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Other Hi-fi and AV junkies anonymous

Discussion in 'General' started by Mister_Tad, 16 Jun 2020.

  1. MiNiMaL_FuSS

    MiNiMaL_FuSS ƬӇЄƦЄ ƁЄ ƇƠƜƧ ӇЄƦЄ.

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    Yey a hifi thread, I've drooled over Mr Tad's tubes before :eyebrow:

    I'd love a dedicated stereo setup, but have neither the space or the missus for it.

    Instead I'm running one of the few AV amps that actually produces beautiful stereo - a good old Arcam AVR300 (using 6th and 7th speaker posts to bi-wire my main stereo speakers of course), alongside some equally old but still fantastic B&W 602s and a BK Gemini sub.

    A friend is selling his TDL RTL3's which I'm tempted by, but I don't actually think they'd be an upgrade on the 602s....look nice though.

    For music the Arcam is mostly fed through a Chromecast Audio using the S/PDIF connection. The chromecast streams from my Deezer Hifi accounts - which is all lossless audio baby!
     
  2. Mister_Tad

    Mister_Tad Will work for nuts Super Moderator

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    Hmm... whilst I can't say I'm entirely convinced, I'm intrigued enough to consider asking SSAV nicely if I can borrow an NDX or M50.2 with an open mind to have a nose for myself.

    That said the "what if" of replacing the lot with a NAD M10, or possibly the new M33 has been popping into my mind with some regularity recently. Since plonking the NHT power amp into the AV setup I've become a real fan of class-D.

    Seems a wise move.

    I got briefly excited by the upgrade board coming later this year for my AVR (because upgrade!), until I did my research and it looks like new HDMI switching is the only thing, and not only am I entirely uninterested by all of it, it's actually somewhat limited in the new models in terms of in/out count of 2.1 ports even if I was.

    On Denon's announcement webcast the the question of "what if I have more than one HDMI2.1 source" was answered with "well then you plug one straight into your TV and rely on eARC". Nope.

    I've always thought older AVRs were a cracking choice for bang-for-buck stereo, especially "enthusiast" ones such as Arcam - disproportionately cheap because they can't do the latest and greatest codecs and formats, but stereo hasn't changed in forever.

    AVRs get an unfair rap for stereo quality IMO simply because people aren't realistic about expectations... when it should be pretty obvious IMO. AVRs do two channels of pre and power just like stereo integrateds, and then another 5+ channels, and then room correction, and then HDMI switching, and then video processing, and then wireless streaming, and then have 7+ channels of DACs, and then some even have multiple channels of audio and video ADCs.

    I was content with the stereo during my time with a Denon 3313, and very happy during my brief time with a NAD T777v3, and with my X8500 though it makes me twitch to suggest it, I think my AV setup now sounds better than my 2ch setup for a lot of (but not all) music since getting the 804s.

    "But for the cost of that Denon you could get a 2ch amp that would trounce it in every way!"... well, duhrrrr

    And don't drool on my tubes please, it's definitely not good for them and will be a pain to clean up :p
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: 19 Jun 2020
  3. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    I think I would talk myself into trying to go with 2.1 if it wasn't such a mixed bag of features. There doesn't seem to be any guarantee that having 2.1 means everything can actually do the full compliment of 2.1 things.

    Plus I still remember the hdmi handshake nonsense you had with various devices a while back, and this iteration of the standard doesn't seem to be shaping up to make any more sense.

    Maybe they're saving forced standard options for hdmi 3.0...
     
  4. Mr_Mistoffelees

    Mr_Mistoffelees The Bit-Tech Cat. New Improved Version.

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    Pathos have a lovely headphone amp, maybe one day...

    https://www.whathifi.com/pathos/aurium/review
     
  5. Mister_Tad

    Mister_Tad Will work for nuts Super Moderator

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    Oof! At least give me a trigger warning. Cold sweats just thinking about it.

    You know about the InPol Ear too, right?
     
    liratheal likes this.
  6. Mr_Mistoffelees

    Mr_Mistoffelees The Bit-Tech Cat. New Improved Version.

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    I do now! The Aurium is more affordable...
     
  7. Mister_Tad

    Mister_Tad Will work for nuts Super Moderator

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    It's not expensive, it's "aspirationally priced"
     
  8. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    Does everyone use Plex for streaming video media?

    I 'kin hate Plex in every conceivable way, and can't believe I'm the only one.
     
  9. Mister_Tad

    Mister_Tad Will work for nuts Super Moderator

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    I was about to ask why, but then I suppose "every conceivable way" is pretty all inclusive.

    I have no problems with Plex - I mean this very literally, which is why I haven't changed it to something else. I really have no strong feelings for it in either direction and continue to use it whilst it continues to do what I want it to do. Granted I only use it for playback of local video, and syncing with mobile devices.

    I while back I did have some issues with the server deciding to try to transcode certain 4K files (which is a bad time) but not others for reasons I couldn't even begin to comprehend. As this went on for several weeks, I went so far as to "decide" I'd make a switch to Emby as a trial when I got a chance, and then it all started playing nice again, presumably off the back of an update.

    It's been fine since, and my Plex server is safe so long as it stays that way.
     
  10. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    Honestly, it could be my attempts at installing it, but I don't think it's a particularly complex install. Every time I've tried to use it, it's disagreed strongly with how I categorize - My structure is basically;

    Mapped drive

    -Movies
    --Animated
    --Live Action
    --- I sometimes additionally have "collected" folders under here. EG: Marvel films are all in a "marvel" folder. Comedians are all in a "comedians" folder, and so on and so on.

    -TV
    --Animated
    ---Series
    ----Season number
    --Live Action
    ---Series
    ----Season number

    And for reasons I've never been able to work out the Plex method of displaying that content seems to be "However the chuff it feels like it this time" with very little room to change it.

    It didn't like that the media NAS (Actually, all my NAS units do it, but) will put itself to sleep after a period of inactivity. Since I have multiple NAS units I like to have them do that as they're not in constant use for each of their tasks. This might be a configuration issue, but I didn't find any options that appeared to have any bearing on this.

    That's the crux of my 'technical' issues with Plex - If it wasn't for the additional distaste for the interface, the application itself, the way it conducts itself on my network, the option for a "premium" thing which also affects how much guff there is at any one time trying to get me to sign up for it, the general look of the interface, then perhaps I could learn to live with it - But I'm very granular in my organisation of media and that doesn't seem (In my various attempts) to align with what Plex wants/expects/needs.

    I have looked at Emby, but it looks like more of the same and my efforts with Kodi have produced.. Unreliable results.

    At the end of the day, it matters very little. It just means I'm at the mercy of the player as to what files will play and what won't. Most of my digital media is stuff that I literally can't get on a disc, so it's generally not uhd quality stuff that needs transcoding anyway.
     
  11. trigger

    trigger Procrastinator

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    I don't have any great problem with Plex, much like Mister_Tad, it just kind of does the job for me. Though I don't care much about categorising my media, I just drop it into a share and let Plex figure out what it wants to do.

    I originally got it for streaming movies after ripped all my DVDs, and then just kind of naturally transitioned to using it for music too.

    I can't stand the modern way of buying software where you have to subscribe for eternity, so Plex being free works for me (though it's true the upgrade to Premium messages are a little irritating, but I don't see them that often). In fact for music I don't even see Plex, just enable the DLNA server and connect your client.
     
  12. Mr_Mistoffelees

    Mr_Mistoffelees The Bit-Tech Cat. New Improved Version.

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    I find myself wondering how much of an improvement I would get, if I keep my M-DAC as just a DAC and farm out amplifying duties to a Pathos Aurium?

    Damn it, not long since I stated publicly I don't need an upgrade...
     
  13. Mister_Tad

    Mister_Tad Will work for nuts Super Moderator

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    When I first started using Plex, I was endlessly frustrated by it mis-identifying media.

    I have one folder with grown-up films, one with kids films, and another with TV shows (but only a few shows anyway)

    The magic fix for me was putting a year on the films. Like for "john wick.mkv" Plex may decide that it's probably a film from the 60's that has neither the words John nor Wick in the title, but "John Wick (2014).mkv" is like "ooooooh, that John Wick"

    Hugo 2? One device somewhat comparable to the cost of an M-DAC and Aurium together, and portable-ish as well.
     
  14. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    I believe, but don't want to bet on it, that all my film rips do have the date in the file name..

    Maybe when I get my esx cluster up and running I'll spin up a VM for Plex and see if I can unhate it.
     
  15. Mr_Mistoffelees

    Mr_Mistoffelees The Bit-Tech Cat. New Improved Version.

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    Well, I already have the M-DAC, the Aurium is around half the price of a Hugo 2 and, based on what I have read, the Aurium will deliver just the sound I want, with a little of that valve warmth, rather than sound clinical. I sent the Beyerdynamic T5Ps back, partly, because once they were well run-in, they sounded a bit too clinical. I also feel the Focal Elegias have a bit more to give and better amplification might find it. Once I have saved and bought the Aurium the wife will be saying, "Sit on the naughty step and repeat after me, "stop spending money on hifi and build up some savings for other things.""

    (Actually she doesn't really mind what I spend money on, as long as the bills get paid.)
     
    Last edited: 20 Jun 2020
  16. Mister_Tad

    Mister_Tad Will work for nuts Super Moderator

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    Could be you just had a weird metadata provider selected, and that made it poo itself?
    If it does something on paper you theoretically want, worth giving it another go. But then I wouldn't actively recommend it if you're getting along fine without it.

    I've been paying for Plex Pass for a long time - I should probably check whether I need to keep paying. I started paying for a particular feature that was paid only, and I'm pretty sure since then they're now including it in the free version.

    Get out there and start demoing now shops are open again if there's a shadow of a doubt - seems too easy not to with headphone gear.
     
  17. Mr_Mistoffelees

    Mr_Mistoffelees The Bit-Tech Cat. New Improved Version.

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    No hurry, not saved the money yet...
     
  18. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    Honestly, the main reason for my continued idle search for a decent media library/transcoder is being at the mercy of the player on the BR unit in the lounge. As I said, it's ultimately not the end of the world as I tend to have most things on DVD or BR, it's just the stuff that doesn't seem to be available in a hard format (and, in some instances, not on a streaming service either).

    It's possible the metadata provider wasn't helping, but since I tend to start my tests with Movies>Animated (There's maybe 20 folders in there) when something gets arseabout face there, I've never really felt the urge to dig deeper.

    We'll see. Perhaps updating the device that does the playback will resolve most of the issues and make me forget about it for another 12 months.
     
  19. manvadher

    manvadher What's a Dremel?

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    Hey guys,

    Killing some time on this lazy Sunday with limited ways to spend father's days, but I had a question. (I would have provided a response to other issues questions here but I've got zero ways to help!)

    My problem is that the living room where the main TV is located has massive French Doors, which when it's sunny (which in the uk is hardly, but this Wednesdays supposed to be amazing!!) causes problems watching tv. I have looked around for a decent blinds or something to cover it, but I haven't been able to find one that I'm happy with.
    I guess the biggest issue is the doors as I'd still want to have access to them. I'm currently leaning towards a home made solution of Velcro and blackout fabric but just seeing how others would have tackled this issue

    Example of setup (outer panels are fixed, inner 2 are the doors, all within a recess, pic credits to Sharpe windows!)

    [​IMG]

    Any ideas would be great. Thanks!!
     
  20. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    I've only recently become aware of plisse blinds - I believe they come in blackout variety - the only downside is that the good ones usually need the mountings screwing into the plastic frame of the window.

    Although they are, even the non blackout versions, quite good at dulling the sun.
     

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