Slummin' It: Vinyl on the Cheap

In many Starbucks cafes, Apple iTunes music download cards are available at the counter with a coffee.



It can be an inexpensive way of acquiring a music collection.

This is for the Tone Audio Magazine, a very fine online publication.

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Slummin' It

Our Slummin' It:

(1) Apple TV
(2) FiiO D3 Digital to Analogue Converter
(3) Proceed PRE Preamplifier
(4) Adcom GFA-555 Amplifier
(5) PSB Stratus Gold Loudspeakers
(6) Sony SP Interconnects
(7) Transparent Audio "The Wave" Speaker Cable

All of these, except the Apple TV and FiiO D3 are mid-fi. The Apple TV and D3 are mass market. The system over-all is low-fi - low fidelity.

Playing "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" (U2, Songs of Innocence) the sound is very low-fi. "Every Breaking Wave" (U2, Songs of Innocence) picks it up a notch. The sound is more active. The bass is so flubby.

Now, with our audiophile test tracks, the sound improves. We had the volume at 40. Moving the volume to 69,

"Right Here - Feat Drake" (Justin Bieber, Believe)

From the next room (through 20 feet, walls of drywall and metal stud construction), the sound is excellent, lively. It passes the test.

Through a Balinese Sarong, the sound is excellent.

"Take You" (Justin Bieber, Believe)

While better than a Commodore 1084 Computer Monitor, playing through a Sound Interface Device chip, the sound is yet bad. The treble is particularly poor.

We'd call the system "Best of London Drugs." It's competitive with a beer budget Receiver (Harmon Kardon AVR1610 5.1 Channel 3D Bluetooth Network Receiver, $... USD) with either Tannoy Saturn DC8Ti or Klipsch Reference Premiere RP260P Floorstanding Speakers.

Should you have audiophile leanings, we'd recommend you instead choose a Devialet Expert 400, Transparent Audio "The Wave," and Focal Scala V2 Utopia Loudspeakers for your home.

John Paul Fiket


JP 2016
www.hifiart.ca