The HiFi thread

tubby74

Likes Bikes and Dirt
why not just go chromecasts? can create groups of devices in sync, and then you can have freedom of hardware
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
I have a bunch of Sonos speakers; system works pretty well. The sound quality seems good in isolation, but compared with my proper hi-fi it's nothing flash. There is a significant improvement if you pair them together for stereo sound.

I quite like Sonos, but ended up with them mainly because I got a couple for a birthday present back when they were the best option around for this sort of thing, and since then Ive added to that.. once you've committed to a brand you're kinda stuck with it I guess. Nowadays there's a lot more competition out there. Sonos still wins the industrial design competition though.

If you like the look of the Sonos app etc, you can also use the Ikea-branded Sonos speakers which are cheaper and look quite nice.

 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
If you like the look of the Sonos app etc, you can also use the Ikea-branded Sonos speakers which are cheaper and look quite nice.

Wow mind blown. Serious? I was looking at an audio solution for the garage/kitchen/alfresco. Acoustics are shit in those areas so wasn't too fussed but didn't want absolute rubbish either.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Another thing that is quite cool with Sonos is that some models have an aux line in. I used one as a speaker for the TV for a while, and you can then have the TV sound across all/some of the speakers around the house.

So I could wander in to the kitchen and still hear the TV without turning the TV up. Not really something I ended up doing much, but if you're watching the news and cooking at the same time or whatever it's handy.

If you get a bunch of them you can set them up for 5:1 surround if you want to.

The base Play 1 won't do line-in though, I think you need the Play 5 or Soundbar for line in. Not sure about the Ikea ones.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
I have possibly mentioned this before - but I have a couple of Play:5's and a Sub. They're good but not great IMO. The single Play:5 I started with sounded very imbalanced in the room (admittedly it's a difficult room for audio - it's long and narrow and all glass down one side with the speakers at one end). The app is good - and operates reliably - but getting the setup as a pair was much better for giving a balanced sound. Unfortunately I find the sound (paired or not) doesn't suit all music types well. So the big limitation of the app is you only get very basic EQ adjustment (Treble/Bass/Loudness). I find they sound amazing for acoustic music and mild rock, but struggle to seperate the various bass tones on really hardcore metal or rap and hip-hop. Still decent, but not amazing. If they had a better equaliser, or just more balanced (less bass-heavy, more mid-bass definition) I'd say they'd be worth it as a system. Due to the sound limitations, I'd agree that they're overpriced. I keep them because I've already suffered the buy-in premium, and the app is pretty seamless. I like listening to music, and while a little fussy I would not consider myself an audiophile.
 
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Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
A good appraisal.

My feeling is that products like this, not just Sonos, focus on a kind of 'perceived loudness' that sounds good in showrooms and makes sales. My play five broke recently and was replaced (well out of warranty, no questions asked) by the updated 5 which apparently sounds a lot better. I can't tell the difference.

Still, for casual listening off streaming services in the kitchen etc it's pretty good.

For 'real' music listening I've got a Musical Fidelity amp, Dynaudios and a bunch of hipster vinyl, which is about five thousand times nicer.

For all that, I still like the Sonos. I think the $150 Ikea ones are the go, maybe paired with the Sub which definitely helps.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
For all that, I still like the Sonos. I think the $150 Ikea ones are the go, maybe paired with the Sub which definitely helps.
Not to thump my own sub - but having bought the two Play:5's I regret buying the Sub (I bought it at the same time as the second Play:5). It's fractionally better for deep bass note definition, but its scale goes from -10 to +10, and I have mine set permanently on -6 and it's plenty bassy. Any higher than that at all and the windows start to rattle violently.
 

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
Started looking at / kinda dreaming about some new speakers, somehow I've already jumped from "what can I get for under $500" to the B&W 607s.
369185

Get really good reviews, and look so good in white too.

The Monitor Bronze 50s, Q-acoustic 3020i and Dali Spektor 2s was what I was actually looking at- any views on these? If the B&Ws were just a bit cheaper...
 

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
Started looking at / kinda dreaming about some new speakers, somehow I've already jumped from "what can I get for under $500" to the B&W 607s.
View attachment 369185
Get really good reviews, and look so good in white too.

The Monitor Bronze 50s, Q-acoustic 3020i and Dali Spektor 2s was what I was actually looking at- any views on these? If the B&Ws were just a bit cheaper...
Not a bad choice. However, if I were looking then I'd consider some Oz designed and assembled speakers like the Krix Equinox or the Ascension Woodfox 612 (which is a transmission line speaker so the bass details can be amazing) or even the just Oz designed Richter Merlin.

And I'd cross shop those against the Wharfedale Diamond which I think is now up to version 11 ( I have a pair of V4's) because they've always been a bargain.
 

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
Ah yes, Krix have always been of interest - pretty sure local HiFi shop has them too, along with Monitor and Richter I think.

Watching about the Wharfedale as well.
 

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
There are a ridiculous number of speakers to choose from.

Canberra has limited hifi stores (I can only think of 2), so demoing most is not possible.

But given I'm upgrading from some 30 year old Mordaunt-Shorts, think I can go off reviews and get something much better :)
 

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
Indeed, driver technology has come a long way in 30 years.

Road trip to Sydney for speakers isn’t an option?
Hadn't thought about that - depends how serious this gets! Don't think can go too high on budget though..

can get those new 12.1 Wharfedales for under $600 which seems like a good deal. Krix is closer to $900. Monitors and Q-Acoustics are mid 600s.
 

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
I bought my Krix Lyrix speakers back in 2003 after the Richter Harlequins I wanted didn't survive the journey to Bourke via semi-trailer like the retailer thought they might. Krix then replaced the cabinets in 2008 when the Jarrah veneer didn't stay stuck. Since then however...they have been awesome...
 

\m/ Moshboy \m/

Likes Dirt
Was wondering if there's an easy way to convert a largish amount (few hundred songs at a time) iTunes ALAC/m4a files, to mp3? Did a quick search & looked at online converter, but as best I could tell, it was a case of doing 1 song at a time........ain't nobody got time for that!

I would like to put the mp3's on to a thumb drive to stick in the car. Current set-up is using an old Nano, which the car has controls for, but looking to change this arrangement. There's a port for a thumb drive, but it only reads mp3 format.
 
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