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[ThatPolishGuy]

It's actually amazing what different types of enclosure do.

I was always fascinated by quick return of woofers in closed enclosures.

Tight seal makes some kind of air cushion.

Its really apparent when you have two woofers in a closed enclosure.

I had this one set which had two woofers in a closed enclosure. Two 6.3" woofers in a reaaally deep closed enclosure.

When you pushed one woofer in with a finger or two, the other would pop out.

I was like woaah .

 

[Maiden Voyage]

It's actually amazing what different types of enclosure do.

I was always fascinated by quick return of woofers in closed enclosures.

Tight seal makes some kind of air cushion.

Its really apparent when you have two woofers in a closed enclosure.

I had this one set which had two woofers in a closed enclosure. Two 6.3" woofers in a reaaally deep closed enclosure.

When you pushed one woofer in with a finger or two, the other would pop out.

I was like woaah .

Yeah, I see a ton of funky looking speakers and would love to be able to sit down and listen to the differences they make.

 

[ThatPolishGuy]

Yeah, I see a ton of funky looking speakers and would love to be able to sit down and listen to the differences they make.

There were a lot of funky stuff in the 70s.

Passive radiator.

Hell, even something we called...Transmission Line.

My friend has bought vintage German TL speakers and maybe I can hear them somewhere down the road. Would be awesome since I never did hear any TL loudspeakers.

Transmission line loudspeaker - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[ThatPolishGuy]

I think he has T und A (T+A) Criterion vintage German Transmission Line set, something like this:


I think that's his model.

And there were even more crazy ones here:

 

[Maiden Voyage]

 

[TheHighFlyingBirds]

I really want to get one of these Eames chairs but the price tag always makes me blush. Even the $1k knock offs are a bit much for me.

That is a chair I would love too, absolutely beautiful and iconic.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

MQA is going into administration

"MQA's main financial backer is seeking an exit"

www.whathifi.com

WAVE REALISATIONS LIMITED | Insolvency Notices | CreditMan

www.creditman.co.uk

"Following the recent positive reception to MQA’s latest technology (SCL6), there has been increased international interest in buying MQA Ltd. At the same time, MQA’s main financial backer is seeking an exit. In order to be in the best position to pursue market opportunities and expedite this process, the company has undergone a restructuring initiative, which includes entering into administration and is comparable to Chapter 11 in the US."
...
"During this process, MQA continues to trade as usual alongside its partners."
"We won't be commenting further while negotiations take place."

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Here's my actual set-up in the living room.

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

Here's my actual set-up in the living room.

Plant diffusers:

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

 

[Maiden Voyage]

After some back and forth and other priorities popping up, I decided to hold off on acoustic treatments and a new turntable entirely. I have a few things I need to get like a new computer and monitor. So for audio stuff, I decided to go for a second stylus and pick up a bunch of records. Both were shared in the what have you just bought thread, if anyone is curious.

Anyway, I got the Nagaoka MP-110 stylus after reading good things online. This is in addition to the VM540ML I have already. I gave a few records a spin. First impressions are positive. Obviously I am not expecting performance on par with the 540, as that cost is nearly double (though apparently the lifespan is doubled due to the ML). Anyway, overall the sound is a bit warmer. Highs are definitely capped / less prominent. Mids seem maybe a bit more pronounced, but I will need more diversity in records to really get a gauge on everything.

Overall, sound is much flatter. I was trying to think of ways to describe the difference. It feels less 3 dimensional and more 2D. Another way I was thinking of it, if Leo Da Vinci's sfumato technique is the 540, then the MP-110 is closer to the edge work of his contemporaries. The 540 is way more detailed along hard lines (instruments, vocals) and blends in more naturally. The MP-110 sounds much more pronounced but lacking in detail. There's a bit of distortion thrown in too but it acts as an alternative to the dense shading of sfumato. The depth and layering of the 540 is lacking in the Naga.

This might sound like I hate the Nagaoka but that's simply not true. This is essentially what I wanted to compliment the clinical precision of the 540. Variety is the spice of life after all. It doesn't make sense for me to use the 540 on early King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard records, as the sound quality is suspect at best. And surprisingly, Manchester Orchestra's The Valley of Vision sounds very nice on the Naga. I still need to give that one a go on the 540.

Both carts are aligned to their respective headshells. The only change I need to make when swapping them is the counter weight. The 540 matches wells with the markings on the counterweight, but the 110 is off by a considerable margin. That makes me incredibly grateful to have picked up a stylus scale to verify the actually weight going onto the record.

For now, the 110 will be my daily driver and the 540 will be my critical listening cartridge.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Good looking piece of kit. $5k is too rich for my blood though.

MoFi's New Master Phono Preamplifier

Will wonders never cease? With Andrew Jones designing MoFi loudspeakers, Allen Perkins designing their turntables, and their latest fabled designer catch, Peter Madnick, designing their new Master Phono preamplifier ($5000), I can't but wonder if Mobile Fidelity, aka MoFi, is poised to take over...

www.stereophile.com

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Not mine but I wish it was.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

I stumbled across this video explaining the mathematics behind digital audio. It's just shy of an hour in runtime but the information in it is great. I had seen this exercise done previously but that was like 10 years or more ago. It's nice to gave a refresher. I was always curious about 24-bit audio and sadly not much has been available to me, even with Apple Music offering some albums on Hi-Res Lossless. But I am now convinced 16-bit is good enough for me. CD quality it is.



In the video, he mentions a blog post about isolating the compress itself. Here is that post, which includes audio tracks of the compression. This was a revelation for me. I've been able to tell the difference on those double blind test, but have never actually heard just the compression artifacts. In my mind, the way I could tell was by how 3d the sound was reproduced. Now I know specifically why and how that occurs. Pretty cool!

Experimental Differences in Audio Compression Formats - The Cog

Great resource if you want to start attuning your ears for FLAC/ALAC/WAV/etc. or if you just want a reminder.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

This looks cool but I have absolutely zero use case for it.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

 

[jason10mm]

Is it wrong that I want to teach myself how to solder just so I can build one of those sweet elekit tube amp kits?

 

[Maiden Voyage]

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

 

[hollams]

Bought some nice stands for my rear surrounds, but two of the boards had cracks in them. One on each stand so now I'll have to see about a replacement. Ugh..

 

[DetectiveBananas]

I’ve read a lot of posts on here and I’ve really wanted to get into the record/record player system game. Had some stuff as a kid but it’s been sooo long since I’ve even used a record player I’ve no clue where to start.
I’m hoping some of you fine citizens of AudioPhile Gaf can point me in the right direction to trusted sources on YouTube, websites, etc so I can school myself before taking the plunge.
Even some tips here would be appreciated. Looking for a good set up with decent speakers, player, etc…in the $500-$1000 range to get started.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

I’ve read a lot of posts on here and I’ve really wanted to get into the record/record player system game. Had some stuff as a kid but it’s been sooo long since I’ve even used a record player I’ve no clue where to start.
I’m hoping some of you fine citizens of AudioPhile Gaf can point me in the right direction to trusted sources on YouTube, websites, etc so I can school myself before taking the plunge.
Even some tips here would be appreciated. Looking for a good set up with decent speakers, player, etc…in the $500-$1000 range to get started.

Honestly, unless you are dead-set on vinyl, it might be worth it to just consider an all streaming set-up. Vinyl is expensive and gear can be as well. Digital overall has been sound quality, especially newer mixed albums. That said, if you are set on going down the rabbit hole, here's some gear I've read good things about as a starting point. I'd encourage you to seek out reviews on any specific gear. Headphones are a good alternate to speakers, especially if you live in an apartment or have cohabitants that prefer quietude. That's another rabbit hole, so let me know if that is more to your interest.

Best bang for buck component is always going start with the speakers. You can debate gear importance beyond that. There's no harm in starting small (and spending the rest of your budget on records). I would advise to find a set of speakers and work from there on the rest of the components. The biggest thing to look for is whether the speakers are powered/active (no external amplification required) or passive (requiring external amplification). Nothing wrong with active speakers, especially to start. The biggest part of getting passive speakers IMO is the ability to swap in and out amplifiers as needed. I am hoping my current speakers outlive me so I have an external amp on both my desktop and living room set ups.

So some food for thought/homework: Do you want active or passive speakers? What sort of creature comforts do you want? What sources will you plan to use (streaming, vinyl, CD, etc.)?

Speakers:​

- $120: Edifier R1280T - Amazon
Budget option. No external amplification required.

- $300: Amazon
Note these are not currently on sale but often go for $300. Check camelcamelcamel to gauge frequency. I use these at my desk and I adore them. They will require amplification.

Turntables:​

- $150: AT LP60 - Amazon
Beginner table with phono preamp included. Not really upgradable.

- $350: AT LP120 - Amazon
This is what I have. Beginner range for upgradable turntables. Anything with a counterweight is a good starting point. This TT can support many different cartridges, has fast speed adjustment between 33, 45, and 72 rpm. Also includes a phono preamp.

Amplifiers:​

Only needed if you get passive speakers.

If space isn't a concern and if it's going to hook up to your TV, I'd recommend getting an integrated amplifier. This will most likely add in a lot of nice to hav features like Spotify Connect, Chromecast, Airplay, etc. Some also come with phono stages, if you do opt for a record player. If your turntable comes with a phono stage like the two mentioned above, just think of it as future proofing in case you upgrade to a nicer TT.

Here are some videos on the subject. I would happily recommend watching additional content from any of these channels.






This guy mostly focuses on desktop set-ups & headphones, but still a good resource if you want to explore.

 

[Nankatsu]

Masters of Sound, I come in need of your help.

I'm on the market for a swimming MP3 player. Not only would I like to know your possible recommendations but also would appreciate your opinion about bone conduction headphones vs ear-bud (for swimming purposes). As far as I understood, bone conduction headphones have the advantage of not actually entering your ear and allow you to still hear your surrondings, but I don't think that's great for swimming audio, because the water already muffles your hearing.

Any advice?

I was tracking this one: https://h2oaudio.com/collections/al...-player-with-bluetooth?variant=42436400808153

But they have different models, some with bone conduction and others with ear-bud and I'm on the fence for now.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Masters of Sound, I come in need of your help.

I'm on the market for a swimming MP3 player. Not only would I like to know your possible recommendations but also would appreciate your opinion about bone conduction headphones vs ear-bud (for swimming purposes). As far as I understood, bone conduction headphones have the advantage of not actually entering your ear and allow you to still hear your surrondings, but I don't think that's great for swimming audio, because the water already muffles your hearing.

Any advice?

I was tracking this one: https://h2oaudio.com/collections/al...-player-with-bluetooth?variant=42436400808153

But they have different models, some with bone conduction and others with ear-bud and I'm on the fence for now.

This is way too niche for me.

 

[navii]

Masters of Sound, I come in need of your help.

I'm on the market for a swimming MP3 player. Not only would I like to know your possible recommendations but also would appreciate your opinion about bone conduction headphones vs ear-bud (for swimming purposes). As far as I understood, bone conduction headphones have the advantage of not actually entering your ear and allow you to still hear your surrondings, but I don't think that's great for swimming audio, because the water already muffles your hearing.

Any advice?

I was tracking this one: https://h2oaudio.com/collections/al...-player-with-bluetooth?variant=42436400808153

But they have different models, some with bone conduction and others with ear-bud and I'm on the fence for now.

I hav no personal experience with these.

 

[Nankatsu]

Well I ended up going with a H2O Audio's Stream 3 paired with their Surge+ earbuds.

I'm no expert in the matter, but from what I was able to read/watch They're specifically targeted for swimming and that's my the main goal here. From what I was able to gather, while the bone conduction ones are more versatilty, since you can also use them for running and cycling and maintain a certain level of awareness, they're a bit lackluster on the swimming side - they sound too muffled.

 

[DetectiveBananas]

Honestly, unless you are dead-set on vinyl, it might be worth it to just consider an all streaming set-up. Vinyl is expensive and gear can be as well. Digital overall has been sound quality, especially newer mixed albums. That said, if you are set on going down the rabbit hole, here's some gear I've read good things about as a starting point. I'd encourage you to seek out reviews on any specific gear. Headphones are a good alternate to speakers, especially if you live in an apartment or have cohabitants that prefer quietude. That's another rabbit hole, so let me know if that is more to your interest.

Best bang for buck component is always going start with the speakers. You can debate gear importance beyond that. There's no harm in starting small (and spending the rest of your budget on records). I would advise to find a set of speakers and work from there on the rest of the components. The biggest thing to look for is whether the speakers are powered/active (no external amplification required) or passive (requiring external amplification). Nothing wrong with active speakers, especially to start. The biggest part of getting passive speakers IMO is the ability to swap in and out amplifiers as needed. I am hoping my current speakers outlive me so I have an external amp on both my desktop and living room set ups.

So some food for thought/homework: Do you want active or passive speakers? What sort of creature comforts do you want? What sources will you plan to use (streaming, vinyl, CD, etc.)?

Speakers:​

- $120: Edifier R1280T - Amazon
Budget option. No external amplification required.

- $300: Amazon
Note these are not currently on sale but often go for $300. Check camelcamelcamel to gauge frequency. I use these at my desk and I adore them. They will require amplification.

Turntables:​

- $150: AT LP60 - Amazon
Beginner table with phono preamp included. Not really upgradable.

- $350: AT LP120 - Amazon
This is what I have. Beginner range for upgradable turntables. Anything with a counterweight is a good starting point. This TT can support many different cartridges, has fast speed adjustment between 33, 45, and 72 rpm. Also includes a phono preamp.

Amplifiers:​

Only needed if you get passive speakers.

If space isn't a concern and if it's going to hook up to your TV, I'd recommend getting an integrated amplifier. This will most likely add in a lot of nice to hav features like Spotify Connect, Chromecast, Airplay, etc. Some also come with phono stages, if you do opt for a record player. If your turntable comes with a phono stage like the two mentioned above, just think of it as future proofing in case you upgrade to a nicer TT.

Here are some videos on the subject. I would happily recommend watching additional content from any of these channels.






This guy mostly focuses on desktop set-ups & headphones, but still a good resource if you want to explore.

Thank you for all this information and ill be sure to check them out in the coming days. As for the follow up questions…Probably leaning towards passive speakers, would love to be able to use CDs in a setup as well but not mandatory since vinyl would be the main focus for the project. I own my own house with no close neighbors so sound levels shouldn’t be a problem. I usually don’t blast the music I’m listening to anyway. If there is a headphone option that would be interesting.
Looking for the long term collection of vinyl and some CDs so money over time isn’t much of a concern. Definitely already interested in collecting singles so that could become a sub level obsession.

 

[sankt-Antonio]

Here's my actual set-up in the living room.

Shouldn't you space these speakers out a little bit more? 30° from center line (distance between the speakers should be the same distance as speakers to your listening position).
In the photo, it looks like you are giving away a lot of sound stage.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Shouldn't you space these speakers out a little bit more? 30° from center line (distance between the speakers should be the same distance as speakers to your listening position).
In the photo, it looks like you are giving away a lot of sound stage.

My actual listening position is in front of the coffee table. I move a chair into place when I want to do critical listening. Casual listening I just stay on the couch. We rearranged that room a bit as well so now my casual spot is even further back

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Thank you for all this information and ill be sure to check them out in the coming days. As for the follow up questions…Probably leaning towards passive speakers, would love to be able to use CDs in a setup as well but not mandatory since vinyl would be the main focus for the project. I own my own house with no close neighbors so sound levels shouldn’t be a problem. I usually don’t blast the music I’m listening to anyway. If there is a headphone option that would be interesting.
Looking for the long term collection of vinyl and some CDs so money over time isn’t much of a concern. Definitely already interested in collecting singles so that could become a sub level obsession.

FWIW I use discogs to keep track of my vinyl collection. I’d recommend getting a TT with a counterweight if you are aiming for that long of a timeline. I bounce between my Audio-Technica VM540ML and Nagaoka MP-110 cartridges. It’s cool to hear the differences and each is own their own headshell so swapping them is easy.

$350 for TT, $300-500 for speakers, and the rest on an amp works. Then you can upgrade cartridges and the amp later down the road. A better set of speakers further down too, if it is interesting for you.

Should be plenty of options in that range.

 

[TheHighFlyingBirds]

Thank you for all this information and ill be sure to check them out in the coming days. As for the follow up questions…Probably leaning towards passive speakers, would love to be able to use CDs in a setup as well but not mandatory since vinyl would be the main focus for the project. I own my own house with no close neighbors so sound levels shouldn’t be a problem. I usually don’t blast the music I’m listening to anyway. If there is a headphone option that would be interesting.
Looking for the long term collection of vinyl and some CDs so money over time isn’t much of a concern. Definitely already interested in collecting singles so that could become a sub level obsession.

As Maiden Voyage said, it can be costly and a deep rabbit hole. There are numerous ways you can approach this. There are two options for a first TT, go for a cheaper model from a respected brand like a rega p1, or go for something a bit better that also allows for more upgrade options like the rega p3. The first option is cheaper entry and if you do decide its not for you then its not a huge loss. The second option allows for ease of incremental upgrades, such as better carts, sub platter, new speed control motor etc, whilst giving you a good starting point.

For amp, you can go for a separate integrated amp if wanting passive speakers or get active speakers removing the need for a separate box (this option can give you excellent performance vs cost and excellent synergy, but it does have drawbacks).

As you have said you would prefer passive speakers then there are an abundance of good performing amps that wont break the bank. You can go for something that either has a phono amp and DAC built in or go for one without and add external devices which usually perform better but adds to the number of boxes, and costs more. A good solid amp with phono and dac, and good power levels is a Yamaha as501. Your location might limit or open up the options available to you, as amps from US are more expensive in UK, and UK / EU based amps are more expensive in the US. Another thing to consider is some amps have a headphone socket but they aren't always great (my as501 isnt, as it just has a resistor on the speaker level line to reduce the power). So consider an amp that has an output so you can add a dedicated headphone amp in the future.

For speakers, you need to demo these, as speakers along with your room will have the biggest effect on what you hear, some speakers are bright others boomy. Also for speakers I would consider 2nd hand as you'll get far more for your money. Depending where you live I would check out some AV / hifi forums, as I know avforums (uk based) have a classified section, which are pretty good as its usually enthusiasts who are selling so gear is looked after. I would avoid 2nd hand for the amp, as electronics can fail and you would have no warranty. For the TT, I would only buy 2nd hand if you can get it locally and demo/check it over before buying (I would replace the stylus/cart straight away so you know its not worn out).

Good luck on your journey.

 

[DetectiveBananas]

As Maiden Voyage said, it can be costly and a deep rabbit hole. There are numerous ways you can approach this. There are two options for a first TT, go for a cheaper model from a respected brand like a rega p1, or go for something a bit better that also allows for more upgrade options like the rega p3. The first option is cheaper entry and if you do decide its not for you then its not a huge loss. The second option allows for ease of incremental upgrades, such as better carts, sub platter, new speed control motor etc, whilst giving you a good starting point.

For amp, you can go for a separate integrated amp if wanting passive speakers or get active speakers removing the need for a separate box (this option can give you excellent performance vs cost and excellent synergy, but it does have drawbacks).

As you have said you would prefer passive speakers then there are an abundance of good performing amps that wont break the bank. You can go for something that either has a phono amp and DAC built in or go for one without and add external devices which usually perform better but adds to the number of boxes, and costs more. A good solid amp with phono and dac, and good power levels is a Yamaha as501. Your location might limit or open up the options available to you, as amps from US are more expensive in UK, and UK / EU based amps are more expensive in the US. Another thing to consider is some amps have a headphone socket but they aren't always great (my as501 isnt, as it just has a resistor on the speaker level line to reduce the power). So consider an amp that has an output so you can add a dedicated headphone amp in the future.

For speakers, you need to demo these, as speakers along with your room will have the biggest effect on what you hear, some speakers are bright others boomy. Also for speakers I would consider 2nd hand as you'll get far more for your money. Depending where you live I would check out some AV / hifi forums, as I know avforums (uk based) have a classified section, which are pretty good as its usually enthusiasts who are selling so gear is looked after. I would avoid 2nd hand for the amp, as electronics can fail and you would have no warranty. For the TT, I would only buy 2nd hand if you can get it locally and demo/check it over before buying (I would replace the stylus/cart straight away so you know its not worn out).

Good luck on your journey.

Thank you for the info. Will look into these options and see where it leads me! One more thing I’ve been thinking about is which country usually produced the best records back in the 60-90’s? I thought I heard Japan produced high quality vinyl but I could be misremembering. Noticed on Discogs that there are numerous versions of the same album (US, Germany, Japan, UK, etc..)

 

[jason10mm]

Even some tips here would be appreciated. Looking for a good set up with decent speakers, player, etc…in the $500-$1000 range to get started.

I would say the Fluance RT-82 ($300), onkyos TX-8220($200-250), and kef q150 ($300 refurbished on amazon) and you should be really happy. I sprung for the rt-85 which is just an upgraded rt82 but damn it's nice. There is some sort of weird visceral joy in vinyl. Plus all the funky colored records these says, it's really fun.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Thank you for the info. Will look into these options and see where it leads me! One more thing I’ve been thinking about is which country usually produced the best records back in the 60-90’s? I thought I heard Japan produced high quality vinyl but I could be misremembering. Noticed on Discogs that there are numerous versions of the same album (US, Germany, Japan, UK, etc..)

Yeah, I think Japan still puts out the best pressing but don't know for sure. I've a few Japanese releases but they're all punk albums so the recording quality wasn't great to start with.

 

[DetectiveBananas]

Yeah, I think Japan still puts out the best pressing but don't know for sure. I've a few Japanese releases but they're all punk albums so the recording quality wasn't great to start with.

When I was living in Japan 3-4 years back I was blown away at their second hand shops and how the Japanese took great care of their stuff. CDs that were from 80’s-90’s were mint condition and they had huge selections of stuff I’ve never seen. They had lots of records and stereo equipment that were in great shape as well. If only I would’ve picked up some of their stuff before I left . But did amass a good selection of rock and soundtrack CDs from them so not a total loss.

 

[DetectiveBananas]

I would say the Fluance RT-82 ($300), onkyos TX-8220($200-250), and kef q150 ($300 refurbished on amazon) and you should be really happy. I sprung for the rt-85 which is just an upgraded rt82 but damn it's nice. There is some sort of weird visceral joy in vinyl. Plus all the funky colored records these says, it's really fun.

What’s your collection up to at this point? Any interesting albums in the bunch?

 

[jason10mm]

What’s your collection up to at this point? Any interesting albums in the bunch?

I'm pretty new to the hobby but I have a bunch of the colored Metallica records. My kids lime jamming out to them. I'm trying to pace myself because you can definitely drop a llooootttt of cash on vinyl.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

I've got 171 records. With 10 more on order, due to arrive next week. 1 on pre-order.

My most interesting record is probably the Tell 'Em Steve-Dave podcast from 2011. It's still sealed so I have no clue if I have one of the rare red variants that randomly went out. I don't listen to the podcast anymore these days but it was my go-to once upon a time.

Interestingly, my most expensive album, based on median resale value data from Discogs, is the limited Pink version of Deftness' Adrenaline. $175.

A gift from a former GF is one of my few records from Japan: Slow Gherkin's Shed Some Skin. Niche ska/punk from my younger years.

Mouse on the Keys' An Anxious Object is one of my favorite niche records. It was an expensive repress that shipped from Japan.

Lots of cool color variants in my collection. The most pretty is probably Brother Ali's All the Beauty in This Whole Life. It's clear with a 3-color splatter similar to the cover by El Seed--who is one of my favorite contemporary artists.

Fucked Up's Year of the Horse has a play bill included and is also a beautiful color combo. Interestingly, the version I have isn't even on Discogs but it's still available for purchase on the website.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Not to feed anyone else's habit, but one tool I use to help keep an eye on sales is the VinylDeals subreddit. You filter by country as well using the sidebar.

Bargains for the lovers of vinyl • r/VinylDeals

Vinyl Record Deals

old.reddit.com

 

[kevm3]

After countless years, I've finally found a setup that sounds 'right to me'.

I came across these speakers by accident, but the KLH model 5 are amazing... but make sure you pair it with warmer gear, as it can get a little hot on that tweeter if you're not careful. Voices are amazing on this thing.

If you read reviews of this speaker, you will see people say they focus on the music more than trying to analyze for audiophile capabilities. I agree with that. I just really enjoy how these sound. I don't really feel like I need to 'change anything'.

 

[jason10mm]

One of my wifes friends husband has a set up but I never paid much attention to it until I got into the game.

VPI turntable and Mcintosh tube pre-amp.

Yeah, he is in a different weight class

 

[Maiden Voyage]

R11 Meta

The R11 Meta is the largest floorstanding model of the R Series. For a breathtaking listening experience, its combination of 12th generation Uni-Q® driver array with MAT™ and four 6.5” hybrid aluminium bass drivers allow it to pick out the subtle details of a recording, while also delivering raw...

us.kef.com

 

[jason10mm]

R11 Meta

The R11 Meta is the largest floorstanding model of the R Series. For a breathtaking listening experience, its combination of 12th generation Uni-Q® driver array with MAT™ and four 6.5” hybrid aluminium bass drivers allow it to pick out the subtle details of a recording, while also delivering raw...

us.kef.com

Damn, I'm not gay but that dude talking about speakers made me think about it for a second

A LOT of tech talk folks could learn from his delivery, pace, and poise.

And a room like that in my house would survive 0.054 nanoseconds with my kids

 

[TheHighFlyingBirds]

R11 Meta

The R11 Meta is the largest floorstanding model of the R Series. For a breathtaking listening experience, its combination of 12th generation Uni-Q® driver array with MAT™ and four 6.5” hybrid aluminium bass drivers allow it to pick out the subtle details of a recording, while also delivering raw...

us.kef.com

Would love a pair of these, but don't have enough space (nor spare cash to splurge on another pair of speakers). Oh well, my R3s (non meta) will just have to do, although I can't complain they are awesome speakers as it is.

 

[kevm3]

After a few days with the KLH Model 5's, I'm enjoying them more than any other audio devices I've had. I've had Dali Mentor 2 speakers, LSA speakers, Focal Clear headphones, LCD X, LCD3's, some B&W wireless Headphones amongst others. I've also owned Grados, Sennheiser HD600s, heard the Focal Utopias and HD800s... paired with my other equipment, its engaging without being overly bright. Amazing vocals and it allows me to focus on just the music instead of all of the other audiophile stuff. Instead of listening for some audio illusion, I'm back to just enjoying the music.

The key in the audio game if you don't want to continually burn money is to find the audio characteristics that you appreciate most and dial in on that. For me, it's tone and pacing. I don't like overly warm, lazy speakers, nor do I like bright, thin speakers with ear-piercing highs. I like a slightly warm sound with an engaging, slightly forward presentation. Too much energy in the sound makes me anxious, but too little energy in the sound makes me bored, so I prefer something that is slightly neutral with decent energy to it.

If you buy equipment that gives you a sound signature you hate, you will be miserable. It's easily possible for a 100 dollar pair of headphones to sound better than a $300 to $500 pair if the $100 pair has the sound signature you prefer. More detail doesn't necessarily mean a better listen. The higher models of equipment usually give you 'more' of that house sound. The really high end models start getting neutral to the point of revealing just how bad everything else in your chain is, including the source material.

I've found that some of the higher end equipment allows you to hear a lot more treble detail, and while it's cool for a 'short-term' listen, ultimately it starts giving me a headache because the highs can be piercing and there is so much information being thrown at my brain, it's hard to focus on the music. If the sound is somewhat thin with piercing highs, then it's a nightmare. I'd rather not listen at all.

This is why I actually prefer the Focal Clears to the Utopias despite the Clears being much cheaper. When I went into the audio store, I wanted to hear the Utopias because I wanted to hear the 'best'. They also happened to have the Clears there. I don't think I even knew what Focal Clears were or I didn't really care. However, upon A-Bing the pair of headphones, the Focal Clears were quite a bit more detailed, but the Clears had a much better tone and I found all of the extra detail to distract me from the music and be headache inducing. Just me learning my audio preferences saved me thousands of dollars.

 

[jason10mm]

I really need to find a way to learn what the sound descriptors actually mean. What is "warm", "bright", "fatiguing", etc. I of course have an idea, and usually if someone points it out its pretty obvious, but it would be nice to have a clear reference for these terms when you can't demo the stuff directly.

Of course it's kinda hard to hear all this stuff from a video if you are using a laptop or simple TV speakers. Kinda like trying to appreciate HDR 4k in a 720p video

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

I placed a rather big plant in the corner of my room. I don't know if it's going to do anything but it's the closest thing that I've got to a bass trap at the moment

 

[kevm3]

I really need to find a way to learn what the sound descriptors actually mean. What is "warm", "bright", "fatiguing", etc. I of course have an idea, and usually if someone points it out its pretty obvious, but it would be nice to have a clear reference for these terms when you can't demo the stuff directly.

Of course it's kinda hard to hear all this stuff from a video if you are using a laptop or simple TV speakers. Kinda like trying to appreciate HDR 4k in a 720p video

Bright is a more treble-focused, lean sound. If you've heard headphones and a horn plays or some other high pitched instrument and it makes you want to take those headphones off, that's something that's really bright.

whereas warm has a sound that focuses more on the lower ends of the frequency. Warmer sounds typically sound 'thicker', aka have more body, but if the treble is rolled off, they can sound slow and dull.

Sennheisers are more 'warm sounding' headphones whereas Grado is more of a bright headphone

 

[jason10mm]

Bright is a more treble-focused, lean sound. If you've heard headphones and a horn plays or some other high pitched instrument and it makes you want to take those headphones off, that's something that's really bright.

whereas warm has a sound that focuses more on the lower ends of the frequency. Warmer sounds typically sound 'thicker', aka have more body, but if the treble is rolled off, they can sound slow and dull.

Sennheisers are more 'warm sounding' headphones whereas Grado is more of a bright headphone

If I'm mostly into rock/metal, what "sound" should I be looking for? Obviously there are personal preferences and a bazillion possibilities in the source/amp/speaker pipeline, but other than "AS LOUD AS FUCKING POSSIBLE" turned to 11, are there generally agreed upon categories of output for each genre? Most of the high end audiophile stuff I've read/watched seems overly focused on jazz, soloists, crooners, classical music, etc, which makes sense, but if I want to pick out every note in Dragonforce, the deep bass chunks in Iron Maiden, the high operatic notes of Nightwish, is there a category/manufacturer of sound equipment I should be considering and some that aren't geared for that kind of music?