Author Topic: 2 CH stereo revisited (Read 7939 times)

Joe A. · « **on:** June 18, 2015, 11:18:12 AM »

There was a nice thread a year or so ago about 2 ch stereos that I found interesting. Since that time I was half a$$ looking for components at estate / barn / garage sales and scored a nice little set up last weekend. Picked up:
JVC R-X300
Yamaha K-31 Dual Cassette deck
Denon DCM 340 5 disc cd player
Sony PSLX 300 usb turn table
Boston Acoustic A60 XD speakers.

Picked the above up for a total of $110 after negotiating all day long. Made an initial offer, it was refused, left, came back make offer, refused, etc. until we were able to agree.
Couldn't wait to set it up and was more than pleasantly surprised. First off, it sounds very good, not the highest end components but is very enjoyable. Being a big fan of the portability of compressed music, I realized how much I "dumbed down" what I viewed as "sounding good."
thanks to whover started that thread, it helped me rediscover what a pleasure it is to listen music on decent, uncompressed equipment. Now I have to research DAC, et al to improve my compressed music.

G-zulu · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2015, 02:34:42 PM »

Yes, I also appreciate a good sounding 2-ch (analog/digital) stereo.. Sit down with your favorite beverage and hear what you have been missing on those other audio formats..

Joe A. · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2015, 03:08:00 PM »

No kidding, been missing more than I thought!

Dilliw · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2015, 04:13:34 PM »

Quote from: G-zulu on June 18, 2015, 02:34:42 PM

Yes, I also appreciate a good sounding 2-ch (analog/digital) stereo.. Sit down with your favorite beverage and hear what you have been missing on those other audio formats..

Ha did that last night.

I believe it was my thread you are referring to Joe. I've learned a lot about computer audio over the past year so I can help you with that some. Mostly I've learned that the improvements people you say can get- better separation, better air around the instruments, timing, less pre and post ringing, etc. etc- pail in comparison to moving your speakers a few inches in one direction or another, adding some room treatments, or putting your chair in "the spot." Hi Res files have been mostly a disappointment as many are 16 bit re-samples. How is putting the same file in a bigger container going to improve sound quality? Then if you find a good recording in a great format with great dynamic range you're probably listening to some crap artist that you don't even like!

I use a stand alone DAC ($50), Foobar,(free) a 2TB external hard drive ($90) on an old Dell Laptop (surplus). I control it all from my ~~drinking~~ listening chair using an android tablet or a phone. Yep that doubles your current investment but it opens up all sorts of music possibilities for either stored music or streams (I have Spotify Premium so that's another $9/mo). You can spend a lot more on the computer side of things but outside of features I don't think you get as much bang for the $ as finding the right sounding speakers. Speakers and the room ARE what matter.

Anyway welcome to the club. Last night it was Christy Baron and Nikka Coffey Grain

kevdog3019 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2015, 05:13:55 PM »

Tubes and vinyl here. It's REAL sound man!

Triple Jim · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2015, 05:25:01 PM »

One of the problems with portable digitized music is most if it is in formats like MP3. MP3 is proprietary and costs money, and generates royalties. Ogg Vorbis, for example, has much better sound quality for a given compression, but it's free, so there's little money pushing it. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is as its name implies, lossless, and while files sizes are larger, sound quality is excellent. I've made CDs that are truly Hi-Fi from FLAC files. End users need to educate themselves and start using superior formats to force the industry to improve.

AJ Huff · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2015, 05:25:59 PM »

Since my investment is CDs I have been working on ripping all of them to FLAC. At that point I'll go the route of FLAC jukebox with tablet control similar to what you have George.

Tubes would be cool but not necessary for me. And while I concede vinyl may have better depth of sound, past experience with scratches, warps and just having to flip the damn things over is enough for me never to consider records again. Long live CDs and lossless encoding!

-AJ

Dilliw · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2015, 06:11:49 PM »

No vinyl for me as I never had a collection but I know plenty of folks who enjoy pulling out their lps for a spin.

I had a Trancendent tube amp in there for a while but replaced it with Pass Amp Camp Amp 6w class A monoblocks. They don't give the light show but they are much quieter. My single driver speakers start to drop off around 65hz so I have augmented with a sealed sub.

Here's one good resource for finding good music: The DR database.

http://dr.loudness-war.info/

While lots of dynamic range doesn't necessarily mean a good recording it is a good indicator. Sorting the list by the various columns is a great way find new artists or old favorites. I sorted by total DR as an example and then went and bought Steve Earle's Copperhead Road. It's a great recording of some really good music. Do it for a while and you will notice that many of the original pressings of music from the 80's are actually better than the "digitally remastered" cds that they sold in the late 90s/early 2000s. The later releases were compressed to sound better on thin speakers that have limited frequency responses (the loudness wars).

Spotify Premium is Ogg Vorbis at a higher bit rate (reported @ 320 kbs)and sounds fine. It's a great way to find new artists using the "similar" feature. Then I usually buy my own cd's via Amazon Prime or go to Manifest (a local used cd dealer) and burn them myself using EAC. And if we catch a good artist at a club or something we always by a cd from their table to help them out.

LowRyter · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2015, 06:19:07 PM »

Triple Jim · « **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2015, 06:50:21 PM »

Hey, nice Philips 212 turntable, LowRyter. I have one just like it. Even new, they were cheap and simple, but lacked nothing as far as sound.

Dimples · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2015, 07:03:17 PM »

As an industrial designer, I design this audio stuff (the speakers, etc.)--

http://oswaldsmillaudio.com

It's the epitome of old school (explore the site). It's also very high-end. Thought it might be interesting nonetheless.

DD

HardAspie · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2015, 07:13:32 PM »

I just bought an eighties GE boombox. Simple AM / FM Stereo Cassette box. It works well. I will be quick to admit that since it can be powered by 6 D Cells it obviously is not an RMS powerhouse. And to be certain it could use a subwoofer. But I am surprised at the sound quality. Back in the days before the last shipment of Pioneer analog equipment was lost when a container fell from Noah's Ark; audio systems were made to reproduce music. These days the goal is movie sound effects, and probably dubstep. To my ancient ears they all sound tubby and full of psychoacoustic trickery and have faux bass that rolls around the floor like drunken bowling balls. I hear my old boombox and I hear music again with detail I had not heard in so long.
Oh well, I'm just a curmudgeon.

Dilliw · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2015, 08:06:27 PM »

Quote from: Dimples on June 18, 2015, 07:03:17 PM

As an industrial designer, I design this audio stuff (the speakers, etc.)--

http://oswaldsmillaudio.com

It's the epitome of old school (explore the site). It's also very high-end. Thought it might be interesting nonetheless.

DD

Very nice! I'm not near as fancy but it all works for me and the signal path is stupid simple:

Hornshoppe Horns- single driver (Fostex) back loaded horns
SVS sealed sub. Not as big as your 15" but same principle using a lightweight 12" driver
Pass ACA's
Hornshoppe "The Truth" pre-amp
Above mentioned digital top end.

Joe A. · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2015, 08:42:49 PM »

Great info, much appreciated. Back in the 80's I had a system very similar to what I picked up last weekend, countless hours of enjoyment from that system. Glad to rediscover the feeling! I'm starting to research some of the info shared here and may revisit this, probably over the winter.
Thanks again!

makarushka · « **Reply #14 on:** June 18, 2015, 08:46:09 PM »

Just to give this thread some guzzi content:

AJ Huff · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2015, 09:30:27 PM »

Quote from: Dimples on June 18, 2015, 07:03:17 PM

As an industrial designer, I design this audio stuff (the speakers, etc.)--

http://oswaldsmillaudio.com

It's the epitome of old school (explore the site). It's also very high-end. Thought it might be interesting nonetheless.

DD

Great stuff! Outside my price range but great! Need foundry metallurgist? LOL

-AJ

Triple Jim · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2015, 10:37:14 PM »

Quote from: makarushka on June 18, 2015, 08:46:09 PM

Just to give this thread some guzzi content:

Nice amp. Very very nice amp.

fossil · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2015, 04:32:16 AM »

Ahhhh!

Good to see that there are more people who know what really sounds good! In a former life I sold and repaired HiFi - equipment, I have an old HiFi - System still at home:

Pioneer SA 8500 MK II amplifyer, TX 9500 MK II tuner, PD-S 701 CD - Player, and SA 1010 loudspeaker systems.
Amended by Dual CS 1224 turntable (several pickup - systems), harman kardon TD 4800 cassette deck, and diverse Uher open reel tape recorders, + ReVox A77.

Additionally also a digital system around a surplus Dell laptop, an external A/D convertor and Philips active MFB - loudspeakers (yes, these old, phantastic, small things!). It is interesting to record music life with the ReVox (using Sennheiser and Sony stuff), "reducing" it into CD mode and compare both versions. It is a huge difference!

When I bought the turntable I had a hard time deciding between the Dual, a Telefunken and .. the Philips 212.

Dimples · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2015, 07:24:04 AM »

Quote from: AJ Huff on June 18, 2015, 09:30:27 PM

Great stuff! Outside my price range but great! Need foundry metallurgist? LOL

-AJ

There are some great foundry (OK) photos on the page for the cast iron "Ironic" speaker. The molds were 3-D printed. There is a left and right speaker.
http://oswaldsmillaudio.com/ironic

nunzio · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2015, 09:52:22 AM »

I listen to vinyl while working on my Guzzis.

It forces me to get up and turn the LP over.

That little break lets me regroup and double check in my mind what I am doing.

Relaxes me.

The funny thing about LPs is their prices.

I bought a copy of Steely Dan's..The Royal Scam.. for 50cents at a garage sale(perfect condition).....then went to a flea market and saw a copy for sale for $12.00

I've even been able to assemble a small collection of Italian LPs ...Out here in East Texas....go figure.......Alan

AJ Huff · « **Reply #20 on:** June 19, 2015, 10:40:05 AM »

Quote from: Dimples on June 19, 2015, 07:24:04 AM

There are some great foundry (OK) photos on the page for the cast iron "Ironic" speaker. The molds were 3-D printed. There is a left and right speaker.
http://oswaldsmillaudio.com/ironic

Man I would love to own that! Cast iron is my specialty.

-AJ

makarushka · « **Reply #21 on:** June 19, 2015, 12:30:17 PM »

Dilliw -- lovely system! I know exactly what it sounds like because I've messed around with single drivers a lot and at some point had a pair of Ed's horns, too...

Dimples, your designs for Oswald Mill are absolutely stunning... I have not personally heard any of them but have used some similar horns made by Bill Woods in the past, albeit not with Cogent drivers (that's what's in the OMA horns for the mids mostly, yes?)

Does Dave Slagle wind any iron for the OMA electronics? I've used some of his transformers in the past as well.

As far as using slate for the plinths -- experimented with that also quite a bit, and thought it was great with SP10 but with Garrards and TD124 I prefer a different approach...

Sorry for the slight hijack... Here's some of my treasured analog gear:

drums4money · « **Reply #22 on:** June 19, 2015, 09:35:39 PM »

Quote from: Dimples on June 18, 2015, 07:03:17 PM

As an industrial designer, I design this audio stuff (the speakers, etc.)--

http://oswaldsmillaudio.com

It's the epitome of old school (explore the site). It's also very high-end. Thought it might be interesting nonetheless.

DD

Sweet Jeesus - that gear is impressive. Very nice work

Guzzi content:
Just to try something new I picked up a a tiny SMSL Mini5 amp for the living room. Not much larger than a pack of cigarettes and enough for a little pair of Polk TSi300's.

I'll switch off to a Jolida JD202 integrated tube amp w/B&W CM's. Wish I had room enough to keep them both up full-time.

News:

Author Topic: 2 CH stereo revisited (Read 7939 times)

Joe A.

Joe A.

HardAspie

Joe A.

makarushka

nunzio

makarushka