Coming out of the blackhole called work...retirement


Hello All

I have just retired and emerged from the mud of work that encompasses everything and acts light a blackhole for hobbies and enjoyment. Now that I am seeing some light I want to upgrade my 70's something stereo to something I can really enjoy. I read in a post from long ago about a preamplifier called a George Lightspeed. It was Australian, quality sound according to the posts and cheap. Is this something I want to consider or must I look at products in the thousands or 10's of? 

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There is no way you can meaningfully spend such big money and hope to just enjoy good sound. The problem as some have already said is the room. It is too small for full range reproduction and great dynamics, and it is square with a ceiling height that is about half the other dimensions. The biggest issue will be room modes that will give you a terribly boomy bass. So either do something about the room’s dimensions if you still can (or listen in another room) or design your audio system around the problems of the room.
In case of the latter:
1 choose dipole speakers without too much bass extension. Dipoles produce far fewer room modes. My personal favourites would be the Quad 28012 electrostats for the best that money can buy (and well within your budget).
2 use multiple small subwoofers to extend the response in the lower frequencies, but not too far down, and perhaps preferably dipole subwoofers like the Rythmik kits. See here for explanation: http://www.acousticfrontiers.com/20101029using-multiple-subwoofers-to-improve-bass-the-welti-devanti...
3 perhaps use some bass traps and other room treatments, to the extent that you can live with them esthetically.
4 use a high end pre amplifier/DAC with room equalization to control both main speakers and the subs. My suggestion would be the DSpeaker Antimode X4 that will equalize both the main speakers and the subwoofers.

In addition you will also need a power amplifier. My suggestion would be the Quad QMP monoblocks for balanced inputs and a perfect match with the speakers (there are many affordable alternatives, although electrostats are not the easiest load so why make life difficult for yourself). For source material I am all in favour of an all digital system for superior sound quality and convenience. A multiformat player from Oppo will be excellent and allows you to play movies as well (just add a nice tv screen and you can watch opera rather than just listen to it). Streaming from the likes of Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz has also become a very convenient source for unlimited access to huge high quality music libraries or internet radio (by now equal or superior to FM radio). Sonos, Apple Airport Express and Chromecast Audio are convenient implementations, but so are more flexible mini computers like the mac mini, an Intel NUC or the Raspberry Pi. Why not digitize from your lp collection what is not available from a streaming service, and store it on a local hard drive?

WOW! Thank you all for your best wishes in retirement. It feels good to sleep in, well not having to get up at a certain time anyway.

For a couple of you commenting on my car, AMG are my initials. I wish I COULD own an AMG! I'll settle for a nice stereo system.

I will be perusing magazines, shops, forums absorbing from the learned. Mine you I spent half a day reading a topic on TC and Graphene. Apart from the overboard sledging (I am an Aussie), the technology is fascinating.

One to more forum subjects.... Adrian

Get a subscription to Stereophile and The Absolute Sound! I can also recommend the British mags HiFi News and HiFi World! Quality reporting and writing!
AMG, that's why you want to do DIY !

Who else is going to make an arm-board out of graphene film on a nickel matrix?