Your listening space

[electroluxxxx]

Hello
it has been a while since I have posted on here as there has been so much going on, however I do know that a lot of us on this site do not only collect vacuum cleaners but also collect audio such as tube, solid state and high end audio, such as speakers, amps, cassette players, reel to reel, turntables, receivers etc... I do know that there has been other discussion about favorite audio pieces and such but not only am I interested in what pieces you have I am also interested in the listening spaces. as I sit here listening to Pink Floyd I notice how well the acoustics in the room respond. I am currently using for the time being my 1979 pioneer sx-780, pioneer HPM-100 speakers and my technics SL-D2 turntable. I do wish I could get a pic of the room but cannot seem to find the camera as it is tucked away in storage at this moment.
I look forward to your replies and pics

mike

 

[suckolux]

I have a habit of standing right in the middle of the two living room speakers projection path? Close my eyes and zone out.Hard wood floors, but soft furniture and carpets.Total pleasure

 

[suckolux]

Yea , it worked!

 

[luxman107]

There is nothing like the sound and tone of vinyl records, and analog sound. Throw in a vintage tube stereo amp and absolutely nothing in today's digital world can compete. I have been searching for a working H H Scott tube amp and fm tuner, but way out of my price range right now if they are in working condition. What I wouldn't give for that set up.

 

[luxman107]

Oh yea, and Pink Floyd " Dark side of the Moon". Priceless

 

[suckolux]

For me it's Simon & Garfunkle, Bridge Over Troubled Water. When Art reaches and hits those notes, the hair stands up on my neck, still. That will show my age!

 

[chan55]

Music room

I am not home much, but do enjoy listening to music as opposed to TV.
I got one of those old fashioned looking radio/CD/phonos a while back. Now I listen to all my old albums again.I have a good size kitchen so I put it right on my counter in the corner. I love it. My favorite singer is Linda Ronstadt, and with all the publicity she has gotten recently about having Parkinsons, I have been on a role with her. Saw 3 times in concert, 70's late 80's and right before she retired. Can't beat the way she makes any song her own.

 

[sebo_fan]

I have been re-learning Debussy on my piano recently and its funny how, when my parents were alive and I was home either from working in the city or as a student, I'd continually play loud music. Now without them I just don't bother. I think it is because I teach music that I don't really want to hear any more in a room after 7pm. I'm either headphone'd to my Panasonic iPod that serves as the sound system to my Mac or at a push my portable stereo.

Up until this year however, I had to say goodbye to a very old friend. My very much cherished "graduation gift" purchased by my parents when I graduated from college in London in 2000. It is a double cassette CD portable stereo under the name of the Panasonic RXED50. The front loader absolutely refused to play ANY CD added into it and the double tape cassette player buttons were hard to access. Even if it had 6 sound settings that I couldn't change, it is by far the best sound system that the UK has seen in recent years - every other "portable stereo" that is left on the market are cheap supermarket or catalogue brands with no quality of sound whatsoever.

Now of course the brands are pushing up to buy mini HIFIs or expensive docks which I have no time for. Much prefer my CD collection and a good player that is portable is what I require. I ended up buying a second hand Panasonic RX-ED55 which is similar to what I had but lacks an AUX point, which the RXED50 had. Interestingly enough the RX-ED55 was never a UK market spec stereo but only sold in Ireland and parts of Europe.

Here's a stock photo of it.

 

[electroluxxxx]

Suckolux, I think from previous conversation about audio you happened to have those pioneer cs88a speakers. Those. Are excellent and the power they handle is phenomenal, I would like to upgrade to some McIntosh amplifiers and a preamp but cannot seem to let my rotel go. I like it too much. I can definitely agree with the fact that the digital audio these days cannot be able to do what the old analog stuff could do but some of it is close. My rotel has to be one of the best digital/analog receivers I have ever heard and believe me I have listened to and researched and compared a lot of receivers. The other thing I can't stand is the fact that a lot of stuff is made in china now. I may he 24 but I remember when stuff was made in Japan. That was some of the best stuff money could buy. Not saying all of it was good but at least it was great quality. Brand names like Sony, realistic, some low end pioneer, bose, etc... Have really seemed to go somewhat downhill in quality and longevity since the mid 80's. I honestly wish that companies would bring back the silver faced components, analog power and clarity that audiophiles crave.

 

[suckolux]

I was playing the records yesterday, had family and friends over, younger guy, 20s? says really, thats vinyl? yes.Wow I thought they sound scratchy and stuff! No, take care of your stuff. So where do you find vintage vinyl?? Oh,I bought all that new.If you don't move often and care for things, others seem shocked when it is still good.He got a lesson on vinyl that day.The other was, David, how loud do you have that? Oh 4. 4 out of ten? No, 4 out of twenty! Geeze.They are great speakers.

 

[tolivac]

Hi-Fi listening-don't do this seriously now as I used to-now more into movies-do appreciate a nice sounding movie soundtrack-Dialogue,Sound effects and music.Presently that is set up-a Onkyo 787 or is it 777 sorround receiver and three Klipsch speakers for the front channels and two others for the rear.So far have liked this system.I do on occasion listen to my records-the receiver does have a TT input and my Rega Planar 3 is plugged into it-stereo only mode.I can play CD's thru the Panasonic Blu-Ray player.Another sound source is the Internet-YouTube-like listening to music videos of DeCap,Mortier,Ruth,Wurlitzer band type organs.Some of those videos have pretty good soundtracks.Have some McIntosh Mc60 and Mc225 amps in the closet-all need new caps and haven't found any the amps need-yes tried everywhere--even the "G" fiddle amp parts suppliers haven't been able to find any 550V-625V 80Uf caps the MC60 amps need.So sadly they sit in the closet.My listening area is the den in my house.Front speakers and Hitachi RPTV monitor at one end of the room.Would like a Magnavox Concert Grand Tubed console-but haven't found one yet.That is another Hi-Fi want.Same with a Scott amp-used to have a Scott LK48 intergrated amp-beleive it was-used PP 7189 tubes in the output stage-was only 24W per channel-but clean and sweet.Other amps I liked were Dynaco kits-wished someone would bring these back at REASONABLE prices as kits.Liked building them.I could build St70 amps in my sleep at one time!

 

[paulg]

Hi Fi enthusiast here

The living room is the "listening room" . Each evening over a cocktail or two we discuss the day and spin our vinyl. A lot of what we play is estate-sale finds which is kind of fun. We're big fans of Sinatra, Dinah Shore and Cugat. (If you don't have Cugie's Cocktails, you must get it).
Anyway, I have just redone the setup. The amps are Eico HF20 tube monoblocks. Speakers are new BOSE 901s.
Technics TT, Sony open-reel, Sony CD. Sansui tuner and Dynaco preamp. Also I-POD holster.
And tucked in the corner is our ever-reliable 1955 VM phono. Prior to my resurrecting my hi-fi pieces since the move, that VM was used daily. I am a huge VM fan as that company and I have crossed-paths..
... Remember,...The choice for music is the Voice of Music...
Currently "on blocks" is the 1970-ish Magnavox column stereo retrofitted with CD player and I-POD. When servicing the existing setup I rotate the VM and Magnavox in.
In the den/office you will find an 1966 Admiral Townhouse bookshelf stereo radio/phono. Found it virtually unused at an estate sale. The family said it was used once. I know why. I brought it home and one channel was dead. One open coupling cap replaced and we were on our way. Fits nicely on the bookshelf which I suppose was the intention.
Bench stereo in the basement is a VM solid-state.
Ah, there are others mostly being repaired... McIntosh MC75, need a second one to replace the HF20s... A funky Westinghouse bookshelf "component" stereo from about 1965. Yes, they tried to go modular.

 

[suckolux]

Wow, sounds wonderful everyone! I just am happy my choices over time are still with me, enjoy the past a bit more than the present at times.My best buddy from high school was down visiting with his dad from Oregon, asked me if I had that one album we used to listen to in the 70s, so I put the known one on! No, not the right one the songs go in a different cycle, but its close. Honey, its the very same record, not a new one. Darn people, really?

 

[tolivac]

EicoHF20 used to have a few of these-One of them came from an electronics surplus place-it got lost in a flood.Others acquired later came from a radio station using them as transmitter site monitor amps-the Eicos were replaced with Crowns and got them for a song-later sold them to a collector.The Eico amps are sweet units! work well and reliable.This is another that should be brought back for modern Hi-Fi folks to use.

 

[KirbyLux]

Tube Sound

Nothing fancy here, just an early 60's Silvertone stereo. For me, nothing beats vacuum tubes and vinyl. I got this one cheap and it only needed a mild restoration.

 

[tolivac]

Also have some McIntosh MI75-industrial rack mount versions of the MC75-again cap issues.Sadly mine are missing the brushed chrome front rack panels-so I used them like a regular amp.The other diffrence in the MI75 is that it has a 70V line out.Don't beleive the MC75 has 70V out.My Mc60's don't have 70V line outs.

 

[tolivac]

KirbyLux:Very nice "money shot" of your Sears Silvertone Hi-Fi console.Yes,the tubed consoles always sounded better than the solid state amped ones.Esp early solid state with those HORRIBLE Germanium transistors!Not so sure but it looks like the Sears console has a VM TT.Used to have a Voice of Music TT like that with "Curtus Mathes" on it.Used it with my Scott amp for awhile.

 

[jmurray01]

Unfortunately I do not possess a vintage turntable, however I really should invest in one as my record collection is now at around 50 and my 1997 Goodmans MX 3803 Hi-Fi is starting to show signs of wear. Then again, you can't really blame it as it was only a bottom of the line stereo when it was new and the turntable certainly wasn't made to withstand 5-6 hours of play per day, everyday.

Here is a picture of it:

 

[jmurray01]

Currently playing is my original 1961 Monophonic pressing of Roy Orbison's "Lonely and Blue". Despite being 52 years old it plays like brand new.