[Sandwich]

No se.

I also assumed it was more expensive because it'll play music from a phonograph player, which requires a special sort of preamp or something to increase the gain IIRC.

I'm guessing it's cause of ze toobz. 10w isn't a lot, but if you're powering a small system, like a pair of bookshelf speakers in a small room, you might be in heaven.

You might also be able to get away with something like this: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=38360 if your phono has a built-in preamp (which many do these days). You could run the phono on the RCA, and the cd player on the optical. That's getting pretty complicated though, and I get the drive for simplicity.

 

[Westy]

No se if people can hear the difference.

I also assumed it was more expensive because it'll play music from a phonograph player, which requires a special sort of preamp or something to increase the gain IIRC.

FWIW my buddy that has one, has the 25W version and he says it barely moves the VU meter at normal listening levels with his setup. Not sure what speakers he's driving, and how much that matters.

Info on Bluetooth quality.
https://habr.com/en/post/456182/

Some Codexes are better for music but there are trade offs. But if your music source is compressed mp3 and not high quality lossless it probably doesn't make a difference.

You really want sensitive speakers to play with a tube amp which will have a lot lower power rating than a solid state amplifier. The rating is given in decibels per watt at one meter. A sensitive speaker will have a rating in the high 90s. Decibel is a logarithmic scale so power requirements double every -3dB. So a 96dB/W speaker will require twice the power as a 99dB/W speaker to generate the same volume. A 90dB/W speaker will require 8 times the power.

 

[Westy]

No se if people can hear the difference.

I also assumed it was more expensive because it'll play music from a phonograph player, which requires a special sort of preamp or something to increase the gain IIRC.

FWIW my buddy that has one, has the 25W version and he says it barely moves the VU meter at normal listening levels with his setup. Not sure what speakers he's driving, and how much that matters.

Records use their own kind of data compression. Low frequency sound requires a wider groove. To fit more music on a disk the required groove width is reduced by filtering out lower frequencies, the phono amp not only boosts the signal from the needle, but it then applies a gain to those lower frequencies to basically reverse the filtering that occurred when the music was mixed to fit on a record.

So records actually sacrifice the quality of lower frequencies, where as digital sacrifices the quality of higher frequencies. Older dudes lose their ability to hear higher frequencies so the older you get the less you will notice the reduction in quality of digitized and compressed music.

 

[Full Trucker]

Records use their own kind of data compression. Low frequency sound requires a wider groove. To fit more music on a disk the required groove width is reduced by filtering out lower frequencies, the phono amp not only boosts the signal from the needle, but it then applies a gain to those lower frequencies to basically reverse the filtering that occurred when the music was mixed to fit on a record.

So records actually sacrifice the quality of lower frequencies, where as digital sacrifices the quality of higher frequencies. Older dudes lose their ability to hear higher frequencies so the older you get the less you will notice the reduction in quality of digitized and compressed music.

Considering I'm old and deaf AF, my takeaway here is that I'm stoked.

 

[TreeSaw]

I've got no experience with the Sonos thing, but I love my JBL Charge 2+. Gets pretty loud for its size, sounds pretty good, durable water-resistant construction, easy Bluetooth connection, headphone jack, and USB port that will also charge your device.

Also fits in my backpack pretty well. Goes errywhere with me.

I have a JBL Flip5 and it's great! Neighbors put Sonos in their house...got pricey so he didn't do the garage or barn.

 

[6thElement]

Those little tube amps are pretty mint looking, I think I'd have to go for the one with the digital inputs to connect to TV/computer. Our living room has speaker cable runs to a couple of ceiling points and I've never done anything with them.

 

[CBJ]

pre-post-edit: looks like I am wrong, that a properly organized system doesn't necessarily lose fidelity: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-bluetooth-audio/

That is also what I was told by people in the know. You can also buy streaming boxes that has better converters and options for wired ethernet. I have one for testing but it does not do bluetooth and the connection to Spotify was sometimes slow to get going. So I am actually back with my Alexa as I also use the ability to speak to it a lot both for choosing music, skip song and control volume so I am not dependent on an additional device. I really should get the Echo Link.

 

[HardtailHack]

This was my first proper go at a wireless speaker, used Dayton speakers, passive crossovers, 4Ch amp and a aptX HD bluetooth receiver, can't remember what the enclosure was port tuned to.
It worked pretty well but the Milwaukee M12 battery thing would shit out at the hint of an over current, they put a fuse on the board somewhere but from memory they made it unserviceable, ripped the battery mount off a Fein charger and went with an 18V battery.

I have finally got all the bits for my next ones but they will be an 8L pair of powered bookshelf speakers that stream over wireless but also support Bluetooth, even bought a calibration mic so I can tune the DSP correctly.

Ammo box speakers are pretty looking but will be difficult to get to sound decent, steel usually sucks as a speaker enclosure and if you make it stereo with no divider that isn't fantastic either.

 

[rideit]

HTH wins this thread, hands down

 

[HardtailHack]

HTH wins this thread, hands down

I made it just to annoy my boss, he bought these Ridgid site radios and they are tall awkward things that sound like ass so I said I'd make something better.

I ended up having a conversation with a drunk bloke that runs a Hi-Fi store a few nights ago.
His choice of the brands he stocked was Yamaha, said the app was flawless and sounded at least as good as Sonos.
He sold Bose but said the app was shit, they are tricky to set up and it sounded like some warranty issues or something in drunken mumble.
For music he said pair of speakers over the soundbar every time, you only want a soundbar if you want simulated surround.
Oh and, "Fuck $100 soundbars, leave those pieces of shit in their boxes, they are better left there! " Or something very close to that, hahaha!

 

[HardtailHack]

Just found this little devil and it should be useful to people with old amps and speakers, streaming over Wi-Fi is the audio equivalent of Moar Shimz!!!!!!!*

Dayton Audio - WBA31 Wireless Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Audio Receiver with IR Remote

WBA31 Wireless Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Audio Receiver with IR Remote

daytonaudio.com

*Compared to Bluetooth.

 

[mandown]

Well these are expensive so they must be good.

OD-11 the wireless stereo loudspeaker

made to play all your music, from any device, in wireless stereo.the unmistakably warm and relaxed carlsson sound has returned.now in red, black, blue, yellow, walnut and white.

teenage.engineering

 

[mykel]

Well these are expensive so they must be good.

OD-11 the wireless stereo loudspeaker

made to play all your music, from any device, in wireless stereo.the unmistakably warm and relaxed carlsson sound has returned.now in red, black, blue, yellow, walnut and white.

teenage.engineering

They look like mini Shahinian's

 

[StiHacka]

Well these are expensive so they must be good.

OD-11 the wireless stereo loudspeaker

made to play all your music, from any device, in wireless stereo.the unmistakably warm and relaxed carlsson sound has returned.now in red, black, blue, yellow, walnut and white.

teenage.engineering

At this point, Teenage Engineering is a hipster business. OP-1 was $1300 only a few weeks ago, now $1k for a single wireless speaker, that's crazy.

 

[dump]

At this point, Teenage Engineering is a hipster business. OP-1 was $1300 only a few weeks ago, now $1k for a single wireless speaker, that's crazy.

I disagree with this statement. I like their products. They’ve been going their own direction for a long time. Not everyone gets it, but I don’t think you should dismiss them. Have had an OP-1 for about 8 years and it’s been solid. Their pocket operators are brilliant. I have a couple of their ikea wireless speakers for around the house/garage and those have also been solid.

I would very much like to try this speaker they introduced about 5+ years ago, but can’t justify the price w/o hearing one in person... which I’m afraid is not possible.

 

[StiHacka]

I disagree with this statement. I like their products. They’ve been going their own direction for a long time. Not everyone gets it, but I don’t think you should dismiss them. Have had an OP-1 for about 8 years and it’s been solid. Their pocket operators are brilliant. I have a couple of their ikea wireless speakers for around the house/garage and those have also been solid.

I would very much like to try this speaker they introduced about 5+ years ago, but can’t justify the price w/o hearing one in person... which I’m afraid is not possible.

I have a few pocket operators, they are great little gadgets. I was considering the OP-1 but it's a lot of money for a toy that has not seen any update for 10 years, plus you paid 1/2 of the current price. I bought the Synthstrome Deluge instead.

 

[mandown]

I have a few pocket operators, they are great little gadgets. I was considering the OP-1 but it's a lot of money for a toy that has not seen any update for 10 years, plus you paid 1/2 of the current price. I bought the Synthstrome Deluge instead.

The OP 1 has been on my radar, along with the OP Z. I’ve got two PO units, and they’re fun but not something I gravitate to often. I’ve used them for a few recording/performance ideas.

The Deluge is no slouch. Nice move.

 

[StiHacka]

The Deluge is no slouch. Nice move.

I'll spend the rest of my life learning how to use it.

 

[dump]

I'll spend the rest of my life learning how to use it.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome is real.

long over that.

 

[mandown]

Gear Acquisition Syndrome is real.

long over that.

Never heard of it

 

[StiHacka]

Gear Acquisition Syndrome is real.

long over that.

 

[dump]

Never heard of it
View attachment 159721

Cool empress pedal. Used to have a superdelay back in the day. Somewhat regret selling it.

 

[dump]

That's mad!

In my case, I realized there was an inverse relationship between new gear and the amount of music I was making... and if I could have that time back from all those useless Native Instruments manuals I read back in the day.

 

[mandown]

That's mad!

In my case, I realized there was an inverse relationship between new gear and the amount of music I was making... and if I could have that time back from all those useless Native Instruments manuals I read back in the day.

I don’t know. I’ve found the various tutorials currently available helpful. But I’ll also say that getting into hardware synths has helped me understand the software stuff on a deeper level. I’m figuring out why the software has certain features, instead of just being aware that the features exist.

 

[mandown]

Jump on the Bongzilla Fuzz that’s dropping today.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Is this the guitarist version of autotune?

 

[StiHacka]

Is this the guitarist version of autotune?

The exact opposite - 100% chaos.

 

[mandown]

The exact opposite - 100% chaos.

Needs more PLL

 

[dump]

I don’t know. I’ve found the various tutorials currently available helpful. But I’ll also say that getting into hardware synths has helped me understand the software stuff on a deeper level. I’m figuring out why the software has certain features, instead of just being aware that the features exist.

I started with hardware and wondered why the software of 10-15 years ago was so confounding with poorly designed workflows. Now back to mostly hardware.

 

[mandown]

I started with hardware and wondered why the software of 10-15 years ago was so confounding with poorly designed workflows. Now back to mostly hardware.

Definitely some big software progress in that period. I remember trying fruity loops 20+ years ago and being very confused. It’s much better now, from what I’ve seen.