Author Topic: Follow up to "Cheap Desktop Setup"  (Read 2423 times)

Offline malloy

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Follow up to "Cheap Desktop Setup"
« on: August 12, 2018, 09:40:02 PM »
"This is a fire hazard!"

These were the first words my wife uttered when she saw what I did to the garage when I decided to resurrect my cd player and buy a new pair of speakers for my budget desktop setup.  My heart said TAD!,  but my wallet said Tandy, so I went with the next best thing given my meager budget. After so may delays and grandiose plans, I ended up with the little Andrew Jones designed Pioneer SP-BS22-LR's which my local Fry's has on sale for $99.00 plus tax. 

Amazing what advances have been made in the last decade in budget speaker design. Very wisely executed design with surprisingly detailed and punchy sound. Of course there are trade offs - limited frequency extension, etc. but hard to complain given that the USB cable I use cost nearly the same price!

A minor miracle, is how I put it.  It should not sound this good for so little money.



Notice the cardboard packing material I used for stands!



The cd player sounds a lot better than the PC-based system. Of course I plugged this into the Digibuss for better sound!


Offline Nick B

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Re: Follow up to "Cheap Desktop Setup"
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2018, 12:10:41 AM »
Very good sound for very little money 👍 Always a good formula! Umm, regarding the cardboard, it is audiophile quality, yes??
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline malloy

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Re: Follow up to "Cheap Desktop Setup"
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2018, 09:45:45 PM »
Umm, regarding the cardboard, it is audiophile quality, yes??

But of course!

The right speaker's stands are even more special.

I actually have two desks put together, so the right speaker has to have taller stands. It is a "composite" design. My own special brew of  closed-cell extruded polystyrene,  a fluted corrugated sheet, and pressing moist fibres of cellulose pulp - all sitting atop a special kitchen implement (cardboard, styrofoam, a book on top of a Boos cutting board).

Note that I conditioned these with plenty of classical and jazz cd's all over. On the wall I have some sort of non-resonant trap (not for sound but for ants and roaches).



Paul

Offline tmazz

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Re: Follow up to "Cheap Desktop Setup"
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2018, 05:36:45 AM »
Andrew Jones really does some amazing work, but you will not get to know how amazing for quite a while as I think it will take at least 300 hours of play time to properly break that cardboard in.  :lol:

BTW, the pile of 50 cent CDs are the perfect music to play on the "Cheap Desktop System."  :thumb:
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

Offline malloy

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Re: Follow up to "Cheap Desktop Setup"
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2018, 08:30:56 PM »
Andrew Jones really does some amazing work, but you will not get to know how amazing for quite a while as I think it will take at least 300 hours of play time to properly break that cardboard in.  :lol:

BTW, the pile of 50 cent CDs are the perfect music to play on the "Cheap Desktop System."  :thumb:

Agreed!  :rofl:

Actually, as I remember some of the CDs were 25c each! The Metheny one was actually $2.00.