Post your home audio setups. Here is mine.

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif What ****ing camera / mic did you use for this video, because the audio sounds like I'm playing a song on my computer...and I don't listen to that kind of music //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

I was surprised how well it turned out.

It's just a Sony DSC-W90.

Here are the pictures of the new member to my family...

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4614603#post4614603

Cute isn't she? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Why do you need another preamp?? Isn't your Rotel good enough??//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif Or is that Sim Audio going to be used for 2 channel??

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

I am using the Sim Audio for Two channel.

I'm only using the Rotel Processor for Movies. The major difference that I have heard between the Rotel and the Moon is vocals and back ground detail. Sometimes with the Rotel the vocals sounded boxed in and shuffled to the back of the soundstage when they shouldn't have been. This doesn't happen with the Moon. Also, I listened to Peter Gabriel UP last night and I heard things in the back ground I have never heard before. It also isn't small things that were missing. I'm talking about entire instruments and vocals. With this preamplifier and power amplifier combination I can literally heard 4 people separately singing. Instead of just hearing chorus.

It's intense. I hate to say it, but I'm not so much of a Rotel fan anymore.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

It's intense. I hate to say it, but I'm not so much of a Rotel fan anymore.

Say it isn't so. Next thing you'll be telling me is that you no longer like B&W speakers.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif

Anyway, I have often pondered doing a separate system just for music but I just don't have the room in my rack at this time.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Say it isn't so. Next thing you'll be telling me is that you no longer like B&W speakers.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif
Anyway, I have often pondered doing a separate system just for music but I just don't have the room in my rack at this time.

Well it started with getting the V800 then I had to know. I had to know what it would sound like with a great pre.

But, I'm done upgrading for a long while.

Unless you consider getting a rug and a coffee table upgrading? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Well this last series of upgrades have made me even more confident in the abilities of B&W and especially the 703. My dad has Classe on his B&W 804S and I thought mine sounded better with the Rotel equipment.

I guess out of everything I learned maybe that the Rotel + Classe should always go with B&W mindset might be limited to the total potential of the system. Now, both Rotel and Classe are great companies and build great products but maybe they aren't the best for everyone.

Anyway, I'm an even bigger believer in the magic someone sprinkles in every MOS-FET and JFET design. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[BrianChia 10+ year member]

I am using the Sim Audio for Two channel.
I'm only using the Rotel Processor for Movies. The major difference that I have heard between the Rotel and the Moon is vocals and back ground detail. Sometimes with the Rotel the vocals sounded boxed in and shuffled to the back of the soundstage when they shouldn't have been. This doesn't happen with the Moon. Also, I listened to Peter Gabriel UP last night and I heard things in the back ground I have never heard before. It also isn't small things that were missing. I'm talking about entire instruments and vocals. With this preamplifier and power amplifier combination I can literally heard 4 people separately singing. Instead of just hearing chorus.

It's intense. I hate to say it, but I'm not so much of a Rotel fan anymore.

The Rotels I've heard are tonally very neutral, almost sterile. While they seemed to be accurate they did not bring the music to life in the same way the Moon gear I've listened to did. Quite a different sound for sure.

 

[ballstothewall 10+ year member]

Hmmm, my brother is working in Cincinnati this summer so I may get to go up to that part of the country, maybe I could hear what you keep ranting and raving about...

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Let me know when you are going to be here.

Because, I work out of Cincinnati during the summer.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

The Rotels I've heard are tonally very neutral, almost sterile. While they seemed to be accurate they did not bring the music to life in the same way the Moon gear I've listened to did. Quite a different sound for sure.

Very true. Listening to the Rotel now it sounds like there is something missing.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Yo Brithead, what's some good test music I should look into? Jazz only goes so far, and you seem to have a decent collection, so what do you use?

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

Yo Brithead, what's some good test music I should look into? Jazz only goes so far, and you seem to have a decent collection, so what do you use?

Albums:

Peter Gabriel - Up

Bluezeum - Portrait of a Groove

BT - This Binary Universe

Feist - The Reminder

Porcupine Tree - In absentia

Zero7 - Simple Things

Good range of music right there... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

nG

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Dire Straits 'Communique' Great album mix, clean, clear, and sonically pleasing.\

Norah Jones 'Not Too Late' Good vocals, the better the system the more you can feel the texture in her voice.

Holly Cole 'Temptation' or 'Dark Dear Heart' Great Vocals, she's got a very straight forward voice.

Santana 'Abraxas' Best Santana album ever.

NIN 'Pretty Hate Machine' Very very textured. This is an album you can close your eyes and just try to find all the hidden instruments.

Donald Fagen 'Morph The Cat' or 'The Nightfly' Tight, clean, quick. Morph has a lot of bass.

Pink Floyd 'Dark Side of The Moon' No explanation needed. One of the cleanest albums I have ever listened to.

Fiona Apple 'Extraordinary Machine' I like her voice and her composing. It makes you brain do weird little things when listening.

Los Lobos 'The Ride' Listen for the knock knock. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif The first time I listened to this album after upgrading my processor and cables I stopped the album twice to go see who was at the door. Knock Knock.

The Crystal Method 'Legion of Boom' It was mastered on B&W 800D with Classe Amplification. What more do you want? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals 'Lifetime' Nice musically balanced album.

John Legend 'Once Again' I debated putting this one in. But, it is one of the first albums I grab when I want to hear complexity of simplicity. If that makes sense.

Little Feat 'Waiting for Columbus' Best live album ever. No self respecting music lover wouldn't have this album. Or two copies like I do, CD and Vinyl. "Dixie Chicken" is on of my all time Favorite Songs.

Massive Attack 'Collected' or '100th Window' Great electronic band. Have a lot of neat things they do sonically. Good workout music for the ears.

Tom Petty 'Wildflowers' In my top 5 ALL TIME favorite albums. So I had to include it. "Crawling Back to You" is pretty much my all time favorite song.

Kenny Wayne Shepard '10 Days Out' Great modern blues album. Kenny is trying to keep it alive.

Steely Dan 'Everything Must Go' Fun, quick, snappy. Will test your systems impulse response and resonances.

KT Tunstall 'Acoustic Extravaganza' I like Acoustic and I think she's hot... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

WAR 'The World is a Ghetto' - Arguably WAR's best album. The only reason it isn't defiantly WAR's best album is because "Leroy's Latin Lament" and "Spill The Wine" are on two different albums. And the other songs wouldn't match the tone of the album. So, that is a good thing.

That should keep you busy for a while.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Oh and please don't go get the MP3.

Get the CD. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

You will thank me later.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

My sister had that Fiona Apple album. Shit is different, but I can see why it'll test your system. So much different shit going on at once.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Indeed...

Is that weird that I like Fiona Apple?

I love the song Criminal off of the Tidal album. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif