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Posted: |
Mar 16, 2017 - 6:34 AM
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By: |
Graham Watt
(Member)
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Let's not argue chaps - I appreciate the input from all sides.
I do realise I'm kind of in the wishy-washy middle ground here. Octoberman - you're right when you say that there's a lot of sales BS that one must be wary of. And Mitch - you're right too when you say basically that you (in general) get what you pay for.
The car analogy (analogue?) is pretty good. I know that my old scrap-heap gets me from A to B quite comfortably. It also, quite amusingly, came with a great-sounding 4-speaker radio/CD although I've no idea what the make is. I "know" (in "inverted commas") that the driving experience is incomparable with that of driving a Rolls Royce or a BMW, but I'm not that interested in cars. They're not a priority in my life, and they wouldn't be even if I had money.
I like films. When I was in the HiFi shop the other day waiting to be attended, I wandered around looking at those 60 or 62" TVs. Are they 3D or something? Amazing quality. I like films, and if I had the money I'd probably buy one. Or perhaps not. In fact I wouldn't, because it wouldn't fit in any of the modest rooms in my modest flat.
I love my music I do. But I don't think I can allow myself to be as audiophilistic (sp?) as you Mitch, simply because my cave, with cave-wife, cave-children and cave-grandchidren running around, is not designed to accept a really great sound system. Oh, and the cave walls are made of paper. I can even hear when the neighbours go to the toilet. I don't even have a decent place to position my speakers. So I have to make do with what I can within those very real limitations.
So I'd better not start even thinking about what I "could" have, if I lived in a different cave and had money, because that's not going to happen. It would be as frustrating as sitting down in front of my normal TV and wishing that the room was big enough to take a 62-incher.
I know I'm droning on and repeating myself, but I was really happy with my "normal" Sony "music centre" (as they were called back then). The radio and LP turntable still work (and just yesterday sounded great to me), but I was in a quandry when the CD part stopped working, and was/ am looking for a temporary measure to see me through until I upgrade the whole thing. By upgrading I'm probably talking about spending a grand in total. Any more, given my circumstances, would be like buying a Rolls Royce but on the condition that I just drive it around the block in the 30 mph zone.
Thanks again to all for your words of wisdom. I will be back to annoy you with the latest laffs.
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Posted: |
Mar 16, 2017 - 9:00 AM
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By: |
MusicMad
(Member)
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Sorry, Graham, as usual these threads get a little derailed. I hadn't suggested anything in the audiophile market - and know so little about such kit that I wouldn't attempt to suggest anyone invest - but I did take exception to Octoberman's suggestion that all such kit is a waste of money ... I wanted to know why he thought so.
Silly me! I should have understood that his statement, trashing such kit, was actually double-speak advising you to be wary of shop assistant's sales-talk. Now I know what he meant, I understand ... and I agree: there's a lot of rubbish spoken and written about hi-fi. But what's new?
You had started the thread talking about your ... big stereo system ... and then came the issue of gapless playback. I hope you find something which replaces your old system, without annoying your neighbours, since music is important to you. I don't like headphones ... they cause my head to sweat and my ears become quickly muffled probably due to excessive use years ago ... but if this is your way then I maintain that a better CD transport, subject to the gapless issue, will provide a more satisfying listening experience.
I didn't set out to defend audiophile kit ... Octoberman misread my posts. But just as I'd expect a new BMW 5-series to give me a better driving experience than my 12+ yr old Volvo V70, I should expect audiophile kit to provide a better listening experience than the good kit I presently own. But just as I'm never likely to invest in BMW 5-series, I'm not likely to buy top quality hi-fi. And to finish I quote the text from a magazine joke I came across many years ago which I scanned to my PC:
Two tramps lying at the side of the road and one says: "I had a family. a good job, owned my own home. Then one day I discovered that I could hear differences among audio components."
Happy listening ... whenever you decide what to buy.
Mitch
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Posted: |
Mar 16, 2017 - 2:54 PM
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By: |
leagolfer
(Member)
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Graham you said, you've got a thousand pounds to spend, this is the best solution for your money, & a decent hi-fi, it won't be beaten.
Audio-lab 8000 cd was originally built in the mid 90's, & the cost then was around £1500, there is also Audio-lab 8000 digital dac, that you will need to go with it, the original cost was £1200, these two units you can now pick for around 400-500 the pair, which is an absolute steal.
Also I'd recommend you to get the Audio-lab 8000M power amp & pre amp 8000Q, the power amp use to cost around £1200 & the pre £1500, you could probably pick the pair up for about 500ish, which again is a great bargain.
Word of advice though, Audio-lab has ceased trading for many years. Tag McLaren took them over & kept there own brand name as Tag McLaren F1. Audio-lab is still being built, but in China so be careful, its no good, the original equipment says on the back casing made in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the finish was matt black. this new stuff from the far east is knock off junk.
If I see any original equipment/units are let you know. I use to own this equipment years ago, its got a nice sound, even when played at the lowest volume level, this hi-fi has a lot of depth, & the imaging for the music is nice. if you look back online at World hi-fi or what hi-fi magazines, mid to late 90's (the editor's state that this Audio-lab 8000 series is top end equipment) & it would take another hi-fi to better it with a value of over 15,000 pounds to surpass it in all departments.
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Posted: |
Mar 25, 2017 - 8:56 AM
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By: |
Graham Watt
(Member)
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You must admit I had you there! Nah, I "found out" how it works. Except for the bit that's for blue teeth or something. No idea about that.
Anyway, instead of continually putting my stupidity on display by creating new Caveman Audio threads for each question, I'll group them together here, in an ongoing and hopefully fascinating series of Q and A Neanderthal pingpong.
I have subtly changed the Subject heading too.
So, here goes. I wonder if you could tell me if you fanny around a lot with your equalisers and/ or treble n' bass settings. I know (I mean, I really do know) that with the vast variety in not only types of music but also in sound quality, one would "think" (perhaps) that one should need to fanny around with one's knobs in order to create the correct balance for each CD. But I don't want to do that. One size fits all for me, and it did in my late great big dead music centre. Fannying around for half an hour to get the right sound for every single recording I have is an idea which fills me with inertia.
Do YOU fanny around like that? Is it in any way necessary? If you generally DON'T fanny around (and I honestly can't imagine who would, not to that extent), are there any CDs which in your opinion demand a certain amount of knob-adjustment?
Looking forward to lunch.
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