Hi! I’m AJ from Helsinki, Finland. This my introduction as newbie on this forum.
Like most of you I guess, I’ve been into music my whole life. For me its been working as a musican, teaching music basics to the younger ones starting out, and along the way I’ve even produced some bands.
All good fun but after a few decades of music as s profession (I’m 56 now) some 5 years ago, I wanted and switched to a completely different, not music-related line of work. And in doing in so I found a new passion for music. For me mentally, the switch reset and positioned ”all music” back from a ”job” to a ”hobby” - meaning all time invested in listening to music is now 100% for me and myself only. And with out going in to specifics let’s say I REALLY dig it.
Why am I here on this forum?
In one sentence to get insight on what good audio&sound is all about, learn things, get good ideas and maybe along the line share some of my own - you never know.
A some what longer story as short as possible:
our multiroom speaker system failed, searched for a setup for our newly renovated bedroom/living room, tried out some modern all-in-one bluetooth audio systems we could stream what ever with, with a satisfying sound.
I found a great all-in-one alternative but after a good night sleep, I went back to the store to take another listen and I just could not justify the about 18 times higher cost compared to my two bluetooth JBL Flip 5 speakers (in stereo config.) that I took along for A/B comparison. They’ve been great at work and used ’em for streaming music daily for quite a while now.
Not that it would’ve been fun to buy something so very different and exiting piece of gear (the Sonus Faber Omnia) thus leading me to walk out the store with a decently priced demo unit of the Technics SA-C600 and a pair of Focal Aria 906’s.
This Technics: because we wanted a decent sounding, ”easy-to-topload” cd-player to enjoy our 500 plus cd-collection. I had read and seen some favourable Youtube-reviews of it and for our purposes it was just great for both streaming and playing cd’s.
The Focal Aria 906: After purchase I’ve stumbled across the Youtube channel of GR-Research and I really have to say that what&how Danny Richie demonstrates and explains things all things audio are just so to the point that even I can understand what components go into great sound.
And I understood that there are things to improve to get the Focals to a higher level of performance.
Ended up with these in the first place because - with the Technics - because to my ears the Arias just sounded great in the store and they were a used pair for ”only” 450€.
But after purchase and ”because of Danny” I’m now thinking
a) should I upgrade the Focals and enjoy them for a while
or
b) jump right into one of those kits of theirs.
or
c) Do both. =)
Sorry for such a long presentation but you asked for it so you get what you get. =)
Thanks everyone and hope we all find good, audible things in our life. Cheers!
AJ