Just Old
Ex Member
Having said I never would......I have..
Having said its too complicated and we should stick with boxes we can just plug in and go.....it is, well too complicated if you want to understand everything and are getting on in life, and just want stuff to play.
I shied away after buying a Sonos connect, that was simple to set up, for a non teccie. But the sound reproduction was very poor through my home separates. OK I could have added a DAC.....
but that's another story,
So it went back.
Then I went down the Ripnas, Bluesound node, cocktail route, you name it I've listened to it.
Every dealer I spoke and listened to the kit, told me the same thing.
Too much in one box, and the CD drawer is unreliable.
The Bluesound was as bad as the Sonos until the Rega r dac was added......then we were rocking, excellent CD quality FLAC playback.
The problem was to reach that level it cost £900.
In the end I walked into Peter Tysons and they set up a Linn Ds using speakers and amp of the same brand and similar spec to the ones I had at home.
The unit was just about to go on e bay ex demo.
Now heres the thing.
My biggest bitch about streaming and downloading your CD collection is the lack of customer support.
I couldn't get it why dealers did not sell the full package.
Streamer player, NAS, and back up support.
Then there is the CAT5 and additional router if your far away from your BT router......
They told me what I needed to do with the cat5, and even offered an electrician to run the line. They have a range of NAS units which they set up in house ready to plug in and go.
They spent time going through dbpoweramp, showing me what to do and making notes.
So I went for it. The ex demo ds price was too attractive to turn down which helped matters.
Went back when the nas was sorted out, and picked up the ds, router, and nas after the cat5 was installed and using the supplied diagram set it up.
I downloaded Kazoo the operating system to my ipad, then rang Tysons.
They talked me through the set up and luckily away I went.
Now they also have the ability to connect into your computer and take over and config from their offices, which I have to say is just what non teccies want.
Why can't every dealer offer this service as the norm?
However I didn't require this as talking through on the phone sorted out the few niggles and gliches I had.
So, now I've 500 or 600 CDs on a nas and listening to them through the ds.
Its been a long road.
I've spent a lot of time getting this right in my head, talking to dealers, and listening to the different options.
In conclusion the time has been well spent, but my original comments about dealers content to just sell boxes is correct in a lot of the ones I visited to listen and review equipment.
I'm glad I found Tysons and can't praise them enough for their service and especially there support.
I'd also like to thank Don Dadda, from the forum, for his help with technical issues, and some dum questions I asked him, he;s been a hive of information and has helped me understand downloading and streaming issues and equipment. Thanks DON!!!!!
I hope this post gives hope to the older folk thinking about getting rid of that CD collection.
Just Old...and knackard!!!....but happy!!
Having said its too complicated and we should stick with boxes we can just plug in and go.....it is, well too complicated if you want to understand everything and are getting on in life, and just want stuff to play.
I shied away after buying a Sonos connect, that was simple to set up, for a non teccie. But the sound reproduction was very poor through my home separates. OK I could have added a DAC.....
but that's another story,
So it went back.
Then I went down the Ripnas, Bluesound node, cocktail route, you name it I've listened to it.
Every dealer I spoke and listened to the kit, told me the same thing.
Too much in one box, and the CD drawer is unreliable.
The Bluesound was as bad as the Sonos until the Rega r dac was added......then we were rocking, excellent CD quality FLAC playback.
The problem was to reach that level it cost £900.
In the end I walked into Peter Tysons and they set up a Linn Ds using speakers and amp of the same brand and similar spec to the ones I had at home.
The unit was just about to go on e bay ex demo.
Now heres the thing.
My biggest bitch about streaming and downloading your CD collection is the lack of customer support.
I couldn't get it why dealers did not sell the full package.
Streamer player, NAS, and back up support.
Then there is the CAT5 and additional router if your far away from your BT router......
They told me what I needed to do with the cat5, and even offered an electrician to run the line. They have a range of NAS units which they set up in house ready to plug in and go.
They spent time going through dbpoweramp, showing me what to do and making notes.
So I went for it. The ex demo ds price was too attractive to turn down which helped matters.
Went back when the nas was sorted out, and picked up the ds, router, and nas after the cat5 was installed and using the supplied diagram set it up.
I downloaded Kazoo the operating system to my ipad, then rang Tysons.
They talked me through the set up and luckily away I went.
Now they also have the ability to connect into your computer and take over and config from their offices, which I have to say is just what non teccies want.
Why can't every dealer offer this service as the norm?
However I didn't require this as talking through on the phone sorted out the few niggles and gliches I had.
So, now I've 500 or 600 CDs on a nas and listening to them through the ds.
Its been a long road.
I've spent a lot of time getting this right in my head, talking to dealers, and listening to the different options.
In conclusion the time has been well spent, but my original comments about dealers content to just sell boxes is correct in a lot of the ones I visited to listen and review equipment.
I'm glad I found Tysons and can't praise them enough for their service and especially there support.
I'd also like to thank Don Dadda, from the forum, for his help with technical issues, and some dum questions I asked him, he;s been a hive of information and has helped me understand downloading and streaming issues and equipment. Thanks DON!!!!!
I hope this post gives hope to the older folk thinking about getting rid of that CD collection.
Just Old...and knackard!!!....but happy!!