and so it begins

For years i have earned my wages by working in the financial sector as an information technology infrastructure project manager and security consultant, however out of hours of working, the financial rewards of that occupation has allowed me to indulge in my love of music and Hi-Fi technology. I have been addicted to Music and Movies and have a fascination, in reality an addiction, to great sounding HiFi equipment. Also have a love affair with Headphones as i live in a block of flats and i am a considerate neighbour.......plus i have heard my old cinema system from the flat below and it threatened the structural integrity of the building.

Currently my Primary HI-FI music reproduction system is as follows, i have a great collection of kit i have upgraded from apart from this system which i will detail in coming posts.

The kit below gives a nice smooth sound with a lovely controlled low end for a digital based system, 80-90% used after the hours of darkness via headphones, driven from Analog Vinyl via the Rupert Neve headphone AMP and from Digital sources via the RME DAC headphone output. The amplification stage mostly compliments TV sound at low volumes via SKY and Amazon, however produces a smooth sound when listening to music at higher volumes, the low end bass being again controlled but with a satisfying slam factor.

I love a wide selection of music genres and this system provides a satisfying clarity in source material ranging from classical, classic rock, hip hop, film soundtracks, electronica, stoner rock, house, dubstep, chill-out and even jazz and big band swing.

Please excuse the use of stock photos, my camera is due an upgrade and i will post at some stage the real setup.

• DIGITAL SOURCES: Dell 15 inch Gaming laptop with superior cooling capabilities (£1200). 

• This PC runs Windows 10 with a minimal software install.
• Foobar2000 for HiRes FLAC file playback from locally 24bit/96khz FLAC FILES
• Spotify Client (MP3 320Kbps service)
• Quobuz Client (16 Bit / 96KHZ service)
• Connects to RIPS, in FLAC on network wide Network Attached Storage server
• USB Connection to SCHIIT EITR USB conditioner which then provides aSPDIF CoAxial connection to my DAC (£180 -- pic supplied)
• Amazon Fire TV Box -- Connected via TOSLINK Optical
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•  DAC - RME ADI2 DAC (£800)

• Headphone AMP: Rupert Neve RNHP model (£500) driven by Balanced XLR output from the DAC and Unbalanced RCA from the turntable phono stage.
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• Headphones: Audeze LCD-X (£1200)

• ANALOG SOURCE : Vinyl Playback: Project Debut CARBON Turntable with Ortofon RED 2M cartridge (£350)
  
• Phono Stage; REGA FONO MM (£200)
  
• Pre Power Amplification: From the unbalanced output of the DAC, NAIM NAC72 and NAP140 Pre Power AMP (£1300), NAC 72 shown below





• Loudspeakers : Linn Kielidh  (£700)