I neither consider all these gadgets necessary. I even go one step further and banned TV long ago.
It's quite an achievement to complete uni at that age.
I alternate classical music with timeless songs from the last century.
There's nothing special about me, I know a bit of everything but not enough of anything to be excellent at it.
Music comes from a nice collection I have on PC. A DAC is connected to it that controls the Zeus. Speakers are B&W 800 Matrix.
And yes, I do like the sound of the Zeus a lot, particularly for its transparency and vivid reproduction of instruments.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/attachments/mvc-294f-jpg.10515/
Hugo
Hello again Hugo. I live with my identical twin brother. Both his adult "children" had moved out when I finished my degree in 2012, so I moved in to this lovely isolated Farmhouse, in a deep valley about three quarters of a mile down our own track to share the rent and get away from the craziest woman I'd ever tried to live with. No neighbours except Welsh Cobb's.
We also kicked the TV out of the house long ago. If not it would have ended up having a hammer put through its screen.
I didn't realise those amazing looking speakers I've seen a few times are the B&W 800. Incredible. I love my little 805 Matrix speakers, the 802s are going back to the man I bought them from. I tried many modern speakers but found them unsatisfactory. When I found the 805 Matrix I was impressed. An early nineties speaker that has a better sound than most modern speakers. B&W are all made in the PRC now apart from the 800 series.
Anyway your set up looks very, very good.
I sometimes listen to the band Gong the Virgin Records line up of the band. My absolute favourite band and my brother's. I also like some Motown, Aretha Franklin, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd some 70s Pop because of the bass playing, (I'm a bass player) but now at my age I don't tend to get listening fatigue from classical and there's so much to discover. John is my name.
We also kicked the TV out of the house long ago. If not it would have ended up having a hammer put through its screen.
I didn't realise those amazing looking speakers I've seen a few times are the B&W 800. Incredible. I love my little 805 Matrix speakers, the 802s are going back to the man I bought them from. I tried many modern speakers but found them unsatisfactory. When I found the 805 Matrix I was impressed. An early nineties speaker that has a better sound than most modern speakers. B&W are all made in the PRC now apart from the 800 series.
Anyway your set up looks very, very good.
I sometimes listen to the band Gong the Virgin Records line up of the band. My absolute favourite band and my brother's. I also like some Motown, Aretha Franklin, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd some 70s Pop because of the bass playing, (I'm a bass player) but now at my age I don't tend to get listening fatigue from classical and there's so much to discover. John is my name.
John,
We would get along well. We seem to share equal values and music. And perhaps John Cale, also a Welshman 🙂 Never heard of Gong though.
As for the B&W's, I had a chance to compare a pair of 700's to a pair of Focals with the same price tag and the latter was a clear winner.
I heard a pair of early diamond 800's and I don't like the sound. So yes, the older series have my preference too.
Here's Ellen, an11 years old talented girl on a beautiful fretless:
https://www.youtube.com/@EllenPlaysBass/videos
She doesn't shy away from Zeppelin or Pastorius either...
Hugo
We would get along well. We seem to share equal values and music. And perhaps John Cale, also a Welshman 🙂 Never heard of Gong though.
As for the B&W's, I had a chance to compare a pair of 700's to a pair of Focals with the same price tag and the latter was a clear winner.
I heard a pair of early diamond 800's and I don't like the sound. So yes, the older series have my preference too.
Here's Ellen, an11 years old talented girl on a beautiful fretless:
She doesn't shy away from Zeppelin or Pastorius either...
Hugo
I think you're right Hugo, we could get along just fine. Gong is an acquired taste they sound like they're being silly to some, but actually they weren't. There was a very unique and serious message in their music. The drummer Pierre Moerlen, was classically trained and absolutely superb. They have to be one of the best live bands of the 70s. When I compare their music to say, Pink Floyd, Pink Floyd sound like complete amateurs until Dark Side of the Moon. "Gong Live etc" , is a superb album.
"The Gong Trilogy" is their most well known and important work. "Flying Teapot", "Angels Egg" and "Gong You".
I think "Gong You", is the easiest way in to this band. "Gong You" was recorded in one single 'take'. They just walked into their house where they were recording in France and committed it to the master tape in one session. Just played it. Daevid Allen had been kicked out of Britain or the whole band. The authorities didn't like them.
The way they 'gelled' when live was very impressive. Track 12, on "Going Live etc" is a real showcase for the Drummer and Bass player; Mike Howlett. I really love that band. I'm an un-ashamed Gong obsessive sometimes. They're the only "Rock" band I can be bothered with now and my bro' feels the same way. But not many people like them, although they seem to have grown in popularity now they're gone. There's always new Gong releases coming out, but much of the late iterations of the band are not Gong at all. The band has to be the "Virgin Records" line up. That is. Daevid Allen, front man, Gilli Smyth, space whisperer, Steve Hillage, lead guitar, ( his record "Live Herald" is really brilliant), Mike Howlett, bassist, Pierre Moerlen, drummer, Tim Blake, synth, 'The Switch Doctor'
Some of those young boys and girls on the internet are so damned good, I end up thinking: "I should just give up playing" Ha ha. I don't pick the bass up much now. It feels too heavy, now I'm 60.😂
"The Gong Trilogy" is their most well known and important work. "Flying Teapot", "Angels Egg" and "Gong You".
I think "Gong You", is the easiest way in to this band. "Gong You" was recorded in one single 'take'. They just walked into their house where they were recording in France and committed it to the master tape in one session. Just played it. Daevid Allen had been kicked out of Britain or the whole band. The authorities didn't like them.
The way they 'gelled' when live was very impressive. Track 12, on "Going Live etc" is a real showcase for the Drummer and Bass player; Mike Howlett. I really love that band. I'm an un-ashamed Gong obsessive sometimes. They're the only "Rock" band I can be bothered with now and my bro' feels the same way. But not many people like them, although they seem to have grown in popularity now they're gone. There's always new Gong releases coming out, but much of the late iterations of the band are not Gong at all. The band has to be the "Virgin Records" line up. That is. Daevid Allen, front man, Gilli Smyth, space whisperer, Steve Hillage, lead guitar, ( his record "Live Herald" is really brilliant), Mike Howlett, bassist, Pierre Moerlen, drummer, Tim Blake, synth, 'The Switch Doctor'
Some of those young boys and girls on the internet are so damned good, I end up thinking: "I should just give up playing" Ha ha. I don't pick the bass up much now. It feels too heavy, now I'm 60.😂
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Actually I wanted to ask you Hugo, how much does it cost to make a pair of those Zeus Monoblocks? And did you make a stereo pre-amp as well?
No preamp was made for the Zeus. The DAC's output is connected directly to it, albeit with a little buffer in between because the output impedance of the DAC is too high for the Zeus.
The cost is significant if one uses the Sowter transformers.
https://www.sowter.co.uk/acatalog/E_A_Sowter_Ltd_CLASSIC_AMPS_13-p3.html
You need two 9840 and two 8160. Also a power supply transformer, mine is a 250VA, something like this:
https://be.farnell.com/multicomp/mcta250-18/transformer-250va-2-x-18v/dp/9530754
Another cost are the heatsinks. I used these: https://be.farnell.com/fischer-elektronik/sk-56-150-sa/heat-sink-extruded/dp/1211721
I only bought a housing for the power supply.
The rest of the parts are not that expensive, but I never calculated the total cost.
Currently listening to Gong's Flying Teapot on Youtube. Speaking of psychedelic music. They would mix nicely with Zappa 🙂
P.S. Not to wade too far off-topic here, I suggest starting another thread or do a follow-up in the Zeus thread.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/zero-feedback-impedance-amplifiers.42259/
The cost is significant if one uses the Sowter transformers.
https://www.sowter.co.uk/acatalog/E_A_Sowter_Ltd_CLASSIC_AMPS_13-p3.html
You need two 9840 and two 8160. Also a power supply transformer, mine is a 250VA, something like this:
https://be.farnell.com/multicomp/mcta250-18/transformer-250va-2-x-18v/dp/9530754
Another cost are the heatsinks. I used these: https://be.farnell.com/fischer-elektronik/sk-56-150-sa/heat-sink-extruded/dp/1211721
I only bought a housing for the power supply.
The rest of the parts are not that expensive, but I never calculated the total cost.
Currently listening to Gong's Flying Teapot on Youtube. Speaking of psychedelic music. They would mix nicely with Zappa 🙂
P.S. Not to wade too far off-topic here, I suggest starting another thread or do a follow-up in the Zeus thread.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/zero-feedback-impedance-amplifiers.42259/
Thanks for the links. Whilst the cost is significant, I believe that's always going to be the case if one wants an amplifier that can take a good quality source signal and deliver something that sounds decent to the loudspeakers.
I'm no expert in Hi-Fi matters, or amplifier design, speaker design or anything, I just have my own limited experience and opinions.
So, 17 years ago, in 2007 I drove to Richer Sounds in Swansea and purchased a new Marantz PM7200 Integrated Amplifier, a Marantz CD6000 OSE KI CD player and a pair of B&W 602 S3, speakers.
I'd been working really hard at my self-employed do anything type property maintenance and had promised myself a real Hi-Fi. I'd done lots of reading and these ended up as my choices. (This was years before I woke up to my present ethical considerations, regarding where things are manufactured.)
The amplifier, was under £300 and could run at Class A or AB. I was pleased with the amp and speakers but never liked the sound of the CD player. It sounded sterile.....lifeless, to me. It lacked warmth and character but I got used to it.
After moving around from place to place and living with a crazy abusive woman for 5 years, I forgot all about my Hi-Fi until about 2 years ago. Me and my twin brother Simon had started listening to Mozart Piano Concertos initially on YouTube after remembering how much we liked Baroque Classical music and some Mozart. We had a an Apple iPad going directly into the PM7200 and started to slowly discover classical music. Rachmaninoff was the first real break through. "Isle of the Dead", Op.29 and "Symphonic Dances", Op.45. Concertgebouw Orchestra/Vladimir Ashkenazi, Decca, 1984. This recording is, so far the best I've heard of these pieces.
Then about 2 years ago I decided to find a cheap secondhand CDP. I bought a £65 old Denon DCD860 so I could play my Gong albums, but it was skipping and had a very similar boring, lifeless sound signature to my original Marantz CDP.
I then did loads of researching on CD players and was lucky enough to find a Meridian 206, for £280 on eBay that appeared not to have been heavily used. That was a revelation after the other players I'd heard. It had everything I craved. Depth, warmth detail I loved the sound of this player and still do. It plays faultlessly all day and night for days at a time.
I got the 'upgraditis' bug about a year ago and found myself a Meridian 508.20 CDP, again after much research and finished up with the Marantz Model 30 Integrated. I believe it has a class A pre' section and twin modified by Marantz, Hypex Class D power section. It's a lovely amp, but even secondhand they're not cheap.
I've collected a few vintage CD players in the last month or so because they seem to be unwanted by the majority of Audio Enthusiasts, and I've got this thing about vintage CDPs.
I picked up a Sony XA30ES very cheap because its puck was missing. The Sony CDP pucks are very difficult to find but I did find one for a different Sony player that's identical apart from the hole in the centre not being large enough or going right through the puck. I made a guide so that the drill would stay straight and not bounce as it went in and now I have that up and running. I also found an Onkyo Integra DX 7711 CD player for less than £200 and they have very good reviews and it's in mint condition. It honestly looks as though it could be brand new.
I don't like buying equipment now, where the company in question, has farmed out their production to China. I refuse point blank to purchase.
A British brand must be made in Britain and a Japanese brand has to be made in Japan, for me. So now I have a collection of 90s CD players and I'm still discovering new to me classical music. Sibelius and Rimsky-Korsakov are my latest discoveries.
I hope you enjoy your Gong listening. I would recommend "Gong You", "Gong Live etc" and I highly recommend that you find Steve Hillage's "Live Herald" album to give it a listen, it's a masterpiece in my opinion.........Cheers!
I'm no expert in Hi-Fi matters, or amplifier design, speaker design or anything, I just have my own limited experience and opinions.
So, 17 years ago, in 2007 I drove to Richer Sounds in Swansea and purchased a new Marantz PM7200 Integrated Amplifier, a Marantz CD6000 OSE KI CD player and a pair of B&W 602 S3, speakers.
I'd been working really hard at my self-employed do anything type property maintenance and had promised myself a real Hi-Fi. I'd done lots of reading and these ended up as my choices. (This was years before I woke up to my present ethical considerations, regarding where things are manufactured.)
The amplifier, was under £300 and could run at Class A or AB. I was pleased with the amp and speakers but never liked the sound of the CD player. It sounded sterile.....lifeless, to me. It lacked warmth and character but I got used to it.
After moving around from place to place and living with a crazy abusive woman for 5 years, I forgot all about my Hi-Fi until about 2 years ago. Me and my twin brother Simon had started listening to Mozart Piano Concertos initially on YouTube after remembering how much we liked Baroque Classical music and some Mozart. We had a an Apple iPad going directly into the PM7200 and started to slowly discover classical music. Rachmaninoff was the first real break through. "Isle of the Dead", Op.29 and "Symphonic Dances", Op.45. Concertgebouw Orchestra/Vladimir Ashkenazi, Decca, 1984. This recording is, so far the best I've heard of these pieces.
Then about 2 years ago I decided to find a cheap secondhand CDP. I bought a £65 old Denon DCD860 so I could play my Gong albums, but it was skipping and had a very similar boring, lifeless sound signature to my original Marantz CDP.
I then did loads of researching on CD players and was lucky enough to find a Meridian 206, for £280 on eBay that appeared not to have been heavily used. That was a revelation after the other players I'd heard. It had everything I craved. Depth, warmth detail I loved the sound of this player and still do. It plays faultlessly all day and night for days at a time.
I got the 'upgraditis' bug about a year ago and found myself a Meridian 508.20 CDP, again after much research and finished up with the Marantz Model 30 Integrated. I believe it has a class A pre' section and twin modified by Marantz, Hypex Class D power section. It's a lovely amp, but even secondhand they're not cheap.
I've collected a few vintage CD players in the last month or so because they seem to be unwanted by the majority of Audio Enthusiasts, and I've got this thing about vintage CDPs.
I picked up a Sony XA30ES very cheap because its puck was missing. The Sony CDP pucks are very difficult to find but I did find one for a different Sony player that's identical apart from the hole in the centre not being large enough or going right through the puck. I made a guide so that the drill would stay straight and not bounce as it went in and now I have that up and running. I also found an Onkyo Integra DX 7711 CD player for less than £200 and they have very good reviews and it's in mint condition. It honestly looks as though it could be brand new.
I don't like buying equipment now, where the company in question, has farmed out their production to China. I refuse point blank to purchase.
A British brand must be made in Britain and a Japanese brand has to be made in Japan, for me. So now I have a collection of 90s CD players and I'm still discovering new to me classical music. Sibelius and Rimsky-Korsakov are my latest discoveries.
I hope you enjoy your Gong listening. I would recommend "Gong You", "Gong Live etc" and I highly recommend that you find Steve Hillage's "Live Herald" album to give it a listen, it's a masterpiece in my opinion.........Cheers!
The best way to listen to your CD collection is to rip it with EAC in FLAC format with a PC CD player and listen via a good DAC.
That, of course, should not stop you to try repairing CD players.
However, parts are often hard to get.
That, of course, should not stop you to try repairing CD players.
However, parts are often hard to get.
Sometimes changing to a neutral sounding component can expose other flaws in a system, making it unclear what to do next.
Have you heard Jansons with the Concertgebouw?
As long as you enjoy your CD player, there's no need for a PC.
@AllenB , please elaborate?
It's not a good feeling believing you have a problem component in your system.
When you make a change that you don't like, sometimes it is equalisable and sometimes not.
I seem to have found that some changes which should be an improvement may sound worse, however after working on the issue you find it actually is better. It can give the impression of having layers like an onion. Some distortions may be hiding behind others.
When you make a change that you don't like, sometimes it is equalisable and sometimes not.
I seem to have found that some changes which should be an improvement may sound worse, however after working on the issue you find it actually is better. It can give the impression of having layers like an onion. Some distortions may be hiding behind others.
I haven't heard Jansons with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, but I'm a deeply enthusiastic and critical music listener when it comes to orchestras, soloists and composers. I really enjoy comparing and contrasting pieces of music and discovering composers who I particularly like.
I'll definitely look for some Jansons with Concertgebouw Orchestra. I think they were brilliant with Vladimir Ashkenazi conducting Rachmaninoff's work in the 1980s recordings I have.
I recently discovered Rimsky-Korsakov, I like it.
As far as CD listening and using CD players, I agree. There's no real need for a change. I have a few decent enough players so that I can rotate.
I'm a machine lover. I've always admired machinery, whether it be Steam Locomotives, Automobiles, Boats, Aeroplanes or more delicate modern machinery that includes electronics such as CD Players.
I've been through quite a few speakers and experienced disappointment as well as it's opposite.
Of course I understand that nothing's ever going to be perfect, but so far, in the last two years I went through several sets without ever auditioning because I don't like going out much and it's a long way to any Hi-Fi dealers. I always do lots of research and try to find opinions of as many people as possible on anything I'm considering as well as trying to guage its quality.
A few points of note I discovered quite rapidly.
I bought a brand new set of B&W 707 S2, around a year and a half ago. I got them set up, they were quite impressive for such a small speaker but they lacked the warmth and depth that I like although their definition was good. But, I noticed after looking at the back the words "Made in China". It was something I hadn't considered. I had thought B&W will be made in Britain. Worthing I believe was the original factory site. I personally see this shifting production to places like China by the 'controllers' of successful British companies as a betrayal of British workers. All the research and development that made B&W what it is, gave it the identity it has, was achieved here in Britain, by British people. Not all British, European or American companies take this approach. Many keep their production here, therefore it's not an absolute necessity. They're still pretty expensive and if you go on AliExpress and look at speakers you see direct copies of B&W designs, Tannoy designs etcetera. When you try to find out exact details of cabinet construction, materials, things like that the makers are not particularly open about it. I discovered that all B&W apart from the 800 series are now made in China. That for me rules them out. And it's the same with others, not all, but quite a few Hi-Fi separates manufacturers have approached their manufacturing in this manner. Maybe it's fair enough, maybe not. For me, I want the brand in question to show some loyalty. Enough said.
I ended up buying a pair of B&W 805 Matrix after going through quite a few speakers. I love these little speakers. The frequency response is impressive going down to something like 36 Hertz I think. Partnered with a secondhand B&W PV-1 Subwoofer (made in PRC unfortunately) and set up correctly the sound is excellent.
I bought the bigger 802 Matrix, really because they look so cool, they had stands, which they require to sound their best and I thought I'd get an improved sound. Well, actually after swapping back and forth a few times and listening carefully to the various details of the music reproduction that a speaker does, for my needs, the 805s are definitely more suitable. The bass attack is faster, the depth of sound is very similar believe it or not.
For example, in Rachmaninoff's Symphony No1, they're are those bits with the drums which are really punchy. The 805s definitely react faster and sound punchier. I would possible need a more powerful amp to drive the 802s to get their full potential but I don't want to change the amp. It's a fantastic amplifier and some reviewer's of it, consider it to be a 'reference' quality amplifier. My CD player is a perfect match as are the 805 Matrix. The listening room is perfect for my set up, the volume I listen at, I couldn't imagine a better sound than I'm getting. I'm utterly satisfied with the music I hear
Add to that the fact that the guy I bought the 802s from, realised that he was absolutely gutted he'd sold them. He'd had them for years, has a far more powerful Musical Fidelity Pre/Power amp set up than my set up, so it makes me very happy to know that his beloved 802s, will be restored to him.
Here endeth my long winded tale. 🙂
I'll definitely look for some Jansons with Concertgebouw Orchestra. I think they were brilliant with Vladimir Ashkenazi conducting Rachmaninoff's work in the 1980s recordings I have.
I recently discovered Rimsky-Korsakov, I like it.
As far as CD listening and using CD players, I agree. There's no real need for a change. I have a few decent enough players so that I can rotate.
I'm a machine lover. I've always admired machinery, whether it be Steam Locomotives, Automobiles, Boats, Aeroplanes or more delicate modern machinery that includes electronics such as CD Players.
I've been through quite a few speakers and experienced disappointment as well as it's opposite.
Of course I understand that nothing's ever going to be perfect, but so far, in the last two years I went through several sets without ever auditioning because I don't like going out much and it's a long way to any Hi-Fi dealers. I always do lots of research and try to find opinions of as many people as possible on anything I'm considering as well as trying to guage its quality.
A few points of note I discovered quite rapidly.
I bought a brand new set of B&W 707 S2, around a year and a half ago. I got them set up, they were quite impressive for such a small speaker but they lacked the warmth and depth that I like although their definition was good. But, I noticed after looking at the back the words "Made in China". It was something I hadn't considered. I had thought B&W will be made in Britain. Worthing I believe was the original factory site. I personally see this shifting production to places like China by the 'controllers' of successful British companies as a betrayal of British workers. All the research and development that made B&W what it is, gave it the identity it has, was achieved here in Britain, by British people. Not all British, European or American companies take this approach. Many keep their production here, therefore it's not an absolute necessity. They're still pretty expensive and if you go on AliExpress and look at speakers you see direct copies of B&W designs, Tannoy designs etcetera. When you try to find out exact details of cabinet construction, materials, things like that the makers are not particularly open about it. I discovered that all B&W apart from the 800 series are now made in China. That for me rules them out. And it's the same with others, not all, but quite a few Hi-Fi separates manufacturers have approached their manufacturing in this manner. Maybe it's fair enough, maybe not. For me, I want the brand in question to show some loyalty. Enough said.
I ended up buying a pair of B&W 805 Matrix after going through quite a few speakers. I love these little speakers. The frequency response is impressive going down to something like 36 Hertz I think. Partnered with a secondhand B&W PV-1 Subwoofer (made in PRC unfortunately) and set up correctly the sound is excellent.
I bought the bigger 802 Matrix, really because they look so cool, they had stands, which they require to sound their best and I thought I'd get an improved sound. Well, actually after swapping back and forth a few times and listening carefully to the various details of the music reproduction that a speaker does, for my needs, the 805s are definitely more suitable. The bass attack is faster, the depth of sound is very similar believe it or not.
For example, in Rachmaninoff's Symphony No1, they're are those bits with the drums which are really punchy. The 805s definitely react faster and sound punchier. I would possible need a more powerful amp to drive the 802s to get their full potential but I don't want to change the amp. It's a fantastic amplifier and some reviewer's of it, consider it to be a 'reference' quality amplifier. My CD player is a perfect match as are the 805 Matrix. The listening room is perfect for my set up, the volume I listen at, I couldn't imagine a better sound than I'm getting. I'm utterly satisfied with the music I hear
Add to that the fact that the guy I bought the 802s from, realised that he was absolutely gutted he'd sold them. He'd had them for years, has a far more powerful Musical Fidelity Pre/Power amp set up than my set up, so it makes me very happy to know that his beloved 802s, will be restored to him.
Here endeth my long winded tale. 🙂
Cheers. I must say your B+W 800 are amazing looking speakers and I'm very intrigued by those Monoblocks designed by Susan Parker. Is she a Genius? No pre-amp. That's amazing too. How well do they drive your speakers? Why are we all buying such complicated amps when you can have something with so much less inside. Do they have a rated power output?
These speakers are never the weak part in a system.
The 1991 review in Stereophile was funny. Shortcomings: There are none.
https://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/691bw800/index.html
My DAC with volume control serves as a preamp. But there is a Zeus preamp.
The one I built is the Zeus 75, but since I moved I can never play louder than a few watts.
Take a look at Susan's website: http://www.audiophonics.com/audiophonics-projects.html
She's definitely a very smart woman.
Hugo
The 1991 review in Stereophile was funny. Shortcomings: There are none.
https://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/691bw800/index.html
My DAC with volume control serves as a preamp. But there is a Zeus preamp.
The one I built is the Zeus 75, but since I moved I can never play louder than a few watts.
Take a look at Susan's website: http://www.audiophonics.com/audiophonics-projects.html
She's definitely a very smart woman.
Hugo
I became intrigued with simple amps by reading Nelson Pass. Now, that's what I would call a genius 🙂
Take a look at Pass Labs forum and Passdiy.com
There are a myriad of fun projects and many have become devote followers.
Take a look at Pass Labs forum and Passdiy.com
There are a myriad of fun projects and many have become devote followers.