Audiophiles hifi appreciation thread old and new

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oof i love this alot

Anyone got an account at https://www.hifiengine.com/ ? I am trying to download a manual for a Technics SU-V450 amplifier that is apparently on that website, but it is closed to new members.

If anyone has an account would you mind trying to grab the manual for me please?

Edit, got it. Thanks very much @goyt

This forum is amazing!!

Sooo....

Has anyone got the KEF LS50 Wireless II ?
https://uk.kef.com/products/ls50-wireless-2
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/kef-ls50-wireless-ii

Verdict?

Out of interest, has there been an idiots guide on here on how to set up a system using the above?

Well mostly it's a streaming destination.

But my use... Raspberry Pi as a network transport from my NAS / Plex > DAC > speakers.

Spotify and Chromecast direct to speakers (the speakers have this built in) but most of my listening is via local streaming from FLAC files.

The fact that I only need power is attractive, I don't need to connect the speakers together (I may, but I don't have to). So I can place these quite wide apart without running heavy cables between them.

I have some components still, an old tape deck, radio, etc... but I never use them, but if I did I'd connect via the coax or aux. I don't use CD as when I have CDs I just rip them to FLAC.

I'm mostly focusing on LAN streaming from the NAS at the highest quality to the best speakers I can... and then internet streaming is a mere convenience tick.

I already have KEF LSX speakers in the kitchen which I love for their clarity and warmth (and lack of cables) but I would like something that punches a little louder in the front room, hence looked at the LS50 Wireless 2.

A system around these speakers is really just the speakers and getting a digital signal to them.

Thanks! Appreciate it

And if you don't have a Roon device or a streamer... then it's basically this rabbit hole https://darko.audio/tag/raspberry-pi/

Yeah, I mean you won't regret LS50 Wireless IIs. I still think they need a subwoofer, personally, there's just not enough low end for me and I'm not a basshead, but they're great.

I didn't know that Volumio now had Tidal connect. May persuade me to actually pay for their premium account.

Kef make good speakers. Network devices not so much. I’d stick with LS50s and a dedicated amp / Dac/ streamer.

I have LS50s and love them, I’m a tinkerer so would agree with @freddo but I can see the appeal of buying and forgetting about having to buy a bunch of other stuff

I started looking at the Dali Rubicon 2 C instead.
https://www.dali-speakers.com/products/rubicon-c/rubicon-2-c/

But the problem I'm finding with all active wireless small speakers is that they're not really bookshelf sized... i.e. they're +30cm depth not including any cables at the rear (power or audio) and so even on a 30cm String shelf they're still too deep.

Have now listened to LS50 Meta and LS50 Wireless II (both are surprisingly not as nice as the KEF LSX which feel more alive and less analytical), the KEF R3 (very nice sound, much more... it feels more vital, energetic, these speakers can go from armchair listening to getting you up and dancing, they're phenomenal) and the Dali Rubicon (absolutely in love with the idea of a central box I can wire up to the music sources and that itself is wireless from the speakers which are wireless from each other - and these speakers sound wonderful though the R3 beat them in their energy)... and yet, every one of these is above 30cm depth.

I suspect I'm going to end up with another pair of the KEF LSX but I'll add a sub to give them great depth. They'll comfortably do the high and mid in the space I'll put them in, but they'll lack any punch at the lower ends.

Of all the ones I've auditioned, the KEF R3 were far and away the best sound no matter which amp fed them. But space restrictions mean the LSX will be the winner, which was great as my highly subjective sense of what I liked went R3, Rubicon 2C, LSX, LS50 (active and passive)... but the price of the LSX means adding a nice wireless sub will be a no brainer.

Having said that, more Googling has turned up these contenders as being shallow enough in depth:
https://www.fyneaudio.com/product/f1-5/

I'd have to get used to the looks though.

I'd have to get used to the price!!

I may give up this silly game of trying to find bookshelf speakers that are highly capable and compact.

I own both PSI-Audio A14M and KEF LSX... I'll just try them out in the living room and if one of them sounds great there I'll buy another pair and call it a day.

The PSI Audio's are on my desk... and yeah, near-field... but damn they sound better than anything I heard today, if they can keep that in a larger space I'm done.

I'm not price sensitive.

Fuck me for 3k they could have employed a designer.

Look like an old jag that crashed into a postbox.

They did, just the wrong one.

Golf club bar thread.....!!!

lol... if only these were 6cm shallower: https://www.psiaudio.swiss/a25-m-the-most-accurate-speaker-ever/

Of course I'd sill have to get something to provide a signal to them... perhaps NAIM Uniti Atom as at least that would fit on the shelf (needs to when it has XLR connections... that's an extra 6cm at the back used up).

Giles Peterson just played 808 State - Pacific State as the last track on his 6Music show. Thought my CCA or amp was clipping, sounded crunchy and clicky at a certain point in each bar. Tried the same track from Spotify and it’s fine. Weird hey? What’s going on?

Get hold of something built around these and tell us how they sound.

https://purifi-audio.com/ptt6-5x04-nfa-01/

Arghhhh, I am out of here!!! Makes my Eltax Monitors that I bought second hand on here look like firewood!

(Secretly very jealous!)

Get hold of something built around these and tell us how they sound.

https://purifi-audio.com/ptt6-5x04-nfa-0­1/

Oh that's an idea! If no speakers fit the space... build your own.

OK, new rabbit hole.