my DREAM system. oh, maybe one day...

The same thing happened me when I bought my first sub......the temptation to think "I've got a sub, so let's hear what this baby can do", was overwheming.

Then, as you say, a few months later you realize...less is more.

Cno

... some changes are coming...

Have to move to a smaller flat soon and this will impact both the main and the second systems:

Main: the tv and bluray player will be left behind in the old flat so will have to get new ones. For tv I am thinking adding an inch of size and slimming on screen thickness\reducing weight. not bothered abt 3D. something like this maybe http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004TB4XWW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

for bluray, either the latest cheapest model from Sony http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-S380-Blu-ray-Player-Internet/dp/B004L2KO7M/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1308998959&sr=1-1 or, since I like my hifi in small boxes, one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-BD-D7000-Blu-ray-Design-Player/dp/B004S5ZQSE/ref=sr_1_20?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1308999007&sr=1-20. There is a slight problem with the Samsung as it does not seem to have discrete remote codes. I need those. So most likely the Sony.

second system: a bit less simple. the objective is to reduce footprint and box count while increasing sound quality. I took some advice here http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/small-speakers-required-must-be-special and, subject to demos, i probably sell the sub, speakers and denon and buy AVI9.1 (+maybe a smaller sub) and feed avi's from squeezebox's digital out.

Any further advice on what to get - for both systems?

also, just ordered silicone custom sleeves from ACS. Will fit them to a new pair of apple 2-driver in-ears which I quite like for their excellent sq per pound and convenient remote control.

Hello,

This is my "system". It is a vintage system of more than 500 units.

You can visit my on-line museum for more details at 1001hifi.weebly.com

Black beauty

... and it turns out ACS have stopped doing custom tips for apple phones...

NEMOaudio wrote:

Hello,

This is my "system". It is a vintage system of more than 500 units.

You can visit my on-line museum for more details at 1001hifi.weebly.com

Black beauty

that is an interesting collection! very nostalgic. What principle do you choose the gear on? Why (comparatively) only a few speakers?

Actually, your collection deserves a dedicated thread!

Very nice system you have Almaatakz, I seriously toyed with the idea of those atc towers recently but just not wife-acceptable enough sadly.

I used to have the benchmark dac-1 (plain) and it made a huge difference. But long since overshaddowed by subsequent dacs: opus 21, burson ha-160d, berkeley alpha, and now weiss dac 202. It occurs to me that you probably don't need a dac with preamp if it's only for computer playback, as you can get software with excellent digital volume control e.g. Amara. Then you could perhaps replace the hdr with something newer like the M2Tech Young dac or an old classic secondhand dac for less but better sound. Have you tried changing the internal benchmark jumpers to disable the preamp section and to adjust the gain to match the atc's?

Thanks, PA!

I have not even tought about replacing the benchmark. There are probably better dacs there but I would be only interested to try very few of them. The Weiss is very interesting, I would love to try it. I do not remember any other I would want to try.

re the pre-amp functinality, I think it is better to have vol control using that rather than software (although apparently as long as it is deep bit depth and dithering then should be as good if not better). I think I am just not interested enough in software. I tried amarra and pure music for example and did not like them - for reasons of interface and lack of integration, not for sound quality (I do not want to have to press any more buttons than I have now - I want to press less! my test for any new software or hardware set is how simple is the following sequence: download/rip a track, add it to a playlist, play that playlist).

in practice, I will stay with the benchmark for the forseeable future as I am happy with it and honestly spent enough on the recent upgrade to spend any more serious money on hifi in several years.

not enough time to enjoy the sound of what I already have! I am away from my system and music for 2 month - not good at all!

... Finally got to re-setting up the system after moving to the new place 6 weeks ago! That was a loooooooong 6 weeks!

All connected up again and sounding fantastic. The room is different so it is now in a kind of recess and bass has changed completely - theres is more of it! I have not connected the sub yet but a thought of 'maybe no sub' has crossed my mind today " /> !!!

Glad you have it back up and running again....  Looks a lot cosier in there now??  The cabinets look even bigger now next to the tv!!!

John

i hate to say it, but that room looks way too small for those monster speakers - the bass will go wild, and soundstage not optimal. For the bass, you should look at some really good stands e.g. Townshend or Sonority or Stillpoints or AudiophileBase or Aurio Max Pros.

Looking good Almaatakz 

Thanks, jb. the room is indeed smaller but the difference in sound I think comes more from the speakers being in a recess rather than being in a smaller room. most likely both factors contribute, as well as different floor material.

thanks, pa.

the room is smaller, but I'd say not dramatically. was 4.5 x 7, now 4.5 x 5? what you see in the pic is the recess, there is another 1m of width on one side of it and a further 80cm on the other and the speakers are firing along the lengths of the room so they do not sound or look too big.

still have not tried the sub - travelling, weddings and today a flood in the flat (still have to check the damage downstairs!!!) did not leave much time recently. maybe tomorrow.

thanks. Matt. need to sort out the flood now...

Flood?!