LATEST Piece of Gear in Your Stack - What is it?

GOS said:

wow! Sorry Adam. I'm always amazed when I hear folks with stuff blowing up, or burning out or whatever. I am firmly KNOCKING ON WOOD HERE...but in all my life...and I'm 53...I've never had an AVR fail me in any way. Ever...nada...nothing. Usually I just replace them when I want new features or maybe out of boredom. Heck, my current AVR is a refurbish and it's rock solid. I realize, that now I've posted this that mine will likely grow wings and fly out the window while I'm asleep tonight....

:violin

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ah well Gene its no real biggy, just a 1st world problem for a boy and his toy, just mildly frustrating to have a shiny new defective toy.. I wish you continued good luck with these gizmos and no nocturnal electronic escapees either!

still no more receivers for me after this experience, thinking about it I don't need one really anyway I do just about everything of an audio visual nature on the computer these days so that's become the nerve centre for it all (and most of that is MultiCh music) so things like video switching for different sources isn't the necessity it once was, the only things I'd be missing are EQ/room setup and any processing of HD audio codecs the computer can't do (though I'm sure I could get the computer to do it all, I haven't looked into it yet) and I've coped without all that for 2 months since the HDMI went tits up on the 651r (can you believe you can't use the Component video on the 651r AVR unless the HDMI out is functioning? if it is possible I cant make it happen.. even my last Yammy - RIP - would allow me to do Component video when the HDMI started going to pot, then everything else started to go wrong so it became of little consequence.. haha.. fuckinloadashitmachinery! )

Neil Palfreyman said:

I've been using a 551R for over 3 years, mainly because it'd the only AVR I could find with analogue inputs. I love it to bits, but mine has intermittent hdmi problems. Every now and again the hdmi just stops synchronising on all inputs. It's been back to the shop (Richer Sounds) and back to be serviced but it still happens. It's a gem of an amp but, sadly, a flawed gem.

Do me a favour, Adam, and keep me informed on your thinking wrt alternatives.

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oh don't get me wrong Neil, it sounds great.. I could live with the lack of HDMI etc if the Centre channel was working (for now I'm using one of the spare Surround Back channels as the Centre.. but I've got cold feet now, how long before that channel conks out too, though it may hold up for the foreseeable, bah.. I dunno..! )

will do

right now I'm thinking to save up some pennies and get a Meridian HDMI Processor together with an HDMI>7.1 Analogue converter box for the old Quad stuff and then either 5 of these old power amps Marantz MA700 THX Monoblock or something similar..

Neil Palfreyman said:

...btw, Adam, if you can't fix it can I have it for spares? Will pick up or pay postage.

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will keep you abreast

fredblue said:

right now I'm thinking to save up some pennies and get a Meridian HDMI Processor together with an HDMI>7.1 Analogue converter box for the old Quad stuff and then either 5 of these old power amps Marantz MA700 THX Monoblock or something similar..

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Alfie Lord Tennyson Blue GOES SEPARATES. Swingin' England will never be quite the same. :banana:

Be prepared to be AMAZED!:yikes

I recently upgraded my front towers to Bowers and Wilkins CM-10's. I also ebay bought a Bowers and Wilkins HTM-61 center channel. My surrounds are B&W as well.

I now understand the advantage of having all speakers in your system voiced closely to each other. The system is really sounding amazing.

Another unexpected result is that using Dolby Digital or DTS Neo 6 on well mastered stereo recordings sounds realy good, where previously it was meh.

My Panasonic Plasma finally copped out so I'm replacing it with a 55" LG OLED curved 3D ready panel (it's for the bedroom). I'm also taking out a 5 year extended warranty as I remember Simon A commenting that his LG Flatscreen crapped out after 2 years (my plasma lasted me 6).

AFAIK, only LG is currently manufacturing OLED flatscreens.......but I could be wrong.

4-earredwonder said:

My Panasonic Plasma finally copped out so I'm replacing it with a 55" LG OLED curved 3D ready panel (it's for the bedroom). I'm also taking out a 5 year extended warranty as I remember Simon A commenting that his LG Flatscreen crapped out after 2 years (my plasma lasted me 6).

AFAIK, only LG is currently manufacturing OLED flatscreens.......but I could be wrong.

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Awesome....

Ahem...I mean...awesome that you're getting new gear! I'd love to hear what you think of the OLed panel....

GOS said:

Awesome....

Ahem...I mean...awesome that you're getting new gear! I'd love to hear what you think of the OLed panel....

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Thanks, buddy. Now, all I need is a 4K player (like the OPPO). Samsung 4K players are now under $200 at Amazon but I still believe in the power of the OPPO.:banana:

4-earredwonder said:

Thanks, buddy. Now, all I need is a 4K player (like the OPPO). Samsung 4K players are now under $200 at Amazon but I still believe in the power of the OPPO.:banana:

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Oh me too. If I get a 4k player...it will most certainly be OPPO

GOS said:

Awesome....

Ahem...I mean...awesome that you're getting new gear! I'd love to hear what you think of the OLed panel....

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Just got the LG Curved OLED 55" panel hooked up and running........What can I say: SURREAL. I have to hook up my OPPO 3D BDP~95 player to assess the 3Dness. What I couldn't believe are the new 3D glasses......just like regular glasses...VERY lightweight.....not those obscenely bulky goggles that had to be recharged.

The blacks are INKY BLACK and I suppose there's a break in period.

Now all I have to do is hook it up to the internet with the built in WiFi (FORGOT my passcode.....guess I am getting OLD).

Will keep you informed. Cost me about $2500 w/a five year service contract. The list was $4K.:yikes

4-earredwonder said:

Just got the LG Curved OLED 55" panel hooked up and running........What can I say: SURREAL. I have to hook up my OPPO 3D BDP~95 player to assess the 3Dness. What I couldn't believe are the new 3D glasses......just like regular glasses...VERY lightweight.....not those obscenely bulky goggles that had to be recharged.

The blacks are INKY BLACK and I suppose there's a break in period.

Now all I have to do is hook it up to the internet with the built in WiFi (FORGOT my passcode.....guess I am getting OLD).

Will keep you informed. Cost me about $2500 w/a five year service contract. The list was $4K.:yikes

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That's exciting! Yes, the 3D glasses these days are just plastic and lightweight. I have a couple pair....haven't used them in a while...but it's fun sometimes.

Grundig CD4 Quadro

fredblue said:

Grundig CD4 Quadro

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It's absolutely adorable and as Adam quipped "should alleviate Mein Furor over former CD~4 anomalies." DIG it!:banana:

4-earredwonder said:

It's absolutely adorable and as Adam quipped "should alleviate Mein Furor over former CD~4 anomalies." DIG it!:banana:

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haha.. love your enthusiasm, Ralph.. :upthumb
(fingers crossed its not a paperweight with lights.. )

fredblue said:

haha.. love your enthusiasm, Ralph.. :upthumb
(fingers crossed its not a paperweight with lights.. )

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The NEW Adam~Blue 'Manifesto' regarding CD~4 demodulators:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSGXe-x-E9g

4-earredwonder said:

The NEW Adam~Blue 'Manifesto' regarding CD~4 demodulators:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSGXe-x-E9g

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Awesome Ralph.

fredblue said:

Grundig CD4 Quadro

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Cool looking piece of quad equipment. Looks like an efficient device.Hopefully it's an improvement or at least on par with the better demodulators !




:friday:


:51banana:

fizzywiggs41 said:

Cool looking piece of quad equipment. Looks like an efficient device.Hopefully it's an improvement or at least on par with the better demodulators !




:friday:


:51banana:

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thanks Fizzy, we shall see how it shapes up in the fulness of tiiiiime!

briefly, I'm keeping an eye out for a Technics, Pioneer, Pansonic or Marantz demodulator for sale in the UK/Europe (basically anything that's not a JVC) and this cute little weirdo came up on eBay..
it looked kind of interesting/unusual.. and cheaper than either of the 2 JVCs I picked up last year.. nobody went for it, so when it got relisted I thought its obviously not a hot item but I'll look into it, see if there's anything online about it, for fits and giggles as much as anything.. not a lot's been said about it over the years and most of it (unsurprisingly) has been in German.. but there have been a couple of brief mentions of it in the past at QQ (where else! ) and blow me down but it turns out its supposed to be some kind of a "holy grail" demodulator or something!? :yikes

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?6170-Grundig-CD-4-Demodulator-Service-Manual

fredblue said:

thanks Fizzy, we shall see how it shapes up in the fulness of tiiiiime!

briefly, I'm keeping an eye out for a Technics, Pioneer, Pansonic or Marantz demodulator for sale in the UK/Europe (basically anything that's not a JVC) and this cute little weirdo came up on eBay..
it looked kind of interesting/unusual.. and cheaper than either of the 2 JVCs I picked up last year.. nobody went for it, so when it got relisted I thought its obviously not a hot item but I'll look into it, see if there's anything online about it, for fits and giggles as much as anything.. not a lot's been said about it over the years and most of it (unsurprisingly) has been in German.. but there have been a couple of brief mentions of it in the past at QQ (where else! ) and blow me down but it turns out its supposed to be some kind of a "holy grail" demodulator or something!? :yikes

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?6170-Grundig-CD-4-Demodulator-Service-Manual

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You know I'm not a big follower of CD-4, but I had NEVER seen this box before...wasn't even aware that Grundig manufactured one.
It looks beautiful, in its simplicity and elegance (it also looks like it's BRAND NEW!!)...IIRC Grundig took things very seriously, so my beans are on two outcomes:
1- It's a REALLY GOOD de-mod
2- It did not turn out to be so good, so Grundig stopped making it...

I'm rooting for the 1st option!!

kap'n krunch said:

You know I'm not a big follower of CD-4, but I had NEVER seen this box before...wasn't even aware that Grundig manufactured one.
It looks beautiful, in its simplicity and elegance (it also looks like it's BRAND NEW!!)...IIRC Grundig took things very seriously, so my beans are on two outcomes:
1- It's a REALLY GOOD de-mod
2- It did not turn out to be so good, so Grundig stopped making it...

I'm rooting for the 1st option!!

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Thanks kap, good to hear from you! Interesting thoughts and assessment, I hadn't considered any of that!
Now you've got me thinking about Grundig as a brand, Dad had a Grundig (possibly a receiver I have a vague recollection it may have had a radio in it) in his separates system with a Garrard turntable in the 70s (before they went the B&O "lifestyle" route with a BeoCenter) and their 70s setup sounded nice and warm and rich with really full bass is my recollection. I had a brief play around with this Grundig demodulator last night and was immediately struck by how different it sounds from the JVC, not only has separation seemingly improved but it actually (to my surprise) sounds totally different, there's more low end, more surface noise is apparent on some discs yet gone altogether on others that have it thru the JVC, it's louder in overall output/volume and somehow everything sounds a tad slower (!) maybe that's the extra bass slowing the sound down (?) or could it be its doing extra processing so there is some kind of signal delay or sluggishness!? I dunno, I'm just going by what I heard.. somethings that go sandpaper with the JVC don't go sandpaper with it but I did encounter some splatting on discs in some of the same places and some in different places.. which leads me to want to try a different stylus/cart at some point, I suspect the AT440 is not upto the job of providing the kind of extreme separation I was expecting from CD-4, so i'll experiment with some genuine Shibata things I think and see if that does anything. also, on a bit of a tangent, I got a 2nd copy of Diamonds & Rust CD-4 so I'll see how I get on with that & if it's an improvement on the 1st copy I'll let you know!