Save a ton of money and have more fun, get a Blue Sound Vault 2! Rip, store and play. Analog and digital outs. If you want to improve it slightly you can get an external DAC to run it through. Also does HiRez streaming and downloads. $1200.....buy more music! |
Good to read- uberwaltz
Rock, Hard Rock and Metal are very difficult genre(s) to get right on any high-end system. What cables/cords are you using? Any planned upgrades in brands?
Happy Listening!
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@dave_b
sorry but you can call me a dinosaur!
I have zero interest in ripped files or a music server or streaming tbh
it took long enough for me to move from vinyl to cds!
good for those into it, just not my thing, i like to fondle those shiny silver discs....lol
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@jafant
Upgrades already performed to the arc ls2 pre which have improved matters no end.
simple and cheap job of swapping the tube for a golden lion AND then adding a herbies tube damper.
Soundstage vastly increased again and clarity of vocals is very impressive to my ears. low down and mid bass feels just as strong as ever so a win win for a grand total of $58!
Next you will have me believing power cords and fuses can make a difference...lol
all interconnects are cardas quadlink xlr, power cords are cardas quadlink too. speaker cables are straightwire octave 2
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I understand uberwaltz, I had a $12k spinner that I swore I would take to my grave. My reluctant move to streaming happened by chance following a speaker audition. I brought my favorite discs along to use for my demo when I was confronted by the total omission of a CD player at the dealer! They used the Blue Sound Vault 2 feeding my integrated amp via a Node 2 using a $50 Toslink cable. It sounded remarkably organic and musical, so I had them rip one of my discs on the spot for playback. The result was stunning! Combine that with the ability to archive my music and explore my library from an iPad sold me. |
For a total of about $3700 you can purchase a Marantz SA8005. You send it to Dan Wright at Modwright for the SIgnature Truth modifications and you will be listening to a true reference player for many thousands less than a comparable stock player. Done deal!
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uberwaltz-
you may want to consider using all Cardas or all Straightwire cabling, for openers.
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Hate to read about someone giving up their CD/SACD spinner- dave_b ?
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Excellent suggestion- hifiman5
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Well that was certainly a BIG surprise!
Just goes to show that not all components synergize together well.
I had the chance to buy a pair of B&W 804D speakers at a very fair price so just had to do it.
I was not expecting anything majorly different and certainly not an improvement over the Ushers but wow!
With no other changes besides plugging in the 804,s it was a whole new world.
Soundstage was miles wide, best it has ever been and bass? I have no idea why the smaller drivers in these produce so much deeper and fuller bass than the Ushers but they do.
Goes to show that everybody can and will have different results with different equipment, looks like the BAT amp just did not suit the Ushers or vice versa but my combo now of B&W 804D, ARC LS2, BAT VK600SE and Esoteric SA-50 is making me very very happy indeed! |
@uberwaltz Congratualtions! That moment of pleasantly being shocked is awesome.
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That's wonderful uberwaltz...enjoy!! |
thanks hifiman5 and dave-b
been non stop music today...lol |
uberwaltz, sounds like you should next focus on room treatments.
You can make your own absorption panels for very little money.
Even hanging curtains in strategic spots (primary deflection points) or throwing down carpets can bring about immediately noticeable improvements.
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Good to read -uberwaltz
Usher speakers are not that impressive to my ears. Those B&W will easily sound and present better in any system. Get the cabling "right" and you will be musically rewarded.
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Enjoy your new music toys. |
It's amazing how subjective things are, B&W are by far the worst speakers I ever heard too bright,analytical and polite.maybe with the correct system they can sound better. |
@itzhak1969
would agree totally based on an earlier pair of 803d I once owned, but different system, different room and what a difference.
There just is no substitute for actually in room demos, you can read all the reviews you want, listen to all the advice you can handle and sometimes it just means squat....lol
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