Happy Audiophile Day

[Beldar]

With all of the gloomy posts lately maybe a positive one is due.

Today October 2 is Audiophile Day! Like anyone cares, but I know there are a number of us here who are.

So forget the markets for a day and play a few recordings. I have about 50 "new" 2 minute cylinders to preview myself.

_B

 

[ERD50]

A few years ago I heard one of the big disc acoustic horn record players, the old 'gramophones' and was shocked at how good the sound was (OK, still not 'great').

With a disc in good condition, a fresh needle, and a good quality player, they sound much better than we have been led to believe. I think it was "techmoan" on youTube that pointed out that every time you see a gramophone in an old movie or TV show, they want it to sound old-timey, so they use an old warble-y, scratchy, tinny sounding recording. And that's all most of us have ever heard.

I'm going out to hear some live music tonight in a small club, so should get some pretty good sound. Not acoustic, but mostly sound right through the guitar amps, so pretty direct and clear (or distorted the 'right' amount).

-ERD50

 

[Koolau]

I finally sold my Edison just before we moved to the Islands. Mine had the "big, fancy horn" and sounded a lot better than I would have ever guessed. What a great piece of technology for a time without serious electronics. YMMV

 

[donheff]

Thanks I just sent a happy audiophile message to my son-in-law. He builds high end audiophile tube amps.

 

[eytonxav]

Combining this post with Blow that Dough, you could buy a system like this, north of $500K:

 

[street]

^ you mean a half million for that! WOW!

 

[Koolau]

^ you mean a half million for that! WOW!

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking? WOW indeed!

 

[euro]

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking? WOW indeed!

Yeah, well, I'm sure the specs for that kit are far, far, far beyond anything I could ever discern, so even something similar at $500 would probably be overkill for me... then again, I'm a tinnitus man, so what do I know?

 

[eytonxav]

^ you mean a half million for that! WOW!

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking? WOW indeed!

Yeah, well, I'm sure the specs for that kit are far, far, far beyond anything I could ever discern, so even something similar at $500 would probably be overkill for me... then again, I'm a tinnitus man, so what do I know?

Here are the specs for this setup:
SR Tranquility Racks & VAC 452 Musicbloc Monoblocks
Magico M3 Loudspeakers
VAC 452 Musicbloc Amplifiers
VAC Master Preamplifier
Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Ref Series 3 + Alpha USB
Constellation Audio Andromeda Phonostage
Acoustic Signature Thunder Turntable w/ SoundSmith Hyperion Cartridge
Synergistic Research SRX SC
Synergistic Research Galileo SX IC
Synergistic Research Galileo SX Phono cable
Synergistic Research SRX PC
Synergistic Research Tranquillity Racks
Synergistic Research Galileo PowerCell SX
Synergistic Research Galileo AGB SE
Synergistic Research Linear Power Supply
Synergistic Research Transporter
Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF

 

[Koolau]

Yeah, well, I'm sure the specs for that kit are far, far, far beyond anything I could ever discern, so even something similar at $500 would probably be overkill for me... then again, I'm a tinnitus man, so what do I know?

Yeah, join the "Tinnitus R Us" club! Maybe I used too many watts back in the day (although, I'm thinking it was more likely the 95db aircraft or trap shooting - maybe even the w*rk place.) In any case, much of a $50K system would be wasted on me. Good news: The money I save on a RAD sound system, I can spend on some new hearing aids. YMMV

 

[Beldar]

Here are the specs for this setup:
Magico M3 Loudspeakersileo AGB SE

I'll see your Magico M3s and raise you a pair of Kleinhorns (courtesy Nelson Pass)

_B

 

[John Galt III]

Yes, we exist! Audiophile here ! I love my 1980's setup. I hear every instrument, with all the details. Turntable, receiver, and two big wood cabinet speakers with tweeter, midrange, and woofer. It's all great. Classical, folk, rock, electric, acoustic, voices. Big collection of vinyl from over the decades. Oh, by the way, I thought I would 'upgrade' my turntable by getting a new needle. The new needle made it sound different, but it wasn't better. The new needle lost a lot of detail. No rasp of the violin bow, etc. So I chalked it up to experience, and put the old needle back in. Never looked back. I put a lot of hours on my turntable. Love it.

 

[erkevin]

I considered myself an audiophile back in the 80's and 90's, but technology and my budget changed. I used to look so forward to receiving my Stereo Review, Stereophile, and Audio mags in the mail each month.

 

[eytonxav]

I'll see your Magico M3s and raise you a pair of Kleinhorns (courtesy Nelson Pass)

_B

Now those would need a very large listening room

 

[RobbieB]

Oh yeah, you can spend big bucks on audio. Just pick up a copy of Stereophile on the magazine stand next time you are there.

 

[jollystomper]

A day late, but I still have my DJ turntables from the late 70s/early 80s that survived my original audiophile setup. Now used alongside DJ Hercules:

 

[eytonxav]

A day late, but I still have my DJ turntables from the late 70s/early 80s that survived my original audiophile setup. Now used alongside DJ Hercules:

After I dumped my Thorens, it was replaced with a Panasonic like the one on the left. Think it may still be in its original box on my garage shelf. Cartridge was Shure V15 III.

 

[MichaelB]

Reminds me of the good old days when Stereophile would review silver and palladium speaker wire @$1000 per foot.

Nowadays my audio setup is made by Tinnitus..

 

[Keim]

Yeah, well, I'm sure the specs for that kit are far, far, far beyond anything I could ever discern, so even something similar at $500 would probably be overkill for me... then again, I'm a tinnitus man, so what do I know?

You might be surprised. I also have tinnitus (I credit The Scorpions 1991 tour and dads .357) and can still easily hear when my audiofool grade system isn't performing to spec.

Currently playing the great new Porcupine Tree album.

Fyi: Modified AR XA turntable, oppo bdp95 disc player. All feeding a minidsp that controls homemade tube amps and a homemade solid state amp for the sub woofers. Homemade speakers.

 

[Harris4crna]

I got the bug

 

[Koolau]

View attachment 44615

I got the bug

I guess you do. Posting my boom box would probably be inappropriate at this time.

Enjoy!

 

[GenXguy]

You might be surprised. I also have tinnitus (I credit The Scorpions 1991 tour and dads .357) and can still easily hear when my audiofool grade system isn't performing to spec..

There are many levels and sounds for tinnitus, and it's not always accompanied by hearing loss. It's also not always constant - it definitely changes a lot for me at different times, different days, and also a very negative effect on sleep. Also, I can't hear the high frequencies like 16 khz anymore.

 

[NW-Bound]

Oh boy, look at all those hard floors in the photos.

I recall when I peeled up the carpet to install a wood floor. The music was so bright and sounded so wrong.

Then, I got used to it, and it did not bother me anymore. Or perhaps the furniture I added afterwards provided enough dampening.

 

[Harris4crna]

Oh boy, look at all those hard floors in the photos.

I recall when I peeled up the carpet to install a wood floor. The music was so bright and sounded so wrong.

Then, I got used to it, and it did not bother me anymore. Or perhaps the furniture I added afterwards provided enough dampening.

I live on base housing, so no choice. I gave up trying to improve the room since I move every 2-3 years in the military.