Am I Doing Right Thing

Guy's help me out, had a mad moment a couple of weeks ago and put some of my HIFI up for sale ;- Linn Klimax & Kontrol, Levinson 37 & 360s and Wilson Benesch Discovery's to follow.

Having found what looks to be a serious buyer for the Linns'today I had a long listen tonight and dug out some hifi mags and am now deffo in two minds.

Had thought I'd go downwards and get a Krell intergrated, maybe a Wadia and a pair of Arcs.

Love this part of my system but probabaly don't do enough sitting in hot spot with nil distaraction serious listening.
Am or going the right way?? daft question on a HIFI forum I suppose, but thoughts gratefully received.
Thanks

 

If you want to get basically get off the hi-fi path and just have a really great sounding good value system I think you should look at swapping to some serious active speakers. You should be able to get better sound, for less money and with fewer boxes.

 

A good CD player with built-in volume control [a Quad or Resolution Audio Opus 21?] straight into your power amp will give you a very decent transparent sound. IMHO. Limited flexability and expandability but this is one way to downsize without compromising sound quality.

I took my own advice and got rid of a lot of boxes. And the hi-fi rack got replaced by a wall shelf with the amps on the floor underneath it. And believe it or not I am listening to music again and enjoying the experience. Exactly what a hi-fi system is supposed to be all about.

 

"if in doubt.....do n'out"

sleep on it until you decid which way you want to go.

If you like your current system, I should hang onto it.

 

Not really worried about the amount of boxes as love the look of them anyway. Have never listened to less expensive systems for ages, so just wondering if I'm going to really notice a great deal of "can't live with that" with difference.

And I know price is not an true reflection of sound quality, before anyone reminds me.

 

This is why I recommend a good pair of active speakers, because you can spend less and still end up with a better or equal system. how much would you have to spend if you sold up?

 

Better or equal to what, Simon?

 

Given that there is no TT in the picture my advice is to spend relatively little on the electronics and pump the cash into the speakers. Spend virtually nothing on cables - use those supplied free in the box or spend £10 at Maplin.

If you elect to follow the traditional passive amp/speaker route there are some superb CD players, or server/dac solutions out there for <£500. A good integrated amp will cost similar money and there really is no need to spend thousands on boutique electronics brands unless you want the product to make a visual/status statement or you elect to buy 'nice' distortion, which is available at a premium with optional glow.

Blow the budget on the best speakers you can get that suit your ears and room.

Take great care over setting up the system within the room and don't be afraid to use some room treatments and/or EQ to bend the speaker performance to your taste - just don't over-do it.

Were you running a TT my advice would be to focus a substantial portion of the budget in that area.

 

Well, better or equal to the system he currently has!

 

I've used Opus 21 with different amps - fron a SET to a big SS - it always sounded in a different league if you bypass it's built-in preamp. I would have never used this excellent CDP straight into a power amp. Use a DIN output and a good quality interconnect into a top preamp, and it's a different ballgame.

 

ok.

 

The reason I use the Opus 21 straight into the power amps is to minimise the clutter in my music room. Many people have said that your solution is better especially if a good preamp [or a transformer based passive] is used.

IMHO the way the Opus 21 is setup now sounds pretty good. It would be interesting to listen to it through an external pre-amp. A project for next winter perhaps?

 

Agreed - I have an Opus 21 and do use a valve pre (which I think it likes very much) but I'm sorry having used both DIN out, balanced and rca's - to say the DIN, is leagues ahead is somewhat fictious IMHO.

philip

 

This is quite an interesting question. It makes me want to ask about what you were hoping to achieve in ways beyond the relatively practical issues detailed in your post.

For example, what was the change for? Do you enjoy making fairly substantial changes or was there another reason for what you were doing - it looks like a pretty sweeping change to me?

 

Well the Linns have gone to a non scamming overseas buyer, (real cash via a UK friend of his) Hooray for real buyers.
Seen a 400xi so may go forward with that in next few days, will prob end up doing some serious listining and want to upgrade the whole lot again.
Anyway thanks for replies - now to located so WB's Arcs and a cd player.

 

the thought of a pair of active ATC100SL or better still a pair of 150ASL always come to mind

 

If you get a chance take a listen to a well warmed up Wadia 301. It really sounded poor the first day - like shock horror what have I done. By the end of the week a startling transformation.

Bottom of thier tree perhaps but much much better than I expected and it works well sans Pre though gain has been a bit of an issue even with the output at its lowest.