Absolute Bargains!

We use the Tune Method to evaluate performance

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Stevie
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Post by Stevie »

I was in my local B&Q (a UK diy shop) and saw that they were doing the 4-way Masterplug with the 1m cord for £3 each - grabbed a few. They also had the 6-way, but alas, they were not on sale (£9 each).
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2£ Biltema 24-191 Bluetooth DA (Nordic countries only)

Post by Linnofil »

Biltema is a chain for cheap car parts, tools etc. They are only present in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Sorry about that...
I was searching for a good way to get music from my IPhone 5s. The analouge out from the headphone out is NOT any good.

My good solution costed me £2. The Biltema 24-191 bluetooth DA has to be one of the bargain of the year, or?

I bought this for 25 SEK (£2):
http://www.biltema.se/sv/Kontor---Tekni ... -30-24191/

This bluetooth DA is powered by a apple 30 pin connector. So the true cost of this should include a USB power adapter (I use a small Apple) and a 30 pin cable from the older type of iPhones. I had both already so no added cost for me. I tried to power this from the iphone (camera adapter) and this worked, but it didn't sound as good as when powered from the USB/wall adapter. But for portable use this is a possibility.

I'm really happy with this product/solution. I stream FLAC over WLAN from my LS-NAS to the iPhone with the PlugPlayer app and my garden shed is now rocking again! Much more music than from a £50 Maplin DA that I compared it with.

Since this is a USB powered bluetooth device it should work with any phone, the only Apple about this solution is that it has to be powered with a 30 pin Apple style USB cable.

This is an item that is on sale and it is not going to be restocked by Biltema. If you want one, act now! I just bought an extra spare 2 days ago, cheap!
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by Linntek »

... and Denmark. But they cost £10 here. Or they was.
I think they are replaced by 24192 (£18)
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by musikpolisen »

My best bargain was when I bought Arvani ErgoSound II soundbar for the low price of 1900SEK (230USD). This toptested soundbar had the price of 5000SEK (600USD) when I first heard it I compared it to soundbars that cost the double (Bose and others) and Arvani was the winner. It sounds great when I look at my TV and when I listen to music on Spotify its also a beautiful thing to look at.
http://www.ljudochbild.se/test/arvani-ergosound-ii
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by TMV »

If you are in Japan and want really cheap in-ear headphones for traveling I recommend Radius Pure Standard Series HP-NEF11. I can´t find them in Sweden, don´t know if they are available in other countries. More info here: http://www.radius.co.jp/HeadphonesAudio ... fault.aspx

For the price, the music is great and the isolation of noise is really good (especially low frequencies) so they work great on planes, trains and buses. Price: 1800Yen (125SEK/15USD/13EUR/10Pounds)
I tried 100 headphones and I liked these best with my Sony Z3 Compact, the more expensive ones were all more annoying. For more HiFi and low distortion HP-ZDF11 is better, but at least with my phone, not more fun.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by sunbeamgls »

Not sure if this classes as an absolute bargain, but its certainly of interest and the condition looks remarkable

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.ph ... n-Isobarik
KSH/0; KEBox/2; 3x Tundra Stereo 2.5; PMC fact.12. Blogger. Exakt Design. SO measuring.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by The FlatEarther »

He is one for you to try if you bought IKEA record storage units and like me have a couple of shelves left over. If you do put some basic 3m feet on it and put it under your DS. It has the same musical effect as the Lack table. Once you hear it I can guarantee you'll be in the shed cutting it to fit. LOL
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by The FlatEarther »

Sunbeam, interesting as my Briks were from the very last batch and are a much higher Sr. Number and made in 93.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by lejonklou »

The FlatEarther wrote:He is one for you to try if you bought IKEA record storage units and like me have a couple of shelves left over. If you do put some basic 3m feet on it and put it under your DS. It has the same musical effect as the Lack table. Once you hear it I can guarantee you'll be in the shed cutting it to fit. LOL
Sounds like a bargain, FlatEarther, but...

Which IKEA record storage?
Which 3M feet (I have several dozen types in my drawers)?
Cutting to fit what? The size will affect the result.
The foundation below this bargain shelf will also heavily affect the result.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by The FlatEarther »

Yo Dudes! Stop Press, hold the front page!

For some reason Amazon are selling Monster Distribution blocks for £18.99 instead of £120.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003 ... ge_o01_s00

I installed mine tonight and it sounds epic. This is an added bonus as I just bought it to add another socket for my NAS as I didn't have enough with my six way. I already have an eight way one of these for my TV, Sky box, BR player and other bits and bobs. I bought the original one from Comet years ago to protect the expensive AV kit. And it worked. Five years ago after a bad lightning strike on the railway embankment at the back of the garden, all my kit had turned off and all the protection lights on the Monster were flashing. It was completely knackered from the storm but all my kit was perfect. Basically it had sacrificed its life to save the kit. Under the guarantee, Monster simply replaced it.

Anyway seeing these were only £18.99, I jumped on it. Thinking it probably wouldn't make a musical improvement but it would protect my very expensive Hifi. So I plugged all my kit in and especially the phone line to the broadband router so that all my kit, including and NAS and router are now isolated from the mains hash. Youser, youser, youser, it's a big upgrade.

This weekend I had the opportunity to hear a Chord Company Signature Tuned array interconnect. What a beautiful sound it made. It was very musical and detailed and an added bonus it sounded sweet and very natural. But £800!!! I just can't get past that it's a cable. But otherwise I'd get one. LOL.

Well anyway this Monster supply block has made almost as much of a difference and all for £18:99. Now whether it's because I've isolated the kit or isolated the wifi router phone line, or a combination of both I don't know, but who cares. It's great.

Flat
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by tokenbrit »

This jobby: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003N1KL3E ?
The FlatEarther wrote:Yo Dudes! Stop Press, hold the front page!

For some reason Amazon are selling Monster Distribution blocks for £18.99 instead of £120.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003 ... ge_o01_s00

I installed mine tonight and it sounds epic. This is an added bonus as I just bought it to add another socket for my NAS as I didn't have enough with my six way. I already have an eight way one of these for my TV, Sky box, BR player and other bits and bobs. I bought the original one from Comet years ago to protect the expensive AV kit. And it worked. Five years ago after a bad lightning strike on the railway embankment at the back of the garden, all my kit had turned off and all the protection lights on the Monster were flashing. It was completely knackered from the storm but all my kit was perfect. Basically it had sacrificed its life to save the kit. Under the guarantee, Monster simply replaced it.

Anyway seeing these were only £18.99, I jumped on it. Thinking it probably wouldn't make a musical improvement but it would protect my very expensive Hifi. So I plugged all my kit in and especially the phone line to the broadband router so that all my kit, including and NAS and router are now isolated from the mains hash. Youser, youser, youser, it's a big upgrade.

...

Well anyway this Monster supply block has made almost as much of a difference and all for £18:99. Now whether it's because I've isolated the kit or isolated the wifi router phone line, or a combination of both I don't know, but who cares. It's great.

Flat
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by The FlatEarther »

Yes that's the one. Oops just noticed the price has changed. Bummer.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by ThomasOK »

The FlatEarther wrote:Yes that's the one. Oops just noticed the price has changed. Bummer.
Amazon is noted for instantaneous price changes. I checked just now and it is £18.39. Get 'em when they're hot!
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by rowlandhills »

I ordered one of these Monster power distribution blocks on recommendation from Flatearther, and I'd say that it does sound a bit more tuneful than the old generic one, as well as having surge protection, which seems like a good idea for the hifi.

Current setup is:

Double Socket on Wall (outlets A, B)
A > Tundra 1.2
B > Monster board (M) through a Devolo DLAN 650 Passthrough powerline adaptor

M1 > KRDS1
M2 > Exotik+DA
M3 > QNAP NAS
M4 > Netgeard GS108 Switch
M5 > Panasonic BluRay/Freeview TV box

Has anyone tried listening to the different sockets on the Monster board to see which sound best? They have different protection/filtering, I believe. One is labelled "PLC compatible" for networking kit, one triggers "Greenpower" and three can be switched off when the "Greenpower" device stops consuming power (although I've turned this function off for now).

I have the Tundra separate from all of the digital kit, but am wondering if it would be better to have the KRDS, Exotik and Tundra on one power strip with the BluRay, QNAP and Netgear switch on another strip, or even all on one strip. Any views?
KRDSM, Tundra to 242s
Silvers, K400, Hutter rack
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by tokenbrit »

rowlandhills wrote:Any views?
Fredrik was kind enough to answer my similar question in another thread:
lejonklou wrote:
tokenbrit wrote:I have DS & power strip plugged in to a double outlet (duplex) then pre, pre, Pekin, power, power plugged in to the strip... Will change it if there's a musically beneficial alternate/preferred arrangement
Try everything on the same strip, in the order Pre, Pre, DS, Pekin, Power, Power. If not enough outlets, move the Pekin to the separate outlet (as I assume it's less important than the DS).

It's also important to have switch and NAS (in that order) on a separate strip, connected to a wall socket rather close to the one that feeds the main strip. Sometimes it's best to feed it off the second part of a double outlet.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by hcl »

lejonklou wrote:...
Try everything on the same strip, in the order Pre, Pre, DS, Pekin, Power, Power. If not enough outlets, move the Pekin to the separate outlet (as I assume it's less important than the DS).

It's also important to have switch and NAS (in that order) on a separate strip, connected to a wall socket rather close to the one that feeds the main strip. Sometimes it's best to feed it off the second part of a double outlet.
It is rather weird that it is actually not that difficult to spot a difference from re-arranging how the power cords are connected to the mains. I have not tested this a lot, but, on the occasions I have I have come to very similar conclusions as Frerik here states.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by rowlandhills »

Thanks all! Will try that order later.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by The FlatEarther »

Hi Rowland,
I haven't tried rearranging the inputs but this is the order I connected them. Skt 1 being closest to the incoming mains cord and skt 2 being the one opposite.

1. Naim 52 Preamp
2. Lingo
3. KDS
4. Naim 250
5. Yamaha AV Receiever
6. BK Monolith Subwoofer for the AV
7. QNAP NAS
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by The FlatEarther »

Hi Rowland, as promised I experimented today but in a slightly different way. I removed the Sky Router PSU and the NAS PSU from the audio block to the TV/Sky Reciver/Blueray block on the advice of the Jazz Club from the Kabin and moved the Naim 250 power amp in front of the Yamaha Receiver position on the audio block.

There was an instant improvement in space, and PRaT and tunefulness.

So basically all my outboard digital equipment PSU's (Excluding the KDS) are separate from the Audio block.

Thanks for the suggestion.

KR
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by idoc »

rowlandhills wrote:I ordered one of these Monster power distribution blocks on recommendation from Flatearther, and I'd say that it does sound a bit more tuneful than the old generic one, as well as having surge protection, which seems like a good idea for the hifi.
I've just installed one of these in my TV system (Netgear router, Sekrit DS-i, Dynaudios) after reading this thread and it does indeed seem to have made a very worthwhile improvement for £19, so I've ordered two more for the main rig...

Cheers

Iain.
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by doze84 »

Fiebeat roxcore,

Norway
http://www.kjell.com/no/produkter/data- ... ere-p95061

Sweden
http://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/dator ... are-p95061


After burn in they sound better than Unik on Kolumn on the perfect mm from backwall, driven by a Sneaky DS with internal Amplifier on the best firmware..(on unshielded cat5) With any good external amplifier the sneaky sounds better. According to my friend who tested to night.


These speakers, after some play in time will blow your socks off!
Sounds better from a macbook than an iPhone 5, but best from iPhone 6.

Soundwise, nothing special. Harsh in the beginning but gets better with time

The bad news are, they are discontinued, the only speakers left are the ones in the stores.

Run for you life and buy these babies!
800kr / 80$
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by Teemu »

Ultimate Ears Megaboom bluetooth speaker. Unbelievable, especially shines outdoors conditions, lively, open, rhytmical and natural sound that impress all Linnies and other music lovers. Built like a tank, offers ipx7 protection and very good battery life. Don't let stupid name fool you, not the cheapest one, however bargain, absolutely!
IMG_20160804_221329.jpg
IMG_20160804_221312.jpg
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by Azazello »

I've been meaning to post this home-made wall shelf here for over a year!

It consists of a couple of consoles and a bamboo cuttong board, both from from IKEA. It costs almost nothing (less that $20). Looks ok (to me) and sounds great! I have not compared it to anything on this wall, but it sounds good enough that I don't care.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN ... VqNG8xZ2l3

http://www.ikea.com/se/sv/catalog/products/80233430/
http://www.ikea.com/se/sv/catalog/produ ... #/50168723
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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by matthias »

Azazello wrote:I've been meaning to post this home-made wall shelf here for over a year!
It consists of a couple of consoles and a bamboo cuttong board, both from from IKEA. It costs almost nothing (less that $20). Looks ok (to me) and sounds great! I have not compared it to anything on this wall, but it sounds good enough that I don't care.
Nice,
how do you interface the board to the console?

Matt
Matt

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Re: Absolute Bargains!

Post by Azazello »

matthias wrote:
Nice,
how do you interface the board to the console?

Matt
I just drilled holes in the board, leveled it with paper, and fastened it loosely with cable ties. Fastening with screws would likely kill it.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... k3QWVQNDJR
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