Hifi plans for 2021?

[Ciaran]

In 2019 my domestic circumstances changed drastically and I decided to downsize my system to fit into smaller living space. That meant smaller speakers, no massive subwoofer and the electronics had to fit on just the one rack. Cloneys kindly agreed to sell some of my gear (my Kharma CRM 3.2 FE loudspeakers (modified) and Ce-Sb-1.0 subwoofer, and my beloved Airtight ATM 3 mono power amps, and the wonderful Audiolab 8000T FM Tuner and one of the racks: the Tuner and rack are still there, but the others sold, I'm glad to say!). The tuner is up for sale because I'm unlikely to live with an FM signal again: if you're looking for a tuner it would be very hard to do better!

I'd been getting on very well with a Pass Labs pre-amp (which replaced my Airtight pre a few years ago), and I'd been finding valve (un-)reliability had been getting on my nerves (boo to Watford Valves!) so I thought I would go solid-state for my next power amp. Cloney have lent me a very neat pair of Raidho speakers and a massive old Classé power amp to keep me going and the sound is excellent.

I've moved house now and the need for space is not as pressing as it was, but I don't have as much space as I used to have. The rest of the system is my dCS stack (Scarlatti DAC/Verdi La Scala transport/Verona clock) and a Chromecast Audio and Logitech Squeezebox Touch as digital sources feeding the Scarlatti DAC.

At this point I need to decide on speakers and power amp. I'm delighted with the Raidho speakers, they might be a keeper, and I might keep the Classé power amp, but I'd be very interested to hear a Pass LAbs power amp or integrated in the system. A subwoofer? The Raidhos go surprisingly low (as one always says about good small speakers) but there are physical limits to what a small passive speaker can do. So maybe a sub, but not as big as the Kharma subwoofer!

Since all this happened I've discovered the joys of streaming. At first I was using my phone and the Chromecast Audio, when I got my Astell & Kern personal player I subscribed to Tidal, Qobuz and Idagio. Now I'm using the Squeezebox to stream Qobuz (dropped the other two subscriptions) to the Scarlatti DAC, with good results.

Do I need to go posher on the streaming? The Squeezebox and Chromecast are both discontinued: how long can I rely on them? The dCS Bridge would integrate very well with the dCS stack, but that would be another device to accommodate (the rack is already suffering a bit of double parking!) or I could replace the stack with a dCS Rossini player which would do everything in one box. I'm not sure of the financials on those, but maybe it's an itch I don't need to scratch?

So: some things will definitely change, I'm just not sure what!

Happy Audio New Year!

[Georgi]

Lol, many people getting on the Pass Labs wagon I see. 😂
Would be hard to find something for the wright price I guess. 😉
I'll be keeping my Aleph 3, just in case.
Anyone have an old McIntosh gear and want to depart with it?

[Fran]

This thread is really interesting - the changes are fascinating I think - one thing its hammered home to me is how diverse the reasons are behind the changes that people go for!! The other thing is the great gear that there is in all our rooms!

Fran

[Diapason]

Enjoying all the answers here too. After a few years in the wilderness I'm starting to feel the tug of upgraditis again. If lockdown continues much longer I'm in danger of reinfection...

[tony]

Hooray! Always enjoyed the mood swings and great gear that went through your teach Simon :) Always sorry I never got to hear the Sonus Fabers that only seemed to last a short period. What can we expect on the menu??

[Diapason]

LOL, don't be encouraging me, Tony!

I'm sorry I never got to hear those SFs a really good room. They were such beauties...

[tony]

Ok couldn't wait any longer I went for my first upgrade of the year. Was looking at Townshend seismic platforms to isolate and rise the speakers off the floor. After careful consideration of the important factors I went with the Nevin Maguire acoustically dampened grade bamboo seismic platforms. They are difficult to get given their audiophile qualities but I was lucky. https://www.dunnesstores.com/p/neven-ma ... rd/5416101

My next quest is to get to Woodworkers and hobbies to buy matching reflection absorbing castors for the acoustic bamboo board.

[Ivor]

Ok couldn't wait any longer I went for my first upgrade of the year. Was looking at Townshend seismic platforms to isolate and rise the speakers off the floor. After careful consideration of the important factors I went with the Nevin Maguire acoustically dampened grade bamboo seismic platforms. They are difficult to get given their audiophile qualities but I was lucky. https://www.dunnesstores.com/p/neven-ma ... rd/5416101

My next quest is to get to Woodworkers and hobbies to buy matching reflection absorbing castors for the acoustic bamboo board.

Are you going to put ball bearings in the groove and place one board on top of the other (ie 4 boards in all) ? That's what real hifi geeks would do!

[tony]

Oh yeah Ivor now the mind is racing :) Will just check at home here if it is ok for me to dig a bit deeper!
I take it you are still in the big smoke?

[Ivor]

Oh yeah Ivor now the mind is racing :) Will just check at home here if it is ok for me to dig a bit deeper!
I take it you are still in the big smoke?

Yep, getting ready to put the house on the market again now that procedures and processes are in place for selling and viewing during a planetary meltdown.