HiFi Update - New Amp: Cambridge Azur 851A
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- A look at the new amp at the heart of my HiFI...and a re-cap of the other components that make up the rest of the system...(this week).
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It really is a breath of fresh air to hear someone talk about audio in this way without any cable discussions or why you need to spend $£,££££ on a DAC because it's more textured or whatever.
Agreed. He didn't even listen before buying, I like his style!
Dude, you absolutely have to use directional speaker cable, but don't plug them in backwards. Once the copper is burned in, they'll only ever sound good when wired up one way. ;)
+KingOfHammer Always listen
Amp: (n) A wire with gain.
The difficult thing about human perception is allowing for the possibility that just because I personally am unable to detect a certain phenomenon, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. I personally can very easily detect the difference in sound quality of various amplifiers, preamps, CD players and speakers, but I am far less able to hear differences in cables and interconnects, so I don't spend very much on those items. That doesn't necessarily mean that higher priced cables and interconnects don't sound better, it just means I can't hear the difference. But I fully believe SOME people can hear the difference these cables make so for them it's a worthwhile investment. I derive ENORMOUS pleasure from high fidelity audio, and I invest quite a bit of my disposable income on my hobby because I truly can appreciate the improvement in sound quality.
I don't criticize others simply because they have a hobby or interest I either don't understand, or don't personally enjoy. I suppose art is a similar example to audio. I rarely "see" the things that the art world sees in a painting or sculpture, but I'm not so stubborn or ignorant to claim those interpretations aren't valid - I just don't have the perception for it.
"For me, an amplifier is just something that makes the sound louder" - you just made me spit out my morning coffee. I love your videos!
watch the Cheapaudioman, he is a coffee lover and funny audio equipments reviewer.
That's a quote from Peter Walker who was the prime mover behind Quad electronics, back in the day.
Yeah, I really thought it was that at first lmao
*Sees Techmoan pulling caps off ends of speaker connectors, revealing holes for banana plugs*
*Rushes to his own Cambridge Audio (much more basic Topaz AM10) amp, does same, takes banana plugs from awkward positions in holes meant for bare wire, and puts them in properly in newly-found banana plug holes*
Thank you! I wish CA had mentioned that little detail in the manual ...
John Hopkin 90% of this comment was superfluous
Ah, I see you went for the full 100%.
I believe there is some sort of EU regulation that basically "outlaws" hifi manufacturers from promoting the use of banana plugs (because they fit into Europlug sockets quite well and vice versa). So they do have to plug the binding posts and are not allowed to give instructions on how to remove them.
@@TronicJohn Another example of EU overly bureaucratic regs
@@mbrenner3629 It's a safety thing that I don't see as "overly bureaucratic" at all.
I hope that silver spray paint was oxygen free paint otherwise it'll ruin the dynamic sound stage polarity.
are you serious
He's taking the piss out of audiophile nuttery.
eLJaybud you can't get sarcasm from text. It depends on the delivery of the voice. I was also honestly asking because I didn't know
It's OK though because he can just reverse the polarity of the neutron flow to compensate.
+Ass Burgers I read that in Jon Pertwee's voice.
Good to see silver brushed aluminum/aluminium stereo equipment is still a thing, regular consumer level stuff seems to favor black brushed finishes these days. Black is nice enough, but silver pops, it's more eye candy :D
Hi. I know it's three years later to reply to your comment. Black is nice so you can see more of the displays of pretty lights. Of course there aren't too many this day and age of electronic equipment.
A tip for anyone that is reorganizing their wiring and desires to label it:
Use different colors, and color combinations, of zip ties on the wires at both ends and keep an list of what color each piece of equipment is. They don't fall off, they don't get sticky, you can fish the wires around without the labels snagging on things, and you'll be able to identify each piece of gear (from either end of it's connection run) at a glance.
I've been setting my stuff up that way for about 10 years now and it's far and away the best thing I've tried. No complaints.
thats a good idea. i been using colored insulating tape till now.
That's how I do network cabling, and my pc cabling. For messy networks or ones with lots of the same color cable I made a chart, where different colors were for different areas and the number of ties identified the specific cable.
nexgenhippy
I've found that tape turns into a sticky mess after a few years. Zip ties appear to be for life (so far).
yeah i found the same problem too, cool solution, thanks.
Jesse
LOL... I did the same exact thing when I ran the Cat 6 all over my house. Every cable is marked with zip ties about every 4' and at the wall plates so if I ever need to pull one and replace it I know exactly what it is and where it goes.
----
nexgenhippy I hope it works out for you.
Perfect Saturday morning viewing with my coffee. 👍
Exactly the same thing happening here!
Tea, please.
..... and here!
+Rubus Roo tea will also do 😀
+1
I have anxiety and your voice always calms me down and I get to learn about new stuff. I like to learn about something new every day.
You should check out ASMR then (search UA-cam for it)
you should try +bigclivedotcom his voice is very calming and he makes great videos about taking apart and modifying electronics
I've tried ASMR and a lot of people made it into some weird fetish. Not into that garbage.
SmarterEveryDay is what you seek ;)
He is just so calm and well spoken. He cares about his video quality, everything is top notch. That's why we like his channel. He has old school quality about him.
I wonder why the designers of modern HiFi gear like to use such minuscule buttons despite all the space available on the faceplate. Doesn't really make pressing them any easier, and it also looks kind of odd to me.
I assume it is because you are meant to use the remote more. No need to get up from your chair to change source or fiddle with the amp.
@@stressballer Then make it real like the "Roku Soundbridge": Not a single button!
@@stressballer So you put a record on the turntable, and then "Oh shit, I have to get the remote", then you look like a weirdo turning on your amp with the remote from 2" away from the thing because you can't see the tiny buttons in the dark and the light switch is several states away
Or they could just make bigger buttons
"If you think that bass and treble are the devil's work" I laughed out loud!!
Man, what a relief it must be not to have to remember what source is what, regarding the labeling.
Great video! Fantastic setup!
Vinyl Eyezz!
Looks like a great unit apart from those ultra cheap plastic bass and treble buttons. But they get top marks for using the bass and treble cleffs on the display as indicators for those buttons!
So, at 1:40, I remembered that the previous inhabitant of my apartment had left what I thought was an old FM tuner behind. I go check, and lo and behold, it's a Pioneer SX-1980. It's in rough shape, and will need some TLC, but what a find. I will add that it is a seriously heavy bit of kit!
IT WORKS! It could probably use new caps (heh heh), but all bulbs, both tuners, all the inputs, and all speaker connections work beautifully!
Holy Cow!
That is one helluva find! I had to look up the specs on the thing and it's incredible. That and the way it looks too. I've never seen so many buttons and things to flip or turn. I'm perfectly happy with the setup I currently have and have had since 1986, but that SX-1980 ... just reading about it and seeing it ... I want one! Maybe even two :-)
It honestly looks a lot simpler than it is, it’s an amazing device! I want one. I currently own a Denon and a NAD, both amazing.
Every time I watch one of your HiFi videos I want to build my own system. Never could afford components in my younger days. But there are plenty of Goodwill stores around me. But the problems remain the same. Time, money & space. So much for growing up.
Had a Cambridge 651A Azur Amp for quite a few years it’s been a fantastic amplifier.
Ah, what a satisfying and fun video. I feel like you're living out my audiophile dreams for me, without me having to buy anything. It's just very nice to watch and see all of your things -very gratifying.
I used to use colored duck tape to mark and label cables with. However, it tended to eventually lose its adhesion and left very sticky residue along the cable. I now use what I call "art tape", a white strong paper tape that is folded into a bit of a flag shape, cut neatly with scissors, and labeled with a fine tip permanent marker. At $10 a roll, US, it is a bit pricey, but it actually lasts quite a long time. You have inspired me to do a Hi-Fi run down of my 1970s Hi-Fi gear, still in use all these years. One of my faves, is a Realistic EQ, #31-2000, with Zero Gain controls, and a 3 LED meter per gain control. Thanks for your wonderful videos!
I've got an old Cambridge A1 knocking around somewhere and it's amusing to see that they still use the same style of box and little cloth bag all these years later :)
Your HiFi system is about exactly what I'd like mine to be one day. Amazing!
Love the fact that you have the track from “Nuns on the run” on your DCC. One of my favourite films.
Great video. And even better comments! It's fun to read the comments from the audiosnobs who just don't understand that it's a hobby :-)
I've been into audio my whole life and I completely understand where some of these people are coming from. You can learn to hear very minute details and some people enjoy the 'hot-rodding' aspect of getting the maximum out of their system. Nothing wrong with that at all. What tends to happen is that people can become snobby and take more pleasure in deriding than educating, and some people don't want to take it any further than having components as a sort of grown-up playground and that's fine too. What usually moves people from one camp to the other is when they hear a really stellar sound system and wonder, "why doesn't mine sound like this?"
I can hear that this sounds bloody good, even over UA-cam, you're a lucky man! My system is built around a Kenwood KR-V5570 with a Wharfedale CD901, JBL Control 1's as the top speakers, B&W DM601S2's as the bass speakers and a Technics SL-J110R turntable. Although it sounds like a nightmare it has got to be one of the clearest sounding systems I have ever heard and the detail when playing vinyl is ridiculous!
Yeah for Techmoan. Simple "Honest ABE" terminology without over the top BS discriptional words defining the sound heard while reviewing components reviewed in most audio magazines. Thank goodness for that!
Dear Techmoan, please make even more videos. Sincerely, the Public.
Got this 2nd hand for 500$. One of my best purchase so far, sound clean (quite neutral, not warm not bright) with punchy bass, plenty of power
I like your attitude for audio, just get something nice you can afford with a somewhat educated guess and enjoy it for what it is. That's the way to go, no fanboyism or audiophile sorcery attached.
Thank you, it just goes to show you can enjoy a well made video, even if you understand almost none of it.
I have this amp and the matching 8 series CD player my remote looks the same however it's silver metal rather than black. I hated how it sounded when I got it home, despite being 120 watts per channel into 8 ohms it sounded flat, lifeless and underpowered. The speakers are Monitor Audio GS10, so nothing hard to drive. (Ritcher sounds even changed it for another one, however it was still the same). I stuck with it for years as it cost sooooo much but i was never really happy with it. Recently I purchased a Denon PMA 600ne which is only 45wpc, sounds absolutely amazing and a third of the price. Makes the Monitor Audios really sing. Glad you like yours and you are pleased with it, the world would be a boring place if we liked all the same stuff. Loving the channel which i discovered recently, and just going through some of your older stuff, thank you for posting.
I can certainly sympathize with Mrs Techmoan's problems selecting audio sources. Some years ago I had my mother living with me for a while, and I wound up creating an instruction /booklet/ for her, listing all the steps required to select a particular input, and even including "troubleshooting" information -- like, "help, I did all that, but I still don't have any sound". Went through several iterations before all the kinks were ironed out. Unlike your setup, though, I wasn't chopping and changing things all the time, so it was a reasonable investment of effort... certainly much better than having to do it for her, and of course it worked when I was out or asleep. =3
@ the age of 55 i see all the things I knew when I was much younger. Really like this. Kind greetings from the Netherlands.
I love this channel! It really transports me back in time to watch him "review" and discuss these relics of a bygone era. Some of them I owned, many of them I repaired in my days of hifi and tv repair. Boy I remember longing for an Sony El-cassette when I was in high school! I've always had an affection for vintage electronics, especially reel to reel decks and high end amps.
watching your retro tech videos has planted the bug in me to build up my own little system. keep up the great videos and I'll keep watching.
I love your anti-audiophile nonsense hifi reviews :)
Hi why cant you consider the legendary MARANTZ..
Nice amp and neat setup! Seems that you can listen to music on almost any format ever made. Very impressive indeed!
Thanks, I use to do what you are doing with your HI/FI, God the money and time I spent. Now just into computers and my ears just don't work, so that has taken the fun out of it all. I miss being so miss it all, but life is what it is, sadly. Thanks for the video.
at 20 second mark I almost wish I could go back to my youth in the early eighties. Thank you!
Good to see some Cambridge Audio love.
I've got an A100 amp that needs to be used more.
Works really well with wooden floorboards. Yes, it does.
I love vintage hifi equipment. I have a Yamaha A-1020 that has been completely gone through. I love the way it sounds. This being said: your Cambridge Audio amp is amazing!!! The Polk speakers are really nice too. I have a set of Polk Monitor 7 (from 1989) that have also been completely refreshed. Polk is an often overlooked brand, especially in Europe. Which is sad as their products are actually quite good.
Absolutely gorgeous setup! Recently got into vintage audio equipment myself, based solely on one thing: I can afford it now! Though, your videos inspired me to finally get of my lazy ass and invest some disposable income into this passion of mine. I much prefer the look and feel and (dare I say!) sound of oldish equipment. Am the proud owner of two vintage amps, three turntables (two of which are old, one which is fairly new), a tapedeck, cdplayer, tuner and, of course, oldish speakers.
Keep the vids coming. I find them very inspiring and really fun!
It's very heartwarming to see you can actually haul-off and play an 8-Track Cartridge on your Stereo anytime you want, just for fun. Very eclectic indeed! Love the new amp too, it's really nice.
The upside down text is amazing. Although I have learned to read upside down, I appreciate such attention to detail.
I am an old guy and loved the old vintage equipment but I just can not see using old technology these days. The industry has finally put together equipment that runs on a single HDMI cable (audio & video) to make things a lot easer for all of us. Today's Head units can control all the inputs and settings automatically with one touch of a button. That to me is worth the price of admission. It is fun to watch your posts and remember the tribulations of the old days.
In some cases, Old equipment is far better.. A bit more effort is involved but the outcome is more pleasing.
Because they don't make them like they used to, Everything has been simplified with technology but the dedication that used to go into every part of a process has long gone.
+helenHTID
I do agree.
Helen -- not at all true. Not even REMOTELY true.
+helenHTID I think it's important to remember that no matter what the era the price point is usually the deciding factor in quality. All that great audio equipment from the 1970's was VERY EXPENSIVE back then! Sure, a lot of it can be had today at an incredible bargain, but that doesn't mean it didn't originally cost an arm and a leg! If you're willing to pony up big dollars today you can get equipment of the same quality (and almost always better sounding) as that great stuff from the '70's. But I have to admit even the best stuff made today doesn't LOOK or FEEL as good as the best vintage audio.
Had a JVC 70’s amp, brother had pioneer through the 90’s, and Cyrus set up £8k, sold it. Now I have Cambridge Audio, and I have to say I absolutely love it.
Please will you do an updated HiFi component system tour? It's been 5 years and I've had a glance at some components you've switched out and have never reviewed. It sure would be nice for your subscribers to see what you have in your current setup. Thank you for the superb content as always!
Great video again. It's really nice to see that manufacturers are understanding that many of us use a vast and wide range of different things to our inputs. I'm one of those types that has a great respect for the vintage receivers (I own two Pioneer SX-828's, they were top of the line Pioneer in the early 70's), but I also own a Pioneer Elite VSX-50 modern Home Theater receiver, and honestly, it's just a lot better to use for me.
I'd have to say the reason why this receiver/amp does not contain a phono pre amp is one of the main reasons you bought it: You already have a very high quality phono pre amp, and this allows you to use that amp, and change it out as you wish with out changing the main amp. I feel that most high end audio will now be like this as most hifi fans want to change out components quite often.
Anyway, enjoy and thanks for showing us all the cool stuff!
Man that is a beautiful hifi setup! This was 7 years ago, I wonder what it looks like now... I tend to go opposite with the finishes, pretty much all my components are black. I've got JBL speakers, Technics linear tracker, Nakamichi cassette deck, Sony CD player, Yamaha preamp and a Sony amp. Super basic, but it sounds amazing!
It is so nice that you keep the Tefifon in your setup. It is my favourite piece of retro-tech you reviewed.
I liked having the music in the background. It made it more interesting.(I would like it in your other videos! Just an Idea!!)
UA-cam has changed some policies for playing music?
youtube has a library of music that can be used royalty free
Just found your UA-cam page......omg it brings back memories from my youth! The strangest CD Player I had was the Kyocera DA-01, I had that for 15 years until the door wouldn't swing open any more. These days I don't have much except a pair of ADS L780's that are in storage; I won't get rid of them but my apartment is too small to use them right now.
I love how the tefifon has it's own dedicated spot in your hifi!
Get yourself a mcru no75 power cable for it with a mcru superfuse. Difference is night and day as it. Completely opens it up! I have this same amp along with x2 ca 851w poweramps and ca upsampling dac. Stunning kit.
Enjoy
I've been watching your videos for a few months now, and I have to say, I love how informative and detailed your videos are. Very inspiring stuff, Techmoan!
when i was a teen i saw a pioneer sx1980 at a resale shop for 55 bucks thought it looked cheezy so i passed on it then realized later what i had passed up and felt like crap
I do that shit all the time my guy
I have same amp, bought it from ebay for £800. Using it with 851W power amp, I like Cambridge audio. Good video.
THANK YOU. I was looking for exactly the same thing. I wanted numerous inputs - which were label programmable and a processor loop for my EQ. You did the research before I got around to it. I'll have to look for one at a decent price now. Again, my gratitude!!!
I always find that listening with headphones is a better way to tell how good something sounds. But, when I changed from my old Pioneer Home Theater receiver to my new Denon the difference was day and night. My speakers were custom made by my friends at the Speaker shop, and they are incredibly flat and accurate. They're almost as good as headphones! Anyway, it's hard to describe the difference between the two amps. They spec out very similar, but when you play through them the Denon is much more detailed. The bass isn't as muddy and the highs are open and airy. Someone else would describe them differently I'm sure, and the guys who write them up in the magazines will have their own language as well. The main thing is that you like the sound and it works well for your need. Thanks!
Love your videos , Informative and not boring , i am trying to repair a old 31 band Eq to add to my hifi
Loved the part when you talked about the sound quality. Completely agree with you, some have to learn a plethora of adjectives and superlatives to only to say "yes I like it" or "no I don't like it"
I scotch tape (or cellophane tape) a cut open plastic baggie and cover the remote so the buttons stay clean and the remote stays nice and not grungy. Works fine, lasts years, and easy to replace. Dont cover the battery compartment.
My Hi-Fi will never be as good as yours. Keep up the amazing work
Nice, Mat! :D
I had a similar problem a few years ago, I had a games console, Freeview box, HD recorder, media player, television AND projector, and no real way of swapping between those.
I ended up building a switcher box using parts from Maplin, including two multi pole switches, and drew up a front panel label on the computer which I printed out, laminated, then stuck on. Worked an absolute treat! Twenty quid worth of parts, or there abouts.
11:22 Bit of a typo there. But otherwise a very good video. Lots of good, reliable plain English information there, and for that I applaud you Techmoan.
Your no-nonsense style is refreshing, even though I myself do like to tweak my system to maximise the sound quality! I really don't understand the inverse snobbery of most of the commenters on here. Folks like me enjoy extracting the maximum quality and detail from a recording because for me it reveals more of the music which makes the listening experience more engaging. Others simply enjoy owning and using hifi equipment - old or new.
I like your channel because I caught the hifi bug a long time ago and enjoy seeing equipment from the 'golden age' of hifi - plus the obvious pleasure you get from owning, renovating and using this stuff is infectious. If I want more info about how the sound quality of this stuff compares to the latest hifi gear, I can find that elsewhere on UA-cam and the internet.
I agree with you about the inverse snobbery of those people who think it's sacrilege to even touch any of the tonal controls on an amplifier. I'm often enhancing my sound with tone controls and heck, I even have an old school Technics Graphic Equaliser hooked up as well. It's all about enhancing the music to suit your own ears and your listening environment. I'm not really one of these audiophiles but I do like good quality equipment but I'll be fucked if I'm going to leave the knobs and switches at zero just because the snobs think that's the right thing to do.
Nice amp, and thanks for the round up at the end. You're spot on with your comment about the sound of the amp - a good quality amplifier shouldn't be colouring the sound in any way, so shouldn't 'sound' any different to another one of similar specification played at the same volume.
I've has my little Kenwood KA-56 amp for about 30 years, still going strong and wouldn't part with it for the world. :-)
You have really a nice stereo with very interesting devices. I like it, especially you combined old and new devices in an experienced way.
I knew that you would review this amp one day,keep it up! Your videos are fun to watch as a fun lecture about various stuff.Good work.
I don't really understand your obsession with VU meters, but man am I jealous of your setup
What a steal the Cambridge was , I'm impressed !.
Nice components and Polk Audio IMO make some of the best speakers money can buy. Very full and rich sound. I'm going back to Polk next time around.
What a great setup. And remarkably pragmatic. If were still into this audio hobby, this would be the setup i'd go for.
"if it works it'll solve all my problems". Does that include your wife discovering you've still spent £100s on it ;-)
Shhhh, she will be fine as long as she gets to press the button and it works.
It obviously fell off a truck and he just happened to be there to pick it up. *wink*
It's more like: If it solves her problems(with the system), it will solve his biggest problem(her being not happy with the system)
J-man72 b happy wife = happy life!
Practicality is always important. I like that, tape play because it looks cool. That is why I have vintage computers on display in my room, because they look cool, wish I had enough room to have them all on display.
Awesome set up. Now that I'm a family man and ALL my cassettes were dumped by my family during our move, my set up is pretty sparse. The big use is that my kids plug their digital devices into the amp and play their music that way.
I was wondering when you would show it to us when I had seen it in the previous video. : ) Inspiring!
Superb video as usual, I came across your stuff around a year ago and have been an avid watcher ever since. Always enjoy all your content it is well put together, informative and often funny. I also like how you are fairly local to me somewhere around the Northwest.
Keep up the good work!
Argh my OCD just kicked in looking at all the wires.. Had to open and close a door 20 times before I could leave the room! I like minimalism in newer hifi equipment but there's something about lit vu metres that's pleasing to the soul.
Man, I wish I could hang out at your place for an afternoon while you show off all the components of your hi-fi system, playing various songs and albums (which are unable to be shown on UA-cam for content restriction purposes).
This reminds me of something i read about a Krell KSA300 (or KSA250, not sure anymore). Basically it was: Make sure the speaker terminals are not shorting to the case. The amp will happily drive the case as a load, resulting in damage to the case. Just found that fun. That Krell amp, from what i read, will drive a dead short all day long, without much of a fuss..
I want an amp with "Tefifon" as an option.
Nostalgia Nerd lol
I want Tefifon 1 - Tefifon 2 - Tefifon 3 (So far, I only found "Tefifun", it was rubbish)
Is Techmoan the Tefifon Don?
@@nobbynoris yes ....
i know I'm kinda off topic but do anyone know of a good place to watch new tv shows online ?
I like your system, lots of cool retro components that you actually use. I've had great luck with Cambridge Audio, started with their low price phono preamp many years ago.
you inspired me to upgrade my hifi system with some "retro" stuff aswell... im now rocking a Technics SE-A 909 and its pretty great
Hi Matt nice amp and hi fi ! good buy at half price, I am sill using my amp I bought 40 years ago for £117 a Rotel RA714 with the alloy front now polished to chrome Finnish it is very cool ! Cheers stef
Great UA-cam channel. Well done. You and Nostalgia Nerd are getting me through this lockdown. Thankyou!
I've been using Cambridge Audio's low profile Azur 340A for a couple of years. Bought it second-hand, I've really liked it and suits my needs perfectly. I've only heard good things about Cambridge Audio in general.
Fantastic setup there, I'd love to hear it in person!
I hope it gives you many hours of listening pleasure with the minimum of fuss.
I've listened to Cambridge Audio products before and quite liked them. I like the look of the amp, very clean and simple. My brother has (or had) a beautiful California Audio Labs CD player, but has since ripped his entire CD collection to either AACs or F/LAC files and plays them through a Logitech Squeezebox from a dedicated PC in his basement. He has a wonderful old Harmon Kardon 70 watt integrated amplifier and a pair of Mordant-Short bookshelf speakers in the living room and that's more than enough to fill the entire main floor with sound. He also streams audio through his Apple TV in the TV room, which has the same effect, though through a newer Yamaha receiver. (To be honest, not sure if he uses the Squeezebox anymore, he may have replaced it all with the Apple TV unit).
Thanks for the info (I was one of those who asked about your new amp on a previous video).
Great video as always.
Cute, that Tefifon between all those shiny items.
The Cambridge Azur 851A is a great Integrated amp I have a Black one. I got it because of the 2 XLR input one I use for phono stage a Whest PS3R Balance output and other from RME ADI-2 Pro ADC/DAC Balance out.For the money it is a great sounding integrated amp.Just what low cost audiophile needs.
@9:05: that's the best I've heard someone say. No "how great the sound is" BS. Awesome!
If you wanted to use those balanced XLRs with an unbalanced line level signal get a stereo DI (Direct Injection Box. It's a balancing transformer with ~1 to 29 - input to output ratio. Preferably a passive one that dose not require a 9V or Phantom Power or a power source). The DI will also have a ground lift option so you can remove a ground loop - if you ever have a problem with a ground loop (also called an earth loop.).
I do find it quite refreshing that you're not able to wax lyrical about the "mid-range" or the "dimensions of the sound-stage"...and that you readily admit to buying components because they look good and will fit into a particular space...because that about sums up my level of audiophilia, too!
As a youngster interested in audio I loved the magazine Stereo Review because it was the perfect mix of some technical science and the simply layman's quest of affordable and easy to use hi-fi. I feel your reviews are even better because they eschew the highly scientific technical stuff in lieu of does it good sound and is it easy to use. I'd like to see a future review of the Bluesound Node 2i streamer...mayber versus the Sony unit you normally use. The Node 2i seems to be the biggest bang for the buck in streamers even competing with those costing up to 10 times it's humble price.
I love the way he makes his videos. He puts a lot of effort into them and makes them really interesting.
It's a great amp I owned one for 2 years before a swap to the marantz reference good choice 👍
Would love to see a set of videos about 19" rack mount equipment. I've always loved the look of a rack case full of black equipment.
Wife an I at the electronic store. The guy is telling me why I have to spend all this money for special cables, wires this center speaker instead of the ones my wife and I listen to and liked. I pulled my hearing aide out of my ear and explained I can't hear anything any better then these will reproduce. The speakers we picked will be fine. Walked out spending 1/3 of what he wanted us to spend. To top it off when I installed it all the wife watched a move and she said " that sound really cool'. What more could I want.