2015 - A Year in Hifi

[Fretless]

To celebrate my first full year on HFS it's time to look back and see what has happened, audio-wise - in the last 12 months.

Just in time for Christmas, 2014, my A40 monoblocks arrived, to replace the ageing A40 stereo that had been my mainstay amp for almost 30 years. Those little babies rocked my world and let me see that there was more to be achieved by rigorously working to improve the system.

First stop in 2015 were the loudspeakers. I learnt the basics of 'Doc-Mods' by de-wadding and metal lining a pair of Mission 760's and then a pair of Dutch mini-monitors, the Audiolab Minax CD's. These turned out so well that they booted out a set of Magnepan MMG's from the installation.

Part exchanging the Magnepan's for a new Hegel DAC, the improvements kept running; my attention switched to discovering the joys of Raspberry Pi microcomputers and their use as HQ digital audio players. Fun was also had by messing around and comparing various digital cable options.

An appreciation for 'vintage' hifi gear was born and several CD players made an appearance, all picked up for peanuts in thrift shops. New earbuds and closed-back headphones from Sony have appeared and I notice that I have learnt to listen to equipment in a different way - now it is mainly a case of 'how musical is it?'

Highpoint of the year was the acquisition of a pair of NVA Cube 3 speakers, made in the early 90's. Under the Doc's careful guidance I have replaced the drive units and brought them up-to-date. A long, long-held dream of having Cubes was fulfilled.

Finally, my Christmas gift to myself is a new CD transport, which has again lifted the system to a new performance level.

It has been an inspiring and educational year with much fun and exploration. Thanks to everyone here for the support / advice / banter / laughs / general wackiness etc. and I hope that you / we / all have a happy and musical 2016.

Cheers!

[alfafan123]

Great story Fretless!

Mine is changing out my Rega Brio R integrated amp and dipping my toe into the NVA waters for the first time with a P50 to control my 42 year old Crown D60. Wow what an improvement!!! All the colouration has gone.Massive improvement.

Similarly I sold my Rega Apollo R and decided as digital was becoming a commodity in hifi that I would make do with an el cheapo Denon DCD520AE which promptly surprised me by blowing the Apollo R out of the water. It is just so much more detailed and neutral with a stable well focussed and expansive soundstage.

Then decided to sell my LS3/5a clones having finally realised that they didn't do dynamics and the polypropylene drivers coloured everything and made it sound muddy and got some half price new Rega RS3s which I like as they have fast paper drivers and do dynamics. Suddenly music was sounding exciting again.

So for 2016 I am planning on getting an Apple Airport Express to hook my iMac based iTunes music files into my main system and getting internet radio on the cheap. How can Linn and Naim justify the prices they charge for their network products when an AE will do it for £79?

I am also hoping to keep on learning from everyone on HFS. It is a great forum for that. Just wish some people would respect each other a bit more.

Have a great 2016 everyone!

[George Hincapie]

Not so much a year in HIFI as 4 months!

Long story short, a room reorganisation at home led to unused 24 year old components being moved upstairs from the Conservatory. Amp was dead. Spent £1K buying serviced, second hand Audiolab 8000 series components, £400 on an M-DAC and a small fortune on cables and interconnects from various brands. Didn't like the sound. Found NVA via the What HIFI forums and the very helpful James. Currently have LS5, SSC, Cube 2s and a P50SA. Going to try the A40s with a potential view to replacing the 8000Ms.

I haven't got to where I wish to be, but I am pretty close so hopefully next year will see my system dialled in. The LS5 and SSC are superb. I wish I had found NVA at the start of this journey TBH.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Have you tuned the speaker to the room yet. Do you want me to explain it again.

[George Hincapie]

No, but that's not what I was talking about by dialled in. I meant more in terms of component choice.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

OK but I will run you through it even though it is in the archive. As close to back wall as possible and flat to it - listen - too much bass then move away in 1 inch increments until the bass comes correctly in the mix or how you like it - now toe the speaker in until the soundstage opens out and becomes 3d, or as you like it. They are not like ordinary speakers, they don't fight the room, they work with the acoustic, but you have to help them, a bit like focusing a camera.

[_D_S_J_R_]

It's been an incredible year for me in every way. Rollercoaster ride at home and the stereo's haven't been far behind in it all. I still have to sell some of my hoard and sadly for the wife, two more pairs of speakers coming in, at least temporarily - one pair I've been promised today is beyond my wildest dreams ever and a truly worthy replacement for the Spendors - and I haven't even scratched the Cube itch yet either - is there no hope for this idiot?

[Stemcor1990]

2015 has been the year of a cartridge change to a rega apheta and and upgrade of the phono 1 to a phono 2. But the revelation has been the cube speakers. How can something that looks so wrong sound so right and why is everybody else sticking to the front firing speaker design ? I like to keep an open mind and will switch to a manufacturer who offers excellent music making products. I am so looking forward to being able to buy those cube 3s.

[slinger]

I've had a pretty shit year. Sick and off work at the start of it and sick and off work with something else for the end of it. I'm fed up with the sight of doctors and hospitals and still have at least four more appointments that I know of. Thank Gawd for music. On the other hand, there are a bloody site more people a lot worse off than I am, so I shouldn't moan. Here's hoping for a better 2016 for everyone.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

For me each new years is a bonus as most of you know. I really cannot believe how lucky I have been considering how unlucky in the first place. Apart from mild nose irritation and a few spots and the constant trots from my meds but controlled with pills , I wouldn't even know I was ill. Every 4 months, new CT scan 1st week of Jan.