Hifi, AV and vinyl

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Deleted User 728

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Deleted User 728 »

Viduka Hits The Mark wrote:Rig. Not having had a record player since I sold my Technics SL1800 many years ago. How would you say a Flac file compares in quality against a vinyl of the same tune? And have you tried any of the premium music streaming services such as Tidal?
Tidal is ****ing brilliant.

I think I said in another thread I went to a hifi night recently where they had a £500k system set up.
I kid you not.

They played vinyl and I was a bit underwhelmed as my own system kicks ass and there is the law of diminishing returns to consider with these things, but when they switched to Tidal everybody in the room was blown away, including my mate who ONLY plays vinyl.
He now owns a streamer :D

FLAC is great. MP3 is already dead in hifi circles. I still use them, but the majority of my digi files are ripped from my own CD collection and are WMA files, which is better quality.
I've got a mate who's gone fully digital and owns no media at all anymore, preferring the Spotify Premium streaming service.
It's good, but he only plays through a soundbar and I can't abide them. The quality is EXCELLENT but it's only from ONE SPEAKER and we have TWO EARS !!!
It needs to be in stereo so you get the soundstage in front of you.

Your local (proper) hifi dealer should be able to demo you Tidal.
It's worth it, believe me, even on a budget system.

To answer your original question, I would actually say that the digital file will probably surpass the sound of vinyl for the average/casual listener as it's so clean and tight. Some say too clinical and it doesn't have the "warmth" of vinyl - some talk bollocks.
I like a clear sound, vinyl or digital.
Pound for pound, on an average system CD, radio (FM or digital) and FLAC/MP3 will sound better than a limited turntable playing a crap recording.
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Another Northern Soul
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Joined: 01 Nov 2015, 09:55

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Another Northern Soul »

TBF to RS, Rigger, they weren't pushing anything, he just mentioned Denon and that was the later model.

No, the Panasonic is definitely SA AK but similar to the one you showed. It cost £200 about 10 years ago and has been brilliant. i'll revisit your advice later, thanks very much mate.
Deleted User 3289

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Deleted User 3289 »

Cheers pal. I've read nothing but good things about Tidal. As I haven't really got the space for Vinyl and unfortunately most of my rips are in MP3 at 320kpbs through itunes.

So much depends on the original quality recording aswell I've found. No matter what you play a Oasis definitely Maybe album track on its still going to sound Pooh. Whereas a decent dire straits track will really stand out on a decent system. I will be giving Tidal ago a some point. :thumbup:

I'm with you on the sound bar. My mate as one, ok for tv sound, but please not for the main stereo sound. No! I'm usually half-cooked when I go round to his house and it still grates the F*ck out of me listening to it. :D
Deleted User 728

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Deleted User 728 »

Another Northern Soul wrote:TBF to RS, Rigger, they weren't pushing anything, he just mentioned Denon and that was the later model.

No, the Panasonic is definitely SA AK but similar to the one you showed. It cost £200 about 10 years ago and has been brilliant. i'll revisit your advice later, thanks very much mate.
No probs. It's a hobby to me so I'm happy to help. Message me before splashing the cash and I'll give it the once over :)
There's a cracking second-hand dealer down here, about an hour from me up near Guilford.
This is their site : http://www.hifihangar.co.uk/
Spooky when I first visited as the owner - he's in the videos - and I could be brothers from another mother :crazy:
Both DJs, both soul fans but love all genres and both big boys with shaved heads :D

They refurbish stuff and have open evenings when you can bring some kit down and their engineers will help you restore or rebuild it, as well as having music nights every last Friday called "Spin What You Bring". Great business - I love it :)
Deleted User 728

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Deleted User 728 »

Viduka Hits The Mark wrote:Cheers pal. I've read nothing but good things about Tidal. As I haven't really got the space for Vinyl and unfortunately most of my rips are in MP3 at 320kpbs through itunes.

So much depends on the original quality recording aswell I've found. No matter what you play a Oasis definitely Maybe album track on its still going to sound Pooh. Whereas a decent dire straits track will really stand out on a decent system. I will be giving Tidal ago a some point. :thumbup:

I'm with you on the sound bar. My mate as one, ok for tv sound, but please not for the main stereo sound. No! I'm usually half-cooked when I go round to his house and it still grates the F*ck out of me listening to it. :D
To be honest, on a half-decent budget separates system using your laptop or iPod as a source, it will still sound great, even on MP3s.
The actual sound of a good system with a proper amp and speakers will be enough to get the best out of those files.

Don't forget headphones either - buy yourself a good, over-ear pair and you're laughing.
I've got a proper pair of Grado (open backed, so the sound bleeds to anyone else in the room) for home listening late at night, but when I'm on the go I use this pair I bought from ... Richer Sounds !

Image

https://www.richersounds.com/akg-y50-blk.html

I bought them when they were £40 ! :D
You can get them in a gorgeous "Everton" blue (John ??) or even in yellow .. and also in red but you don't wanna do that ..
Deleted User 728

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Deleted User 728 »

Image

That blue is wrong in the photo - I've seen them for real and it's a rich shade of French blue, rather than a turquoise.
Deleted User 3289

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Deleted User 3289 »

I was lucky enough to pick up a Mission Cyrus 1 Amplifier about 10 years ago from a carboot for a £5 and it worked except for the input selector is a bit crackly until you find the right spot. So I just link my Computer with that via a decent 1 into 2 phono cable and I have a old pair of Tannoy 609 speakers that sound ok. As for earphones I have a pair of Panasonic HTX7 which do a job, but I feel they could sound abit warmer at times.
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johnh
Bielsa's English Teacher
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Joined: 24 Jan 2012, 15:26

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by johnh »

Does the blue one play Z Cars? :D
I once played against Don Revie.
Deleted User 728

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Deleted User 728 »

Wow !!
That's a proper bargain - lovely sounding amp. A mate had one and I thought it was excellent.

If you take the shell off, you can use alcohol to clean the "pots" (the inner part of the selector).
You might need a special or star-shaped screwdriver though, but remove the cover (unplug it first, obviously) then take a look at the dial part of the selector and volume control. See if they're attached with a grub screw or can just be worked or pulled off gently. Once that's away, you can take a cotton bud and either dip it in isopropyl alcohol (get it from the chemist) or any stylus/CD cleaning fluid you may have or even with a surgical wipe, just hold it round the bud till it's damp. Less is more. Use sparingly and run around the "turny bit" (see, I told you I was technical) and that should do the trick and stop the crackling.

Failing that, just get in the habit of turning the volume down before changing the source so you don't hear it through the speakers :D


By the way, I like your style : those headphones look the nuts :D
Deleted User 728

Re: Hifi, AV and vinyl

Post by Deleted User 728 »

johnh wrote:Does the blue one play Z Cars? :D
Yes, John.
And each pair comes with a big bag of toffees :D
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