Post Your Home Cine & HiFi Kit...

It's like looking at one of them Magic Eye puzzles from the 90's. I sware if you zoom in then focus on the image you can see a rainbow coloured unicorn.
 
I got rid of my hi-fi setup some time ago when I ditched it in favor of a 5.1 setup.

I moved house a year ago and downsized again. This time to a soundbar. A Monitor Audio ASB-2. It was a decent enough soundbar. Loud, rich deep sound but it always sounded like it was coming from the bar.

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Recently its really started to bug me the fact I just didn't have a decent way to enjoy music. SO I sold the soundbar and went shopping for some hi-fi bits.

I initially tried a set of Dynaudio Xeo 4 active speakers, with the connect box. They sounded good, but I had issues with the speakers losing connection, and interference every now and again so they went back.

I then tried a set of the Xeo 2s which were newer and didn't need the connect box. They sound great for there size. But being a small speaker, they just had no scale. They went back also!.

In the end, I bought the following;

  • Arcam SA20 amp. Comes with a decent DAC built-in
  • Focal Aria 906 speakers
  • Atacama MOSECO 6 speaker stands

Source wise, I have the TV plugged into the optical digital in. And I also bought an ALLO - DigiOne Player, which is connected via digital coax.

Really happy with the new setup. Its nice to be able to sit down and listen to some well-presented music. When my bloody kids let me that is.

Obligatory potato pics.

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IvanDobskey said:
Some people will tell you all amps sound the same ;)

Now I don't really agree with that, but I do think most difference in sound quality is down to the speakers as long as the amp is up to the job of actually powering them.

I'd rather spend crazy money on speakers than an amplifier, put it that way :)
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Yup, speakers more important given sufficient amplification, the room itself is important too - hard wood floors are quite popular in homes these days - fitting a carpet will probably make more of an improvement than say magic cables etc...

rare said:
I’ve never been able to hear the difference between amps after a certain point. You get to about £500 and the differences are incremental (to me!).
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There can be differences between amplifiers however the process of amplifying a signal isn't exactly magical and the idea that cottage industry hifi company has done something super special to in order to get a somehow better amplified signal out of the black box they sell is highly dubious.
Granted this is a controversial topic that has seemingly been a source of tension between "audiophiles" vs audio professionals and electronic engineers for decades so not necessarily one to discuss much in this thread.

If interested then take a look at stuff like this:

guy who challenged people to spot the difference between amps (subject to any nonlinear frequency response being corrected for)
http://tom-morrow-land.com/tests/ampchall/index.htm

guy who challenged hifi magazines and claimed he could mimic any amplifier they proposed - which he did indeed do with a much cheaper amp, after he was challenged with two of the most expensive amps of the day
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Carver#Amplifier_modeling

It is a debate that has been going on for over 50 years and so I don't think it will stop any time soon. Anyway some amps (especially tube amps) and other gear, look pretty damn cool regardless and if people are happy with their gear then that is the most important thing. :)
 
Marvt74 said:
@kidloco

Interesting, i'd recently come accross the Xeo range of speakers as a best case scenario for my current situation. Think it was the Xeo 6 but seems they may be part of the older range which need the transmitter box. Did you have any idea what causes the dropouts?
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Sorry no . I did try changing channels on the connect box . Changing where it was positioned etc. It would great for ages .then you would notice the odd issue . Would have bugged the hell out of me.

The newer small!we model didn't do it though. And they didn't need the connect box. Fantastic little speaker. Just a lot of money for what they are. Plus you would need to factor in a sub.
 
signs said:
ok cheers mate , how come the print looks worn if you don't mind me asking , also are you pleased with them ?
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It's just the image. That bit is actually a different material sonic think it's the light. Their immaculate. I'm a really fussy bugged would have sent them straight back if anything other than perfect.

There still being bed in a moment , sounding better every time I play them .

Really happy with the sound. Great imaging and fantastic top end. Not quite as detailed as my old GS10 but then they could be a touch to much sometimes.

The only thing I have noticed is the bass is light at low levels .crank them up and bass is fantastic for the size of the speaker. Lower levels though it feels like it needs a bit more. I'll give then a few more weeks to settle in and if I still feel the same I'll go shopping for a nice musical sub.
 
Firstly, I am rubbish at taking photos so sorry about that :p

Nothing too special here, but works for me and fairly clean. Wanted to stick it all in a cupboard, but some annoying steel beams was beyond my expertise trying to get through that without probably bringing the wall down.

Running a 10m fiber optic HDMI cable in mini trunking into a 5 port switch. Tried a normal one but wouldn't work properly on Apple 4k tv and Sky UHD. Probably the length and the bends it needed to take, so went with the fiber one. Little pricey, but has been solid and a lot easier to run due to the thinness.

Probably could do with tidying the cables, but meh can't see them when cabinet is closed, or should I say cheap argos shoe rack that does the job hah!

lgoled55b7v
Sonos playbar, 2x Play 1's
XOLORspace SMARTOOO 5 port HDMI switch
Nintendo Switch
Shadow Ghost
Sky Q 2tb uhd
Apple 4k tv
Blink hub
Philips hue hub
Draytek 130
Linksys EA8300

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LaupRon

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Simmz said:
Firstly, I am rubbish at taking photos so sorry about that :p

Nothing too special here, but works for me and fairly clean. Wanted to stick it all in a cupboard, but some annoying steel beams was beyond my expertise trying to get through that without probably bringing the wall down.

Running a 10m fiber optic HDMI cable in mini trunking into a 5 port switch. Tried a normal one but wouldn't work properly on Apple 4k tv and Sky UHD. Probably the length and the bends it needed to take, so went with the fiber one. Little pricey, but has been solid and a lot easier to run due to the thinness.

Probably could do with tidying the cables, but meh can't see them when cabinet is closed, or should I say cheap argos shoe rack that does the job hah!

lgoled55b7v
Sonos playbar, 2x Play 1's
XOLORspace SMARTOOO 5 port HDMI switch
Nintendo Switch
Shadow Ghost
Sky Q 2tb uhd
Apple 4k tv
Blink hub
Philips hue hub
Draytek 130
Linksys EA8300
wFjdLM9

LaupRon

jBvULOw

f99RcBG
Click to expand...

Nice and tidy, but why is it so high up? The chairs look normal height, do you not get a bit stiff looking up all the time.
 
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