Mind Boggling...

[briang9]

Married members will understand this better I think;)..when we moved into our house around 15 years ago my trusty 80’s hi-fi was banished to the basement. Aesthetically pleasing sound systems were installed, IMHO at the expense of sound quality. My extensive vinyl, tape and CD collection has been mostly neglected for all those years, unless I wanted to be Billy no mates in the basement. Recent extensive research has resulted in the purchase of a hi-fi rack which pleases SWMBO, so the hi-fi has been reinstated in the dining room. I worked most of my life in IT and was always comfortable with technological advance. However my mind has been truly boggled with the addition of a couple of Pure Jongo devices, a standalone speaker and a device to connect my hi-fi to my wi-fi. So not only is my old tech stuff now available, I have turned my ancient hi-fi into a cornucopia of modernity all controlled from my Android phone or tablet..bugger me as they say. Just need to work at a bit of cable management and I believe Bob will indeed be my mum’s brother+++

[Adrian E]

I'm just about managing to get away with having most of my hi-fi kit in the lounge - the Chromecast Audio adds so much functionality to my old school Arcam amp it's ridiculous for the money! Stream radio in much higher quality than FM for 1/10th the cost of a half decent tuner, plus yesterday I couldn't be bothered to dig out a particular CD I wanted to listen to, so I just streamed it off my HP Micro Server via the Chromecast using Plex (which is free)

I have a lovely tape deck sitting in its box, which hasn't been used for years, which I'd love to reinstate but just don't have space for. Similarly a minidisc player, which I only really use now to copy stuff I want to play in my '88 Citroen BX16V which has a minidisc head unit!

Will have to look at the Pure speakers, as need a similar solution for around the house - was tempted by the Apple speaker, but then my wife won't be able to use her phone to stream to it (not that she ever would unless I did it for her!)

[gninnam]

I'm old school
Never not had or not used a turntable and have a large record collection which I have always added to and have always had a dedicated room to listen in.

Do use digital as use a PI and a IQaudio DAC connected to my valve amp to stream either NAS stored FLAC/MP3 or Spotify tunes.

Also use SONOS speaker system - have one in our bedroom and one doing TV duties (the SoundBase) which are excellent and easy to use.

My tape deck is in the rack but currently not playing right so either look to see what is amiss ( think it could be a capacitor or replace as have many hundreds of cassettes) and do like the analogue sound.

Still have many a late night session just listening to music with a nice drink, with the wife sat with me also.

[briang9]

From what I gather the Pure stuff is very similar technology to Sonos, but cheaper, the downside however is that the Jongo range is now EOL, however support is still currently available, I just did a software upgrade on my hi-fi to wi-fi device, the upside is there are some great bargains to be had on their kit..and as a canny Scot that appeals to me;) The technology is great IMHO, can stream stuff from any network based device or from Apps such as Spotify, it's even given me DAB radio on my 80's hi-fi and like Sonos gives multi room functionality and syncd Bluetooth as well+++

[HPsauce]

I've kept all my hifi very simple and pretty much standard 1970s.

The only addition is a Bluetooth receiver into one of the Aux inputs, and that only really supplements/replaces a lead with a mini-jack for iPad and iPhone input.

My amp has a second pair of speaker outputs that go via some long but chunky cables to quality speakers on top of my kitchen units, so that whatever is being played can also be heard there. As one of the Aux inputs is TV audio, it's often just the sound from the lounge TV! Amazing how many programs are almost as good without looking at the pictures (though we do have a hatch you can peer through to see the TV about 25 feet away!)

Our old TV had direct phono line outputs, the latest one doesn't, but a USB-powered TOSLINK to phono converter solved that for about £5. :cool:

Also, like Andy I have a tape deck issue, though not with cassettes, that deck is fine. It's the reel-to-reel Revox that is playing up. Like Andy I think it has capacitor (or maybe dry joint?) issues as one channel drops out after a period of use (never quickly, but never usually long enough to get through something significant).

And if I want non-Apple internet/computer-based stuff I can use a W10 PC (mainly for storing videos) that plays through the TV and that can then feed sound into the HiFi.

[tintin]

I have a number of gramofon units (https://gramofon.com) plugged into the Aux input of my various "classic" hifi set ups around the house. This means I can get the best of of both worlds - still playing my old vinyl, cassettes, minidiscs (!), etc, but can easily play anything I want, anywhere, via spotify.

So my aged relative Robert is a frequent visitor in my house ;)

PS: for any of the rooms in the house that doesn't have a "hifi", I have one of these brilliant little TDK units,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/372325359466?clk_rvr_id=1569713164778&vectorid=229508&lgeo=1&item=372325359466&rmvSB=true

which are also both mains and battery powered, and waterproof, so great for trips out too :D

[HPsauce]

I have one of these brilliant little TDK units, which are also both mains and battery powered, and waterproof, so great for trips out too :DI have something similar, though slightly smaller, which has a built-in re chargeable battery (charged via standard USB lead) and takes input via Bluetooth or mini-jack. Brand name is Lugulake! :Confused:

It was sold as being for iPad/iPhone and incorporates a slot so that it can be used as a stand. Speakers are at each end pointing out so stereo effect is good and sound quality is pretty good too. Very handy unit.

[gninnam]

Also, like Andy I have a tape deck issue, though not with cassettes, that deck is fine. It's the reel-to-reel Revox that is playing up. Like Andy I think it has capacitor (or maybe dry joint?) issues as one channel drops out after a period of use (never quickly, but never usually long enough to get through something significant).

Which Revox is it that you have?
The sound from a decent spec RR can be as good as a high end TT so worth getting fixed+++

[HPsauce]

Which Revox is it that you have?
The sound from a decent spec RR can be as good as a high end TT so worth getting fixed+++A77, I think it's known as the Mk3 version. Cost a small fortune when new, about a months salary IIRC!

[briang9]

I have a number of gramofon units (https://gramofon.com) plugged into the Aux input of my various "classic" hifi set ups around the house. This means I can get the best of of both worlds - still playing my old vinyl, cassettes, minidiscs (!), etc, but can easily play anything I want, anywhere, via spotify.

So my aged relative Robert is a frequent visitor in my house ;)

PS: for any of the rooms in the house that doesn't have a "hifi", I have one of these brilliant little TDK units, which are also both mains and battery powered, and waterproof, so great for trips out too :D

Gramofon device seems to do the same as the Pure unit I have+++

[1781cc]

Hi-Fi is such a subjective thing, wife wants small and unseen, so we have a couple of Bose Soundlink Mini's dotted around (don't even go there on the fact that one could be moved between rooms...)

Personally, my Technics system is in the gym with all my CDs and when I want excellent music to myself I put on my Bowers and Wilkins P7's and run DSD FLAC files from my FiiO XII via a FiiO E12A Mont Blanc... then I get left alone! :ROFL:

[27litres]

gramofon units (https://gramofon.com)
Saw a name on that site I haven't heard in years:
Napster!

Making a comeback as a Spotify style music streaming service it appears!
Brand engineering like MG I expect and nothing to do with the original!

[1781cc]

Saw a name on that site I haven't heard in years:
Napster!

Making a comeback as a Spotify style music streaming service it appears!
Brand engineering like MG I expect and nothing to do with the original!

It started to go down the legitimate route over a decade ago, its never really taken off other than in the US though, spotify wipes the floor with them, apple music and amazon music IMO. they really have the model right and are now cutting out labels to go direct to artists who are unsigned/self distributed.

The only other service that can hold a candle to it is Bandcamp, and you can download native FLAC files there as well as stream +++

[tintin]

A) 168,747 - the average employee salary (in $), https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/05/25/average-annual-salary-spotify-employee/

and....

B) 41.8 : the price paid ($ Billion) by Microsoft to acquire them (https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2018/04/01/spotify-microsoft-acquisition-billions/)

Now there's a business idea I wish I'd had...

[tintin]

Gramofon device seems to do the same as the Pure unit I have+++

Is this the Pure unit you have Brian?

https://www.superfi.co.uk/p-18374-in-store-clearance-manchester-pure-jongo-t6x-ice-wireless-spkr-ex-demo.aspx

[briang9]

Nah that's a wireless speaker, this is what I have

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pure-Jongo-Wireless-Adapter-Bluetooth-Black/dp/B00CGYN47O

thinks it does the same as your Gramofon stuff, I also have a standalone wireless speaker which runs of inbuilt battery or mains which can be moved to any room as required+++

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pure-Jongo-Wireless-speaker-Bluetooth-Black/dp/B009NE15OY/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1529445056&sr=1-2&keywords=jongo+s3

[gninnam]

When I want to hear music outside I just open the patio doors and turn the speaker around :) :p

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gninnamag/Hifi/20180505_220827_zps8ptphpn5.jpg

[tintin]

...and possibly accompanied by a wee glass of something - based on that photo - maybe to both enhance your aural experience and to help ignore the lack of proper stereo separation ;)

[gninnam]

...and possibly accompanied by a wee glass of something - based on that photo - maybe to both enhance your aural experience and to help ignore the lack of proper stereo separation ;)

So true +++