20 years since I had a separate stereo system !!

memphisto

memphisto

memphisto

Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
12,925
Hi all,

Just wanted to post somewhere about today. So I'm a home cinema fan and moved from a stereo system to home cinema probably 20 years ago. Anyway fast forward and I finally have the room and the funds to get a stereo system again.

So using a combination of Facebook and eBay I've managed to put together a system. Given a budget of less than £150 by the Mrs my system and cost can be seen below

Amp
Nad 312 - £35

Tuner
Pioneer f-477l - £5

Speakers
Wharedales Diamond 220 - £30

Now I'm missing a cd player but have bought a Denon dcd 520 AE which I'm awaiting delivery of £65

However hooked the other bits up to my pc for some YouTube and I've been blown away by the sound which says 2 things

1: I thought music peaked with Alexa
2: omg what have I been missing !

Now I know it's a budget system and I know it's also old but just so happy right now and also can't wait to see what it sounds like when I get the cd player :)

So if there's any stereo people out there like me who have though there home cinema system can cut it with music I'm just going to say maybe, but if you can put together two systems then it might be the way to go !
 
Glad you’ve been able to put together something good for not much cash second hand! I’m excited to have a separate listening space away from the telly again. The problem would be that I’d be tempted to change and upgrade things!
 
Very good price for those Diamond 220s.

My AV system doubles up for stereo duties. I know I could do better with a dedicated system, but when the receiver and speakers can show me the differences between basic stereo interconnect and some £40 Chord RCAs, and also the changes with a Denon universal DVD/CD/SACD player as the Pure Direct output mode is changed to exclude the video circuitry, then to disable the digital output, then I'm happy enough.

The key to all this though is in enjoying the music. Anything that helps you get closer to that is a definite win. Used CD discs are as cheap as chips. The sound quality difference between them and YouTube is Grand Canyon wide. My lad was on leave and came back for the week. During that visit we had a music night. He uses YouTube a lot, so we were batting songs back and forth listening to new stuff. I played him some Black Keys - Girl Is On My Mind - which he got in to. About half way through I grabbed the CD and put that on instead. He nearly fell off his chair at how much better it sounded.
 
Well finally got the cd player delivered today,

Put on a bit of Def Leppard (saw them in Glasgow last night )

And from the first listen hearing louds of stuff haven't heard in the songs before so clear things like the wobble in the guitars the different drum sounds. I know it's cheap and cheerful in the grand scheme of things even throwing in the £30 I spent on cables but one happy listener !
 
Moving on,

I had bought some gear it cable 14awg and banana plugged as well as 2 pairs of j&d RCA cables which hooked everything up and formed my first impressions.

All worked great but then the guy who I bought the amp off said he had some chord carnival biwire cable.

Purchased 2x2m cost £10 and wow what a difference but unfortunately the upgrade bug caught.

So I've also sourced some black rhodium symphony interconnects for £30 which used to retail for £200 ?

Again an old cable but I'm hoping a upgrade if not just for now but for future system upgrades ??

Anyway got the bug again and absolutely loving listening to every song I ever heard in a totally different way.

This is a budget system total cost so far £215 and although budget hoping I'm on the right path !
 
memphisto said:
Moving on,

I had bought some gear it cable 14awg and banana plugged as well as 2 pairs of j&d RCA cables which hooked everything up and formed my first impressions.

All worked great but then the guy who I bought the amp off said he had some chord carnival biwire cable.

Purchased 2x2m cost £10 and wow what a difference but unfortunately the upgrade bug caught.

So I've also sourced some black rhodium symphony interconnects for £30 which used to retail for £200 ?

Again an old cable but I'm hoping a upgrade if not just for now but for future system upgrades ??

Anyway got the bug again and absolutely loving listening to every song I ever heard in a totally different way.

This is a budget system total cost so far £215 and although budget hoping I'm on the right path !
Click to expand...

Don't fooled in audiophile snake oil overpriced speaker cable and RCA connectors
 
Thanks for the comments not sure what the chord carnival is awg wise but it's significantly thicker in that respect :)

And as for interconnects I'll let u know £5 Amazon cable versus the one I've bought when it arrives but I'll be honest it's the only £30 I'll be spending on interconnects for a number of upgrades to come !
 
memphisto said:
< the guy who I bought the amp off said he had some chord carnival biwire cable.

Purchased 2x2m cost £10 and wow what a difference
Click to expand...

Before I ask this, and in the spirit of full disclosure, I'll state that I'm not a fan of bi-wiring, but you shouldn't let that influence any response. Some manufacturers openly recommend it; B&W, Linn for a number of their newer speakers. Other manufacturers provide the feature but make no comment or say it'snot what they would advise.

Anyway, you said it was a big difference. Can you describe the differences you noticed?
 
Hi when I say big I was happy and must say was maybe over egging it, it may have just been the cable upgrade in itself rather than the bi wiring as it's not comparing like for like.

However listened to the same song before and after dry county bon Jovi and the bass was tighter the notes just a tad crisper and I could hear the tinkles if the piano in the background as well as the high hats etc just clearer.

And for a tenner well worth it.

The black rhodium cables have come today but I need to re position a few things as there only 0.5m long but looking forward to the £5 Amazon interconnects versus £200 RRP black rhodiums
 
memphisto said:
Hi when I say big I was happy and must say was maybe over egging it, it may have just been the cable upgrade in itself rather than the bi wiring as it's not comparing like for like.

However listened to the same song before and after dry county bon Jovi and the bass was tighter the notes just a tad crisper and I could hear the tinkles if the piano in the background as well as the high hats etc just clearer.

And for a tenner well worth it.

The black rhodium cables have come today but I need to re position a few things as there only 0.5m long but looking forward to the £5 Amazon interconnects versus £200 RRP black rhodiums
Click to expand...

Bi amping is worth it but you have to have quality system.

Active crossover are another level but you'd need crossover cards between pre and power, and had speakers designed for that, or you build your own crossover and modify the speakers (remove crossovers in the speakers)

Other upgrades would be
better speakers.
Using high pass for your speakers with a sub.
Room treatment
Room EQ for speakers and/or sub
Going from integrated to stereo pre power
Monoblocs
Phono preamp
DAC
 
piggin said:
Plus how good is your hearing?
Click to expand...

This gets said a lot like "Your hearing is stuffed, so why bother with a decent Hi-Fi?"

I don't hold with that view.

My view on this is that a Hi-Fi is a hearing tool. We buy better gear in the hope of hearing more in the sound. If our own hearing diminished - which, for guys, is pretty universal as we age - then why not compensate with better gear? Why go for worse?
 
lucid said:
This gets said a lot like "Your hearing is stuffed, so why bother with a decent Hi-Fi?"

I don't hold with that view.

My view on this is that a Hi-Fi is a hearing tool. We buy better gear in the hope of hearing more in the sound. If our own hearing diminished - which, for guys, is pretty universal as we age - then why not compensate with better gear? Why go for worse?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately this has been taken the wrong way and I have always been an advocate of very high end hi-fi. (at one point my system was worth more than the house I lived in). At the price point you are talking about there is massive gains to be had by making some very small adjustments and there is some wonderful equipment being sold second hand that equates to pennies on the pound when they were first purchased. But my point is, my hearing has suffered over the 30+ years I have been purchasing equipment but I have learnt to make more sensible choices in my spending.
 
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