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chenry

Responses from chenry

New DAC issues
I would expect that adding a considerably more expensive DAC would provide a immediate improvement over the Schiit DAC with the equipment you have, nothing else changing. If it doesn't, why keep it? Forget listening to it for 2-400 hours, that's r... 
KEF LS50 Meta
The LS50 is a very good standmount speaker, and many people enjoy them. I have the powered version, LS50W2, and upgraded from the LS50W1, the original. For listening to the widest variety of music, pairing them with a subwoofer is recommended (the... 
Tube amps under $7500
Balanced narrows the field. Audio Research I/50 meets your criteria. McIntosh [whispers] MA252 and MA352 also meet your criteria.  
Accuphase e-280 Review
If you want a proper review of this unit, Taron at A British Audiophile has done one. He gave it a "highly recommended" rating.  
Surge protector
A surge protector will help for certain power surges. A lightning strike will likely overspeed a typical surge protector (I recall one strike at an apartment I lived in in Florida, at about 6:00 am or so on awakening, I saw a spark come from my cl... 
Surge protector
Does your main breaker panel have a surge protector?(It should.) If you are going to spend money on a surge protector, start there. And while your subwoofer might seem worth protecting, so are the boards in your washing machine, air conditioner, a... 
All in One Solution for Streaming
JBL SA750 does all that. IIRC, so do several Yamaha MusicCast integrated amps.  
Need a modern Class A monoblock, preferably half or compact chassis
Some options: Sugden A21 SE Signature. Standard rack width, height about 4 in. Depth about 12 in (as with any class A, you will need air around it. Integrated. Musical Fidelity A1 (new version) rack width, height 3 in. Integrated. Schiit Audio ... 
Seeking Bookshelf Recommendations
Amphion Argon 3s, Buchardt S400, (or A500 actives), Studio Electric M4.  
You tube hifi influencers. Love them or hate them?
I think it pays to have an open mind about "influencers." In this hobby, the numbers of brands, the flood of new products, the relatively fewer shops that carry any audio gear pretty much require a willingness to explore the web for information. T... 
Are there other people like me ? Amazed by their low cost system :)
In many ways, and despite the loss of so many traditional brick-and-mortar audio shops, these are the best of times in this hobby. There are enormous choices of product from manufacturers who bring exceptional value for money. Having started out w... 
Preamp - what's the purpose?
Fair question. Obviously, you need a preamp if your amp has no volume control and you want to use more than one source and want to conveniently select between them with a switch. With some sources, you might need amplification to get to line level... 
DAC suggestions for a reasonably modest system
Denefrips Enya or Ares 12th should work for you at a little less than $1K, or if you are wanting to hit your max spend, the Pontus or the Gustard R26.  
Streaming Curious
The Bluesound Node is a good choice of streamer. It is easy to set up and use and has a good app, almost as good as SONOS. It has a decent DAC, but you might want to use a separate DAC and use one of the digital outputs from the Node to a separate... 
Amp — Leave on or turn off
Off. If you prefer, a digital timer might be the thing to rely on if you are prone to forget.