Your Stereo

  On 2/25/2013 at 4:51 PM, drukqs said:

For my room, I have this eyesore

 

 

It does quite well actually.

 

My dad's stereo system, however, is much more on par with your guys' systems. Seriously good system he has set up.

I'm a strickly stereo guy, I'm no audiophile but I like standard quality. I'm buying Audioengine A5 in a couple of months, I really don't care for surround sound.

This is my current amp, an indestructable Denon from the end of the 1980's :

Speakers are Paradigm Atom v2. :

oh Denon amp is a DRA-345R, it's the little child of the awesome DRA-425R. My stereo room is small, and it fills the room perfectly. That amp is going on my 20th year of usage!!!

Here's my amp:

It's a Packard Bell 390391

Here's my speakers:

al

alright fuck it..

SL-1200MK2 (via a cheapish Pro-Ject phono stage), NAD C 515BEE CD player, and the analog output of my onboard soundcard -> NAD C 325BEE integrated amp -> Focal Chorus 807V bookshelf speakers

I'm pretty satisfied with this, only upgrades I'd like would be a better room if I get the chance. And then some nice floor standing speakers to extend the bass range once I have the room.

amp = yamaha ' natural sound av receiver rx-v571'

speakers = more yamaha things, not sure of model #'s. 7.1 speaker set up (although recently rearranged living room and it's currently in a L/R stereo set up as a opposed to surround sound).

Not my own pics;

Monitor Audio Bronze 2 on steel stands

Technics SU-V660

All faulty in some way or another

Technics SL1200 in duplicate and,

Vestax pmc-005, basic but effective.

I bumps me phex on dis cheap beastie:

it's got a MAX SOUND button (for MAXIMUM SOUND) and holds 3 CDs—at the SAME TIME. ^^That one isn't mine though; mine has glowinthedark alien stickers

My stereo setup consists of a Rega Saturn cdplayer Rega Cursa preamp Rega Maia poweamp and Totem Model One Signature speakers.

My headphone setup consists of mostly the computer as source, a Meier Audio Corda StageDAC and a Meier Audio Corda Classic as headpheadphone amp and Beyerdynamic T1 as headphones.

The stereo setup cost something like 6000 euro, as new. And the headphone setup is something as 2000 euro as new.

you ever play panzer dragoon saga on the rega saturn?

Uhm no

virtua cop?

Maybe you're thinking of the rega master system?

  On 3/1/2013 at 2:50 AM, headonist said:

My headphone setup consists of mostly the computer as source, a Meier Audio Corda StageDAC and a Meier Audio Corda Classic as headpheadphone amp and Beyerdynamic T1 as headphones.

good choice.

I definitely prefer vintage over modern A/V type receivers, I would like to get a nice vintage pioneer sx series someday when I can afford it.

Right now for components I have a TEAC a/v receiver, Technics Quartz QD-22 turntable, JVC TD-X301 tape deck which I purchased for $5 (also bought an older JVC KD-10 before).

For speakers I am using a pair of vintage Klipsch Heresy I's.

Does anyone have any opinions/suggestions regarding digitizing cassettes and vinyl?

For cassettes I just run the RCA outs into my audio interface and it is straight forward from there.

For vinyl I've tried doing the same thing but get the accompanying hum from no ground (it is grounded into phono input of my receiver). I believe I have tried running RCA outs of the receiver "record out" outputs but I think I still got some hum this way. Anyways, I've somehow ripped vinyl before with this set-up without any hum so maybe I was doing something different then. I will experiment more.

Any fellow watmmers that want to share their methods of digitization?

  On 4/23/2013 at 4:25 PM, unteleportedman said:

Right now for components I have a TEAC a/v receiver, Technics Quartz QD-22 turntable, JVC TD-X301 tape deck which I purchased for $5 (also bought an older JVC KD-10 before).

 

Does anyone have any opinions/suggestions regarding digitizing cassettes and vinyl?

 

For cassettes I just run the RCA outs into my audio interface and it is straight forward from there.

 

For vinyl I've tried doing the same thing but get the accompanying hum from no ground (it is grounded into phono input of my receiver). I believe I have tried running RCA outs of the receiver "record out" outputs but I think I still got some hum this way. Anyways, I've somehow ripped vinyl before with this set-up without any hum so maybe I was doing something different then. I will experiment more.

 

Any fellow watmmers that want to share their methods of digitization?

No idea about the best way to rip vinyl, I've seen a thread about it here though and also on the wavosaur and audacity FAQs/forums.

As for cassettes I personally stick with 44.1 kHz, 16-bit for archiving. (If I'm going to edit and manipulate a specific sample I go for 24-bit and a higher sample rate). Your method is fine, I have a RCA to 1/4" Hosa cable that plugs into my interface.

I would recommend getting a tape demagnetizer on your decks and cleaning the tapeheads and capstans with isopropyl alcohol though, especially if you are ripping a lot of tapes in one session. Just use it carefully as instructed and keep it away from your actual tapes. When you demagnetize a tape deck the playback is better and any built up magnetization is eliminated - when the tape heads another parts are not demagnetized they can begin deteriorating the cassette tapes. When you clean the deck with isopropyl alchohol with q-tips you can often see the actual brownish tape fragments in the residue you clean off.

Ripping from digital onto tape or from tape to tape (or vinyl to tape, etc) has far more variables - dubbing speed, bias adjustment, tape type, EQing, Dolby, MPX filter for radio recordings, etc.

Those JVCs are decent, I have one too! Personally if you want noticeably better cassette playback I'd get a good quality 3-head deck or browse this thread for recommendations http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=2487 - 2-head Nakamichis for examples sound better than most other brands and models. I have gone through a lot of decent Technics dual decks before buying and refurbishing and using one of these (not my vid, exact same deck model though):

Saw this on CL for $45 and offered the guy $30, to my surprise he threw in a similar era turntable for $45 and was like "I just need to get rid of it." When I met up with him I saw he was a blonde 80s surfer looking dude with a sleeveless Misfits shirt on.

I haven't properly set them up yet, I'll probably sell the set on ebay as I'm trying to save up for a 70s era receiver.

here's my set up:

Technics 1210M5G with Ortofon Arkiv stylus

Sony MZ-RH1 Hi-MD MiniDisc recorder

JVC KD-V400 Cassette Deck

Teac AS-M50 amplifier

I have recently got a pair of ADAM F5 monitor speakers, and very nice they are too:

Running through a bog-standard Line6 UX1 audio interface:

Plus a pair of Audio Technica M50 headphones:

finally got my pretty low-budget but pleasing system fully functional:

Cambridge Audio A1 mk3 amp (£10 on eBay)

Rega Fono Mini A2D preamp (about the only bit i had to pay something for - £75 or something. behind the turntable)

KEF Q15 speakers (£15 gumtree - pretty basic but great for the moment)

Pro-ject Debut II (free - or rather it's my girlfriend's )

Technics RS-B665 cassette (free - hand-me-down from dad)

Technics SL-PD887 CD changer (see above. bog standard i guess).

also got the cabinet off my parents.

i've just been loaned an Apple TV by my sister who's working in India for a year, which once i've got an optical cable i'm going to connect to my Fiio e17 (DAC/headphone amp - amazing bit of kit, makes laptop headphone listening a joy) so that i can stream iTunes to this system.

looking forward to gradually upgrading it as time goes on and money comes in!

Any idea what kind of cartridge on the debut turntable? I've got the debut 3 carbon myself and don't regret the purchase! I think it's a great table for the price.

ps. nice vinyl stash you got going!

Beauty! What amp is that? It looks like an early model sansui, au 20000? If it is you're a lucky guy lol.

  On 2/25/2013 at 6:59 PM, tauboo said:

 

  On 2/25/2013 at 4:51 PM, drukqs said:

 

 

 

dildos

I roll minimal.

- Yamaha GX-5 Component System (Single unit with 2x Tape & 3x CD changer).

I've had this since I was about 13 years old so the cd deck doesn't really work and the tape player will occasionally give me issues. These days, I really only use it for my TV and my Turntable.

https://www.allbids.com.au/Buy/ABViewImage.asp?ID=545597

- Technics SL-1200MK2 Turntable

- MTX MX 3000 DJ Mixer

- iphone5 w/ cheap Sony earbuds

  On 1/5/2014 at 4:50 PM, StephenG said:

Beauty! What amp is that? It looks like an early model sansui, au 20000? If it is you're a lucky guy lol.

Thanks! The amp is actually a McIntosh MC 2505, with a Burl walnut cabinet that I had custom made for it back when I used to drink heavily LOL.. It cost me a fortune to have done, but there it is.