# Hi Fi Opinion Please



## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

I'm thinking of buying a Teac 255 CR-H255 DAB/CD Reciever with USB port. I want to be able to play Mp3 files on it









This will mean chucking my Marantz cd player and Arcam amp, but never mind







.

It doesn't appear to have a "phono stage"







for playing my Revolver record deck through. Is there a way around this







?

Any opinions would be appreciated







.


----------



## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Why not just add an MP3 player and a DAB tuner via the line level aux/tuner inputs of the Arcam? You can always add extra inputs via an external switch if you don't have enough spare.

Then you can keep your nice amp and CD player and still play vinyl


----------



## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

rhaythorne said:


> Why not just add an MP3 player and a DAB tuner via the line level aux/tuner inputs of the Arcam? You can always add extra inputs via an external switch if you don't have enough spare.
> 
> Then you can keep your nice amp and CD player and still play vinyl


I knew someone sensible would come along before I went mad







.

To be honest, I can live without the DAB  .

What sort of MP3 player do I need Rich







?

I've read all the "guides" I can find and I'm even more confused than when I started







.

I'm getting all confused and unnecessary with all this modern technology







.

No wonder people are stressed out these days.


----------



## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

I don't have an MP3 player so don't really know what the best (least worst?) ones are.

However, I'd be inclined to do what I did with Minidisc. That is, buy a portable one that still has a full set of "ins and outs" so you can either use it on the move with headphones, plug it into your home hi-fi amp, or use it with a pair of external powered speakers.

Hope that helps


----------



## pugster (Nov 22, 2004)

you want to play mp3 from disc or computer ? ,if from disc then most dvd players play mp3's ,just put a dac in for better sound quality than the dvd gives.

dvd coax out to dac coax in then dac phono out to arcam amp.


----------



## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

You could also buy a phono amp and play the turntable thru that into any "Audio in" on the amp. Thats what I do - it also gives you a headphone jack as well... tho the good ones arent cheap - mine was Â£125 just for the little box and that wasnt a mega quality one...!









Personally id be sorry to sell the Arcam tho unless its very old... tho I have to say when I upgraded my setup (to more Arcam) I got Â£150 on ebay for my nigh on 7years old Arcam CD player! 

Oh and you can use an ipod and a cable (again to an audio in connection) to play MP3s, I do it that way and with a long cord you can use the ipod as a tethered remote for all your whole music collection or perhaps use a PC as server and then use one of the wireless hubs tgo the audio in on the amp. Else buy a Sonos...


----------



## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

JonW said:



> You could also buy a phono amp and play the turntable thru that into any "Audio in" on the amp. Thats what I do - it also gives you a headphone jack as well... tho the good ones arent cheap - mine was Â£125 just for the little box and that wasnt a mega quality one...!


Yep, that was my concern. Most of the ones I've seen are real high-end audiophile stuff costing thousands! But I did find a site by someone called Graham Slee (GSPAudio) that appears to do some more "affordable" ones. No idea if they're any good or not, but may be worth a look.

I'm a bit out of touch with the audiophile scene. My gear dates back to 1987!


----------



## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

I do the same as Jon, works a treat.

The only difference in my system is I use a DJ mixing console as the phono pre-amp. its great as it gives me a further 3 inputs to the power amp as well so I've permanently connected my Ipod dock, a spare CD player we had and when we have parties I just get the DJ to send me his output on phonos and he's on the power amp.

cheers

Andy


----------



## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

I like the sound of your setup Andy... lots of easy to clip in and out inputs... tho id not let a DJ thru my speakers...









Ok heres some info on Phono amps: http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk/hfw/bgphonostages.html there are reviews and prices in there too...

I think I underestimated the price of my phonostage







Its a Pro-Ject Phono Box SE Preamplifier and has to be good cos its got a blue LED on the front - Ive nevre listened to any other so cant compare! Its here: http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Phono...mp;category=401

To be honest I think I organised it to be "free" when I bought my Turntable and amp from Audio T.

Another option is to buy an ipod and a Bose sounddock and then use the MP3s in the kitchen/ bedroom or somewhere else - depends on what you want to do with it all I guess. I consolidated all my systems with this one so it does the full home moves stuff as well as being high quality hi-fi, but, most certainly, ymmv.

Interstingly Griffen were going to market a Bluetooth send/receiver for the ipod but thats died a death I see... shame, it would have been great way of using the ipod as an untethered remote... ahh well, soon Apple will sell ipods with BT... I'll buy one and a Audio receiver module then, even tho I believe in the music server principle...


----------



## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Well knock me down with a feather... Belkin have just launched (11/Oct!) a bluetooth ipod audio unit... yum... if only it didnt fit on the bottom.. now i cant use my ipod dock... am i ever happy? not likely!

its here: http://www.belkin.com/pressroom/releases/u...uneStageII.html


----------



## pugster (Nov 22, 2004)

remember that pushing low bitrate mp3's thro a good amp will show up just how bad the compression is, you really need to encode flac if using a pc as your music server.


----------



## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Ah yes I should have said you should compress your MP3s to 160 as a min, better at 192 and above. sorry. They sound fine thru my home and car systems at 192+. Decent cabling helps the ipod to sound bassier as well.

I still think music server is the future (well I do but not in the traditional sense as im talking WAN music servers from what the web will become... you just pay for content, but it will be cheap enough not to worry about that), but you need to be running an 802.11g WLAN, 11b wont cut it really as you'll soon want to stream video... its a slippery slope... wirless Tivio to any room... its all already here. but i wouldnt advocate it right now... its needs to mature some more.

To be honest with the naff connections and low bandwidth on BT I still wouldnt recomend that either...


----------



## oldfogey (Nov 29, 2005)

I agree with JonW about recording at higher bit rates on the iPod. It makes all the difference if you're into listening quality using the MP3 player as a feed into a hifi system.


----------



## LuvWatch (May 14, 2004)

When I had my iRiver I bought a 3.5mm jack cable with phono ends........










plugged it inot the back of the amp in the aux sockets and away you go - cheap and cheerful









Derek


----------



## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

LuvWatch said:


> When I had my iRiver I bought a 3.5mm jack cable with phono ends........
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thats the kind of cable i use. Mine is by 'Monster' and is great quality if youre looking for slightly better sound with your setup. it also is 'anti-tangle' and it works... amazing. Gold connectors all round etc. I think it was Â£20 or so and i reckon its good value.


----------



## mad_librarian (Jan 30, 2005)

Slightly off topic, but you could look at Sonos DMS. Small footprint. Well reviewed and has UK distribution. Not cheap though!


----------



## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

Thanks for all your replies chaps







. I knew I could rely on you  .

I feel much better now







.

I think I'll buy a MP3 player and a "Jack/Phono" lead until I determine how much I'm going to use the blessed thing  .

Then I might invest more if it moves me







.

I know the sound won't be first class, but I listen to CD's dubbed from old 78rpms. It's the music that's important to me - not crystal clear sound and detail  .


----------



## mat (Feb 25, 2003)

raketakat said:


> Thanks for all your replies chaps
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've had a few different mp3 players and there is a world of difference between the sound quality and reliability of them. The best sounding I've had was an Ipod shuffle, but that often crashed and broke completely after about 15 months. The worst sounding is my current Creative MuVo Tx, which sounds like an FM radio and if you listen carefully you can hear strange noises, especially between tracks. I was surprised because Creative make great sounding sound cards... But it seems more reliable than the Ipod so far, and theres no DRM and the battery is replaceable.

good luck,

mat


----------



## skyway (Oct 29, 2005)

rhaythorne said:


> JonW said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Graham Slee's stuff is actually very very good for the price and certainly out performs a lot of much higher priced stuff!


----------



## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

raketakat said:


> I'm thinking of buying a Teac 255 CR-H255 DAB/CD Reciever with USB port. I want to be able to play Mp3 files on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those TEACs look nice. Does the rec button mean it's a cd recorder as well?


----------



## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

Mrcrowley said:


> raketakat said:
> 
> 
> > I'm thinking of buying a Teac 255 CR-H255 DAB/CD Reciever with USB port. I want to be able to play Mp3 files on it
> ...


You can record from CD/MP3 onto a MP3 or other storage device and record DAB onto MP3







.

Don't think it records Cd's Paul, but you might as well ask the cat, as ask me 







.


----------



## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

raketakat said:


> Mrcrowley said:
> 
> 
> > raketakat said:
> ...


Thanks - advice noted


----------



## TimD (Feb 7, 2004)

The Project or NAD PP-1 are good low cost RIAA preamps. For the best quality audio out of an iPod use one of their docks which has an audio out. This uses a seperate audio output not the headphone output.

Cheers,

Tim.


----------

