‘Hi-Fi’ Update
This week I’ve been rewiring the ‘Hi-Fi’ to get things ready for reviewing some new components in the coming weeks. Since this has left me little time to get anything else done, I’ve instead taken the opportunity to do a roundup of my system as things stand today.
I have to think that it must be in the running to be one of the most esoteric or needlessly elaborate home stereos in the world.
Remember, please do not attempt this at home.
https://youtu.be/KqxfxH0A36g
I'll add the promised links to my related videos under this one before it goes live.
Another reason I made this particular video now is that I’m due to receive a few important deliveries over the next few days. A couple of these are review samples that I’ll need to start on as soon as they arrive and another is something that I’m eager to get unpacked and start using for myself. So rather than start on something I already have lying around, it would be wiser for me to wait for one of these to turn up.
As I’m typing this, a large box from the US has just this minute been delivered by UPS, so I can now get going on that straight away.
I’ll have to leave things there. Have a good one and take care.
Comments (79)
That is a great review again! I remember enjoying the previous review from a couple years ago with all the switch boxes and stuff. That Rotel preamp is brilliant idea. Remote controlled and cool-looking with this ligh blue LEDs, too. It's not that you asked for but if you're looking for a device that strips the SCMS copyright bit (my Yamaha network player always set it no matter the content) on a SPDIF signal to the MD recorder: The Behringer Ultramatch SRC 2000 does the job. Very easy to use, cheap and has a techy looking front. I love the digital inputs for recording to the Sony MD because no manual audio levelling needed, sync start and very reliable auto-new-track feature.
I did something similar, but for a different reason. I had multiple amps and speakers in different rooms. I wanted to drive all of them at the same time at different volume levels. Something I found hard to do with different speaker sensitivity levels if I hooked them up as speaker sets on the back of one big amplifier using speaker A + B buttons. I chained 3 pre-amps together using the tape loops and had the main pre-amp control my sources. Then each of the pre-amps would be attached to independent amplifiers. Allowing a way to control the volume, bass, treble ect... on each room independently. Worked like a champ. In another setup I needed more inputs to my receiver I used a reverb amplifier with the reverb disengaged so I could add two additional tape machines; since my receiver only could handle three. What was great with that as a source selector I did not need to power the unit; so long as the controls were clean everything worked for the other two tape machines.
apologies if i'm repeating another comment, but as a proper geek ( and a netwrking engineer) i'd love to see a diagram of how you've interconnected each of these into andout of the respective switchers and devices
There is no diagram, I just had a list of what I wanted to attach to what, but this was a moving target and the end result bears little relation to the plans.
I noticed you had need of a power frequency converter (60 Hz to 50 Hz). I needed a similar solution as I was moving from the USA to Portugal, and my 16-bit video game consoles require 60 Hz power frequency for the gameplay to play at the correct speed. I found this online and its worked great. Not only does it convert the voltage, but the frequency as well. In your case, you can convert from 50 Hz to 60 Hz. https://www.kccscientific.com/product/thor-frequency-converter/
That could come in very handy. I think despite the price I'll consider putting in an order.
What a wonderful video! Just love this tour of the set up.
Bit late to the game :) But I love your system to be honest.. I do something similar. But the tapes are difficult. I do run a high-end (yes, audiophile) system. So really good speakers (new), 2 preamps (vintage for vinyl and has 2 tape in/outputs) and one new (simple passive one),, vintage Thorens record player (1965!), modern (ish) streamer and a power regenerator. Why? Same thing really. I can switch off the 5 power sockets from the front on a display. And my solar panels buzz like hell on the equipment if it's not there... But I also have 2 cassette decks, a reel to reel (nice old Revox) and minidisc recorder. Oh, almost forgot the 2 CD players. A modern one and a vintage from 1991 (Marantz). They are currently trying to fix an old Philips (CD960) as well. But it's old, and has got more than a couple of issues ;) I'd like to add more, and your solutions might work here too. Cool! Thanks! I'd like a DAT and DCC in there as well. I only still have 3 DAT rapes and no DCC, but hey, I'll find some :) And SACD (perhaps DVD-A?). 6 of my CD's are hybrid. And I've heard SACD only once. Sounds like a fun format to play around with! Do these old things add anything? Yes! Interesting displays, vintage sound, more interaction, and memories of things I couldn't afford then, but can now! And having the cassette decks and R2R serviced is easy, but if DAT, DCC or Minidisc fails, I wouldn't know where to go really. So enjoy, right? I do also like the idea of wiring in a graphic equalizer from a tape port. Nice thing to look at. So thank you for your solutions and ideas! That will keep my hobby going for a while longer :) Oh, and I also have an all-in-one streamer and speaker. Very nice if I don't want to switch everything on :)
Enjoyed this tour! Wonderful to see how you got everything to work together. For those not familiar with your channel, this is like a summation of what it's all about. I agree with your thoughts about hobbies - they don't need to have a "point." I like to do photography in my free time, but when I mention it to colleagues at work, some of them urge me to "do something with it" - in other words, monetize it. It's like I'm made to feel guilty for pursuing any endeavor that doesn't make money. Maybe it's why I'll never be rich, but I don't possess that kind of ruthlessness.
Great hi fi, totally unique and very comprehensive. I dont mind admitting having a touch of envy. Your hifi is a thing of beauty and passion. Just 1 question, will you be having a boombox included at some point??
I spotted the We are Rewind Boombox at the other end of the room and Mat's written introduction implies it might soon be joined by a BB 777. However, I don't think Mat is in the position I was in the early 1980s where my boombox had to do double duty as a cassette deck and tuner as I couldn't justify buying either of those as HiFi separates.
Someone may have said this already but I have been on holiday and don't have time to read 120 comments - anyway, I recall that HiFi shops had big switch boxes to play anything to anywhere. I expect they were not generally available but there must be some around from all the HiFi shops that have closed.
The dealer ones (like the Pioneer DS-55F) are geared towards someone testing out multiple combinations of speakers and components - with an emphasis on the speakers. I'm only using one set of speakers and my requirements are not just playback but also recording which is a different kettle of fish.
This video is giving me the motivation I need to rewire my AV stack.
The point of it is happiness. It makes you happy nothing else matters
Wow, I’m impressed that you have interconnected all those unique devices and are using them. I thought they were put away in their boxes after the videos. Do you have a checklist like the pilots have before takeoff and landing? I probably couldn't focus on the music. Do I listen to this on device x or maybe on this…? And if one device has a few issues, I would try to fix it rather than listen to that song on other equipment. 🤔
You’ve pretty much got it, the tinkering is as much a part of it as the music is, but it’s all fun.
I’m sensing that Mrs Matt was jumping up and down enjoying all the new space freed up in the living room…
I think she had big designs on the space the HiFi used, perhaps using it to house a banqueting table, ballroom or indoor swimming pool. She was rather disappointed when it was gone and there was still insufficient space to swing a cat. However for me it worked out far better spread out into the new space, and I’ve got a far better listening position.
I'm here for the elaborate setup and wiring, I've enjoyed that with my setup and use a DAP IMIX 7.3 to handle source mixing. my Braun amp has a broken source selector but the IMIX handles ten sources including phono, with three outputs. I just find it fun to use and I can have it mounted in the desk like cockpit controls. Also I've finally got into wheelieyellow and I've been chuckling at just the first few videos, I can see why you enjoy it now! Thanks for mentioning it.
Very interesting and enjoyable to watch. I would dispute one thing, it IS hi-fi (for the most part) as you have some very good quality components there. Amused to see we have the same model Minidisc recorder. Although mine is in boring black. I have had minidisc since a year or two after launch and in the last days my local Sony centre had the MDS-JB980 reduced ex-display so of course I had to have it. It was a noticeable audio upgrade over my much earlier more budget Minidisc desk, although I greatly miss the ability to record date and time on this deck as I am lazy labelling my BBC Radio comedy recordings and now I have no way of finding out when they are from. At least it means there is no risk of a battery to corrode inside.
I’m really mostly saying the ‘it’s not a HiFi’ thing to shut down all the otherwise inevitable comments I’d get about ‘degrading the quality’ with the convoluted routing. If I say that the sound quality is unimportant, it cuts this stuff off before it can occur…hopefully.
Matt, is there any physical media format that you want but you haven't acquired yet?
I’m struggling to think of one off the top of my head.
Thinking now I should remove anything that isn't fully working from my mancave. There won't be much left, less than half of it. Don't have anywhere safe and out of the way to store it either. It would de-clutter though.
Excellent rationale. Fantastic setup. It's like Laskys was back in business and had invented a time machine to bring the best of vintage audio back to the future.
My recollection of the Bristol Lasky's was that they used to have really dim lighting in the HiFi area to emphasise all the Blickenlights on the HiFi. I always admired the Akai equipment. Showing how times have changed, on a hot day in the early 1990s a colleague was sent to the local electrical shop to buy some fans. He came back with them and a Technics Graphic Equalizer like Mat's which he couldn't resist.
There is a point to hobbies, your own enjoyment. My outlook to life is I have 2 priorities in life. 1. Enjoy life as much as possible. 2. Make sure others are enjoying life as much as possible.
Lordy, that reel-to-reel looks so fine.
Very nice! I also have a large setup (about 50 AC plugs and a lot of RCA cable). I found the best outlets are the Tripp Lite Power Strips; they come in various sizes and lengths. I can drop the power cords straight down from the components and it really simplifies the wiring. Like you, there is no "purpose" to all the components, but it does take me back to the 1970's and 80's when I saw a lot of the gear in the audio shops. I also have some modern gear. My latest purchase was the monster Sony SB-5335 System Selector. You need one of those!
I have looked into that Sony but it’s more geared towards someone with multiple speakers they need to switch between and I’ve only got room here for one pair.
I like videos like this... One practical question, say you did decide to get rid of the second record player and use the socket/connections to put a new device in. Realistically, how long is it going to take to do that? Does the length of time to do it make you consider whether it is worth the effort? On a not at all related question, am I Dan Coster? I noticed that years ago and always wondered if it was a typo or if I have a distant relative who also likes the channel. If it is the former, please don't change it. I don't think the time it would take is worth the effort, even if that time was ten seconds.
The names are populated by a CSV export from the supporters in the appropriate tier, so yes Dan Coster is a real person. There are also two people in there with the exact same name and email addresses just a couple of digits apart. It’s a small world…but I wouldn’t want to paint it. (Stolen joke).
"Why are you going fishing? You do know you can buy fresh fish in Tescos?" I'm not a fisherman, though my dad used to go to Roger Daltrey's fish farm when I was a kid, and Daltrey would occasionally be there, so he was pointed out to me! I seem to recall him digging a path once. He was probably improving the place. Talk about regeneration .
The Cods are alright. Won’t get schooled again. Sorry.
This one was right up my street. I could probably just sit and look at this equipment for hours! I still have my MiniDisc deck (MDS JE-530, bought in 1999) connected up and working, plus cassette deck, DAB tuner, CD and record players all connected into a 2003 Denon AV amp, plus the TV, Blu-Ray etc from the other side of the room...leave no input unplugged! Also the reason why I can't face getting the room decorated, the thought of having to disconnect and reconnect it all.
This is a very familiar situation. My lounge went undecorated for a lot longer than it should, the carpet was threadbare and the wallpaper was peeling, all because the idea of moving the HiFi seemed almost impossible. In the end it took a year give or take to get it all back up and running.
Really enjoyed this tour of your system. I've put down a deposit for the sugarcube SC-1 mini (Sweet vinyl said they had 500 requests as a result of your video, btw), and in a few months, when it comes (and my bank balance drops), I'll need to get a pre-amp and of course the requisite RCA cables. Do you have any opinion about cables? One can spend a fortune on some, and I'm not really clear if they're worth it. I could always just get the less expensive ones and see if there's any issue, but curious if you had any thoughts.
The main considerations for cables for me are clear and distinct colour coding for the left and right channels, a cable that doesn’t go sticky and ends that don’t fall off. I ended up buying quite a few new cables for this rewire and I was very happy with the quality and construction of the Amazon basics RCA cables - and of course they sound exactly the same as a cable costing 10x the price.
Thanks for letting us see your hi-fi Mat and go through it with such detail. Great video I have to watch it again. Such wonderful components. It inspires me to sort out my hifi one day 🙂
That's beautiful! I remember rewiring my father's JVC Hi-Fi (probably in the late 90s) trying to make it more complicated! So yes, I perfectly understand what you mean!
That really is a setup and then some! You can play HiFi Scotty with those. "Matt, I need to record this CD to minidisc and casette, I also need a reel-to-reel recording of this 8-track. oh, and I need to listen to this record now!" "aye aye capn!"
This is a lovely video! Shall watch again with more calm. I saw my first stereo in the house of a friend of my parents. They had a silver stereo tower beind glass doors. They also had slides and a projector and they would make me a chocolate shake when they invited us to watch slides with them. To a 6 or 7 year old, that was stuff out of the space shuttle. They also had the first laser disc I ever saw. "like cds, just bigger" I have a stereo tower on twin cabinets where I can pay a few "mainstream" formats and the Sony has is fantastic too. I got it second hand from a chap who loved it so much, he offered to come to my home to set it up. All because of Techmoan. But not only. The fact of deliberately randomly picking up a cd case, a tape whatever and go through the ritual. The lack of faff.. When it works. And the fact that you are in control... Features lost to convenience. It is not all nostalgia Unfortunately not all music I like can be found on cd and it is a joy or discover some crusty old vinly or tape to bring sound back. Thanks for all the fish
It is, isn't it? Just had Kings Day in the Netherlands and ended up buying CD's and vinyl records. Just to see whether it's interesting... And indeed, not everything is available on CD, let alone on streaming services..
Back in the day! https://spectrelayer.rocks/images/BackInTheDayHomeStereo.png https://spectrelayer.rocks/images/Entertain1990.png
That first picture scrolled further than expected, also spotted the plasma ball in the second. Given how many viewers could hear mine whine I suspect high frequency hearing was fading when this was purchased.
I also like physical formats, but I restrict myself to vinyl, reel-to-reel tape and compact cassettes at the moment (I have some MiniDiscs and CDs as well, but I tend to record the digital formats to analog tape 😅) I like the analogy to heritage railways as I'm working at the museum tram in Zürich as well 😃. Just fun to be on those old vehicles and see the happy faces of the people when they hear that they can travel with us with their normal ticket as well 😄
Still got my 8 track player. You are missing a blu ray audio player/pure audio lol. Love to see a video setup when the front room is done- you've covered laserdisc, ced, Vhd, VHS disposable and others. Any of those going to survive in the new projector setup?
Unlike old audio I just can’t stomach low quality video if that same title can be found in HD. The lounge is stripped back to streaming and a UHD Blu-ray player, and I do still buy UHD Blu-ray. You’re right though about the Blu-ray pure audio, although I’d only want to play that through a surround speaker setup.
This is pure, uncut Techmoan. Someone like me could never realistically assemble such a setup, but I get to enjoy it vicariously through you. How odd that people should question why someone has a hobby: I have a feeling people like that ought to get a hobby themselves as they're probably rather dull.
Oh wow, Matt! You just triggered the strongest of memories. First off, extremely well made, concise video; only you could put so many components into this video lasting only approx. a half hour. Personally, I don't have the interest to put the time and effort that you obviously have, (not to mention you've made it into a viable income stream), but it harkens back to an ancient memory of mine. When I was finishing high school and starting college, there was an exclusive "Hi-Fi" shop not far from my school that I liked to frequent. It had all the high end brands, (MacIntosh, Klipsch, etc.), that catered to all the doctors and lawyers in Wichita. I was actually tasked with a similar job to what you demonstrated in your video. In the showrooms of his store, the guy, (I'm ashamed I can't recall his name, but I thought he was the coolest guy on the planet), had all these different components lined up on shelves. One room was for speakers, one for amplifiers, and so on. He had different switch boxes that would route the signals from the source to the amp, and then to the speakers. The thing was he would usually have more than a dozen component in each setup. After school, I would spend hours helping him and his salesman unbox new stock, place and run all the wires and things to the components. I think I spent more time at the store than I did on my high school education. This was in the early 1970s. I'm sure, in retrospect, I didn't help as much as I thought I did, but this guy, (damn! what's his name?), would always say, "Bob, we can't set this stuff up without you." I'd tell you the name of his store, but it was his last name followed by "Audio." I know this is long, but thanks for the memories. Still, I'll stick to Apple premium music and my iPhone/AirPods.
Those are some great memories to have, but I don’t blame you at all for preferring to keep things simple. I suppose you got to see it all before and I never knew anyone who had any interesting audio equipment, so it’s down to me to do it now.
That was a fun video, I would love a similar video on your various video playback devices. I always love watching you using all the ones you pick beyond just the usual DVD and Bluray/UHD ones.
I’m very simple with video, the highest quality I can get on the biggest screen I can fit in the room.
I might have missed something but I was just wondering: how does the DCC metadata display connects to your DCC player? Looking forward to hearing about what just arrived!
Check out his prior video: https://youtu.be/GJSlkNbpPsM
Isn't it weird that we live in times where even Techmoan has to use the first 5 minutes of a video just to explain to people what a hobby is to avoid incredible stupid comments? These might be the same kind of people who only do things or buy things that are "practical" - fun is a word they don't know the meaning of.
Looking great, Mat! Your Hi-Fi setup AND yourself!
Re people that can't tell the difference between a job and a hobby: they're the same tedious dullards that trot out the tired old "well *someone's* got too much time on their hands" line in response to anything they can't understand people enjoying. Best given an extremely wide berth.
Having spent decades doing electronics for work a colleague retired. It wasn't long before he joined the local "Repair Cafe" and Amateur radio club. Withdrawal symptoms or too much time on his hands ?
• These are the most wondrous things, and only you understand how to harmoniously operate them. • The moment the video began I was thinking 'where is that sweet Technics VHS music machine?' and you faithfully mentioned the SV-P100 at the end of the video. It makes sense why you didn't include it in the system. • This is the most incredible garden shed in the entire world. • What's the electricity situation with this structure? I am imagining an independently direct connection to the power grid, akin to a typical household. • I like the prominently placed security camera on your CD player. 👀 Do you still have that thing that displayed the Eye of Sauron? It goes without saying I enjoyed this one. Your preamble was a bit lengthy as I wanted all of the allotted time to examine every bit of your system. I'm looking forward to the addition you have planned in the upcoming video. Take care 🤍.
Yes I do go on a bit…you should have heard the version before I snipped it down 🙄 The electric is just routed from the distribution panel/fuse box in the house. I have no idea what it’s rated to, but I make sure to only turn on the things I’m using and most of them a low amps. No kettles/cooker/electric fires. That camera is really there for if the cat falls asleep on one of the chairs. I can go back in the house and return later to the office to let it out when it wakes up. The Gakken world eye has gone to the great storage locker in the sky.
Many years ago I was involved in designing, building and testing control panels for power stations, petrochemical plants and similar industrial applications. They were all simpler than this. (But much less fun)
Phil, same here!
I was waiting for the white 'socks' to be pulled off to reveal what's hidden in those two tall columns in the corner. Speakers, up-ended screens ... ?
Yeah, hidden in plain sight and all that.
What a fantastic collection you have, Mat - I imagine that assemblage is unique in the world, the more so because it's all connected and working. I really agree with you that it being a hobby is the point, and a very valid one too. I can completely identify with the pleasure you get from the equipment and physical media as artifacts. There's a joy in handling a vinyl record that's just missing from streaming the music. Not to be maudlin, but I hope you can consider leaving your collection to the nation (The Science Museum, maybe) when the time eventually comes, so that future generations can get to see and hear how music playback developed and worked during the 20th century.
I doubt they'd want it, but they'd be welcome to it. Some assembly required.
Just knew you going to do this 😄 You knew the amp. With its 8 connections wasn’t enough, Especially when having multiple record devices. Going to watch and se if i can get some hints connecting all mine 🙂
For analog: once all your input devices are „in“ your amp, use one of the tape outputs and connect it to a normal switch (as input as far as I remember : ) The switch then connects to the input of any of your recording devices. Thats how I connected 5 recording devices. It‘s somewhat the other way around as if your switch would work for normal output. One needs to think about it for a moment, at least I had to, but it works like a charm. My tapes, dcc, md and dat now record as expected. Hope this helps and I hope I did not get input and output wrong, but you will get to it once you try.
Lovely! I have a CD and record player connected to an Arcam amp. It’s actually quite sad that even classical is now increasingly being released as “mp3/FLAC/etc” only. I want nt CDs dammit! I actually need to add a way to add my Apple Music to my old “WIFi” that’s inexpensive. I think I’m right in saying physical media is still better “quality” than streaming. For that reason alone - I’m happy to still get things on CD. I don’t know if you’ve seen that Michael Femmer’s videos. He’s a huge advocate of LPs and says they sound better than CDs. He’s probably (he convinced me) right for ultra high end gear - but I don’t think it works for us mere mortals. He’s very entertaining when he’s going on about fancy equipment. I’m not one to waste thousands on cables myself - but he’s interesting and worth a watch.
I never want to get into the 'X sounds better than Y' arguments, I'm more 'this is something and this is something else' - let's find a way to play both.
No Fidelipac?
The AEI 700 uses Fidelipacs.
My goodness, that’s ridiculous. And wonderful.
I found myself nodding when you talked about how you wanted all that gear when you were younger, which is why you want it now. It's the same reason why I didn't get my first ZX Spectrum until I was in my mid 40s. Everyone needs a hobby.
With radio streams you can usually add the url manually for a station, it’s a bit of a faff to find the url for a station stream but easy enough. Gets round using tunein or other radio apps. You just need to open the steam and then look at the code in the browser and hidden in there will be the stream.
I've got plans for this...more soon.
Dah, yer Lightweight. That’s nothing 😉