Author Topic: Kmh364 Stupid Question: Any Audiophiles On This Site? (Read 864 times)

kmh364 · « **on:** October 29, 2004, 11:02:12 AM »

Just wondering if, besides bkbass Barry, there are any other audiophiles out there on the site. While we certainly have some serious players here with some mondo amp rigs and multiple Alembics, do we have HiFi nuts here as well? Specifically, do we have anybody out there that is as serious with their HiFi rigs as they are about their bass rigs?

nick_bassman · « **Reply #1 on:** October 29, 2004, 11:15:37 AM »

Hi Kevin

IME it isn't as common as you might expect to find musicians who are serious about reproducing music at home. I actually got interested in Hi Fi and listening before I got interested in playing. I put my first system together when I was 13, some stereo friends and I used to listen to Dark Side and Concert for Bangladesh to test the latest upgrades ! I'm still pretty serious about my home stereo system currently running a $20,000ish system.

So come on out of the closet you audiophiles !!

kmh364 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 29, 2004, 11:53:23 AM »

Nick:

Actually, having been a rabid avid audiophile since 12 or 13yrs. of age, as well as a DeadHead and guitar nut, I am well versed in the sad fact that some of the most talented gifted musicians have lousy or non-existent music systems. Since very few pros have hot-rod music systems, I figured I'd ask on the site and see what I got for responses.

$20K is fairly serious HiFi territory! How about some details for the drooling masses? You Stereophile magazine readers out there know what I'm talking about, LOL!

palembic · « **Reply #3 on:** October 29, 2004, 11:55:28 AM »

Hehehhee ...one of the most audiophilistic audiophiles I know is a club member. The other one is the training manager of an important Belgian bank. I always liked a good record or CD but was never into high-end hifi stuff. He introduced me into a world where one (1) CD-player costs about $ 20K's. Well I oculdn't follow in whatever way.

Paul the bad one

kmh364 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 29, 2004, 12:17:05 PM »

Currently, my dozen-year-old HiFi rig is in my storage locker...I'm using my roomate's rig which, while of higher quality (RE: read HIGHER priced, LOL!), is equally as old:

Audio Research (ARC) LS-2B Mk. II Hybrid (i.e., tube & S/S) Line Stage (pre-amp)
ARC D-300 S/S Power Amp
Theta Data Basic CD Transport
Theta DS Pro Basic DAC
Infinity Renaissance 90 Loudspeakers (tri-spiked)
Tice Audio Power Block II/TPT AC Line Conditioner
MIT Interconnects
Monster M-1000 Bi-wired Speaker Cables w/X-Terminators
Marigo Audio Labs Power Cords
Nakamichi CR-7A Reference Cassette Deck (not normally used)
NO Analog front-ends (i.e., turntable)
UNFORTUNATELY!!!
Billy Bags Tubular Steel Audio Rack on spikes/bases

It's a relative oldie, but certainly a goodie. I'd say he has roughly about the same dosh as Nick invested in his system.

nick_bassman · « **Reply #5 on:** October 29, 2004, 02:06:26 PM »

OK Kevin here goes :-

Wadia WT3200 CD Transport
Perpetual Technologies P1A DSP/Upsampler
Perpetual Technologies P3A DAC ModWright Level 2
Power Plant for above items
Avantgarde Acoustics Model 5 amplifier
Avantgarde Acoustics Uno speakers
Nordost Moonglo 2 digital cable
Townshend Isolda DCT interconnect
Townshend Isolda DCT speaker cable (DCT = Deep Cryogenic Treated)
Equipment sits on Target racks (soon to try building a couple of TNT Flexy racks).

The speakers constitute about $11K !!

I'll try to get some pics if people are interested.

Cheers

Nick

kmh364 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 29, 2004, 03:22:12 PM »

Nick: Please, take plenty of pix! I'm especially interested in ultra-high quality (and high-priced stuff) as it is rare to glimpse it outside of the meager few high-end audio rags adverts and review sections. High-end audio salons (boutiques? LOL!) are usually too upper-crusty to let goateed Harley tee, jeans and biker-boots-wearing, Harley-riding/diesel pick-up driving miscreants like me in their hallowed halls (regardless of my W-2 IRS tax statement), LOL! I used to have a friend in High-end audio (so did my roomate) so we both used to get great deals and top-shelf treatment, hence the system above.

Ah, I see! After reading your (much-more modern) equipment list and seeing a British flavor, I also read your profile. As American as my current referrence system is, yours is equally British, LOL!. Ah, the power of the Pound Sterling!

Please excuse my current audio ignorance as I haven't followed the trends in High-end audio in quite some time having just renewed my Stereophile subscription for the first time since the mid-nineties. I also haven't auditioned anything new since then as well, so I'm not familiar with the majority of your current system (Wadia Digital not withstanding).

It's a shame we live at opposite ends of the pond, as we are similar in age and likes and I would be honored to audition such an impressive system...anybody that spends Eleven LARGE on loudspeakers is alright in my book! Sh*te, I spent two years auditioning everything while saving all my pennies to buy my loudspeakers (Infinity Reference Source 9 Kappa's - $3300/pair) back in '91 when I was still a broke engineering student! The only loudspeakers I liked at the time under $10k besides those that I purchased were the B&W 801 Matrix (from ole' blighty, LOL!)and the Martin-Logan Quest, both too expensive for my student-aid pocketbook, LOL! Alright, I dug the Magnepan 1.5QR's, but they needed a subwoofer/amp that cost three to four times their $1600MSRP, LOL! If you haven't guessed already, I am a bass freak...if it ain't got the lowest octave extension and weight, it ain't for me, LOL!

wideload · « **Reply #7 on:** October 29, 2004, 03:56:38 PM »

I fell in love with Martin Logan speakers (SL-3's) the same way I fell for Alembic...it just sounded clearer and more present than anything else. Like Alembic, I had to wait a few years before I felt able to justify my purchase. Add a Velodyne sub and its a very nice system (listening to The Rite of Strings now, in fact). Mortgage and two tuition bills keep me firmly grounded in reality, though. But think how much extra cash I'll have when the kids are on their own-in 15-20 years!!?

Larry

kmh364 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 29, 2004, 04:35:37 PM »

Actually, some of the finest sound I've ever heard was an audition of the Martin-Logan CLS! I can't remember all the details WRT the ancillary equipment as it was '93 at Sound By Singer in NYC near Washington Sq. Park. They had these subs that were specifically voiced for the CLS's (they had a card in them that was programmed for them specifically). I wish I could remember the name! I do remember the system used the CAT Signature Series 1 tube single-ended pre-amp and an all-analogue front end (vinyl!)...the LP(1) playing was, as I remember it, Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant and it sounded like Arlo and his band were right in the room amongst me! I loved that whole system and can't remember what in the hell was in it, LOL!

BTW, same night I auditioned the most expensive system I've ever seen: Apogee Grand Stage loudspeakers (over $100k!!!) and these ridiculous Conrad-Johson all-tube Mega-Watt/Mega-Buck monoblock amps and despite being personally set-up by the PHD who designed the loudspeakers (he was there!) it sounded like total crappola! In the same room and just minutes later were B&W 802 Matrix driven by Krell electronics that sounded awesome! I also heard a 'budget' system playing SRV's Tin Pan Alley consisting of those Monitor Audio mini-monitors (with the metal-coned drivers) driven by Audible Illusions hybrid electronics and a modest analogue front-end (VPI HW-19Jr /Sumiko Blue Point) and it kicked-*ss and actually had bass...from 6 drivers!!! I made the comment in front of the PHD designer of the Monitor Audio's and he was amused that I was surprised the system had bass..it would have made an awesome office/den/bedroom auxilliary system...my buddy eneded-up becoming a Stevie fan because of that demo, LOL!

rami · « **Reply #9 on:** October 29, 2004, 06:08:38 PM »

Whenever I get into that mood and want to impress my friends, I pull out my 1963 McIntosh MA230 integrated amp. It was actually the first integrated amp they ever made and is documented in their catalogue. Incredibly beautiful, rich & warm sound. I actually got it as a gift from a retired McIntosh rep as thanks for helping him setup up his newer system. It's a real spectacle for the ears and the eyes with those glowing tubes.
He also gave me a McIntosh MR-65 Stereo FM tuner. Both with the optional solid Walnut cabinets. WOW!!!

Rami

hollis · « **Reply #10 on:** October 29, 2004, 06:20:10 PM »

Rami,

You just keep on getting higher and higher on the cool-o-meter.

I love McIntosh stuff!

palembic · « **Reply #11 on:** October 30, 2004, 08:23:54 AM »

Brother cool Rami ...
well of course he HAS to be cool ...can you stand a 2,5 year wait for a bass ...Cool must be your middle name.
The guy I mentioned above from the bank had also a tube -CD player looks great with those glowing things but to be honest ...I didn't hear it!!!!

PTBO

rami · « **Reply #12 on:** October 30, 2004, 11:37:40 AM »

Yeah, that wait has been brutal. I don't think I could stand to go through that again. It'll be my last Alembic custom.

adriaan · « **Reply #13 on:** October 30, 2004, 12:28:13 PM »

My direct experiences with audiophile equipment date back to the 80s. Never had the budget to match my preferences, so I'm sticking to neutral sounding low-end stuff - yes, there is such a thing, as long as you don't turn up the volume.

I've always preferred electrostats over cones - especially for classical/acoustic music, a major crush on the Quad EL64 (or what was the number - the upright version). Cones for 'pop' - probably B&W, which were also pretty good for non-pop. KEF was pretty good, but a bit too warm-sounding.

Hm, I must be closet Briton.

keavin · « **Reply #14 on:** October 31, 2004, 06:48:14 AM »

My entire surround sound system in my crib BOSE baby!