silver RX-8's look great Lord Grendel!