What about the sound of your current system are hoping to improve upon? |
It just doesn't have any "Pop". Maybe it's me - I'm 61 years old - but it's sounds very flat to me. Not any life to it. I listen to mostly classical and jazz. PS I forgot to mention I have a Yamaha GE-60 equalizer in the chain. |
If you used to like how it sounded, and you've had it for years (decades?), and you now don't like how it sounds, then it is your hearing that has changed. Before spending money on guesses you would be better off going and listening to as many systems as you can drive or fly to. Take notes. With some perseverance you should be able to put together a new system that sounds good to you. I hope you do, it's worth it. |
You're probably right. keep reading about the "warm" sound of different components and the advantage of using a stand alone DAC. I guess I was looking for the magic bullet that wasn't going to cost me an arm and a leg.
Thank you |
You are certainly welcome.
This hobby isn't known for much common sense, but the best advice I read years ago when you've become unhappy with your system is to:
Take a sabbatical. Don't listen to your system for at least a month or more. Listen to bad PA systems, bad car systems, friend's bad systems, "normal" people's junk, bad systems...
Remember how bad they all sounded.
Turn on your system, let it warm up, sit back, relax.
It might surprise you how good it sounds!
Tom
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In other words, absence makes...
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Pandora is a low-quality digital source! I'd avoid it and get a subscription to Tidal. And a better DAC (used), of course! Ditch the equalizer and sub. Equalizers just screw-up the phase (time) response. Most music has too little information below 30-35 hz to make a sub necessary! The Carver electronics are dated but acceptable. Speakers are a weak link here! I'd replace them with a pair of the newer Ohm Walsh's. Superior 3-d imaging from anywhere in your room! |
Too bad you don't have a nice CD collection! I'd recommend a good used player. I prefer that over streaming! With streaming you never know the provenance of the recording (how close to the master source it came from). |
For digital sources such as streaming from Tidal, Spotify, etc., I think you’ll get that extra “pop” if you add something like a Bluesound Node2 ($500) and a subscription to Tidal HiFi service ($20/month). Start there and see if that meets your needs. It’s hard (and not wise) to try to compensate for a poor source by adding better electronics downstream in the system. My experience.
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I wish I could change out the speakers - but I'll have to get a divorce first... Talk to me about a DAC. That seems like an improvement that won't cost an arm and a leg. I saw a Wyred 4 Sound one for sale on the site for $475. I've also read some good things about a Schitt Bitfrost. Both are within the budget. I do have a Sony Hi- Res. Walkman loaded with FLAC files on it... This it will make a noticeable
difference? Thanks! |
This is getting interesting... Should I ditch the Sonos and get a music server that will connect to my FLAC files as well as music services? Any reasonable recommendations? Something with a decent DAC built in? |
Agree that you should get a new source first. Your Carver TFM is a monster of an amp; if it's in good condition then keep it.
Swapping out components can lead to an endless quest to find sonics that please you, but you'll still have the poor quality source files.
Since you're already into streaming, I second checking out the Bluesound Node2 with Dac.
You could research the possibility that the Sony Walkman can input to the Node2, or go analogue into your preamp.
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In my mind, this is a no brainer that the preamp is the wink link, then as mentioned, a decent dac will do wonders. |
I agree that you should start at the source. Contact Bluesound regarding the Node 2, tell them what your needs are. It is a server with internal DAC that sells for $500. |
So know you got me thinking... The Bluesound sounds promising and certainly the price is right. What are your thoughts about ditching the Carver Pre-Amp and running everything through a Cambridge Audio CXN or Azur 851n? That way I have a streamer DAC and preamp al in one... |
If you pay the 10 bucks or whatever it is for Pandora's commercial free version, the higher quality of that version sounds fine if you have a good upsampling and re-clocking converter. Not my reference really, but for casual listening or background music it's great. Otherwise, CDs and vinyl work for me. |
Wait. back up. you said it doesn't have that pop. Did it have it before? were you happen in the past? if so, it may be you that has changed. It may be time to re-adjust your eq settings. Your hearing may have changed over the years and that could be part of the problem. Take a stereophile test cd and play some white noise through your system. Download the free audiotools app and measure that frequency response levels in your room from your listening position. See if they are flat. Then adjust your eq settings to make the sound better for you and your room. Then, make a determination if you really want or need to upgrade. I'm betting that you probably don't need to. enjoy |
sign. spell check.
"happy in the past", not happen in the past |
I'm sure it's a bit of both. I own a Sony Hi-Res walkman and I LOVE listing to it. I use either the Sony earbuds or Sony MDR-1A over the ear phones and the sound is great. Mind you - this is maybe slightly above average equipment...nothing audiophile grade. I really feel like I'm in the room with the musicians. Is it just the experience of headphones? |
I’m with you. Walkmans have very good, entertaining sound. I like the Sony ultralight headphones and Grados with the Walkman. I also listen to Walkman cassette players. I do think there are actually many reasons why these Walkmans sound so good. A lot of it has to do with the elimination or minimization of many things that we know distort the sound or introduce noise, things like AC power, power cords, transformers, interconnects, fuses, that sort of thing.
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So you think it's worth entertaining the thought of getting rid of the Sonos and looking into an Cambridge Azur? |
