Best stereo setup

[p.dath]

You don't want to play mp3's over a good system anyway, They sound absolute crap compared to the original.

I've spent thousands rebuilding my CD collection after finally hearing how poor the ripped audio is, and anyone paying for that crap is mad.

I assume your talking about copied mp3's?

Most places selling them do so at 256kb/s (some even at 320kb/s). That sample rate is greater than a CD. I've completely stopped buying CD's now.

EDIT: Check out this review:
http://www.lincomatic.com/mp3/mp3quality.html
After reading that, consider how much better MP3 is that has been purchased encoded at 256kb/s, rather then ripped from a lower quality CD.

[Headbanger]

I assume your talking about copied mp3's?

Most places selling them do so at 256kb/s (some even at 320kb/s). That sample rate is greater than a CD. I've completely stopped buying CD's now.

All ripped/compressed audio.

No idea what you mean by copied, as all mp3's are copied data, Its not like you get the original 0's and 1's....

[p.dath]

All ripped/compressed audio.

No idea what you mean by copied, as all mp3's are copied data, Its not like you get the original 0's and 1's....

I mean copied from a CD.

Buying an mp3 created from a master - the same master the CD was created from will give much better results than using an MP3 that was ripped from a CD that was created from the master.
Using MP3's that came from a CD mean you are limiting the quality to that of the CD. Simpler to remove the limitation and just not by the CD. You can always make a CD from a good quality 256kb/s MP3 - you'll probably just loose some of the sound quality since the CD pretty much stores it at a lower bitrate.

[Headbanger]

Interesting, and I suppose it makes sense, Though they are still compressing it and that is the limiting factor, Lossless encoding gives you roughly 10mb per minute of audio.

Doesn't matter what the source is when your ripping the guts out of it to get 1mb per minute.

EDIT

This article is comparing purchased MP3's against original quality audio.

http://stereophile.com/features/308mp3cd/

[hayd3n]

onkyo does me fine
gets noise control over occasionally when ever i turn it over 40 percent

[Headbanger]

Most places selling them do so at 256kb/s (some even at 320kb/s). That sample rate is greater than a CD. I've completely stopped buying CD's now.

Audio CD's are transferring data at 1400kb/s

[hayd3n]

onkyo
http://www.intl.onkyo.com/products/a...576/index.html
with these speakers
http://www.accusound.com.au/pacific.html

[Big Dave]

, and anyone paying for that crap is mad.

Or doesn't care that much. They sound fine to me.

[Headbanger]

Or doesn't care that much. They sound fine to me.

You never were great at being an elitist.

[steve_t]

I was thinking of McIntosh.

Anyone got one of these??


Skyryder

The McIntosh stuff I've seen has been very good, however, it was brought to my attention that McIntosh is made by Denon/Marantz in case there are similar systems with different price tags

I think Strawberry Sound in Dunners had a pair of those B&W Nautilus (Prestige) speakers with marble plinths and look like snails back when I was a student. Pretty fricken amazing!

[Skyryder]

The McIntosh stuff I've seen has been very good, however, it was brought to my attention that McIntosh is made by Denon/Marantz in case there are similar systems with different price tags

I think Strawberry Sound in Dunners had a pair of those B&W Nautilus (Prestige) speakers with marble plinths and look like snails back when I was a student. Pretty fricken amazing!

That's good info. Saw some Maranzt amps in Smiths the other day. Nothing outragouse in price.

Skyryder

[stify]

spent some money a good few years ago on a marantz amp/denon dvd/cd combo and a set of polk audio speakers...was around 5k if memory serves me right, still a kick arse system today which i enjoy mucho

[p.dath]

Interesting, and I suppose it makes sense, Though they are still compressing it and that is the limiting factor, Lossless encoding gives you roughly 10mb per minute of audio.

Doesn't matter what the source is when your ripping the guts out of it to get 1mb per minute.

EDIT

This article is comparing purchased MP3's against original quality audio.

http://stereophile.com/features/308mp3cd/

Pitty that this test was only done at 128kb/s. Most purchased MP3's are done at 256kb/s or 320 kb/s (at least the ones I buy are). I hope they repeat the tests sometime using actually used encoding rates. By choosing a rate half of what the industry uses they have distorted the results. I kinda wonder if there is a reason they are doing this ...

[The Lone Rider]

As someone who has worked in professional recording studios with million dollar set ups and fully flat response high end speakers and standing wave treated rooms....

My personal opinion is that the average joe can't hear the difference between different audio set ups once you move from absolute piece of crap to just a decent stereo. As long has a you have full range, responsive speakers, an equalizer, and the thing is loud enough for you then you can tweak it to suit.

I have been through places like strawberry sound - a lot of it is overkill and more for rich audiophiles who like having flashy things to show off and feel special about themselves.

[MaxB]

I have been doing a bit of a restoration project on my old HiFi. Got the turntable working today so I now have a Philips F-series turntable going through an Akai AM series amp out to my overhauled Energy speakers. They still do a repair kit for the Energy's after all these years. I have been told they have their own website but that's a bit too obsessive for me.

Played a CD and record of Hold Your Fire by Rush to my teenage son through headphones and speakers and he could only tell the difference when a scratch came through. Couldn't find the balance weights so I had to use coins on the tone arm.

I forgot how amazing it sounded and now the home theatre in the lounge sounds crap.