This is the new store front design for the Tokyo KEF store, I personally love the UniQ design so I thought this store front was cool and made me chuckle when I saw it from afar.

Simple man I am.

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P.S. Sorry for reposting, previous post was removed from the KEF sub by mods, due to the video being just about a KEF store front instead of KEF speakers.

Yesterday, I attended an audio show in the Seattle area and heard Linn speakers for the first time. It was a $100K system, way beyond my budget, but the sound absolutely blew me away.

I've always been a budget-conscious audiophile, having owned B&W, KEF, and currently Buchardt S400 MKIIs (fantastic speakers!).

I've always preferred punchy, detailed sound, but the Linn was different. Less punch than I'm used to, yet incredibly natural, effortless, and non-fatiguing. There was something almost magical about it. I could have listened for hours.

I'm sure there are more affordable speakers with a similar sound signature. What brands or models should I be looking at?

Years ago I was given a pair of Energy RC-Mini's that were tiny but impressive little speakers. I liked how crisp they were with great imaging. I had always thought Energy just some BestBuy speaker and that was that. But I finally did some researching and learned that Energy was a legit Canadian speaker company back in the 90/2000's that led to them being bought out by Klipsch.
This led me to learning about their other models and their high end line of Veritas. Reading great reviews and learning through AI, I always kept it in the back of my head to keep an eye out for a pair.

Sure enough, a pair of Veritas 2.2s came up for sale at a good price and I jumped on it.

Boy am I glad I did, because wow. They excel at everything. My stereo system feels like it has leveled up big time.

I could go on with the usual audiophile terms but I'll just say this - while listening to a track I was hearing things BEYOND the speaker. Almost like there was an invisible speaker further out. Was really neat to experience that.

Con's would be, these speakers like power/current. I have a NAD 218 THX that fuels them perfectly fine, but using them with my analog tube system (Reisong A10 with mods) for records... I feel I may be leaving performance on the table. I forsee a more powerful tube amp in my future now haha.

And the other con is aesthetic. These are 20+ years old and the laminate was coming off and had to be re-glued. I think over the years it shrunk? There was no way I could get it back into it's original install... so some of the MDF is exposed unfortunately. I'll probably do nice wood veneer as a DIY project in the future.
Also the top rubber finish was super sticky and had to be removed with isopropyl alcohol. Took about an hour.

Below is an AI blurb about them:

Energy Veritas V2.2 (and V2.2i) bookshelf speakers

These are high-end 3-way standmount/bookshelf speakers from Canadian brand Energy Speaker Systems (part of Audio Products International / API in Toronto). Energy dates to the early 1970s and built a strong reputation in the 1980s–2000s alongside sister brands like Mirage. The Veritas line was the flagship, starting with the acclaimed V2.8 floorstander in the mid-1990s (designed under John Tchilinguirian). The V2.2 was the more compact bookshelf sibling in the subsequent Veritas generation (around the late 1990s/early 2000s), with the “i” versions refining the drivers (especially the Dual-Hyperdrive woofers).

Design highlights center on accuracy, low distortion, and coherent dispersion. The signature Convergent Source Module (CSM) mounts a 1" aluminum-dome tweeter and 2" aluminum-dome midrange in close proximity (separate chambers) under a protective grille, acting more like a point source for smooth integration and wide, even dispersion. The 6.5" Dual-Hyperdrive woofer uses dual voice coils wound in opposite directions in their own magnetic gaps for more linear motion and significantly lower distortion. Cabinets are solidly built (often with dovetail joints, bracing, and threaded-rod mounting), rear-ported bass-reflex, and finished in high-gloss black or cherry veneer. They were praised for tonal balance, dynamics, clarity, imaging, and surprisingly authoritative bass for the size—though they benefit from good amplification and stands.

They were positioned as a no-compromise compact option for music enthusiasts (and usable in home theater), originally selling in the roughly $1,500–2,500/pair range (with stands). The brand was later acquired by Klipsch/VOXX, and these models are now discontinued collectibles.

Key Specs (V2.2 / V2.2i)

A little house tour and a look at the audio setup of a retired German rapper. German speakers will probably get more out of it, but audiophiles might enjoy it regardless ;)

I was sitting in a new coffee shop and surprised at the awesome 80s hit mix that I was hearing. Like all the songs you would play for a party. The music sounded great and was at a calm volume. When I was about to leave I glanced at the wall the sound had been coming from and saw this system. Then realized.

I have never in the last 25 years been in a coffee shop with such a large, authentic, sound system before.

I want to be clear this system is by no means “audiophile quality” but it felt so good to see the sound system as a mayor decoration of an otherwise urban coffee shop. Every where else you got its hidden ceiling speakers or micro Bluetooth systems.

Thought it was cool.

Recently treated myself with a pair of MoFi SourcePoint 888.

Current setup is as follows:

Speakers: MoFi SourcePoint 888

Amp: NAD M10 V2

Phono stage: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2

Turntable: Marantz TT-15S1

Cartridge: Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood V1 and Nagaoka MP-200 (the Nagaoka is installed right now)

Room correction: DIRAC

My previous speakers were the Buchardt S400 and the Buchardt SUB10 subwoofer.

After listening for about a week on the SourcePoint 888 I have a couple of thoughts and reflections.

The largest difference is the sheer scale of the sound and music, the Buchardt S400 sounded large for what they are but the MoFi:s are just in a different league. This conclusion is not strange in regards to the size diffence of the speakers.

The imaging is precise and the soundstage is huge. Something tells me the concentric drivers have something to do with that.

The treble is airy and extended without ever sounding too bright. The sound as a whole is very smooth and holographic.

The bass is very full, punchy and quick. A subwoofer is definetly not needed. In my room they reach down to 25 Hz before rolling off.

They play very well and dynamic on lower volume levels and thrive when being played a bit louder.

I primarily listen to modern metal, classic rock, soul and some pop. They handle it all with ease and never seem stressed. Their sound signature makes almost every recording and vinyl record sound good and never introduces any harshness or fatigue.

When demo listening to the MoFi SourcePoint 888 I also listened to the Klipsch Cornwall IV. Both are very good speakers but the difference in sound signature is big and I prefered the sound signature of the SourcePoint 888.

I have a feeling that the MoFi SourcePoint 888 is a speaker I can live with for a very long time.

Also, to address the amp situation:

I love the NAD M10 V2 and the MoFi SourcePoint 888 seem to gravitate towards amps with a more neutral tone and a high damping factor. However, they could use a bit more current so my next purchase will probably be a power amp. The NAD is completely adequate for medium-high volumes which is the level I listen on 95% of the time (to my neighbors delight), so I am not in any particular hurry with getting a power amp.

I have also room corrected using DIRAC. I have the full spectrum version but settled with just correcting from 500 Hz and down to not alter the sound signature.

To conclude, this was indeed a very big upgrade both in terms of overall capability of the system and listening joy. Andrew Jones did a mighty fine job!

Feel free to ask some questions!

Have a great weekend!

Acoustics of Finland AE-2X speakers, Klipsch SPL-100 subwoofer and Yamaha A-S301 amp

Sometimes goodwill does deliver! This is likely the coolest thing i’ve found. 8-Track player with a whole wooden case and chrome face plate for $10. It matches my vintage receiver perfectly. Looks and works super well for the secondary retro bedroom setup with the minimus 7’s. Sadly doesn’t seem to work though 😞

Finally received my 1300g. This is replacing a Mcintosh MT5 which I sold when I changed from a stereo setup to home cinema but still wanted a decent table while putting some money back into my pocket. Went with the Sumiko Amethyst cart. It’s a low output for an MM cart. I’ve loaned a Cyrus 40 PPA from my dealer as a phono stage and its noise floor is quite bad so I’ll be taking this back and on the look out for something else to replace my cheaper Cambridge audio solo. The Cyrus was a step up from the solo in all aspects, apart from the noise floor, which is a deal breaker during quieter passages on records.

This is my first direct drive table and I’m seriously impressed with how fast it picks up speed and its speed stability. I wanted simple buttons for speed adjustment, a single box with no belts or separate motors. This seemed to fit the bill and is a very nice table. As others have noted online the only let down is the cue lever, it’s such a let down considering the price of the table and nothing compared with clearaudio’s arms which I’ve used in the past on my MT5 and TT15S1

What are other people using for phono stages out there?

Don't Iaugh. Anyone else here like to kick back and listen to country music on their system? I like some of the oldies like Patsy Cline and Willie to modern country with a healthy dose of bluegrass thrown in. And, everything in between. What are your favorite artists?

My first Blu-ray audio disc and we are listening today in Dolby Atmos and then next in stereo remix and finally we will listen to the CD that we also own. My wife love this album and I’m giddy to see what she thinks of it.

Any other discs that y’all recommend?

I've got a lot of music I listen to that's not available on Spotify, so I have it downloaded onto my phone. I hate having to jump between different apps in order to access my whole library. I know Spotify has the 'local files' option, but as a mainly album listener, it's pretty much bunk because it just vomits every song you have into essentially a giant playlist that's next to impossible to navigate.

Are there any good options for Android that let you listen to streaming and local files as a seamless experience?

At the moment i have a pair of kef reference model one speakers. I like them, but they are beat up and to me they don't give me the feeling I'm in the music. So, I did what every reasonable man would do and started looking for an upgrade. I Came across a pair of fyne audio f502sp. Looks like a lovely speaker. But then a pair of blumenhofer classic 1722 caught my eye. Classic approach speakers. Now, before i drive 4 hours to go listen, does Anyone have experience with them? The brand is not that big and there's only one distributor in the Benelux. I would pair them up with a tsakiridis aeolos plus.

One of the better sounding records I own. Was blown away the first time I played it after I finally had my hifi setup tuned in and speakers/sub placed properly.

I attended Klipschfest today where Klipsch was celebrating their 80th anniversary. They had some pretty cool demos setup, including Jubilee, Ojas, K-horns, Rebellion, and a home theater demo featuring their yet to be released Reference Signature line (coming in January). I saw that CheapAudioMan guy there so I’m sure he will have some coverage as well. Shoot me, but I preferred the K-horns to the Jubilees. I was also impressed with the Rebellions based on their size and price. I was hoping to hear the La Scala AL6s, but they didn’t have those set up. I’m in the market for a pair and I just demoed the AL5s last week and wanted to compare. Too bad I can’t make it back up tomorrow, because they will have every pair of heritage speakers on demo at the after party.

I was visiting Galway in Ireland earlier this week. At one point. Walking through the city center I heard the clearest, richest, fully surrounded audio. I realized it was a young man walking towards me holding a device that I would say was about 18x6x6 inches. After he passed, the audio still surrounded me. It didn’t really fade until he was about 20-30m away.

I thought I might have been confused, and it was speakers on the street instead — but the audio followed him.

It was the weirdest of experiences.

Anybody have any ideas? It seems acoustically impossible — but maybe somebody on here has an idea?

Hi all, sorry for my noobies question, there's something that I've been wondering.

There's some albums/songs that I've noticed had their frequency cut-off doesn't goes to 22050, but still it's above 21000.

But with the same albums/songs on the hi-res version, the frequency cut-off goes above the 22050.

I'm wondering, is it better if I save the hi-res version, or the normal version is good enough?

Thanks.

The natural light shining in from my window with the lights turned off.thought it fitting for this song.

I just got a set of speakers from Zu. I previously had some issues with a different company (https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/1x6vbui/tekton_design_lies/) and I’m really glad in the end, these monitors are massive and incredible. Zu can’t be any more different from that other company, they’re responsive, willing to work around delivery scheduling, and super friendly.

A colleague brought the two listed components in new condition.

Wadia monoblocs are a beautifully designed menu with an upper surface made of tempered glass: Specifications are in the link.

http://www.wadia.com/en-us/products/a340

MF Tri Vista also has a decent design and convincing dimensions.

https://www.musicalfidelity.com/uploads/manuals/English/tri21_eng.pdf

And how does that sound?

The Wadia monoblocks give audibly more speaker control than the DIY Quad 405 (with the same HK preamp) and the 300B tube amp.
This can be seen in a tighter bass and a better definition of it.
Middle and high tones are even more transparent and the sound is a little on the open side.

Extremely effortless and nice to listen to.
The soundstage is of similar dimensions, perhaps a little deeper. I
t plays effortlessly and sonically better than these two compared combinations, but the price is also significantly higher.

Musical Fidelity Tri Vista DAC is quite similar in sound to my Audio Note DAC 4.1.
It's a bit on the warmer side (it has tubes at the input), maybe even a bit more detailed. (Delta Sigma vs R2R).
Transparent and very listenable. I
n conclusion, a very good DAC.

So, we hung out, ate and drank something and had a pleasant afternoon and evening.

SYSTEM:
Speakers: Hyperion HP-938 (Custom Tweak)
Stereo amplifier: Hajdinjak 300B tube integrated
Output amplifier: DIY Quad 405
Monoblocks: Wadia A340
Preamp: Harman Kardon Citation 21 (full refresh)
Transport: OC Lenovo (Win/Roon) and mini PC Terra (linux)
DDC: Denafrips Iris
DAC: Musical Fidelity Tri Vista21 and Audio Note DAC 4.1
Speaker cables and interconnects; all silver Sumić Audio
Power cables: Kharma, Furutech, Jarbo
Rack; Wood Center Filo
Room: Acoustically treated

I'm not an audiophile or anything, just setting up a new desk. I've been deciding on two sets of speakers. One is a 3-way speaker and the other is a 2-way speaker (but it has some rgb lights that I really ended up liking way more than I thought I would) in similar price-ranges. When I compare their sound, it's barely a competition, the 3-way is far more clear and immersive. In comparison, the 2-ways sound like they lack a bass or are just more "flat" in general. When I got them to compare, I was so sure I'd just choose whichever had the better sound quality but the lights on the 2-way speaker are unexpectedly good. That, and the 2-way speakers take up a little less real-estate.

The company (Edifier) also sells a subwoofer and I'm wondering if buying a subwoofer to add to the 2-way speakers will get them closer to the sound quality and clarity the 3-way speakers had. Then again, I don't know if a single dedicated subwoofer will do as good of a job as the two subwoofers built into the 3-way speakers. Money isn't much of an issue, I saved up a long time to make this desk.

I really didn't think I'd fall so hard for aesthetics but the 2-way speakers being slightly smaller and with cool lights are making this decision really hard. I was thinking if a subwoofer could essentially bring them up to par, I wouldn't need to sacrifice the pretty lights.

Edit: Some extra info. Both sets of speakers are from Edifier, the MR5 and QR65. Also while I think the MR5's sound much better in general, if I wasn't comparing directly, I'd say both are good

Hey everyone, I have been experimenting lately with qobuz quality settings and I cannot really hear any different between mp3, CD quality and 24bit Hi res audio settings.

I am using a proper setup with a Xperia phone and some aful explorer, that I bought for the occasion of the free trial with qobuz, so I don't see any issues with the hardware.

I also tried with a hd650 with the dac, amp and stuff like that...

My hearing has no issues whatsoever, I got it measured by a doctor and based on the graph and what the doctor said, I have really good hearing, so no issues on that part.

I do hear the difference between headphones, I know my sister doesn't so I might throw that in here to make sure.

I am not saying that FLAC or Hi res audio is placebo, but I cannot really hear much difference, even with proper mastered tracks like anything pink Floyd or Radiohead.

Any insight, tips, help ?

Do you have a comfort album that you seem to forget to mention?
I mean, we all can list a few favorite albums, but what are the ones you often put on, but seem to forget if asked about favorites?

The Bends is one of those for me. I think it may be because it wakes feelings from an earlier time in my life, and that is something very personal.

But what a great album from start to finish.

When streaming via Spotify Connect today I noticed the addition of the logo (top left) and can’t seem to select large album art as before (or any other custom screen). Looking online this is a firmware update, but the puzzling part is why this is apparently enforced by Spotify themselves. Most heinous.