Your year in HiFi and Music – 2012

To add to my earlier list I've just received the remastered version of Previn and the LSO playing Rachmaninov Symphony No 2.  Recorded in 1973 this has always been seen as a classic and the remastering is absolutely brilliant enhancing the string tone wonderfully and bringing out some lovely highlights in the percussion.

Chris

My hifi combo all bought this year (except The TT) have just made listening to my music a joy. I buy more now, including vinyl, than I have for years. It's stopped being about the hifi and become about the music again.

I can't think of anything more pointless!  

Unless they're running twenty rooms with the same amps and sources and different speakers, you're going to be in for a mish-mash.  

I replugged my Onkyo back in recently, having been using the Sony for a while, and realised how neutral the 8050 is.  The Denon 3930 and 1420 players come across as very lean sounding, but the Marantz CD52 SE went on and the difference was stark. 

So yes, sources and do play a significant part.  It may be subtle for some, but it can be markedly clear in other cases.

I was listening to this the other night.  I agree, it is a wonderful recording in every sense.  Previn's understanding of the music is peerless and the orchestra are on wonderful form.

To all those slagging off the 'hi-fi comics'...   Without the WHFS&V magazine, this forum wouldn't exist.

I've gone the other way, I rather like the open minded nature of the likes of Hi Fi World and WHFS&V.  Stereophile makes for a good read as does ToneAudio in the US.  Nobody takes a two faced swipe at you on one forum and turn up on the one they're slagging off for a start that's for sure.  

Nice to find a fellow spirit.

Chris

  I wasn't slagging them off , I just said that I had virtually stopped buying them . Although I admit I was being a bit disparaging by calling them comics . But I'm sure they've been called worse .

My year then, I'm going to throw in a late Dec 2011 purchase, that inspired a bit of a lengthy thread earlier in this year.  Been a bit of a busy year since then too though.  Here's the list:-

Onkyo TX-8050

Denon DVD-3930 Universal Player

Denon DCD-1420 CD player

Marantz CD52 Mk II SE

Sony TA-F630 ESD

Harman Kardon HK6850 (tonight!)

Apple TV3

Sony PS3 320Gb

Tannoy DC4

Rogers DB101 (sold on)

Sony CDP-791 (donated to charity)

Monster HDMI 1200-EX cable

various optical cables

various Tesco HDMI cables

...and a stack of CDs!

Edit:....oh and a 32Gb Google Nexus 7!  

In April I was on a stag do and chatting (pulling his pants down and making him neck everything) to the best man about HiFi and said I wanted a louder amp to blast out in my living room without overheating like 70-100 watt.. Turns out he works for Cyrus and said he could get me a discount so figured £700 was as option.. Went and Demo'd the 8 DAC and a Caspian.. Just before I left I tried the Pre Power and wow blew me away.. SO ordered my current set up and ProAcs which are made in Brackley (my home town)  I later bought the Naim streamer as it amazed me how fluid and analogue it sounded compared to my Mac as source.. and obviously future proof with 24/192 and ipod/pad app, gapless playback etc it's perfect for when i get my listening room.

Although a fantastic set up and unbelievable sound it just doesn't suit most the music I listen too.. I then went and tried all kinds of speakers, sub, cables etc and still can't get anywhere near the sound I wanted.. Pretty much no high end Class D amps do to be honest.. I've heard Roksan, Cyrus, Naim, Bryston, Quad and Musical fidelity.. At my last listening session at the end I just asked the guy (he can understand my frustration) if he recommends any ams that might suit the sound i'm after or am i going to have to get a much cheaper/beefier sounding amp.. He just pointed at an amp.. Electrocompaniet PI 2 Integrated 100 watt per channel.. So I though ahh why not.. The second I turned it up me and my mate just looked at each other and grinned.. WOW!! This is pretty much exactly what I was after! Powerfull but controlled bass, full punchy but transparent midrange and silky smooth / slightly toned down (dark?) top end with a laidback slightly warm presentation but with plenty of detail and attack.. It just flows along with perfect timing and can't help but foot tap bob your head to the beat.. It also much much much more forgiving on bad recordings than any other amp i'd tried.. FINALLY I was enjoying the music 10 x more than any other Class D amp i'd heard.. I will be going back to try with more speakers but I am pretty much sold.. I will look into Bigger Electro/Class A amps maybe when I do a big upgrade as I hear this is a similar sound.. But I plan that at least 5 years from now.. Now to just find some speakers that work perfect with it..

If you find most high end amps a bit to bright/anylitacal/harsh/forward/tiring and/or just want to listen to hours of music where you feel fully involved in the music like you're at the gig without it fatuiging at all I suggest you demo this amp.. Yes it has 'Character' but I don't think that is a bad thing.. All I know is I will be buying it plugging it in and get back to the real reason I spent all this money in the first place.. To enjoy the music. Next year I will buy a Sub and a could hundred CD's!!

Cheers guys, hope you have all found the setup that makes you enjoy your favorite music, or just found some music to make your hairs stand up on your already exsiting set up 

Well, the 2012 is almost over but I just pulled the trigger on the new kitchen system...

2012 has been the biggest hifi year ever, for me.

Thanks to this Forum I was introduced to active speakers in general and AVI in particular.  The venom in certain people about AVI made them a priority listen.  I was staggered by the performance of the AVI ADM 9Ts and their VFM.  A complete[save for source] system in beautifully crafted and finished pair of speakers.

I was then introduced to home network/streaming [courtesy of AVI & WHF forums] and purchased an ATV3 to feed the 9Ts from the existing computer and router.  The process, still ongoing, of ripping my cd collection began, but I do not only stream, I still enjoy my old Marantz cd player.  Purchased an Apple iPad mini to allow easier control of my stored music and to engage in arguments  conversations on here.

Very little music has been purchased because I have been listening anew to my existing music collection.  I have never listened so much or enjoyed my music so much.  I have purchased a number of Brian ENO albums as well as Adele.  

If you have never tried actives give them a go.  Despite the bile of some on here who have a contrary view, you may just find they are the best thing to happen to your ears AND wallet.

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.

 Yes the AVI speakers are good, but so are many others in the music production industry... It just so happened that the AVI's are one of the sepakers they have got into the HIFI world..

Freudian Slip methinks!! 

Ha yeeeaahhhh.. I was rushing it out before my break and I was starving (slightly hungover).. One day i'll hear an ams.. One day..