Two Huge Stereo Equipment Upgrades & How I Built My Dream System
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- In this video, I show and discuss two recent stereo equipment upgrades. I also take you through time and discuss the stereo equipment journey that I have been on for the last 10 years. I started from very humble beginnings and have been slowly building an incredible (in my opinion) stereo equipment set up.
Are my new upgrades working out? Am I happy with the results? Find out as I share my thoughts and opinions in this video.
Just a reminder that you can still use code "Melinda10" to receive 10 percent off of your purchases from the GrooveWasher website. GrooveWasher creates great products for cleaning your vinyl records as well as the cutest music label designed drink coasters I have ever seen. Here is the link for more information about GrooveWasher products.
www.groovewash...
#VinylCommunity #MelindaMurphy #VinylCollection #RecordCollection #MoFiSourcepoint10 #Rega
A woman audiophile? No, it can't be. I'm so happy.
Haha! Thank you! 🤗♥️
I'm another one 😂..!!
Why not? 😅 we love it ❤😊
I am impressed!
Melinda I live in a small place so my system isn't high grade because it wouldn't be worth spending money to do a upgrade like you have! I have a Onkyo 7.1 channel amp with phono input and my Turntable is the Fluance Rt-82 with the Otophone Red and my Sub is a Yamaha with an eight inch puts out 150 w my Speakers are Bose 501 V series floor standing speakers and my bookshelf are 201's by Bose as well! So that is what I have to listen too right now! One day when I get a bigger place I will think about upgrading but right now I just live with what sounds good to my ears! Thanks for listening to my report!
What matters is that you're happy with what you have. ❤️ I think the Ortofon Red is a wonderful cart. I had one and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you and take care. ❤️🤗
@@MelindaMurphy thanks again and I do enjoy my setup. Like I said later if I get a better job Bigger home I can do that.
I love your videos and am a vinyl/music enthusiast. I have a mildest system but really enjoy spinning records. I buy from the In Groove and on a visit to Az, visited his store. I live in rural Alaska albeit on the road system in Seward, Ak. (Chilly at 15 degrees here today). I have a surround system with a Onkyo Rz 50 and a Emotiva XPA with a project turntable and a moving coil cart through a mobile fidelity phono preamp. I have a KLH Kendall’s in the front, Polk center, KEF atmos spkrs, and PBS imagine rears, also a Sony blue ray , SACD disc player and stream through Apple TV. I have small room and DIRAC really helps through ONKYO. Back in the day I had a suitcase record player while in Army and then a Kenwood/Technics system. hard to duplicate the sound of that old system but I would say room had a lot to do with it. Have a list of upgrade ideas but at retirement ((75) have to curtail impulses. Keep posting , look forward to watching your videos - have You Tube premium - love it. Thank You
I really like Mike from the In Groove. It would be great to visit his store. ♥️ You have great stereo equipment. 🔥♥️ Thank you for the kind words. Take care.
.....P.S. ,,,, tip = = stacking pairs of speakers really helps,,improves surround effect,,..try it!! ...tnx again,pat...cool vid,😮
Thank you for the tip. ♥️🤗 I appreciate it.
Melinda is very beautiful and charming.
Anyways I stupidly sold all my CDs when I was in college and ripped them all into Flac audio files. Now I bought a CD changer from a thrift store. Hooked them up to my Harman Kardon receiver from the 90s and Polk Audio speakers. It’s not high end at all. But I love what I have for what it is.
The only downside is I lose my stereo room when my mother in law visits. But I enjoy it when she goes back to her home 😊
I love going back to old physical music media.
What you're doing is very cool. ❤️🤗 Most people sold the old formats when the new formats came in so don't beat yourself up. Lol. Thank you so much for the kind words. Take care.
Great video! I like seeing the VC talk about their systems as well. I get the goose bumps comments and it’s great that you might not know it’s coming, then a song on a good systems hits you. I invested in a rebuilt Marantz 2270, then got a Rega P6 with an Ortofon 2m black….but still have some 20 year old basic Klipsch…..you’ve sold me on time for a speaker 🔈 upgrade!
The goosebumps don't lie. Lol. Best wishes in your search for new speakers. ♥️🤗Thank you and take care.
Hi Melinda, I really enjoyed watching this video and sharing your journey. I went though a journey over a similar time frame though I think in many ways it became an obsession to improve my system. It's only now that I've finally come back to enjoying the music once more. Thankfully the system assembled is stunning and I've no further desire to change a thing. I'm more looking at new carr, building a new home etc now. I do wish that I'd derived more enjoyment from my journey as you clearly have. Thankyou for sharing :)
Thank you for the kind words. I do have one more major upgrade on the way and I will share it at some point on the channel. After this, I will be taking a break and enjoying what I have. Thank you and take care. 🤗♥️
It has certainly been a sound system building journey for you. It's always fun to get a better component and then sit or stand and listen to the things you never heard before. It can be like a drug addiction and chasing the next better high. I prefer vintage gear. My sound system is largely composed of gear from the '70's and early '80's when vinyl was still king. Those systems were specifically designed to play vinyl and have really good preamp and amp sections. The high quality book shelf speakers and the sub woofer I use are the modern components in my system; I would use my '70's era Klipsch Heresy speakers with my vintage system, but I don't have space for them in the room where my audiophile system is located. If you ever want to move up to something that will really give you goose bumps, I recommend connecting some sweet Klipsch speakers to your system. The best part is that I've spent very little money on my system, because a lot of it was purchased second hand for little money, and I repaired it. I'm good. I don't need any more upgrades. I'm focusing on the music now, since the law of diminishing returns starts to take effect as you go higher. The Doors' debut album and Pink Floyd's The Wall always get me, but there are many others.
I think it's incredibly cool that you have been able to get vintage gear for great prices and restore them to former glory. For some reason, that doesn't surprise me. It sounds like something you would be able to do. 😀I love vintage gear. ♥️ Because I don't have the set of skills that you have, modern equipment works for me. These new speakers have a retro look that I love and sound fantastic.
Congrats on what you have been able to fix and build. I have no doubt that your system is world class all the way. Thank you and take. ♥️🤗
Don't know about world class. I have about a mid-grade audiophile system. It sounds really good and fits in my budget. I can assure you that it's a real treat to hear music from the day on gear from the day. You're welcome and you take care as well. 👍💖🎸😎@@MelindaMurphy
What an interesting story. I wish my wife was as enthusiastic about hifi as you are Melinda! I do most of my listening through headphones these days but they are good ones. Keep enjoying your musical journey.
Thank you so much! ♥️🤗
Goose bumps & general feelings of a sensory tingling euphoria was / is my goal in reproduced music, hence my CDs are mostly, still played in the car. Rarities i had to have but not found on vinyl aside. My most noticable upgrades later came through my turntable &/or tonearm & cartridge upgrades route, off course speakers make a huge difference but now i'm getting on in years, they get upgraded relatively rarely for myself & tho I'm fussy, once I've found a good pair I can happily live with, I tend to stick with them far longer than when I first started with all s/h early 70's(?) AR t/table & Leak 'Sandwich' 3-way speakers + Sansui black (weren't all?) int' amp at about 19'yrs old. (tho I since went thru 3 e/stat pairs, 2 still stashed away, (I thought too good for what i'd had got selling on eBay after upgrading) ribbons & hybrids & a good few boxes over time after I left home, married & started working /earning. Speaker's are sometimesa fine line between detailed but not harsh, good bass but not 1-note boominess (a word?) & etc. Turntable, arm or cart' or package upgrades for me, make an easier to define downgrade or an upgrade with added swing factor or an extra emotional attachment that gives goose bumps, spine tingles, s tear to the eye, as hearing v.good speakers can =y do, you know you've gone upgrade & not side-grade when that happens, but when i 1'st began with s/h hi-fi speakers I bought & thought were superiour to previous, i often soon realised were just different & not better, a side-grade that's never happened with t/tables in my experience. My current fave box speakers are vintage 1969 dated (on signed & faded test-pass cards stuck to their rears) Tannoy 15" D.C.s, s/h to me in 2001, they simply lifted me higher & went deeper & far better upper bass, i couldn't fault them so out... (& in & out again to be sure) ..went the Accoustat model-X's & the Tannoys are still going strong after 54 years now, a longevity record?
I understand that some equipment isn't really an upgrade like we hope. Thankfully, when I made changes, they were huge steps higher and were all major upgrades. The goosebumps and emotional moments while listening to music has been a benefit I wasn't expecting. It sounds like you have some wonderful stereo equipment. Thank you and take care. 🤗♥️
I am much earlier in the process than you. I’ve bought a few amps, pre-amps, dacs and a couple pairs of speakers. Sadly, i’ve been disappointed by following the hype online. Most of my new purchases haven’t been as good as what I have. Starting down the DIY route for speakers and amplifiers. I have a pile of original vinyl records but i prefer digital these days. Thanks for sharing. It’s always great to see someone else’s journey so thanks for sharing!
I hope things only get better for you. Best wishes in building your speakers. Enjoy the process. ♥️ Thank you and take care.
Your upgrade Journey sound so much like the journey I went on. 👍🏽✌🏽 I was a teenager in the 70's but I also was a DJ so I love vinyl. I left it alone when digital-media came out but I'm back into analog. Actually I use them both. I just have a love of music in any form. But I always been searching for that perfect sound.
I love your story. ♥️ I left vinyl when cassettes and CDs became the thing but I always loved vinyl. Buying records is the way to go for me personally but I also have nice cds. Thank you and take care.
I’m getting an infomercial vibe. So MoFi and Music Direct - noted.
No infomercial. Just a happy customer that paid for my upgrades. Thank you.
Nice path and you learned a lot in realising and appreciating your upgrades along the way
Thank you so much! It has been a fun and educational experience. 🤗♥️ Thank you so much.
Great story and very nice equipment, especially the Rega P8!
Thank you so much! ♥️🤗
You got some rare stuff and now I kinda understand you and your husband’s (and your mom) angle better when it comes to your record journey.
Thank you very much! I'm so grateful I had a music loving mom. ♥️ Take care.
Great phono pre amp , rega elicit r amp is a good amp
Thank you for the suggestion. Rega makes great equipment. Take care.
You are a true audiophile & music lover!👍👍👍
Thank you very much! ♥️🤗
vintage all the way
Vintage equipment is very cool but I also love the modern equipment I have. Take care
Congratulations Malinda you’ve made a great step in you journey. Becoming an audiophile has a lot of challenges,education and highs. Enjoying the music you “love” is the most rewarding.
Thank you so much! Take care.
Great system. The mistake that audiophiles often make is not simply enjoying their systems. The upgrade bug can become a never ending quest for perfect sound.
Yup! Good gear and synergy can bring u closer to the music but at the end of the day... its all about the music
I agree! I'm grateful for my husband. He lets me follow my dreams but keeps me grounded. Lol. Thank you and take care. ♥️🤗
Its amazing from when you start to where you go. The sky is the limit. Im still tweaking my systems. Yes you heard that right systems. I have a few that i will never part with. And others that are getting well used. One setup is to go with the movies. The other side is for audio. Also learning how the system works with my house amd room. Magnavox seems to follow me the most. I do have a marantz 2230 i got free. Needs alot of tlc. Including the recapping. To each their own and its part of the journey. 😊
What?? True audiophiles don't pursue "perfect sound" because that's not a thing.
What is your system?
People who get lost in the upgrade cycle do so because they either can't afford their dream system or can't fit their dream system into their lifestyle. It is a hobby, and if it were just about the music, they would cease to be an audiophile, and just a music lover.
It is truly amazing how much emotion good music through a good system will release from your soul
This is definitely true! ♥️ It's an amazing experience. Thank you and take care.
Nice to see a woman doing an audio equipment review on RUclips for a change, especially one who knows her stuff. Love your album choices, too. Hope you'll do more in the future.
Wow! Thank you so much! ♥️🤗
@@MelindaMurphy You're welcome. Go Vols!
Greating from Egypt.
Great system, I just updated my system this year too excapt the speakers. I like your speakers choice. Thank for such a lovely video. Enjoy it
Congrats on your upgrades. Thank you and take care. 🤗♥️
Hi Melinda! I love your channel. My favorite part about watching you is hearing your stories. I love music and I love the stories behind the music. I love to see others as passionate about music as I am. Keep making videos and I will keep watching!
Thank you for the kind words. Like you, the enjoyment is in knowing why an album means so much to someone. I love the stories behind the music too. Have a great day!
Hi Melinda. I am so glad you are enjoying your audio enthusiast journey. You are doing great. As a matter of fact, you are becoming a full fledged audiophile right in front of our eyes! Thank you for sharing your journey.
Thank you so much! I truly appreciate it. 🤗♥️ Take care.
Congratulations on your upgrades! It’s always fun putting new or different gear into the mix. Yes, the emotional connection with the music is amazing, and that just brings you so much closer. I’m happy that you’re now experiencing time travel. And that you can join the artists in the studio while they’re recording. It’s fun huh?
Haha! The sad truth is that Dylan would have thrown out of the recording studio. Lol. Anyway, I'm very happy with my choices. Thank you and take care.
Congratulations on the new speakers! Always exciting getting new equipment. After a year I’m still excited and enjoy my Sonus Faber Amati G5 speakers. They are a work of art and sound incredible. They could be my last pair, only time will tell lol.
Congratulations! You have a great set of speakers. ♥️🔥 Thank you and take care.
Congratulations. I’ve often wondered if you had a system to match the many jewels in your collection. And now you certainly do!
Yes! Thank you!♥️🤗
I still have all my original, bought in 1982, Pioneer "champagne" series equipment. PL-L800 table, A-9 Amp, F-9 receiver, CT7-R Cassette, RQ-9 Dynamic Processor, SG-9 EQ and HPM-900 Speakers. These were not cheap in 1982! But they were the top stuff from Pioneer back then and still sound amazing today. I've been listening to this system for so long its basically my reference for everything.
I don't know what you paid but it's safe to say you got your money's worth. ♥️🤗 Very nice!
What a wonderful story of your journey! You look for what’s important, being moved by the music. You have a terrific system. You deserve it.
Thank you so much! I appreciate it. ♥️🤗 Take care.
Melinda, I am really impressed the progression you have made in your system. Well done. In just 10 years. It’s a journey most of us have been on. I have a Linn LP 12 for 30 years now and there have been a ton of upgrades available each better than the last; your tonearm and cartridge with the phono preamplier would have added a lot; it must seem like you have a whole new record collection!
Thank you for the kind words. You are absolutely bright. Everything sounds better. ♥️ It took 10 years but I am very grateful for it all. Take care.
I loved hearing about the journey you took. And the fact that you ended up in such a good place with such solid quality equipment makes it all worth it.
Thank you so much! ♥️🤗
Congratulations on your system upgrades! I share your love of music, but my preferred format is SACD. I like regular CDs, records, and even cassette tapes, too. My system has been a work in progress since I was 16. I'm 51 now. I'm finally in a position to make a major improvement. I can't wait!
Thank you. It sounds like you are a fan of many formats which is very cool. I don't have any SACD's but have always been very curious about them . It does take a long time to build a great system but it sure is a lot of fun along the way. Take care.
2 years or so ago, I went searching for a replacement 2 channel amp/pre amp to replace my Anthem AVM30 surround pre amp. I ended up getting a fantastic deal on a MICHI P5/S5 combo. Those showed me how much I need to do a speaker upgrade. The front runners are Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII's, but that's not likely to happen until next year. Glad you enjoy your upgrades. Hopefully your set for a while!
Best of luck on your search for the right speakers. ♥️ I think we are probably set for a while. Thank you and take care.
Thank you for sharing your hifi journey with us! I love your passion for music and living in general. 🙂
Thank you so much! 🤗♥️
Emotiva move didn't make any improvement. That's in your head. Rega wasn't a game changer. It could've add a few percents to the overall performance. MoFi are horrible speakers. An epic fail. SVS are far better speakers. Your room isn't acoustically treated. Imaging is in the production, not in the speakers. Subwoofer is your only true upgrade. Sub is not about "a lot", but about "deeper". Woofers don't play in the sub region and they don't replace subs. "Like being there" is very tacky and has been overused for every useless gimmick. You shouldn't blame speakers for your records sounding just as bad as they are. Emotionally engaging is not in the box you bought. Bob Ludwig made a state of the art remasters of Straits studio albums and they're on CDs. Get those. It's the best release of those albums ever.
So, if someone showed you a recording of a bad day, it could give you goosebumps because it brings back the memories, right?
First time watching your channel. I'm 65 years old now and I've been a collector of vinyl, then when they went out of fashion, collected CD's, then when they fell out of fashion, progressed to storing my entire library of music as flac files on external hard drives. I understand the nostalgic appeal to vinyl, but can't see myself ever going back. The clicks and pops drove me nuts! I have gone strictly electronic and glad I did. Still enjoy music produced from my youth and my parents era, and the quality is outstanding over my current rig. Sometimes you have to go through a few hardware pieces to get the synergy right, but once you do, the emotional connection can be revisited time and again. Listening to music is what brings me great joy and helps to transport me to better times and experiences long past.
I understand what you mean about the clicks and pops. One thing I was careful of when starting my collection was avoiding scratched records when possible. The Dire Straits record was a very early purchase and unfortunately it's pretty noisy. At the same time, the music is gorgeous. I think it's great to have so many choices now. We can listen to great music however we want. ♥️ Thank you and take care.
First time watching the channel too. I am about your age also. My wife wanted a record player. So last Christmas I got her a turntable and we started collecting vinyl. By now we have about 30 of them. The initial novelty wore off and now we listen to Spotify a lot. I too have an extensive CD collection. I have a friend in Boston who listens to records only. His set up is very basic. I think my receiver costs more than his entire set up (record player, amplifier and two bookshelf speakers) I think it is about enjoying music not so much the tech. I got sucked into the upgrade game too but had to stop at some point due to cost. I am totally happy with my system. I have had musician friends comment on how good my system sounds. The records are so expensive these days. the 30 or so records we have purchased so far, far exceed the cost of the basic record player and the Schiit Mani 2 pre amp I bought for better sound.
@@MelindaMurphy- true, avoid scratched pieces and take good care of them... but most importantly RINSE AND CLEAN YOUR VINYLS REGULARLY. Very important.
Absolute perfect philosophy. Music is the thing, sound, not the object.
@@MelindaMurphyit's all part of the experience with having minor pops, clicks. He's wrong. The compression that MP3, digital suffers is unbearable. Nothing can ever truly get rid of it.
I just now found your channel Melinda and am very impressed with your audio journey. And especially the way you articulate your feelings, not only for the music, but also for the experience of the audio equipment. I'm an old guy now , but I still very much enjoy good music and fine audio equipment like I used to have. Oh yes, I did subscribe. All the best from Gene in Tennessee.
Thank you so much. Your kind words really mean a lot. This has been a wonderful journey. Take care. 🤗♥️
Melinda, you continue to inspire us! Thanks for being so open and honest and sharing your journey! Records are addictive, aren’t they?
They sure are. ♥️🤗 Thank you and take care.
,,,,this D.S..album is golden,,,,.. LIONS ,,,,..is my fave,,does the same to me,,,.....way long ago,,,goosebumps😮,,tnx,pat,,land o' lakes,wi...what's your fave on that album??...
Of course Sultans of Swing is awesome but I think the entire album smokes. ♥️ Thank you!
Melinda, I'm so proud of you and your husband. He supports your endeavors, and one of the things that I love is that you are doing this at your pace without pressure. This is how it should be done.
As you upgrade, it is almost a never-ending cycle, but I have always done it at my pace like you have. My last upgrade was a Hana ML moving coil cartridge, which was the icing on the cake and made my hard work worth it.
As you move up, you hear more of what the artist intended, and it brings you more into the music and the emotional impact and the expression that you will now feel will sometimes bring you to tears, if the music puts you into a space if a loved one who is no longer hear, like a parent, relative or very good friend. I bought my cartridge from Music Direct.
The bad thing Melinda is, you will be out shopping for better pressing of albums that you own for the reasons that you mentioned.
That cartridge was my missing link, and yes, I get goose bumps and envelope in the music like never before. I just upgraded my phono stage last year.
Thank you for the kind words. My husband is amazing. He supports me but he also keeps me in check. Stereo Equipment is expensive and it's good to have balance which he helps provide. Lol.
Music can be so moving. ♥️
The cartridge is extremely important. Good for you. ♥️🤗 Thank you and take care.
Audiophile and vinyl connecting are mostly men's world. As a record collector/audiophile since I was at my high school, I admire you, a true woman hero and idol of a record collector. Love to hear you talking about "stereo, the equipment, sonic quality, great finds, and etc". I feel the audiophile world is complete now. Keep going Malisa!
Thank you so much! 🤗♥️
The part when she's talking about shopping for records with her daughter is very relatable because I did it so many times with my own daughter. But you're right, that universe is a man's world, but some women did like that a lot.
My best friend is a budding audiophile and an amazing women.
Apologize to write your name wrong, sorry Melinda. @@MelindaMurphy
@@johnnyz4427 I appreciate that. Don't worry about it. I make little mistakes all of the time. It was no big deal. Have a great day. 😀
Very nice!!! I kinda skipped to the end to see the upgrades lol. A collection like yours deserves a great system!!! :)
Haha! I understand! 🤗 Thank you!
Another really fun video, Melinda! I’m about to go on the stereo upgrade journey myself, and these videos are inspirational. Thanks again!
Have fun! Best wishes to you! ♥️🤗 Thank you and take care!
Love bass and imaging try Spatial Audio Open baffle speakers. Once you hear them there is no going back to a Box speaker, Electrostatics' but on steroids. Sound is live in your room. I grew up on Vinyl then in 1992 I heard a CD player that changed my bias against the CD format, 2,300 CD's I am still enjoying and still buy them, again, I grew up on vinyl, BS that CD sounds bad, they sound like a live mic feed. Now streaming music, now that lacks big time. You're right a system should be about enjoying the songs you play.
I agree. It's about having a connection to music. ♥️🤗 I appreciate the suggestions. I do think I read about them while searching for information on speakers. Thank you and take care.
Rega Aria fantastic and I've heard a lot of good things about those mobile fidelity speakers really highly rated.
so now you hear what I'm talking about when I say the music gave me goosebumps.
For me this happens most of the time when I acquire a record I know really well. And now it is an AP or a MOFI, a really superior sounding record. I think because I'm familiar with the way it's supposed to sound and then this new record is so revealing it's an emotional event. and I love it. That's what HiFi's all about that magic in the music. Thanks Melinda, really enjoyed the video and to hear about your journey. 😊
Thank you so much Ron. I hope you know how much I admire you and your wisdom. The goosebumps are real and they don't lie. 🤗♥️ Thank you and take care.
Go hear again , this time till the end I was made for loving you baby , but only after listening to THE eye in the sky, for the times are a changing indeed, goosebumps , ''wal...'' speakers (you said it not me) and all...Shema!!!.
Thank you! 😀
Thank you so much for sharing your path to sonic bliss. It made me think of all the used gear I had purchased and my path I had to go through as a young person with little funds. So glad you are enjoying your journey through the audiophile world. It has been a huge part of my life and you could even say a small part of a Time Machine. Thank you again! Love your channel
Thank you so much! I love the stereo equipment I have today but I have appreciated the entire journey. Take care. 🤗♥️
I apologize for being late to your channel, but I just wanted to say that I found your video (and journey) very relatable and a lot of fun to experience vicariously through your experience. So glad you found a setup that makes you happy! Great video!
Thank you so much!! 🤗♥️
So happy for you that your system is complete. I own a pair of Klipsch Forte speakers from the
mid 80's that deliver that "goosebump"-inducing sound you describe. I'm also very happy with my Pro-ject turntable and Ortofon 2m Bronze cartridge, connected to a Macintosh Phono preamp. I use a Yamaha receiver and would like to upgrade that piece of the puzzle! But I do get great quality sound as it is. It's exciting when you finally achieve that 'perfect' sound that you and you alone can truly appreciate! I recently replaced all the speakers in my car stereo and I agree with you that the intro to 'Eye In The Sky' is one of my favorite pieces of music to listen to -especially when it plays on Sirius XM in the car. Goosebumps for sure! Take care.
You have an amazing set up. ♥️ That Alan Parsons album is fantastic. Thank you and take care.
Thank You for another Awesome Video . Now that I have found my set up famous last words now I need to change the room as in the place I am staying lol. oh why did you pick up the Kiss album lol ( kidding ) many like them and that is good.
Lol. Kiss isn't for everyone but I grew up loving them. ♥️ Thank you!
Nice upgrade and great journey! I never understood how people can invest sooo much into their vinyl collection and hardly anything into a sub standard audio system that doesn't even give them all the sonic benefits of vinyl. You don't have to spend a lot, just make smart choices, audition gear, know your preferences and your room and placement. What a great story on your journey, when gear speaks to you, you know! Two recommendations I would say to you, upgrade the sub next to a REL, Rythmik or HSU. I like my REL at how well it blends for music. The other is, look at a tube preamp for your phono. That's some next level air, dimensionality, warmth and the benefit of changing out just the tubes to get a different sound. Thanks for sharing, dig the videos and honesty! Take care as well.
Agree on all points. I like Rythmik, once you go servo there's no going back
You are speaking my language. The next upgrade will most likely be a REL subwoofer or two. After that, I may look into a tube preamp. Thank you and take care. ♥️🤗
If you want a great tube preamp I highly recommend the supratek Chardonnay. It is hand built to order from Australia. It literally transformed my system. I had to wait for it but it is immersive and just plain fun. It will raise the goosebumps factor by a factor of ten. Nice turntable. Regas are fantastic. Im using a VPI prime with a audiotechnica art 9. The phono stage is a ps audio stellar. The sound i get from vinyl shocks the uninitiated. Keep spinning!!
Hi there. Greetings from England. I have just stumbled across your channel and subscribed. It is so lovely so listen to someone so passionate about music. Loved this video. Inspiring. ❤
Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. 🤗♥️
The RCA DOG 🐶 😊, i want one of those. Great Video , i have the similar story with my Audio System.
I love Nipper. ♥️ Thank you and take care.
Wow, awesome upgrades, Melinda! Congratulations! The SourcePoint 10’s are really good looking speakers! I haven’t had a chance to hear them yet, but from what I hear, they sound pretty stunning! P.S. I love the old console stereos!
I like their retro style and they sound wonderful. Thank you and take care. ♥️🤗
I have Vinyl albums from the 1960's!
That's very cool! The 60's were full of great music. Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.
Congratulations Melinda, I've heard nothing but great things about that speaker. What a tremendous system you have now!
Wow! Thank you so much! ♥️🤗
I have built my system over almost 40 years. Starting with a Mission Cyrus 1 amplifier. I am now a proud owner of a Naim 260DR/282/Stageline, Teddy Pardo TeddyCap, Kudos X3's/KS-1 speaker cable cable, Topping D90LE working as a Roon endpoint, and a Pink Triangle PT1 turntable/Rega RB300 (Audio Origami upgraded) and a Dynavector 10x5 cartridge. No more upgrades..... planned! Very happy with my current system.
That's awesome. I'm sure it's fantastic. It's great to slowly build and have such a great set up. 😀 Thank you and take care.
This has been a fun journey to watch how your collection and equipment has progressed over time. Enjoy all of the that which your upgrades bring. I sure there may be something else you will upgrade in the future but until then, you and Philip enjoy the music.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. 😀♥️
Such A Splendidly Magnificent Journey Indeed...I Liked That DENON Turntable...
Thank you! 😀
@@MelindaMurphy Ur Quite Welcome...
Melinda yes the front end to me is probably the most important element in a system. Rega makes excellent equipment and I think the speakers are also an area to focus on. Of course amplification plays an important role but I have found the front end (source and pre amp) and back end have always been areas I have focused on.
At some point, I may replace some of the other equipment but as of right now, I'm very happy with how everything sounds. Thank you and take care. 🤗♥️
@@MelindaMurphyyes it's about balancing the whole system and there are many integrated amplifiers that are really excellent. As mentioned it's very tempting to chase the equipment and get distracted from the main point which is enjoying the music.
I agree. Nothing downstream can improve the source.
2 Of MANY Splendid Examples Of LPs That Will Go Great With Ur Speakers: PINK FLOYD/Atom Heart Mother[Especially The Title Track]...And I Heard Some Of This Morning: Former YES Keyboardist : RICK WAKEMAN/The Myths & Legends Of King Author & The Knights Of The Round Table... Quite An Amazing LP I Find...He One Of My 3 Favorite Progressive Rock Keyboardist:
I. Keith Emerson[EMERSON LAKE & PALMER]
II. Rick Wakeman[YES]
III. Richard Wright[PINK FLOYD]
And A 4Th One I Recently Added
IV. Vincent Crane[ATOMIC ROOSTER]...
His Playing Sounds Alot Like Keith Emerson...
I haven't heard Atom Heart Mother with my new stereo equipment yet. That will be fun. Thank you for the suggestions. ♥️🤗
@@MelindaMurphy Oh Indeed It Will...And RICK WAKEMAN/The Myth & Legends Of King Arthur & The Knights Of The Round Table...If U Can Someday Find A Copy Of His 1975 LP...
Hey Melinda, Love your videos, your presentation & all is just great! I Wish my spouse supported me & My Hobby like your spouse does. Yes, now that you have a high end system you have come to the realization that with greater fidelity, comes the amplification of all the snap, crackles & pops! When I Got into this a few years ago as well, my journey was similar to yours, I was not as particular in the condition of the vinyl, but as my system improved, I hated hearing all the artifacts that where not supposed to be there, so I became very persnickety when buying vinyl. I always wonder what the record store employee thinks of that weird guy inspecting all the vinyl when shopping. LOL! I work to hard for my money to buy crappy vinyl! I Do not know about your experience, however, I Have found that at least 25% of the new vinyl that I buy has some kind of defect & I Send it back for a replacement, & there have been times it has taken a couple replacements to get a good one. Very disappointed in some of the manufacturers these days. Anyway, Enjoy that new system, It will serve you well for many years. I do look forward to the day when technology allows us to virtually visit other peoples music rooms, that will be so cool. as for me, I am content with my Vintage gear; 1- Fully restored Kenwood KR9600, Empire Troubadour 596 MKII TT & Technics SL1600 TT, Teac 3300S R2R, Klipsch Forte II's & Klipsch KG4's restored with Crites Cross overs & Titanium tweeters. SPIN ON!
I like the sound of your vintage gear. Some quality stereo equipment. I was a very picky album buyer in the 1970's, having returned many albums back to the Record Store due to warpage or excessive noise. I'm still that way, but it's paid off through the years, as I can still listen to those same albums from the 70's and they still sound great! Even though I partied with them, I was the only one who handled the records, so that helped with their longevity. One thing though, when it comes to listening to music in general, I don't have a problem with noisy old 78rpms from the 20's, 30's, 40's etc. I grew up listening to noisy music, scratchy 45's, barely audible AM Radio stations playing noisy music, etc. Nobody paid much mind to how records were handled back then. I doubt young people today could listen to it, being they have what I call "sanitized ears".
I totally get it Gerold, I remember listening to my parents 45's & Such in the 60's with all the Snap, Crackle & Pop, & That I think began my musical journey. Although I never really was exposed to the 78's, except when my aunt who had a antique victrola would play some of those, & hey, that was High Tech back in the day so it was totally acceptable, sort of like AM radio Still, LOL! God Bless! @@geraldtanderson9044
That console stereo was a focal point when my wife and we’re just dating. It was a Magnavox with great sound. It even had aux inputs, her brother hooked up his cassette player to it. It was fantastic. Being very poor we didn’t go out much, so playing records and playing pinochle was our date night. What great memories. One year before we were married (1975) I bought a Sansui receiver and speaker and a turntable. I still use the receiver and speakers to this day. I actually have two stereos and three turntables that I listen to. Thank you for an enjoyable video.
What great memories! Sitting around listening to records sounds like the perfect date to me. ♥️🤗 Thank you for sharing that with me. Take care.
I love that your husband is supportive of your hobby. If you saw the speakers and tuner I'm running right now you would be rolling laughing and I wouldn't even mind... yet I'm having a great time and upgrades are in process :) Growing up my pops had a Zenith Allegro that looked a lot like your mother's console. That thing had some POWER! Took two big guys to move it tho 😂
I have truly enjoyed all of the stereo equipment (with the exception of that all in one lol) every step of the way. ♥️ I started from humble beginnings and that is part of the fun. I'm so glad to hear you have the same mindset when it comes to this exciting hobby. ♥️🤗 Thank you and take care.
Congratulations Melinda feeling the music IS what it's all about!!!...ENJOY
Melinda , 2 LP suggestions = Jackson Browne's "The Pretender" and Garland Jeffreys "Ghost Writer"
Thank you for the suggestions. I do have The Pretender. ♥️ I will have to look up Ghost Writer. Take care.
one more Melinda - Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around , powerful stuff that one !
Congrats. You also seem like a very nice person.
Thank you very much! 🤗♥️
It really sounds like I'm watching a commercial bought and paid for by Musicdirect & MOFI
truth.
Not even close. They don't even know I made this video. I bought everything myself.
Wow Beautiful system and listening room, Thinking it's time for me to upgrade my turntable. Boy Melinda you sure have come a long way! Big thumbs up! Love that Steppenwolf album as well when you showed the walk-through! Boy what a collection you have! Great choice on speakers!! I love Mofi equipment.
It took only 10 years to get there. Lol. Thank you. I'm so grateful. Thank you and take care.
Well done and always great to hear from female audiophiles
Wow! Thank you! I really appreciate it. ♥️🤗
"Enjoyed that for quite awhile"
for an audiophile! LOL
6 months w/o an upgrade is a long time for us.
Enjoy.
Haha! I hope that's not the case anymore. This is getting expensive. 😀 Thank you!
Exceptional
. You moved me so much. Thats been my life long quest to get equipment for audio like that
Thank you very much. ♥️🤗
I fully agree with you that appearance counts. My listening room is also my living room, so it was also important to me that the speakers and components were visually pleasing as well as performant. I live in an apartment, so size, performance (for the money) and visual appearance were very important factors in choosing my audio equipment as well. I think we all do it in stages the way you did it. Great job!
Thank you and I agree. There is a lot of great stereo equipment that looks and functions great. Thank you and take care.
So exciting to hear you talk about your amazing equipment. I bet it sounds outstanding. How lucky to have that luxury! Music can bring such strong emotion and it's so cool you have equipment to help elevate that feeling. Great video as always Melinda. Enjoy!
I'm very grateful. 🤗 Thank you very much!
Great video Melinda and nice set up. What made a huge difference to my vinyl collection was a cleaning machine. I opted for the Okki Nokki record cleaning machine, which made a huge difference to old and new records. It’s fun to use and brings old records back to life, even reducing some scratching sounds and eliminating static. 👍
I agree completely. Cleaning records is very important. I use a vacuum machine as well as GrooveWasher cleaning products. They make all the difference. ♥️🤗 Thank you and take care.
I just use Dawn dish detergent, warm water and my hands. Works great.
@@Travelair2000 It will look nice on the surface but you need to wash & vacuum the deep grooves in order to reduce noise and bring the audio quality back.
Wow!! Thank you, Melinda, I really enjoyed watching and listening to this video. *Glad you have a great listening room.
Take Care. 🎤🎸🎵🎹🥁
Thank you Dianne! 🤗♥️
Those Speakers Blend In Rather Well~I Find...
They're gorgeous. ♥️🤗
@@MelindaMurphy Indeed...
Basic rule of thumb. Bad recordings on better systems sound better than bad recordings on lesser systems. If a system is making bad recordings sound worse it *might* not be an actual upgrade
The bad sounding records are definitely better with the set up I have today. Unfortunately, they are still bad recordings no matter what I play them on. Such a shame. Thank you and take care.
Totally relate on the goosebumps with that Alan Parsons album. Two others that do that for me are Yes 90125 and The Tubes Outside Inside. When the keyboards kick in on Fantastic Delusion, it gets me every time.
I love that Yes album. ♥️ I'll have to check out that song by The Tubes. Thank you and take care.
Very cool! It’s fun to hear stories of people in the real world talking about their system upgrades. It’s hard to watch some of those videos of big high-fi audio because I watch it and think, “ I could never justify spending that much money to listen to music.” Its great to see people like you talk about great gear that is reasonable and produces great results.
I really appreciate your kind words. Thank you and take care. 🤗♥️
Incredible set up Melinda!It's great when you have a wonderful audio system that makes the albums you play come alive and as you said, gives you goosebumps! I have a copy of "Eye In The Sky" as well and I never tire of its excellence! If I was to choose a favourite track off the album it would have to be "Silence And I" with "Old And Wise" a close 2nd. Staying on the subject of the Alan Parsons Project albums, I would always recommend "The Turn Of A Friendly Card" from 1980 with the title track parts 1 and 2 being my all time favourite APP song! You probably have the album in your vast collection, but if not, it's one I definitely recommend!
I love Old and Wise sung by the amazing Colin Blunstone. I saw The Zombies in concert and he sang that gorgeous song. ♥️ Thank you and take care.
Excellent discussion…I had an Audio Research PH8 (tube phono) that was amazing at details. Music sounded real. Horns were loud and sharp as they should sound in real life. However the pops and clicks it revealed was just too much. It took the fun out of listening to my records. I now have a modwright ph9 (tube phono pre) that is the total opposite. Music sounds soft and lush. No more pops and click. I play all my records with minimal pops and click. But the life in the music is gone. Compromises. I miss the sound of the AR PH8 but I really enjoy actually listening to all my records and not just the ones that sound good through my phono pre.
I understand what you mean. The pops and clicks were very noticeable on that Dire Straits record which is a shame because it otherwise sounds amazing. Thankfully, most of my records are very clean and scratch free. I understand why you made that change and hopefully you are very happy. Thank you and take care.
It is risk verses reward- high fidelity does not always reveal a beautiful sound! It reveals the recording, and when the recording is well recorded it can be amazing. Your upgrades seem purposeful- system building, and I think you made great choices.
Thank you so much! 🤗♥️
Congrats on your upgrades! Taking a playback system to the next level is such a joy. Happy listening. 🙂
Thank you so much! ♥️🤗
Are the drivers concentric in the speakers? Nice,
Though the whole concept behind High Fidelity is the reproduction of what is recorded on the media being reproduced as faithfully as possible, and though your room is quite big, the Sub shouldn't be needed for music stereo, but maybe for action movies.. each to thier own..
Shes got all the catchphrases sussed... tho'
Records have pops and clicks, thats not revealing... thats buying and playing dirty and old records.
Maybe the emo preamp could have stayed, and a record cleaner instead might be helpful.
I've collected audio gear since school, but the whole 'audiophile' title is thrown around everywhere now.
Bloody hipsters lol.. McDonald's will be doing 'happy audiophile meals' soon with a free record. Audiophile 180gram of course...
Saying records are 'badly recorded is .. unusual, though the way they are made has changed. That is where the whole 'warmth' of valves and magnetic tape being spiced by hand comes into it. Buy some old blues like Robert Johnson if you want to hear some really cool 'bad' recordings, maybe..
"....and music; it's just entertainment, folks..." Devin Townsend.
Hi Melinda glad your enjoying your upgrades, I bought the aria some months back and agree it sounds amazing so much insight and dynamics and real. 😊
Definitely! I'm so glad we bought it. Thank you and take care.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I greatly enjoyed it.
Thank you so much! 😀♥️
REGA is a good outfit. I'm looking forward to upgrading to one of their turntables pretty soon. I'm pretty happy with my KEF LS50 Metas for now. I pair them with an older PSB sub - the best value sub out there, IMO. Music: Among many others that elicit an emotional response, the Allman Brothers Mountain Jam from the album Eat A Peach always makes me cry.
I love that Allman Brothers album so much. We named our daughter Melissa so naturally that song hits me in the gut. ♥️ Mountain Jam is great.
It's so good to appreciate what you have until the next upgrade. Staying content is so important in enjoying this hobby and it sounds like that's how you feel about it as well. . Thank you and take care.
Get some acoustic treatment.
You can hear the room in this recording.
Thank you for the suggestion. This room does have a bit of an echo in it. Take care.
It's great to hear a fellow audiophile and music enthusiast's journey, thanks for sharing!
I'm also enjoying reading the stories that many of your subscribers are leaving here in the comments. We are definitely a community, and it's great to share about our experiences!
I took a 30-year break from vinyl collecting when CDs were all the rage. Got back into vinyl in 2015. Got a great starter audiophile system. Started upgrading one component every year or two. Every upgrade has been terrific.
Now I have a P8 with Ania Pro (I'll upgrade to the Apheta 3 next), a worthy integrated amp, and KEF R3 Metas in gorgeous walnut. The system makes my ears soooo happy.
Take care, and see you in the next video!
You have an amazing set up. ♥️ I have also enjoyed reading all of the amazing comments about the vinyl community members stereo equipment. Thank you and take care.
You upgrade your sound system many times, spend money on new euipment to sound better then previous system but never tune room acoustics and correct sound of the room?! Mid sound system sounds better if room is is equalize correct then best sound system in the world inside unadequate equalization room correction. Respect to all your quality equipment but you did not take into account the basics of acoustics at all.
Well done! As a fellow Van Halen fan I recommend "Could This Be Magic" for goosebumps. You probably already know about it, but it is an all acoustic recording including the rain falling in the background. Also, The Police's "Ghost in the Machine" is excellent on vinyl especially if you can find the Abby Road Studios half speed remaster. "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" gets me every time...incredible sound!
I have the record by The Police. It's a wonderful sounding record. ♥️ Could This Be Magic does sound so fantastic on my turntable now. 🥰 Thank you and take care.
Women and children first is my favourite Van Halen album and it sounds great on vinyl
Point source speakers tend to have way superior imaging. With 2-ways, it forms a triangle with the ear, so you can tell where the sound is coming from (marring the image). But with point source, it's just a straight line to the ear, so it's harder to tell where the sound is coming from (and thereby enhancing the image). And combined with great sound quality it causes the goosebumps. I don't believe that conventional 2-ways will do it like point source can. 😅
They do sound very good. I do get goose bumps quite often. Thank you!
Audio magazines are puzzled why there are so few female audiophiles. You conveyed what's important to you without using terms like frequency response, soundstage, imaging, etc. How refreshing. They should tune in to your channel. As for clicks & pops on vintage records, cleaning them helps. More expensive phono cartridges & turntables can play them at lower noise levels. Ironic that $$$ new remastered vinyl requires less $ equipment to play them 🙂
I agree that cleaning records does help tremendously. The scratches on my Dire Straits record sadly can't be cleaned off. It's a great time to be a record collector. 🤗♥️ Thank you and take care.
Congrats on your upgrades. Hope you enjoy them for many years to come. I too am looking to upgrade my turntable and was considering the Rega P8 as well. Thanks for sharing your journey and the personal stories.
I can only say positive things about my Rega P8. I'm very happy with it paired with the Apheta 3 cartridge. Thank you and take care.
Really enjoyed hearing your story man. It's funny how we all upgrade over the years and how far some of us have come with our collections. That was very solid of your husband to give to you that stereo man that was really a cool thing.,✌️🎸
I agree. He's a good man. Thank you Rod! ♥️🤗
Great looking new speakers! And those stands are awesome!
Thank you! I'm glad they made speakers specifically with these speakers in mind. Thank you and take care. ♥️🤗
Wow ! You're sharing so much great information on your choices of recordings and your superb audio system. Thanks !! Very impressive speakers - excellent choices all around.
Thank you so much! ♥️🤗
What a great journey you've been on! Congratulations for your careful choices and the outcome - I get a lot of joy from listening to music in all the standard formats (vinyl, tape cassette, CD, digital stream) and I love hearing from others that clearly do, too! I've recently restored an old Technics direct drive SL1100 (recapped and replacement zener diode) and I'm going back through all my records now. In the last 12 years, I had upgraded my turntable twice, trying to achieve the experience you talk about but I was disappointed until now. Like you, I can now easily hear differences between the LP and the digital versions of albums and identify great and poor masters and pressings. Equally, I can hear poor and great digital masters. I have some Bob Dylan repressings that are very disappointing - I must try the album you recommend (I'm sure I have it)! Thanks, for sharing your thoughts!
I'm surprised that they made disappointing Bob Dylan records. 😳 The one I discussed in this video is the Mobile Fidelity Times They Are A Changin' in mono. Bad pressings are a disappointment. Good equipment can help but can't do miracles. Thank you and take care.