Audiophiles hifi appreciation thread old and new

How much stuff on amazon HD?

I’ve been looking for the “ultra hd” stuff for nerding, so there’s only been one album that I looked for that wasn’t there.

I don’t know if I am just drinking the koolaid, but the higher quality digital stuff and a modern dac has been amazing.

I tried a few HD tracks and compared to SD (flac) and couldn't tell the difference.

Source material tends to be the limiting factor, ime.

But anyway, enjoy the music.

It probably more improvement in the dac that I am enjoying.

Yep, that makes sense. I had a similar digital conversion some years ago, wyred4sound dac-2. Silly name but sounds good.

Hi guys,

I've got a AMP with surround support and the surround connectors are banana plugs, but the surround speaker has RCA connectors. Can't find a cable (I know I can make one), but ... why ?
Is there a reason why such cable is conspicuously missing from the stores?

To confirm, the speakers have RCA inputs? Which models are we looking at?

The speakers (left/right) do have RCA inputs and the outputs from the amp are bananas.
It's the Onkyo AMP which was on sale a couple of weeks on here.

The woofer has RCA in. Let me find the models.

Woofer is a Mordaunt Short MS409W (see: https://www.lfgss.com/comments/14845019/)
Amp is Onkyo TX-NR636 (see: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/338437/)

Attached the backs of both.

I guess I can make my own ?

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Or can I connect it to that Subwoofer PRE OUT in the lower middle?

Somehow I thought that section was all for Zone 2

Ah yes, just re-checked manual and it does say it should go there if the woofer is amplified, which it is.

All good then thanks anyway! :)

what speakers are you using?

A set of Cyrus speakers.

and they have rcas, instead of binding posts? i doubt it.

the speakers should use speaker cable from the front binding posts on the amp. the sub should take its feed from the pre out on the amp. I am assuming that the pre out will let you provide the volume control from the amp, the line out will be controlled at the sub.

someone better than me can confirm this.

No the speakers are fine, they've got banana plugs. It was the amp which had RCAs, but my ignorance didn't think that it was amplified already, and that's the reason.

Yes, all the rest you're stating is correct.

I just didn't think that the woofer should go to the pre-amp output as I didn't even consider looking for those connectors (and, where they are, it seems it was part of a Zone 2 setup, so ignored it all-together)

I'm looking to build a pair of zero-fuss speakers using a pair of 8" full range drivers.
https://www.soundimports.eu/en/ps220-8.html
or
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tang-Band-W8-2145-8-Paper-Cone-Full-Range-Driver-8-Ohm/223667763456?hash=item3413a33900:g:op4AAOSw2qBdf90J

Anyone on here with experience in building speaker boxes/enclosures?
I'm not sure where to start. How do i calculate the size and if it should have a sealed, ported, rear loaded horn design? I'm a complete noob when it comes to this and a retard when it comes to math and electric schemes etc. Can someone explain it in short to me as if i was 5? Thank you.

Looking to build something similar in style to this Fern & Roby.

Also. I should be able to run a full range driver without crossovers right? The idea of making my own crossovers scare me.

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@hippy has built his own speakers iirc

Yeah for car and for home. That was 16+ years ago. There's formulas for calculating box volume depending on if enclosures are ported or unported, etc. Then you just work from the volume you need tweaking dimensions (don't forget to factor in thickness of the MDF or whatever).

I'd imagine, since the internet has become like super popular that there are probably whole sites dedicated to speaker building and I presume someone has made an online calculator that can sort out your dimensions. I've still got drivers and active amps back in Oz in storage that I never got around to building. I think my mate still has the front speakers I built. I deconstructed the car subwoofer enclosure last time I was back before the car was sold.

So I could answer questions but I'm probably not so much use as looking around the internet for info. There were definitely some awesome books for building speakers back in the day but I couldn't for the life of me remember the titles.

https://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/Tutorial/DesignBuildSpeakerBox/
https://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/Calculator/SpeakerBoxEnclosure/
https://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/Calculator/SpeakerBoxVolume/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Introduction-Loudspeaker-Design-John-Murphy/dp/0966377346/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=speaker+building

Newer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Loudspeaker-Design-Cookbook-Vance-Dickason/dp/1882580338/

Yup - I have built a set of speakers using fullrange drivers (Fostex) - in a mass loaded transmission line enclosure.

Fullrange means no crossover needed - correct.

There are various parameters (Thiele Small) that dictate what type of enclosure best suits a particular driver - Qts and Fs in particular.

This looks like a good place to start: https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/287246-tangband-w8-2145-a.html

There are also various calculators available that you plug the TS specs into and adjust enclosure volume etc and it will predict that frequency response.

OHH KAYYY...
SO just figured out where I want my stereo - in the Kitchen diner.
Thinking of having the record player and amp in some built in shelves, then speakers on either side of a built in bench below.
Cabling can be built into walls as the room isn't finished yet.
Anyone done something similar?
Thinking of getting some of these...

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLGSP4W.html?source=adwords&ad_position=&ad_id=315107931576&placement=&kw=&network=u&matchtype=&ad_type=&product_id=VLGSP4W&product_partition_id=297072075353&version=finalurl_v3&gclid=Cj0KCQjww7HsBRDkARIsAARsIT5C85l6dHnSWaR3zxtWQpwHDzLG5Wdx2wjR7cS8QbfHJUkvNfjtONkaArgIEALw_wcB

And buy some good quality speaker cables to burry under plasterboard.

I've had a trunk channel hidden in my kitchen with 2 dbl outlets for my kitchen setup. All on the top of the cupboards out of sight. Very plz.

Amazon is bringing out an 'audiophile' Alexa echo called the echo studio.
Sounds intriguing... And at least 2 can be linked.

Obviously some will doubt them but I'm a believer in mics to work out the audio profiles of rooms. Esp when it's a company that specialises in it.

and I think looks quite nice

I fucking hate the intusiveness of Alexa though.

Still don't understand the appeal of Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant in the home.

Well, I do. Fortunately, the only voice recording anyone has of me stored in a server somewhere is 'Set x minute timer'.

I looked at the log of my Alexa recordings today. Virtually the whole of it is setting a timer and playing the radio.