Show Off Your Audio Equipment (Thread)

Amidar · 25 Jan 2017 at 21:32

My current setup, just need to buy a more powerful amp for the HE-6's. Also added a Bottlehead Crack with Speedball and a pair of HD650's sold the LCD-2F's and bought another Schiit LYR 2 amp.

Rroff · 29 Jan 2017 at 19:27

My favourite earbuds died

as it was just the inline volume control I ghetto modded them for "balanced" use out of curiosity:

Surprisingly quite a difference - same sound but AB testing with my backup pair of the same earbuds there is noticeably more of a spacious sound, smoother and vocals are considerably richer - completely changed my opinion compared to my albeit limit experience of balanced sound a few years back.

TheDesX77 · 29 Jan 2017 at 22:32

Apologies in advance for crappy iPhone pics:

ATH-M40x with Modmic V4 for general gaming use with a Sound Blaster ZxR

HiFiMan HE-400i and Philps Fidelio X1

Schiit Jotunheim with phono stage

JBL LSR305

Systemdek IIX 900 with Linn K9 cartridge

Pair of Mackie Onyx Blackbirds for recording drums and various other noises

And various mics including a pair of sE5's, an sE R1 ribbon, Sennheiser e901, a Rode NT1 and an SM57.

Next on the list is to get a proper shelf for the Jotunheim to sit on in the lackrack and get a balanced cable for the 400i's.

neil_g · 30 Jan 2017 at 13:00

Not as fancy as some here

SMSL SD793-II DAC pulling optical source from PC and optical to coax adapter for Chromecast Audio (hidden).
Yamaha HS-5 running RCA to XLR cables
Sennheiser HD25-1 II with shorter OFC cable fitted and ModMic 4
Soundmagic E50S hiding in their pouch

rids57 · 30 Jan 2017 at 19:40

It may not be as expansive as some but it looks good, sounds good and didn't cost a fortune - that's a win in my book

ps. those Yamahas look rather tasty

neil_g · 30 Jan 2017 at 20:17

Yes love the white cones

sound lovely too bundles of grunt from the 5" driver, some reviews said they need a sub to support the low end but personally not had any bother with them being close the the wall I guess.

seanyc5 · 1 Feb 2017 at 18:19

TheDesX77 said:
Schiit Jotunheim with phono stage

Next on the list is to get a proper shelf for the Jotunheim to sit on in the lackrack and get a balanced cable for the 400i's.

Thoughts on the phonostage? I was thinking of getting a Jotunheim with phonostage as I already have a decent DAC with balanced outputs so I could feed it from that and make use of the balanced headphone out. I am thinking about getting a pair of 800S but need to compare the focal elear first.

Im currently using a project phono box mk2 so im doubtful there would be much difference. The built in phonostage on my NAD 3130 sounds the same so im sure unless you jump up in price a fair bit theirs not much in it. Using a fully upgraded debut carbon with speedbox and acrylic platter and a 2M Bronze at the minute.

mrk · 2 Feb 2017 at 10:52

Desktop
Amp: NAD D 7050
Speakers: KEF Q300
Phones: Senn HD650

Portable
Device: Galaxy S7 edge
Phones: Jaybird X3

Love the X3 where you can tune the built in DAC directly with the MySound app. I'm finding they have a very open sound, surprising considering they're noise isolating IEMs with Comply Premium memory foam tips!

dacads · 2 Feb 2017 at 11:10

Very nice m9..

Although I'd rather have seen the gear through your camera lens, than your Surface which we all know you have now

mrk · 2 Feb 2017 at 11:15

It's a £100 tablet, not a surface

I can't find the original photo, so had to post that one instead as it's the only copy I have lol.

dacads · 2 Feb 2017 at 12:52

mrk said:
It's a £100 tablet, not a surface

I can't find the original photo, so had to post that one instead as it's the only copy I have lol.

I had my suspicions.. didn't realise they catered for peasants

FurryLemon · 2 Feb 2017 at 14:09

Amidar - you know how to audio!

650+bottlehead is a superb combo. Cant do much better for the price.

mcc49 · 5 Feb 2017 at 15:58

Camera is at work so here's an iPhone pic.

rids57 · 5 Feb 2017 at 19:48

You have some extremely nice gear there, I am rather envious to say the least

TheDesX77 · 6 Feb 2017 at 17:03

seanyc5 said:
Thoughts on the phonostage? I was thinking of getting a Jotunheim with phonostage as I already have a decent DAC with balanced outputs so I could feed it from that and make use of the balanced headphone out. I am thinking about getting a pair of 800S but need to compare the focal elear first.

Im currently using a project phono box mk2 so im doubtful there would be much difference. The built in phonostage on my NAD 3130 sounds the same so im sure unless you jump up in price a fair bit theirs not much in it. Using a fully upgraded debut carbon with speedbox and acrylic platter and a 2M Bronze at the minute.

I don't really have anything else to compare the phono stage to, so can't say how it performs relative to other products, but I'm very happy with it. I bought an ex-demo unit so effectively got the phono stage free instead of paying the £100 to upgrade.

I think that your turntable is a bit nicer than mine (definitely a better cartridge) so you would be more likely to notice a difference in phono stages if there is one. To be honest, the reason I bought the Jotunheim is because there isn't really anything else that does what it does: balanced I/O, phono preamp and one of the best solid-state headphone amps you can buy for the price.

I am yet to try the balanced HP out (still need a cable) but from what I hear it performs even better than the 1/4" which has already proved fantastic.

Somnambulist · 7 Feb 2017 at 08:30

Haven't got a new picture where they're set up more mid-field but...

Event Opals, NAD M51

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Future Sonic MG6 Pro custom IEMs and iBasso DX100 (which I've completely battered to hell and don't even use now; needs a new internal battery as it doesn't hold it's charge too).

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Ultimate Hearing Protection SoundEar Pro 3's. I got these heavily discounted, don't really use them much now as they're not as good as the FS's.

dacads · 7 Feb 2017 at 10:51

That's some serious kit..

How would you describe the sound of the speakers?

Techen · 7 Feb 2017 at 12:12

Currently own a HD800 cost me 600 quid 2nd hand and went straight to modding it to fix treble.

Nfb28 2015 version cost me 450 quid and its the best amp ever. Seriously NFB are unreal.

Looking at buying sz2000 and swapping the cups to make them guud and fun headphones.

Somnambulist · 7 Feb 2017 at 12:35

dacads said:
That's some serious kit..

How would you describe the sound of the speakers?

Accurate. I'm not a fan of box swapping and have always been drawn more towards active set-ups and at the time these were pretty much the bees knees (which they still are) although in an ideal world I'd prefer something a little less industrial looking. If money was no object I'd sell them and the NAD and get the Kii Three's but they're in a whole different price bracket. Maybe I can get some second hand one day in the distant future...

randomshenans · 7 Feb 2017 at 13:43

Mmmmm nice kit in here. I'm moving house soon, so will be ensuring the office space is setup nicely as no doubt I'll be in there a lot. I've got a set of Mission LX-2s on there way, an Onkyo A9010, Korg DS-DAC-10R and headphones I've got some AKG K702s. Should be alright to get me going.