How do you like your second system?

[Charlie1]

Have you tried the Sneaky in your main system Charlie, if not due you intend to ?

I can't be bothered. Do you think I should?

[Charlie1]

@beck and u252agz, I agree expectations affect our opinions. However, I don't think that's the cause here. I'm happy with the sound so just getting on with my work in the study. The music is playing in the background. If I use Spotify then it starts to annoy me quite quickly. I want it off. It distracts me. With Tidal, I'm happy getting on with my job but nodding my head to the music at the same time. Also, I might stop and listen to a particular song for a few moments and just enjoy it. That doesn't happen with Spotify.

[u252agz]

I think someone on the forum wrote that the total perceived distortion in the music is the sum of that in the recording combined with that in the system . I am assuming this sum is inversely proportional to musicality and enjoyment.

If that is the case, it seems like the distortions in Spotify are tipping you over the edge - whereas those in Tidal are keeping you above your threshold.

I don't use either but can confirm that the childrens music streamed from their phones/ipads ( ? via airplay) through the sneakys is well below my listening threshold.

Interestingly - on the rare occasions they stream their music over the KDS/2 in the main system - I am less inclined to ask them to stop, and sometimes even stop and listen.

[Charlie1]

Sounds reasonable doesn't it. I know Anthony thinks Spotify is fine through his Klimax system. In fact, I did hear Spotify through a Sonos at a friend's recently and was enjoying that too. And pretty sure Leo uses it via his various cost effective set-ups as well. Maybe not fair to lay the blame solely at the Spotify door.

[Lego]

In my non DS setup i didnt like spotify(verydull and boring).Qobuz sounded better but wasnt any more engaging or enjoyable than spotify or deezer.I found tidal way more musical and engaging.

[Lego]

Have you tried the Sneaky in your main system Charlie, if not due you intend to ?

I can't be bothered. Do you think I should?

Yes I think you should because I need to know how good it would sound through a main system as that's how I'd be using it if I was buying one, primarily streaming Tidal..but I understand if you would rather not :)

[Charlie1]

Yes I think you should because I need to know how good it would sound through a main system as that's how I'd be using it if I was buying one, primarily streaming Tidal..but I understand if you would rather not :)

LOL! OK, I will but it will be a few weeks before my system is playing again.

[u252agz]

[/[quote
Yes I think you should because I need to know how good it would sound through a main system as that's how I'd be using it if I was buying one, primarily streaming Tidal..but I understand if you would rather not :)

The "Boring Hi Fi Forbidden" thread may be of interest as it touches on lesser sources and good systems.

[Charlie1]

I decided to leave the study without any HiFi after all the building and decorating work was finished. The current décor doesn't suit a shiny silver pair of speakers and I've been enjoying blasting my LP12 from upstairs so much, whilst working at home during the week.

However, the good news is that my wife agreed to have the Sneaky/104s in the new open plan kitchen/living space. She never wanted music played downstairs before because she found it annoying. I've no idea what brought about the change but I didn't hang about long enough to find out. Sneaky/104s are now streaming Tidal downstairs so the entire family now has music in the house. My wife seems happy enough and the girls love picking songs - a shame they don't let any songs actually finish!! Hopefully my youngest will now stop playing music on the ipad itself.

The Sneaky is on the floor and speakers on a waist high cabinet. Sounds good. This morning I was playing Florence and the Machine, How Big, How Blue etc on vinyl (do like that album) and then went downstairs and decided to continue playing it on the SDS. Digital is so much better than the bad old days. There's not a huge musical gap any more, at least not with modern recordings like the Florence album. Older analogue recordings still expose a fairly big gap to vinyl though.

I have noticed the SDS sounds slightly distorted at 70. In fact below 65 is best. I never played music that loud in the study cos it's such a tiny room. Apart from that it's nice to have music fully available to all the family.

[The FlatEarther]

Hi all,
My second system is in my dining room and comprises: Naim CDS-Naim Nait-Linn Saras. It sounds incredibly musical.

[rowlandhills]

Sounds like a good outcome there Charlie!

I have noticed the SDS sounds slightly distorted at 70. In fact below 65 is best. I never played music that loud in the study cos it's such a tiny room.

Interesting. I wonder if it's the Sneaky or the 104s which are the limiting factor there.

[Charlie1]

Interesting. I wonder if it's the Sneaky or the 104s which are the limiting factor there.

I've used the K104s on my main system and not noticed this so presume it's the Sneaky or something to do with streaming/Tidal. It's not a problem for what it's being used for. Perhaps the word 'distortion' wasn't a good one. It's not a traditional breakup of the sound. More of an unpleasant compression that I don't like - hard to describe.

[Charlie1]

Hi all,
My second system is in my dining room and comprises: Naim CDS-Naim Nait-Linn Saras. It sounds incredibly musical.

Nice. Don't recall ever hearing Saras. Would like to though.

[The FlatEarther]

Charlie you're welcome to come by and have a listen. I also have a pair of Kans to compare them with.

[Charlie1]

Thanks Flat. Sent you PM.

[Music Lover]

Charlie you're welcome to come by and have a listen. I also have a pair of Kans to compare them with.

Do you prefer Saras over Kans? Sara or Sara9? Kan mkII?

[Music Lover]

However, the good news is that my wife agreed to have the Sneaky/104s in the new open plan kitchen/living space.

Great house Charlie, congrats!

[Charlie1]

Great house Charlie, congrats!

Thanks ML!

My wife has been playing some music of her own choosing this afternoon. Is it too late to back out now?!

[beck]

Ha, ha! You can always fake a breakdown of the Sneaky or something!

[u252agz]

Thanks ML!

My wife has been playing some music of her own choosing this afternoon. Is it too late to back out now?!

This is one of the problems of putting an easy to use second system, in a family area such as the kitchen.

I have a sneaky and Ninkas and the children /wife will often take over the system, citing ' we live in a democracy and no one else wants to listen to that wierd music'

Worse still - the children have figured out how to play the music directly from their iphones/ ipads through the sneaky.

The Sneaky from the NAS drive sounds good ( I think preferrable to when I had Ikemi/kolektor and LK140s running the same Ninkas triactive) but with iphones and you tube it is quite challenging.

[Music Lover]

I have only one system in our house and it's not connected to the Net. (nor the local LAN)
My DS network is totally separated.
No chance I let the family mess-up my NAS or download/stream unknown music.
The music on my NAS is ripped carefully from good records.

If they like to listen, they use the iPhone5 which sole purpose is defining the DS playlist, with music stored on the NAS.

Yeah, I'm quite careful with my system and my music. Quality over quantity.

[u252agz]

ML

The NAS drive and network is kept away from the family, to the best of my knowledge - and I too only rip CDs onto this, or download 24 bit albums from LINN.

The network with the NAS is kept on a secure windows netbook away from familys apple computers/devices.

Mostly the children use Kinsky on thier ipads/ phones to control the playlist from the NAS - in which case the music sounds quite good.

On occasion however they directly stream music from their phones via the sneaky, when the quality drops- I am not sure how they do this ( ? something called airplay) but I am assuming that this has no impact on my precious NAS!

If I am mistaken and somehow this is affecting the NAS drive - please could someone let me know and I will inform the family with immediate effect.

[rowlandhills]

No impact on your NAS or DS from playing other sources through Airplay or Songcast.

I love having the option, and would rather that my kids, wife and visitors are able to enjoy the system than have me hide it away with only my choice in music able to play on it!

If anything, I want to keep some of my collection away from the kids (who are 4 and 8 years old) given the explicit language... :)

[u252agz]

Thanks for that Rowland.


For a moment ML had me worried.

Seems that my NAS music library is safe from tampering by the family for now.

I was looking at a Melco N1a so as to keep my best and favourite music on there and even more hidden from the children and separate from their pop music- some of which is actually quite good these days. Really high quality recordings at times.

[Music Lover]

No impact on your NAS or DS from playing other sources through Airplay or Songcast.

Correct.
Since music from the LS-NAS is on another level, nobody feel the need using streaming services.
Except on the move when the other family members using Spotify/iPhones.