Coming back into the fold...

[Push]

Hey all!

Former mid range audiophile here. Last decent system was a top shelf Onkyo 5.1 reciever (don't recall the model), Wharefdale mains and centre channel, Polk M3 rears and a powered 12¨ PSB sub. Long story short, I moved into a smaller home and wanted a minimalist system so I ended up with a Polk sound bar system with wireless rears and a wireless 10¨ sub. Sounds great for TV and good enough for digital music.

Fast forward to last fall, while I was going through some storage, I found my old vinyl collection. I decided to pick up an Audio Technica turntable and hooked it up to my Polk system. While the sound was certainly better than digital, it was missing a bit. Some of it is the lower end turntable, so I'll be moving to something higher end, probably from ProJect. As I was looking through my turntable and pre-amp options, I started seeing some little bitty Chinese amps, some of them with some funky designs like the Loxjie A10, and they were highly rated.

So I got to thinking (never a good thing with me) that maybe instead of dragging my old system out of storage and dealing with trying to find a place to put it, maybe I should be looking into something like the A10 or an offering from Fosi, mating it to some smaller bookshelf speakers and a 10¨ sub. And that brings me to my question (finally):

Are these little Chinese amps and pre-amps really as good as their Amazon reviews? I find it hard to believe that, accoutically speaking, an $88 amp paired with a $60 tube pre-amp can actually run with a decent $2000 integrated amp. Or can it? I don't need wall shaking volume, but I appreciate crisp highs, warm mids, and tight bass at moderate volume levels. And I really like the style of the little minis, versus that gaudy old Onkyo. But I won't sacrifice sound for looks. So whats your take? Blow the dust off my trusty Onkyo and maybe hide it behind some books or pick up a funky looking Chinese mini amp? Or is there another option I haven't considered?

Thanks!
Rod

 

[Mikado463]

Push, welcome aboard !

Congrats on bringing your 'black pizza' out of retirement ! As for TT upgrades, depending on your budget be sure to give REGA a look, great easy to set up and get running units. Plenty of affordable phono-pre's to choose from as well. My brother in-law is using the Schiit Mani with excellent success.

Schiit Audio: Audio Products Made in USA

www.schiit.com

as for Chinese electronics(amps), can't help you there.

What's your budget ?

 

[Push]

What's your budget ?

Thanks for the welcome!

No particular budget in mind. I usually just spend until I'm happy I figure the table will run me around a grand. Amp I didn't really want to drop more than a grand on. Pre-amp??? Whatever it takes there I guess. I visited storage and it looks like my lousy kid made off with my Wharfedales and my sub when he left the nest. I told him he'd best be looking for the worlds greatest Father's day gift this year. So lets say 4K for the budget, plus or minus depending on whether something really cool or good happens along.

I may roll the dice on the Chinese amp, just to see what they're really like. I've wasted 88 bucks on worse things. And the vacuum tube preamp makes me giggle. Nothing says vinyl like tubes

Anyway, if you can send me packing down an appropriate path, I'd appreciate it.

 

[lovinthehd]

I wouldn't rely on an Amazon review at all. Many of these types of amps have been reviewed and measured at audiosciencereview.com, I'd take a look there.

I wouldn't get too excited by vinyl, and consider it lesser quality to digital myself. I still have a sizeable vinyl collection, and a good tt (same one for 37 years, a Technics SL1200mk2) and cartridge (Shure M97xE, discontinued now tho), but keep it around more for nostalgia rather than performance, but if you have an existing collection that's better than starting cold with vinyl now. I'd concentrate on speakers/sub primarily in any case if rebuilding a system, the electronics are relatively easy once you figure out your particular needs.

 

[Push]

I wouldn't rely on an Amazon review at all. Many of these types of amps have been reviewed and measured at audiosciencereview.com, I'd take a look there.

Yah, thats kinda what I thought. My curiosity was aroused though and I had to ask. I did go to audio science and see they highly regard at least one of the Fosi amps. But I am also a firm believer that there is more to audio equipment than just numbers and measurements.

I wouldn't get too excited by vinyl, and consider it lesser quality to digital myself.

We won't turn this into a vinyl vs digital debate, and weˋll have to agree to disagree My collection started in the early 70s, and I made the jump to digital with the advent of CD. Then iPod. I sorely missed vinyl, and didn't even realize it. Even with the cheap table (I now miss my SP-10), each note sounds so much sweeter to me. Music is meant to be experienced, warm your soul, and, IMO, nothing does that like vinyl.

I'm going through endless reviews now, and see Wharfedale Diamond 12s are well regarded yet. Anything else I should be looking at? And a nice powered 10 inch? Nothing boomy, just tight.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yah, thats kinda what I thought. My curiosity was aroused though and I had to ask. I did go to audio science and see they highly regard at least one of the Fosi amps. But I am also a firm believer that there is more to audio equipment than just numbers and measurements.



We won't turn this into a vinyl vs digital debate, and weˋll have to agree to disagree My collection started in the early 70s, and I made the jump to digital with the advent of CD. Then iPod. I sorely missed vinyl, and didn't even realize it. Even with the cheap table (I now miss my SP-10), each note sounds so much sweeter to me. Music is meant to be experienced, warm your soul, and, IMO, nothing does that like vinyl.

I'm going through endless reviews now, and see Wharfedale Diamond 12s are well regarded yet. Anything else I should be looking at? And a nice powered 10 inch? Nothing boomy, just tight.

I just like a basis of good measurement before further consideration. Actual features/useability/ergonomics come into play as well. Electronics are fairly straigtforward, at least ss stuff, no interest in tubes myself. Amps like dacs are pretty much done deals at this point over a wide range of gear. I started my vinyl in the 60s. The SP10 was nice, too bad you didn't keep it. I get annoyed by the surface noise in vinyl, when digital came around I was a fairly quick convert, particularly the added mobility aspect that vinyl never had....but a vinyl album cover is easier to roll a joint on is one advantage I can think of for vinyl. I don't need the extra bother with care/cleaning/handling of vinyl either or detailed arm/cartridge setup etc....YMMV. I still have something like 800 lps after my last go thru (tossed anything remotely warped or too damaged) and more than 100 7" 45s. I don't find them superior recordings in many cases, tho. I also like multich audio, which vinyl was never good at.

Can't help you with Wharfedale, never even seen one here in the US. I don't get to audio stores often, none particularly near me for my last few residences....nor do I care to drive several hours just to experience something in their room, much rather have the internet option of having it delivered to me, used in my own setup and then if needed, an ability to return it. I do research primarily on measurements and user experiences (not professional reviewers' subjective opinions much).

 

[Push]

I don't get to audio stores often, none particularly near me for my last few residences....nor do I care to drive several hours just to experience something in their room, much rather have the internet option of having it delivered to me, used in my own setup and then if needed, an ability to return it. I do research primarily on measurements and user experiences (not professional reviewers' subjective opinions much).

I'm way out in the boonies here, even the delivery option is a pain (Pls NOT UPS!). I'm not even sure there is a higher end audio store left in this province. So I'm left with trying to find some recommends and see if I can glean useful information from the Internet.

 

[Mikado463]

We won't turn this into a vinyl vs digital debate, and weˋll have to agree to disagree My collection started in the early 70s, and I made the jump to digital with the advent of CD. Then iPod. I sorely missed vinyl, and didn't even realize it. Even with the cheap table (I now miss my SP-10), each note sounds so much sweeter to me. Music is meant to be experienced, warm your soul, and, IMO, nothing does that like vinyl.

I started a decade ahead of you but I totally get what you're saying with respect to analog. While some don't want the bother anymore and that's fine, to me it is about all the involvement that continues to put a smile on my face. Over the years I too have culled quite a few Lp's from my stash which now stands at 1500 + or -. My vinyl playback system which to the high end crowd would consider to be rather modest hits the sweet spot for me.

I'm going through endless reviews now, and see Wharfedale Diamond 12s are well regarded yet. Anything else I should be looking at? And a nice powered 10 inch? Nothing boomy, just tight.

Buddy of mine had Warfdales years ago and if memory serves me right they were quite enjoyable. Another nice speaker you may want to look into .........

KLH Model Five Floorstanding Speaker with Acoustic Suspension

The Model Five Floorstanding acoustic suspension speaker with its legendary performance, is one of finest and most sought-after speakers for audiophiles.

klhaudio.com

 

[davidscott]

Push, welcome aboard !

Congrats on bringing your 'black pizza' out of retirement ! As for TT upgrades, depending on your budget be sure to give REGA a look, great easy to set up and get running units. Plenty of affordable phono-pre's to choose from as well. My brother in-law is using the Schiit Mani with excellent success.

Schiit Audio: Audio Products Made in USA

www.schiit.com

as for Chinese electronics(amps), can't help you there.

What's your budget ?

Agreed with the REGA suggestion. Maybe you could find a slightly used one at an Audio shop like I did. I purchased an older (late 90s) Planar 3 for $500 with a new belt and carbon cart in 2015. One of the best buys I ever made.

 

[3db]

Agreed with the REGA suggestion. Maybe you could find a slightly used one at an Audio shop like I did. I purchased an older (late 90s) Planar 3 for $500 with a new belt and carbon cart in 2015. One of the best buys I ever made.

Rega, Music Hall, and Project all make great tables and you cant wrong with any of them. Fluance also makes a respectable TT as does Orbit. I own a ProJect XpressionIII with an Ortofon 2M Red and I really like its sound.

To the OP...welcome back and get out of this insanity as fast as you can. This hobby has a way of prying one's wallet open permanently.

 

[Push]

Buddy of mine had Warfdales years ago and if memory serves me right they were quite enjoyable. Another nice speaker you may want to look into .........

KLH Model Five Floorstanding Speaker with Acoustic Suspension

The Model Five Floorstanding acoustic suspension speaker with its legendary performance, is one of finest and most sought-after speakers for audiophiles.

klhaudio.com

Larger floor standers are out of the picture, unfortunately. I just don't have the room for them. Any opinions on the KEF LS50 Metas? And I keep seeing ELAC speakers all over the place, with the Debut 2.0 B6.2 popping up whenever I do a search for bookshelf or standmounters. They're cheap, which is rarely a good sign with a loudspeaker, but I'm curious. They rate well, but I don't see any comparisons against higher end product. I have a soft spot for product that punches above its weight class.

 

[Push]

To the OP...welcome back and get out of this insanity as fast as you can. This hobby has a way of prying one's wallet open permanently.

I'm down to 1 kid (of 5) left at home. Once he's gone in a couple years, I plan to spend their inheritance on things that please me