Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Oct 18, 2021 17:40:14 GMT
It comes with an ungrounded wall adaptor so, yeah, I'm probably going to pick up one when I get to the record shop at some point. I also need to go there to take back the endtroducing 25th anniversary double set because, annoyingly, the pressing is fucked. They make a big deal about mastering it at half speed, putting in fancy certificates of authenticity and all that but the copy I have distorts like fuck.
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kal
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Post by kal on Oct 19, 2021 10:57:05 GMT
There is an unfortunate consequence of better hifi that it makes some stuff sound terrible. It really does all come down to how it was originally produced. I noticed it particularly strongly when I listened to Adele 19 (yes lol). It was recorded digitally and all I could hear was distortion and compression on my nice set up. I listen on Spotify on my iPhone and it’s fine.
That said I think my Endtroducing is a very early pressing and while it’s intentionally gritty, I don’t think it distorts. Think generally ‘remasters’, even half speed ones supposedly done with all the care in the world, are snake oil, unless it’s MOFI or Analogue Productions or whatever, which is a different thing. Generally you can’t beat a decent grade early pressing.
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Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Oct 19, 2021 11:12:54 GMT
Yeah, one of the problems is that I have a handful of albums I know like the back of my hand, so I can pick out any inconsistencies immediately (I noticed the AT turntable was running fast when I listened to 'The Real Thing' for example) so I do try not to listen to stuff I know inside out as I cant really 'listen' to the music, if you see what I mean.
But I had read reviews that said a lot of samples were taken from beaten up old copies he had already scratched to death, which is fine, it adds texture. And you really can hear the record noise on some of the tracks but, hey, I listen to burial so whatever.
But this is more than that. The left channel is blown out on a lot of tracks, mostly towards the end of the record. You can *really* hear it on Transmission 2. The piano crackles like static. I was switching back and forth between the record and spotify and the spotify version is perfect.
So, stop me if youve heard this one before, I spent an hour fucking about the with tracking weight and force and no luck (despite it being the only record that does this). Then I remembered the AT in the garage so dug that out and it sounds exactly the same.
So, yeah, I dont think its the mastering process. When it sounds good, it sounds really good. I think its just the record is fucked. I mean, it might not be and thats how its supposed to sound but my old CD and spotify dont.
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kal
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Post by kal on Oct 19, 2021 12:17:48 GMT
I would say the Hifi News Test LP is pretty much essential for anyone even slightly audiophiley. You need to have reassurance that your set-up is right otherwise you’ll find yourself second guessing whether it’s the record or the turntable. They’re not expensive and there’s a lot of second hand copies around.
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Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Oct 19, 2021 12:29:56 GMT
Ah, good shout. Im clearly not the kind of person who can cope with 'not quite right' so that would at least help with some of the obsessive fucking about.
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kal
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Post by kal on Oct 19, 2021 14:01:42 GMT
Exactly. Once it’s done you just settle down and listen. Or at the very least you’ll know the limitations of your setup, but either way you’ll have a better idea of when it’s the record that’s the problem.
Also, and I’m sure you’re there already, but the Steve Hoffman forums are a good source of discussion on pretty much every record pressing ever, and can very quickly help identify if it’s a one off or the whole pressing.
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dmukgr
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Post by dmukgr on Oct 19, 2021 15:46:13 GMT
I know I keep going on about it but I listened to the new Low album for the first time on it last night and it sounds gorgeous. I was really pleased with it. So having only listened to their Chrimbo ep in the past I thought I would give it a go. First listen - hmmm, interesting. Now on the eleventymillionth listen and it is awesome. Already got Double Negative in the rotation as well now (also great) and tickets to see them next year. Thanks for the rec \o/
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Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Oct 19, 2021 15:50:35 GMT
High five! Yeah, when you put it on at first its like 'so far so Low....BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM'. Its quite challenging at first but its well on my way to being one of my favourite albums.
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Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Oct 19, 2021 19:04:55 GMT
Thrilling update: I took Endtroducing back and she said she had one returned last week so probably not worth switching it for the last remaining one they had, which is a shame.
So, armed with 35 quids worth of store credit, I swapped it for the black album remaster and ‘Chemz’ by burial.
I have to say, as much as I love Endtroducing, even though I had listened to the new remaster a few times on Spotify it sounds fucking amazing on vinyl, so I think I ended up better off.
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Post by Dougs on Nov 2, 2021 19:26:35 GMT
Can't remember which thread it was mentioned, but there's a Technics SL1200 mk2 for sale.on my local eBay-type site. I am definitely not interested (genuinely) but they want £595. Just wondered if that was a half decent price or if they were taking the piss.
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kal
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Post by kal on Nov 2, 2021 19:49:04 GMT
That’s a fairly normal price for secondhand 1200s.
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Post by Dougs on Nov 2, 2021 20:08:56 GMT
Fair. Sounds well looked after and refurbed etc.
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Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Nov 2, 2021 20:36:43 GMT
Mine were battered even before they got flood damaged. 1210mk2, bought them third (maybe more) hand in 94 so they must have been kicking around since the 80s and I reckon the rudeboy I got them off had lifted them from a club. Then they got dragged to uni and house parties and whatnot. They had a hard life, bless them.
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kal
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Post by kal on Jan 21, 2022 18:13:01 GMT
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Mar 16, 2022 12:14:01 GMT
I think I know the answer (suck it an see) but anyway, having been an audiophile quite a few years back my music listening days are pretty much over, except for the car and if/when I exercise, my Cyrus 3 + Cyrus power supply have given up the ghost a few years ago and will cost £600 to fix and my Micromega Stage 3 CD player, whilst brilliant was an absolutely unreliable peace of junk since I owned it and that's long since died too.
But I still have my beautiful TDL RTL 3's in their boxes that I've kept all these years (the drivers appear to be perfect), I'm planning on reawakening them and setting them up with my phone being the source via a crap Technics Amp in my unheated detached garage whereupon I can relive my youth and listen to some ancient banging house music whilst straddling the cross trainer, as the cross trainer as well as the speakers are banned from the house. I guess I'm pretty concerned that the drivers will just get damp and fall apart, I don't expect to be cranking it up too loud but still, just a bit concerned about the cold environment, it seems as this is our forever home I may as well make some use of them as I'll never get back into listening to music as I did so years ago, couldn't care less about the amp. No idea what it'll be like in there in the summer.
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deebs
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Post by deebs on Apr 20, 2022 7:22:00 GMT
Oh hey! I left it to my wife to get me some gaming headphones for my birthday and she outdid herself. I have some HyperX Cloud Orbit S phones, and at first, I was impressed, and then I listen to music through them, and I was blown away. It's my second experience of Planer drivers and well, if you haven't had the pleasure, I urge you to give planers a whirl.
Hard to describe, but it's more of a wall of unfiltered and unadulterated sound against your ear rather than a focused center that you get with a traditional cone driver. And it makes a difference, the soundscape is more akin to an open back phone, but the range, clarity and contrast is way beyond. Way beyond.
I'm all sorts of smitten, and yes, I'm completely aware of other headphones such as Stax that have been doing this for quite a while. I had a pair briefly, and these are there. Absolutely there.
Lavish.
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kal
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Post by kal on Apr 20, 2022 7:29:17 GMT
Stax are electrostatic, not planar magnetic, hence the name.
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Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Apr 20, 2022 7:54:19 GMT
Heh, arent they just. The dankpods guy has a pair.
'These are my favourite headphones but.......*pulls out cold war listening station equipment required to actually use them*'
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kal
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Post by kal on Apr 20, 2022 9:20:26 GMT
I have a pair and the amp to go with them. They’re astonishing with the right music but the effort to keep them ‘energised’ and the fact that a lot of stuff just doesn’t sound that good means they’re not really worth the effort imo. I kind of wish I’d spent the money on some outrageous planaars.
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Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Apr 20, 2022 9:39:31 GMT
I finally dipped my toe into planars and got some Hifiman 400se and, yeah, they are great for the money. I got a good deal on them which is why I picked them up but they are absolutely worth the full 150 retail.
They definitely have me looking further up the range.
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deebs
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Post by deebs on Apr 20, 2022 15:27:27 GMT
I have a pair and the amp to go with them. They’re astonishing with the right music but the effort to keep them ‘energised’ and the fact that a lot of stuff just doesn’t sound that good means they’re not really worth the effort imo. I kind of wish I’d spent the money on some outrageous planaars. Ahh, haha, and here's me thinking they just figured out how to miniaturise the shit and cram it all into a USB powered phone. I should have known better, I remember being a little afraid of the Stax, I felt like a bead of sweat in the wrong place would vaporize me. And the build quality was bobbins. I think the thing that fooled me was the sound stage is similarly colossal and it hits your ears in the same type of way.
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スコットランド
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Post by スコットランド on Apr 20, 2022 15:55:00 GMT
Thanks to this thread for reminding me to look for new ear pads for my Oppo PM-2s.
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kal
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Post by kal on Apr 20, 2022 16:43:34 GMT
This actually prompted me to try and sell or part-exchange my Stax.
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Post by trafford on Jun 9, 2022 15:45:44 GMT
So in search of a mid life crisis that doesn't involve petrol or lycra, I have taken the plunge in this. Today I took delivery of a Technics SL1210 GR to go with the SB C600 speakers and hifi cabinet I bought last month. Just need to buy a cartridge and the Technics SA C100 network receiver next month. And then some vinyl.
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スコットランド
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Post by スコットランド on Jun 9, 2022 15:48:27 GMT
So in search of a mid life crisis that doesn't involve petrol or lycra, I have taken the plunge in this. Today I took delivery of a Technics SL1210 GR to go with the SB C600 speakers and hifi cabinet I bought last month. Just need to buy a cartridge and the Technics SA C100 network receiver next month. And then some vinyl. Enjoy!
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Post by trafford on Jun 9, 2022 15:56:30 GMT
Thanks! Still a few weeks of my planned installation date but I've indulged in an unboxing video this afternoon.
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スコットランド
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Post by スコットランド on Jun 9, 2022 16:19:29 GMT
Thanks! Still a few weeks of my planned installation date but I've indulged in an unboxing video this afternoon. Good to see you're properly taking the steps to becoming an insufferable vinyl nerd. It's a joyous existence.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2022 15:43:11 GMT
Looking for some headphone assistance please. I managed to lose the charging case for my Airpods 2nd gen and I'm wondering where I can get a replacement? All I can seem to find online are covers for the charging cases but not the cases themselves. Any advice appreciated! I realise this is an absolute necro reply but a quick Google just showed me that both Currys and Argos have them for £79, that was just in the initial results. What are you searching for?! Try 'airpod case'.
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Post by trafford on Jul 23, 2022 6:56:04 GMT
It's installation day for my new music system, after 14 weeks of scrimping and saving! The big issue, for me, is the fitting and calibration of the phono cartridge. I have an Ortofon 2M Blue and the protractor card they offer. The 1210GR comes with an overhang measure and I've got a mini spirit level.
There's nothing else I need for this relatively simple task? I seem to recall a tutorial video on YouTube of a guy using some sort of weighing scale.
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Bongo Heracles
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Jul 23, 2022 7:21:50 GMT
The scale is for your tracking force if you want something more exact than setting it yourself by eye with the tone arm weight.
And, yeah, changing your cartridge is relatively simple but if you’re like me, you’ll convince yourself it’s not quite right even if you employ a nuclear powered micrometer to do the measurements.
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