Yes, I've seen some of these tests. I am of the opinion that their conclusions are correct. I am also aware of the assessment of the Behringer A500 by Peter Aczel.
I am a DIY audio system builder. Why do you think I'm not pushing the DIY approach to my friend?
Ans: it's because the set of tradeoffs which works for one person doesn't work for another. Therefore, two people who are after the same apparent goal land up with different solutions.
Maybe you just need to recognize this.
Latest update.
Speakers have been ordered from Chelsea.
Amp (the Parasound HINT) has been ordered from Echo. Delivery is awaited.
Agonising is going on about digital media player. Finally, thanks to the non-response of the French people, the needle has shifted from the RaspTouch to the Cambridge Audio CXN. Since CA sells online directly, an order is being placed for the CXN.
Then will come orders for a pair of custom BJC speaker cables and any ordinary $10 optical digital audio cable. And we on this forum will retire, thanking ourselves for one more job done well.
Speakers have been ordered from Chelsea.
Amp (the Parasound HINT) has been ordered from Echo. Delivery is awaited.
Agonising is going on about digital media player. Finally, thanks to the non-response of the French people, the needle has shifted from the RaspTouch to the Cambridge Audio CXN. Since CA sells online directly, an order is being placed for the CXN.
Then will come orders for a pair of custom BJC speaker cables and any ordinary $10 optical digital audio cable. And we on this forum will retire, thanking ourselves for one more job done well.
Hi tcpip,
That sounds like an excellent system, and trouble-free.
Denon makes a media player that would be good to look into. They are rather good and well supported. Probably a number of dealers around with access to that product.
I'd say that once she has picked her last components, you deserve a rest with the beverage of your choice. The system components she has ordered should serve her well for many, many years. May she just be happy with this and not attempt to "upgrade" her components.
Best, Chris
That sounds like an excellent system, and trouble-free.
Denon makes a media player that would be good to look into. They are rather good and well supported. Probably a number of dealers around with access to that product.
I'd say that once she has picked her last components, you deserve a rest with the beverage of your choice. The system components she has ordered should serve her well for many, many years. May she just be happy with this and not attempt to "upgrade" her components.
Best, Chris
Don't confuse my friend any more.
She's already stressing out about whether she's losing some intangible quality or superiority of her to-be-built music system because she had to let go of the RaspTouch and settle for the CXN. If I throw in another model number into the cauldron now, I'll be murdered. So, CXN it will be.
True. I wouldn't know what to do without it. Even my Kicad needs to download stuff from the Net every now and then.
Wish you'd told me this a couple weeks back, pal, when I was asking everyone "Which player? Which player?" and feeling lost.
Anyway, her karma says she's going to listen to the CXN, so CXN it will be. I absolve all of us from all responsibility. I tried.
Hi tcpip,
I don't know. I didn't pay attention to it when a couple of my customers had bought them. They were very happy with these machines. They did both buy the same beast.
I did a search on the web and came up with this: Denon DN-700C Network CD / Media Player
See if this is what would fit her lifestyle.
-Chris
I don't know. I didn't pay attention to it when a couple of my customers had bought them. They were very happy with these machines. They did both buy the same beast.
I did a search on the web and came up with this: Denon DN-700C Network CD / Media Player
See if this is what would fit her lifestyle.
-Chris
All the stuff has been delivered.
My friend and her sons rigged up everything in a room and are still trying to move furniture around to make a proper listening space. Don't have a photo of the speakers yet, but I'm told that everything is hooked up, temporarily, and the sound is superb.
The first song which was played on the system was something by Kayne West, I'm told. The younger kid, who is 12 and a cello player of some repute, wanted to hear a Mark Knopfler song as the first thing on the system, so that's what he did. In other words, the family is settling in well with their new member.
I just wanted to say a "Thank you!!" to all of you. You know it wouldn't have happened without you. Wish I could give you all a round of drinks
Thanks a lot.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
My friend and her sons rigged up everything in a room and are still trying to move furniture around to make a proper listening space. Don't have a photo of the speakers yet, but I'm told that everything is hooked up, temporarily, and the sound is superb.
The first song which was played on the system was something by Kayne West, I'm told. The younger kid, who is 12 and a cello player of some repute, wanted to hear a Mark Knopfler song as the first thing on the system, so that's what he did. In other words, the family is settling in well with their new member.
I just wanted to say a "Thank you!!" to all of you. You know it wouldn't have happened without you. Wish I could give you all a round of drinks
Thanks a lot.
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Mission accomplished i have to admit of being a little envious of that shiny new kit , next up a new house with a dedicated music room
I hope she's not using the gear stacked like in the photo though?
Lost count of the number of amp's i've seen burnt out over the years due to poor ventilation after having the rest of the equipment stacked neatly on top ,may be worth inquiring to be sure ?
i have to admit of being a little envious of that shiny new kit , next up a new house with a dedicated music room I hope she's not using the gear stacked like in the photo though?
Lost count of the number of amp's i've seen burnt out over the years due to poor ventilation after having the rest of the equipment stacked neatly on top ,may be worth inquiring to be sure ?
The last piece -- the rack -- came in
The rack just came in.
When she'd tried making do with existing furniture, she'd realised that it's getting messy, and an audio rack can't be avoided. (No, I didn't jump up and down and say "I told you so.") When she went asking at the dealers, she said anything she liked seemed to be more than $1,000. I asked her to look around online. So, after a shortlist of a few models, this is what was finally ordered:
VTI AV Rack Black Caps, Black Frame and Cherry Shelf BL304BC
I believe the final rack came in yesterday.
She had a Blu-ray player lying around somewhere, so she brought it into this rack to play her existing collection of CDs. I think she's hooked it up to the amp using a digital interconnect, so the player's DAC doesn't come into the equation. The rest of her music will probably now grow either as computer files or by playing off the online services, through the CXN. Hard to buy CDs these days.
Looking at this final photo, I can see speakers placed roughly in corners, so I guess she's getting a lot of bass. But I can't do much about that -- she has too much space constraints. I'll see if she can move the speakers a bit closer to the centre, a bit further away from the side walls.
This finally closes the project, I guess. Thanks, guys.
The rack just came in.
When she'd tried making do with existing furniture, she'd realised that it's getting messy, and an audio rack can't be avoided. (No, I didn't jump up and down and say "I told you so."
) When she went asking at the dealers, she said anything she liked seemed to be more than $1,000. I asked her to look around online. So, after a shortlist of a few models, this is what was finally ordered:VTI AV Rack Black Caps, Black Frame and Cherry Shelf BL304BC
I believe the final rack came in yesterday.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
She had a Blu-ray player lying around somewhere, so she brought it into this rack to play her existing collection of CDs. I think she's hooked it up to the amp using a digital interconnect, so the player's DAC doesn't come into the equation. The rest of her music will probably now grow either as computer files or by playing off the online services, through the CXN. Hard to buy CDs these days.
Looking at this final photo, I can see speakers placed roughly in corners, so I guess she's getting a lot of bass. But I can't do much about that -- she has too much space constraints. I'll see if she can move the speakers a bit closer to the centre, a bit further away from the side walls.
This finally closes the project, I guess. Thanks, guys.
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