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Thread: Appreciate HiFi setup recommendation

  1. #1
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    Appreciate HiFi setup recommendation

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    Any HiFi enthusiasts among our AQ members? Appreciate some recommendation for a S$2k system (CD player, amp and speakers). Currently listens mostly to vocals, new age and some jazz music in my minicompo. Thanks in advance.
    Last edited by lcm; 12th Jun 2005 at 18:25.

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    I'm using one of those Pioneer mini systems with 5.1 speakers. I find it quite sufficient for a small room. It has DTS and Dolby 5.1, plays SACD too. But then again, by Hi Fi enthusiasts' standards, it's probably trash.

    Cheers,
    I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?

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    Ahhhh... an audiophile...

    I have been out of the hi-fi arena for very long. I remember setting up my first Hi-Fi system for just over $2k.

    Pioneer A400X (a classic, extinct)
    Arcam Alpha One (wonderful warm sound, discontinued too)
    NAD 502 tuner (cheap turner with reasonable sound)
    Mission 760iSE (budget speakers with biwire posts)
    Audioquest Ruby interconnects (crystal clear sound)
    Cable Talk 4 biwire speaker cable

    All of the above are probably discontinued already.

    My advice:
    - Spend more money on a good source (CD players, DVD players or the like), instead of the amp.
    - Try to go for dedicated CD players than those that play all disc-formats. They produce much better sound.
    - Do not be afraid to spend money on good cables (especially interconnects), they make world of difference.

    I wonder how much does Arcam CD73 cost. It should be a good CD player to buy. I loved my Arcam CD player.

    BC

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    Another audiophile !

    Marantz CD player, Arcam or Cyrus Integrated Amp and Castle, Tannoy or Mission speakers?

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    Quote Originally Posted by geoffrey
    Another audiophile !

    Marantz CD player, Arcam or Cyrus Integrated Amp and Castle, Tannoy or Mission speakers?
    oopss!! Better take my Pioneer all in one set and hide!!!

    Cheers,
    I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?

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    My entire entertainment "system" is made up of 1 Creative 5.1 soundcard, 5.1 Creative speakers, my PC, an NEC DVD burner and a 19" LCD monitor. All controlled nicely from my bed via a bluetooth keyboard and mouse set. Cost? A little over $2500. Leaves me with very little clutter, frees up space that will be taken up by different components and gives me enough oomph in my sound without disturbing the neighbours.

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    moving with the times..

    I'm playing everything on my pc since my sony md-55 minidisc player died on me..(although the wood speakers and subwoofer are working)..

    its a jukebox of some 3000+ tracks/28GB ripped from my cd collection at 320kbps/44100 sampling rate.

    using an altec lansing speakers. I was planning on changing to bose pc speakers but read somewhere that they are not value for money... so quite unsure myself what speakers are good....

    using audigy ls for sound card.

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    WARNING!! Do not spoil your ears with high-end hi-fi...

    Use to work temp for a hi-fi company that sells Mark Levinson & Thiel system (priced $50,000 and up). I had the priviledge to audition a system that cost $300,000 in total:
    Mark Levinson No. 31.5 Reference Digital Transport
    Mark Levinson No. 360 Digital Audio Processor
    Mark Levinson No. 380S Pre-Amplifier
    Mark Levinson No. 33 Monaural Power Amplifier (This is a MONSTER ! Each mono bloc weighs almost 200kg!!!)
    ProAc Reference D100
    Siltec Silver cables

    After that when I went back to my hi-fi, I find that my $2K systme sounds like ****. From then on... nothing I hear satisfy my craving for the "perfect sound". (PC speakers are definite no-no for music for me. )

    My dream system: Sonus Faber loudspeakers, Audio Note Valve pre/power amp, and maybe a Mark Levinson CD transport + DAC. (... dream on.... )

    For those who dare... please visit:
    http://www.marklevinson.com/
    http://www.audionote.co.uk/
    http://www.sonusfaber.it/


    BC
    Last edited by bclee; 17th Jun 2005 at 16:17.

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    Quote Originally Posted by benny
    oopss!! Better take my Pioneer all in one set and hide!!!

    Cheers,
    Benny: Make them drool with your camera systems!
    Luckily I don't have cravings for that perfect sound. A PC speaker or mono-radio is fine with me.
    koah fong
    Juggler's tanks

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    Quote Originally Posted by juggler
    Benny: Make them drool with your camera systems!
    Luckily I don't have cravings for that perfect sound. A PC speaker or mono-radio is fine with me.
    Errr... Benny's camera systems is a bigger evil ... it will probably buy a few good Hi-Fi systems.

    BC

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    hifi system is the greater evil compared to a camera system.
    a hifi amp can cost more than a 'drool' camera system.
    and a camera system is easier to justify with some nice pictures compare to justification to achieve that perfect 'ping'.
    thomas liew

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    Audio Note gives immaculate sound too. I literally drool listening to it. So is Krell. Personally, like BC, I still dream Mark Levinson. And Quad's electro-static speakers. Wonder how a Mark and Quad combo will sing?

    I find that my $2K systme sounds like ****.
    Anyway, don't be discourage by BC's bias against low-end system (he is right though). With a optimally furnished, right dimensioned room; correctly positioned speakers and GOOD source (good CDs), a $2k system can still give discerning difference.

    Bear in mind that it is not only good sound that makes a system good. There are other attributes like depth, sound-stage and imaging etc that must be taken together to give a pleasant listening experience. Lastly, it is personal.
    Last edited by geoffrey; 18th Jun 2005 at 22:14.

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    Thanks for the replies. Mark Levinson, Sonusfaber, Audionote, wow... they are works of art as well. Drool... Back to my senses, NAD, Marantz, Arcam, Tannoy and Mission are in my shopping list. Will google for more information. Think the 2k entry setup is likely the start of an insatiable upgrade journey.

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    If upgrade is indeed your intention, then Arcam will be one you should consider. With it, I'm sure, you can start with an integrated bi-wired combo and move towards bi-amping mono-blocks. It allows you to add in power-amps while retaining your integrated as a pre-amp and bi-wired cables modified for bi-amp setup. Unfortunately, I don't know if Audiolab is still around, otherwise a mono-blocked config is rated highly too. I heard it before with a pair of mission and it's good. It would have done better with a pair of monitor audio.
    Last edited by geoffrey; 20th Jun 2005 at 21:08.

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    Hi there,

    Seems difficult to go under S$2K budget
    Mine go for S$6,250 with :
    1. CDP Opera Consonant - buy new
    2. Power Amp - Audion 300B (push-pull) - 2nd hand like new
    3. Speaker - Totem Model One - 2nd hand like new
    4. RCA Cable - Audioquest - 3rd hand good condition
    5. Speaker Cable - Cardas - 3rd hand good condition

    So far I satisfy with this setup , warm & solid vocal.
    Good staging, imaging and clarity.
    Play well with Diana Krall, Don Williams, Ray Charles, Susan Wong, Anne Murray, Amanda McBroom and most of vocal collections
    Hope this help....

    AChen

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    Argh... I better keep myself out of this thread before it revive my hi-fi itch...

    I have collection of a few hundred CDs... with a dead Arcam and A400X...

    BC

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    Quote Originally Posted by bclee
    Argh... I better keep myself out of this thread before it revive my hi-fi itch...

    I have collection of a few hundred CDs... with a dead Arcam and A400X...

    BC

    Can't you fix them up again? I can keep your CDs for your first if you like. My cheapy Pioneer still plays pretty decent.

    On the subject of Hi Fi, I admit I'm totally clueless, but I have ever seen two speakers that were 2 ft wide and 4 ft tall. But it was very thin!! I think these speakers alone was worth more than S$10000!!! And I couldn't hear any difference.

    Cheers,
    Last edited by benny; 20th Jun 2005 at 12:51.
    I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?

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    Quote Originally Posted by benny
    Can't you fix them up again? I can keep your CDs for your first if you like. My cheapy Pioneer still plays pretty decent.

    On the subject of Hi Fi, I admit I'm totally clueless, but I have ever seen two speaks that were that 2 ft wide and 4 ft tall. But it was very thin!! I think these speakers alone was worth more than S$10000!!! And I couldn't hear any difference.

    Cheers,
    Well... those are the electrostatic speakers that Geof was mentioning...
    http://www.iaguk.com/quad/esl.htm
    http://www.iaguk.com/quad/eslbroch.pdf

    They move air by electrostatic charges rather than cones in conventional speakers. And due the the lack of enclosures, it is said to be more neutral and real to the original sound.

    Hehe... I am now using my cheap Sony theater system for CDs... don't quite sound as good... but can make do with it for the time being...

    BC

    .... er... why am i still here...

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    Hi ICM,
    For $2K, I would suggest that you buy a Philips CD player(value for money), Denon Amp(again value for money) and probably Infinity for speakers.(adequate vocal reproduction). My 2 cents proposal and you won't burn a hole in your pocket. Best of all, you would have 'change' for a new Tank
    Something about the water & the fishes that calms me down.

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    BC, you should consider having your Arcam A1 fixed lah. Have you tried Sembawang shopping centre, the second hand HiFi shop?

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