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Rank: HIFI Novice
Groups: Member
Joined: 2/27/2009
Posts: 45
Location: Bristol
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Just wondering what is on everyone's hifi shopping list? Has a 'Critic review suddenly swayed you into buying something or perhaps steered you clear of another? It would be quite interesting to see what the Venn diagram of what 'Critc readers buy and what is reviewed. Not sure what it would demonstrate but it would be interetsing none the less.
I have to confess that my HifiCritic subscription will be the limit of my hifi spending for the foreseeable future, inlcuding music, as I am trying to channel money into a house fund. My system is somehwat hampered by it's current home so until that is sorted it would be a waste to make any more improvements.
Oli
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Rank: HIFI Guru
Groups: Member
Joined: 11/18/2008
Posts: 326
Location: Indiana, USA
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My usual method is to buy used except for the things I sell as a dealer. These are chosen not to make a profit primarily  but as things I think are good and want to use myself. I am just preparing to get in touch with the American agent for Naim and see if they are looking for someone to sell part of their line. Although they are only 120 miles away their presence in Louisville is nil. I am really enthused about the Superline and the DAC after reading the Critic reviews. I am currently concentrating on LP playback, VPI tables, Dynavector and VDH cartridges and various accessories; these two units would be a useful extension of what I have now and would be two things I would like to hear myself. I suspect that the British market is quite different but over here it is quite common to have dealers who have a small inventory, especially these days. LA, NYC, DC or Chicago have large stores but even there the market is tight. I bought a CJ 350 [used] and a MF V-DAC on reviews from CRITIC and have been very happy with them. Also a pair of Cardas GR speaker cables which are excellent as well as a Transparent digital cable, both used. Most of the cartridges are out of the price range I am comfortable with but the negative review of one of the VDH has led me to avoid it; I probably would have got some otherwise as I use to like them when I was a VDH dealer in the early 90s. Overall, I have found the reviews to be a real boon both personally and professionally [ actually a distinction without a difference]. Very helpful.
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Rank: HIFI Addict
Groups: Member
Joined: 5/15/2009
Posts: 117
Location: Berkshire, UK
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A better digital source. Not sure what though. Could be a CD player, a DAC, a streamer...really sitting on the fence on this one - and suffering with a PS3 as my sole digital source.
Really suffering!
Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.
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Rank: HIFI Novice
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/3/2009
Posts: 39
Location: london
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Buy a Mac , use either async firewire or async usb dac, ipad/ipod as remote ,that's as good as it gets at the moment.
Keith.
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Rank: HIFI Addict
Groups: Member
Joined: 12/22/2008
Posts: 175
Location: Istanbul
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I agree with Keith :) I would also add Amarra Mini software.
All that is missing from that is an improved iTunes (user-interface) or for someone to com up with a Sooloos-like piece of sofware for the Mac.
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Rank: HIFI Novice
Groups: Member
Joined: 2/27/2009
Posts: 45
Location: Bristol
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While I am very unlikely to afford it anytime soon Some Meridian DSP speakers and front end is on my current wish list. After hearing them in action at last years bristol show and reading Martin's review I am thoroughly sold. It is going to be some time before they turn up in my living room though!
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Rank: HIFI Addict
Groups: Member
Joined: 12/24/2008
Posts: 139
Location: Hereford UK
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I am still on my quest for a CD player, but with the added complication of wanting digital inputs for when I will be forced to use computer audio.
Alex H
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Rank: Administrator
Groups: Administration
, Member
Joined: 7/15/2008
Posts: 825
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I am saving up for a Krell Evo 402e.
They took back the review model and I am missing it right away.........
It is a good fit here with the right balance of musicality and utter implacability in the face of a variety of review loudspeaker loads.
It also optimally matches the balanced XLR output of the ARC REF 5 which I did buy
Martin C
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Rank: HIFI Newbie
Groups: Member
Joined: 7/25/2010
Posts: 1
Location: SPAIN
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HI all, first post. Nice forum. I've done some saving already and so actually testing home the ARC REF 5... Sound like heaven, the thing. Have the opportunity to get second hand one with 300 hours of use from a person I know for 8.000 euros (so like 45% discount from retail price in Europe). It has 4 months. I'm almost done for this one.
Martin, I've read you r review of it. Good work! For what I see on your post you did like it for real! One question for you? Very ignorant when it comes to tech data regarding audio. How good of a match, from a tech perspective will it be with a pair of Clasee Omega Omicron? Not a lot of literature out there for these, that I'm aware of. Are you familiar with these? Out of the manufacturer page:
Power Supply
Transformer size: 1620 VA
Number of capacitors: 64
Total capacitance: 201,600µF
Inputs
Single-ended: 2.25V/100KΩ
Balanced: 2.25V/100KΩ
(volts for full output/impedance)
Not much more info I could find. THing sounds great together; much better than with my Classe CP-700, so I think I'm sold to it. But would be nice to also now how much of a good fit it is from a tech perspective.
THanks in advance.
Eli
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Rank: HIFI Guru
Groups: Member
Joined: 10/4/2008
Posts: 226
Location: Oxford
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Martin Colloms wrote: I am saving up for a Krell Evo 402e.
They took back the review model and I am missing it right away.........
It is a good fit here with the right balance of musicality and utter implacability in the face of a variety of review loudspeaker loads.
It also optimally matches the balanced XLR output of the ARC REF 5 which I did buy
Martin C Will you be able to borrow the ARC Anniversary ?
Hans
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