I’m planning to take the plunge and get a proper system. I would love to have lots of vinyl a la Fagan, but I’m a pleb and a luddite, so I’m looking for advice about Spotify streaming through a high end system.
I am clueless.
I’ve been on hifi wigwam, which is entertaining, but way over my head.
Like here really.
Is it the French Hee-fee you are looking for?
1 Like
That’s the one. I’d rather avoid advice from an inbred coffin surfer however.
No problem - send me a grand now and I’ll have something suitable delivered. It may be in London for a few days after some delays at Dublin port.
9 Likes
First of all using Spotify and high end Hifi in the same sentence is like asking a French chef for a well done steak. Spotify streams at 320Kbps so MP3 quality. Not to say you can’t set up a decent system but no point paying good money for a high end system and feeding it garbage.
You need a source like a laptop or iPad (a laptop with a CD ROM drive is best as you can also burn CDs lossless for much better quality than streaming), a DAC, an integrated amp and some speakers. A cheaper alternative would be a decent set of headphones and a headphone amp.
What is your budget roughly?
3 Likes
Flatty, I have a Rotel RA - 10 amp. Costs about 500-600 here. Very nice piece of kit and it has a Bluetooth dongle so you can stream your Spotify to it. Amp has a decent phono stage as well, but otherwise is a fairly straightforward and functional piece of kit. I have a NAD CD player and a Dual turntable, that’s fine but I’m going to upgrade it as soon as I get my hands on a Concept. I have an ancient but very good Technics cassette deck and then the system is rounded off by a lovely pair of Bowers and Wilkins bookshelf speakers.
If you don’t want all that kit I have a Bowers and Wilkins A7 in the other room that works on AirPlay and is a dedicated streaming speaker. The wifi connection on it is pretty poor though, although when you do manage to establish a connection the sound is unrale.
6 Likes
dungeon this thread
ban the op
Bought sonos play 5 and play 1 - Apple Music will be available from December 15
Game changer
Get Deezer. Why are you waiting for Apple Music? You can get lossless quality through Deezer with a Sonos.
1 Like
Lossless or MP3 makes no difference through a Sonos, or any other piece of mass market garbage. Its like arguing that it makes a difference listening on a phone. What Fagan has posted above is a decent system, even the B&W A7 is far superior to Sonos. The key to choosing any piece of equipment is what specs do they publish, if any. Sonos don’t even publish a frequency range, little wonder as the woofer is 3.5 inches. So to get any kind of half decent stereo, let alone high end sound, you need 2 X Sonos 5s and a Sub. Much better value to be had for the same money, a decent integrated amp like Rotel or NAD and a pair of bookshelf speakers would be light years better.
2 Likes
And yet you’d be getting better quality music for all your devices, just using the Sonos to get the offer.
Thanks fagan. You are a gent.
I figured this really. Was planning maybe on wellying out on speakers and amp and then maybe using a dragonfly.
What do you reckon?
Ps its going into a big room so was thinking maybe floor standers.
What’s the offer?
If you’re spending a few bob go to Doug Brady in Warrington. He has a great reputation.
1 Like
I haven’t heard the dragonfly, but a decent DAC is for me at least one of the two most important components of a decent digital system along with the speakers. I use a HRT MusicStreamer which I think is similarly priced to the dragonfly, and handles high resolution if you ever want that. It also has good quality RCA connectors.
1 Like
@flattythehurdler
Apparently this thing is the last word if you have two grand to blow.
http://techcrunch.com/2015/12/08/apple-devialet-phantom/#.yahok1g:58An
1 Like
I looked at that, but I have bought some beautiful secondhand waterfallvictoria evos
I’d post a photo but this fucking rubbish hosting platform is banjaxed again.
Are they the glass ones Flatty? Lovely piece of kit if they are?
They are. They are beautiful. Not sure what they sound like but at least I’m allowed put them in the kitchen where I want them. They may well be all fur coat and no knickers, but no harm in that. My darling wife was once upon a time. Happy happy days.