AirborneMonk
New Member
Hi everyone,
I’ve been lurking on HiFiVision for a while now and finally decided to introduce myself - and hopefully get some input from fellow audio enthusiasts.
My audiophile journey started in the most unexpected way - on a chaotic Mumbai local train. I was listening to a live version of Jumper by Third Eye Blind on a pair of what I later realized were likely knockoff Bose earphones. But in that moment, the sound was so real, so present, I turned around thinking someone had spoken behind me. That was my first brush with soundstage and imaging, though I didn’t have the words for it back then.
Since then, I’ve explored various gear - Monoprice IEMs, Shure SE215 (which I still admire for their punch), original Bose SoundSport earphones (loved them to death - literally, a zipper accident!), and eventually got into DACs and balanced cables via Headphone Zone. That led me to the Shanling UA5, which I still use today, and later the Audio-Technica ATH-R70x, my first open-back headphone experience - incredibly detailed and analytical.
But what’s been missing from my life is daily, room-filling, soul-soothing music - not in my head, but in the room.
After auditioning a friend’s gorgeous setup (Sonus Faber Lumina III + Rotel A12 + REL sub), I decided to build my own humble stereo system - one that gives me emotional warmth, imaging, soundstage, and low fatigue, to contrast the ATH-R70x’s more analytical nature.
Current Plan (based on forums, YouTube, and long conversations with ChatGPT and Gemini):
Music I Listen To:
What I’d Love Input On:
Looking forward to becoming part of this amazing community and learning more from all of you.
Warm regards,
Shishir
I’ve been lurking on HiFiVision for a while now and finally decided to introduce myself - and hopefully get some input from fellow audio enthusiasts.
My audiophile journey started in the most unexpected way - on a chaotic Mumbai local train. I was listening to a live version of Jumper by Third Eye Blind on a pair of what I later realized were likely knockoff Bose earphones. But in that moment, the sound was so real, so present, I turned around thinking someone had spoken behind me. That was my first brush with soundstage and imaging, though I didn’t have the words for it back then.
Since then, I’ve explored various gear - Monoprice IEMs, Shure SE215 (which I still admire for their punch), original Bose SoundSport earphones (loved them to death - literally, a zipper accident!), and eventually got into DACs and balanced cables via Headphone Zone. That led me to the Shanling UA5, which I still use today, and later the Audio-Technica ATH-R70x, my first open-back headphone experience - incredibly detailed and analytical.
But what’s been missing from my life is daily, room-filling, soul-soothing music - not in my head, but in the room.
After auditioning a friend’s gorgeous setup (Sonus Faber Lumina III + Rotel A12 + REL sub), I decided to build my own humble stereo system - one that gives me emotional warmth, imaging, soundstage, and low fatigue, to contrast the ATH-R70x’s more analytical nature.
Current Plan (based on forums, YouTube, and long conversations with ChatGPT and Gemini):
- Speakers: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- DAC: Shanling UA5
- Amp Options (Need help choosing):
- Fosi Audio V3 (48V PSU)
- Fosi ZA3
- Aiyima A07 (36V PSU)
Music I Listen To:
- Rock/Alt Rock: Green Day, GnR, Metallica, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Linkin Park, the usual suspects in the genre.
- Bollywood & Vocals: Lata, Kishore, RD Burman, Rahman, Nusrat, Amit Trivedi, Vishal-Shekhar, (select popular songs)
- Orchestral & Cinematic: Hans Zimmer, Ludovico Einaudi, random western classical or jazz playlists.
- EDM & Groove: Daft Punk, Meute
- Tidal
- Apple Music
- FLAC files
What I’d Love Input On:
- Are my expectations from the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 realistic? I'm aiming for good imaging, wide soundstage, and low fatigue - something that contrasts the ATH-R70x’s sound signature.
- Between the Fosi V3 (48V), Fosi ZA3 (48V), and Aiyima A07 (36V) - which would suit the Wharfedale 12.1 and my taste in immersive, emotional music better?
- Any other amp or speaker recommendations I should consider in this price range?
- General feedback on the setup and if I’m missing anything obvious.
- Placement and cabling tips - especially for aligning it with desk use (I will be approx. 3 feet from where the speakers would go, I can adjust the distance to 5 feet if needed), with possible seasonal shift to the living room (room sizes will vary as I move around rented apartments, at present it is around 8 feet).
- Trying to keep the setup around ₹50,000, including cables and stands/pads.
Looking forward to becoming part of this amazing community and learning more from all of you.
Warm regards,
Shishir