With bluetooth, you're leaving so much on the table. The truth is that you don't even have to spend a lot to get significantly, and I mean SIGNIFICANTLY, better SQ than bluetooth can ever offer. As an example, an ifi Zen streamer for $399 will offer a substantial step up.
I am so happy.....
That my upgradeitis is over before it even started.
I am so happy with the system I have, I want to share with everyone the fact that that even a very modest and cheap system can produce great sound for me and makes me happy to the point where I no longer have to search for improvements.
Call me ignorant if you want. Does not bother me even an iota. I will go the grave happier than everyone who is condescending.
I am using my own home made Neurochrome 686 stereo amp with 1000 VA medical grade toroidal, 160 amp rectifier (very little fwvd hence virtually no heat generated) and 200,000uF filter capacitors producing approx 220 watts rms/channel. It sounds just absolutely FANTASTIC.
My preamp is a Freya S. Speakers are B&W.
I have a Linn LP12 with SME 3009R and Nagaoka 500 and a Mani which I find that I listen to less and less in favor of the convenience and the dynamics and quietness of digital.
For my music server, wait for it......... I use an LG V60 phone, which has a great in built DAC, which I bought for $300 brand new on ebay ($1200 retail but no longer made) using the lossless Apple Music and Qobuz apps. I use an AuidoEngine B1 as my bluetooth receiver to which the LG phone can send aptX-HD which I can actually also connect directly to the Freya S on occasion.
The combination sounds simply fantastic to my ears and I listen to it for hours grateful that this technology available today provides this gift to me.
Just as I am writing this, I am listening to smooth jazz "Euge Groove Slow jam" and it is just sublime.
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Thanks for your comment. However, the aptx-hd codec with bluetooth sounds great to me already. And to top that, the LGv60 has already a great DAC in it which I sometimes feed DIRECTLY into my Freya from the LG's headphone output. To tell you the truth, at my age, I cannot quite detect the difference :-) |
@mahgister While I appreciate the lecture on reality, and the presumptuousness of my ignorance as to the importance of room acoustics, I would counter that it is pretty black and white. You have people that enjoy listening to music, and then you have people with a deep concern for the fidelity of their playback. Sure, they enjoy listening to music too, but only after executing processes A, B, C, D, etc. When this series of processes is finally completed, they say, “…phew!! Okay, NOW, I can enjoy listening to music.” There is a stark difference in thinking and behavior there. To quote Karen’s mom from Goodfellas: “normal people don’t act like this!” |
For sure you are also right ! But being right dont means that the point about which i spoke is out of the way or annihilated... Reality could be black and white and is also more complex...It is a journey.... My point is motivated by the marketing consumerism among some audiophiles about the gear upgrade obsession and the forgotten acoustic science... I listen music now after a few years of searches for the right components ( it is hard when your budget is near zero) and after 2 years of acoustic experiments.... Now i am like you, music is my only expanse in money or in time.... But in the past I loved music so much i dream all my life to BUY a high-end system... But i cannot... Then i solve the problem in experimenting with acoustic and then i realize it is not necessary to buy costly gear if you find your way to acoustic... I created my homemade devices and my room now is no more my laboratory only but my listening room... I am here only to help those who have not realized the importance of acoustic OVER costly upgrade and make them conscious that acoustic is the frustration remedy ... Then you see two people can be right at the same time even if they see things from different perspective like you and me... Or in one sentence, acoustic successful method transform my audiophile neurosis in a healthy interest for music listening only WITHOUT almost any audio/sound quality upgrade interest remaing now... My best to you.... And i apologize for my "lecturing" tone... My English is in reality Frenglish : a mediocre english style of writing.... 😁😊 i hope you will understand and forgive my "square" syntax... But you are right here also i can be a bit "presumptuuous" yes....😁😊 But admit also that acoustic research in audiophile circles is not so well known or perceived so essential... People neurosis come from their gear focus...Then i "lecture" them for sure about acoustic ... i apologize to you...
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@mahgister I appreciate your thoughtfulness. After taking a wonderful (to many, perhaps, humble) audio system from one home to another, with zero changes in gear in between, I was struck by the difference in sound quality. Wow. What a difference. Unfortunately, for the worse 🤣 My music sounded better in the old room. Like, noticeably better. I feel that your point about prioritizing room optimization in lieu of perpetual “upgrades” in electronics is valuable and helpful. Arguably more substantial gains and almost always (depending on far one is willing to go in changing their listening room) far easier on the bank account. |
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