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I hope I made good choices with new gear. Comments?

(Subtitled: Rabbit holes can run deep)

Synergy and such. It always worries me as I don’t have time for much trial and error.

Some of this appears in a recent thread elsewhere but it was getting off topic.

This all started out by me wanting a new TV. So I bought an LG 77" C5 OLED model. Well, then I decided I might as well redo the room it’s going in so that’s almost done.

 Gee, then I figured I need a new DVD player, a 4K one. I bought a Panasonic DP-UB820-K for that. It reads like it’s a pretty good unit for picture and sound. Of course with the long cable run from the TV to the rack holding the audio gear and DVD player, I would need a 30’ or so optical HDMI cable. Also long audio cables from the TV to the rack.

  My main audio system is also in the same room the TV is in. It’s mostly equipment I bought 36 years ago, save for the CD players. The amps are getting old and nobody around here works on them. So I purchased a pair of Cambridge Audio Edge M monoblocks. I figured I would use my old Harmon Kardon Citation 25 preamp with them. It’s compatible and still works. Nah, I ordered a Parasound Halo JC 2BP preamplifier today. Hey, those new components have XLR inputs and outputs! I bought some Audioquest Red River XLR cables for that.

 No way am I going to just plug all of this stuff into wall outlets. I bought a pair of APC BR1500MS2 uninterruptible power supplies to protect against power surges and brownouts. These do not provide enough battery power to run for any length of time but we have an emergency standby generator that kicks in in less than 10 seconds so it’s not an issue. 

 With all the new gear, I need someplace comfortable to sit. I found a good set of wing chairs on sale on the ’net. Also got a nice small narrow table to put between them to hold remotes and a drink. My new gear also needs a nice place to sit so I also purchased a Salamander Designs rack for it. 

 New and much longer SP6 speaker cables are currently on the burn-in machine at Morrow Audio. 

 All of this started with wanting a new TV and it just kept going, LOL! Oh well. Did I miss anything? Did I get anything that’s not going to work well together?  I did as much research as I could and it was quite a bit. Ya never know though.

Any and all input is greatly appreciated! Thank you all.

toddsyr
cleeds
6,548 posts
 

ChatGPT seems programmed to flatter. Isn't that obvious?

sls883
1,056 posts
 

Sounds like you're building a very nice system.  It seems to me that you're weak link now may be your speakers.  There are lots of posts on this forum regarding speakers in various price ranges. I'm guessing that you may want something with less bright upper frequencies. 

I think you would also enjoy streaming. Decent streamers can be had for reasonable prices, but you'll need one with a good built-in dac, or a separate dac. This has been discussed a lot on this forum. 

Your cd player is probably decent, but I haven't heard it.  I used a well regarded Marantz player for years thinking cd players didn't matter much. They do if your system is highly resolving.  My Denon DCD-1700NE is much better.  But, you might try streaming first.  If you get a good streamer and dac you may find yourself using it more than the cd player.

Enjoy your new system.  👍 

mahler123
3,996 posts
 

You are asking to have your choices validated.  They seem to be reasonable to me.

First of all AI is irrelevant. Quoting it to justify your purchases won’t score you any points with real humans who have ears and central nervous systems. Which leads to the next point- what do your sensory organs tell you?  Are you enjoying what you are hearing?

  Could you have made other choices?  Sure, the road not taken and all that.  I suggest that you stay with the current setup for a while, listen to lots of music, and try not to be analytical for a while.  After some time period see if you decide what you don’t like (if anything) and then what you are looking to change.  

ditusa's avatar
ditusa
2,393 posts
 

First of all AI is irrelevant.

I agree!

I suggest that you stay with the current setup for a while, listen to lots of music, and try not to be analytical for a while.  After some time period see if you decide what you don’t like (if anything) and then what you are looking to change.  

+2

Mike

larsman's avatar
larsman
3,145 posts
 

I think AI is far from irrelevant if using it as a guide for further research and not the final arbiter of the decision. Been a big help to me in many areas of life, including researching audio gear. 

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