mulveling

Responses from mulveling

How loud is loud?
dB/W/m is an efficiency spec. Not a "how loud is it" spec. That's what dB alone is for. You're grappling really tightly onto an incorrect argument. 
How loud is loud?
85dB is the threshold of damage only if you're listening to that continuously for several hours a day. And this threshold probably varies quite a bit by individual. For reasonable listening sessions, this level is quite safe for most folks.Anyone ... 
How loud is loud?
Yes, if you experience any fatigue and/or loss of hearing sensitivity after a session, then it was definitely too loud, and care should be taken to not repeat those circumstances. If you ever experience ringing, then it was WAY too damn loud, and ... 
How loud is loud?
Zavato, I agree with your assessment of loud. And I DO enjoy lots of music approaching those levels, or just below; that's where a good system can reproduce the energy of a live performance. I ensure that I'm not disturbing anyone, and carefully l... 
Sony's XA777ES CD: competitive sound or obsolete?
I've heard a few of the high-end Sony ES SACD machines from the early 2000's, though not specifically the XA777 model (though I have heard the other higher-end 777 and owned the SCD-1). And I'd agree that the Redbook playback is uniformly mediocre... 
We get into a GROOVE.
New vinyl can certainly sound good (and often does), but I prefer the sonics of the better third of vintage vinyl. Factor in the prices of new vinyl, those ridiculous box sets, unwieldy premium 45 RPMs, and manufacturing issues like warps -- the n... 
Amp improvement since 1994?
Parts quality is way better -- especially capacitors. But everything helps (resistors, hookup wire, volume controls, connectors, etc). And some of the new transistors are awesome, though the low volume of hi-fi leads to a lot of discontinued piece... 
proper Tannoy Canterbury room set up
Don't put them against the wall. The manual even advises against this. You'll see Tannoy speakers in wacky locations (like right up against the wall) in ad/product photos, but that's silly. Your listed distances sound like a reasonable starting po... 
Your most disappointing purchase or audition?
Ah, the Taylo 7u posted by Csmgolf reminds me of my own experience owning Taylo Reference monitors (Revelator tweet) -- these things sounded GREAT, except for the lacking low end (monitors that size can't have good bass). I thought I'd upgrade to ... 
Tannoy Yorkminster vs Canterbury
Congrats man -- I was so exited to get my Canterbury SE, and it turned out very well...your GR will be even better! 
Tannoy Yorkminster vs Canterbury
GR vs. SE: The crossover parts are further upgraded and cryogenically treated. The compression driver (tweeter) diaphragm and surround is updated to a new material (should have better extension up top). The woofer cone material has gone from all p... 
Tannoy Yorkminster vs Canterbury
Yeah, the Canterbury GR is probably going to be a better sounding option over both SE's (Mbovaird -- there is no Yorkminster GR that I know if?). That said, the new GR prices represent dramatic price increases (almost 40%), which may be a factor. ... 
Tannoy Yorkminster vs Canterbury
Also, I should point out that the Canterbury is the only speaker of the 3 that has a tweeter-height issue. You'll need either some really beefy pedestal stands (about 8-10" tall) or something like hockey pucks up front to tilt the tweeters up to e... 
Tannoy Yorkminster vs Canterbury
Though at different times, I've have had the SE versions of both setup in my room, with the same gear behind them. Note that the Yorkminster SE doesn't have an equivalent in the new GR line, and thus may be considered discontinued.In both cases, t... 
Audiophile music
If a system doesn't play most of that kind of music well (a few recordings are beyond salvation) then it's a poorly balanced system that's not worth a high asking price. I would not still be in this hobby if I had to restrict myself to the likes o...