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Post by sfgumshoe on Feb 13, 2023 19:07:10 GMT
I am looking to upgrade my home music listening system to something that would be considered “audiophile“ quality.
I currently listen to music in several rooms in our home on little Amazon Alexa units.
I was recently a guest at the home of a friend who received a recent gift of a stereo system whose value is over $100,000. The gift was a present from a professional musician with a household name. I listened to some vinyl LPs, and the sound was breathtaking.
My principal foray into the world of “hi-fi” I was in the mid-70s when I was a teenager. The be-all and end-all of that era was equipment with beguiling blue meters made by McIntosh of Binghamton, New York.
The system that I listened to had a 450-watt power Mcintosh amplifier of recent vintage, and speakers made by a German company called MBL, which currently sell new for about $70,000.
When I look at modern stereo equipment websites and magazines, it is clear to me that the hype of yesteryear has metastasized into something that is beyond ludicrous: tens of thousands of dollars for so-called “interconnects“? 5000-word Stereophile magazine reviews of $50,000 amplifiers that attest to the necessity of $10,000 interconnects versus $2000 interconnects?
So, I was pleased today to run across this website when I went down the rabbit hole of researching “no BS audiophile information”.
I know that somewhere between $1000 and $100,000 there lies “audiophile“ sound equipment that will provide good value for money and sound spectacular.
I realize this is a very wide open topic, and I hope that it is appropriate to post it on this website. But if anyone here wants to weigh in, this community appears to be one where I can get sound advice without a lot of marketing BS.
Ideally, I would like to be able to call out music to the Alexa system, and have it play through a very high-quality amplification system into excellent quality speakers.
Many thanks for any advice or input anyone here would care to contribute.
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Post by Ethan Winer on Feb 13, 2023 19:22:30 GMT
I got your email, and I'll be glad to help you privately on a consulting basis. So no need to continue here, I'll reply to your email now.
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Post by Hexspa on Feb 14, 2023 23:45:51 GMT
If I'm not stepping on any toes, some of the coolest stuff I've seen out recently are Genelec Ones 8361A with their adaptive woofer W371A. Either that or two Neumann KH 420 with a pair of their DSP subs. Whatever is left over, just send to me  Cheers. |
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Post by Ethan Winer on Feb 15, 2023 17:13:40 GMT
Hex, I'm already working with my new client, but you are absolutely not stepping on any toes. I agree that high-end bookshelf size speakers make sense unless it's for a system in a very large space that needs to play very loudly.
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Post by Hexspa on Feb 15, 2023 20:16:59 GMT
Hex, I'm already working with my new client, but you are absolutely not stepping on any toes. I agree that high-end bookshelf size speakers make sense unless it's for a system in a very large space that needs to play very loudly. You da man! |
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Post by skandinav on Jul 21, 2023 20:36:39 GMT
Any small monitors like ns10m + m-audio sub from 00s or used bluesky desk system with closed sub + calibration curve for your room will make your day. Search roomeq vst. Without calibration curve any speakers are useless.
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Post by skandinav on Jul 21, 2023 21:43:53 GMT
The signs of correct calibration curve is 1) if you walk through the room sound remains the same as to frequences 2) on hearing to acoustic album like single harp with singer you hear acoustics of that room, not yours' room 3) from a neighbouring room sound is still beautiful and transparent (your room acts like amplifier for entire apartment.
Ps. From my experience some rooms can't be totally fixed by calibration curve because different factors interfere like monolithic structures of the construction which give ringing, arrangment of furnuture, division of room with an arch, etc. In that case sound though calibration curve makes sound transparent within the room, you still do not hear acoustics from the album and in the neighbouring room is not enjoyable.
Generally calibration curve will boost highs by 20-30db and cut out low and low mids resonances. You have to be lucky to get a proper dwelling. I never use any absorption except carpet, sofa and thin curtains. Book shelves with books may also help as diffusers
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Post by Ethan Winer on Jul 22, 2023 16:22:07 GMT
The signs of correct calibration curve is 1) if you walk through the room sound remains the same as to frequences ... Room EQ is limited in what it can do. It cannot make the response uniform around the room, especially at low frequencies. Only bass traps and other physical treatment can do that. Much more here: Final Dirac Report |
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Cheers.