17-Nov-2016, 23:51
I have a streamer, a CD player, bluray player, vinyl record player, hell I've even got a cassette player. I use all these because I have always been an indiscriminate music buyer and I never sell anything I have collected, so I need to retain the means of playing it! Consequently my listening room is a complete mess of equipment, records, books, CD's etc in which I spend many enjoyable hours with my favourite hobby. Some prefer more pared down arrangements and the Devialet does allow a very simple, minimalist system. However, I guess I purchased it just because it's a great amplifier.
For me, vinyl will always represent the essence of home HiFi, mainly because for me it goes back to my Dad's 1960 Garrard 301, Leak, Wharfdale system and has continued all my life through many different music styles: Beatles, Motown, Soul, Disco, Punk, Floyd, Jazz and now pretty much all Classical. At my age, playing vinyl is an emotional experience and this is even before the music starts! So it's a sentimental thing? Well not quite because my current vinyl record player is a truly superb device and through the excellent phono stage of the Devialet, the sound I believe challenges the more modern media. Clicks and pops on vinyl are the "Gaslight" Herr von Karajan referred to when extolling the virtues of the new CD format. This will never go away but there are many means by which surface noise can be minimised. Keith Monks have a very good solution for example.
Today I can review all the latest classical releases on Qubuz in superb sound, which is a fantastic thing to be able to do. But if I want to immerse myself in the emotional depths of Mahlers Kindertotenlieder, I may just play my Mono LP of the wonderful Kathleen Ferrier. We are very lucky to have such easy access to a vast wealth of music online but for me I also value the ability to experience individual performances on a media which is both more tactile and involved. Oh no, the needles stuck again!
For me, vinyl will always represent the essence of home HiFi, mainly because for me it goes back to my Dad's 1960 Garrard 301, Leak, Wharfdale system and has continued all my life through many different music styles: Beatles, Motown, Soul, Disco, Punk, Floyd, Jazz and now pretty much all Classical. At my age, playing vinyl is an emotional experience and this is even before the music starts! So it's a sentimental thing? Well not quite because my current vinyl record player is a truly superb device and through the excellent phono stage of the Devialet, the sound I believe challenges the more modern media. Clicks and pops on vinyl are the "Gaslight" Herr von Karajan referred to when extolling the virtues of the new CD format. This will never go away but there are many means by which surface noise can be minimised. Keith Monks have a very good solution for example.
Today I can review all the latest classical releases on Qubuz in superb sound, which is a fantastic thing to be able to do. But if I want to immerse myself in the emotional depths of Mahlers Kindertotenlieder, I may just play my Mono LP of the wonderful Kathleen Ferrier. We are very lucky to have such easy access to a vast wealth of music online but for me I also value the ability to experience individual performances on a media which is both more tactile and involved. Oh no, the needles stuck again!
D440 Pro, Auralic Aries G1, Project Xtension 10, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Esoteric SA-50, Sonus Faber Olympica II, Audioquest cables. Mutec MC-3 + USB.
