dbarger

Responses from dbarger

Audio Research REF 75 vs VAC Phi 200
Oregonpapa, I have read elsewhere that KT150's in the Ref 75 do NOT require the top to be left off. Can you clarify your comment? Are you saying the top won't go on due to tube height, or that you are not comfortable with proximity to the cover? O... 
Building the Audio Note Kit 1 SET amp...
The quality is exemplary. In the kits with Tantalum resistors, the Takmans are excellent, as are the AN tantalums. I would say the kits have only gotten better over the years. I believe the wiring has been improved regarding layout so that a finis... 
Building the Audio Note Kit 1 SET amp...
I have had three different Kit One's over the years, going back to the days when Angela Instruments sold them. I wrote a review waaaayyyyy back for Positive Feedback when it was a print journal, and Art Dudley has written about it in the old Liste... 
Tidal HiFi Streaming?
Carja, both Tidal and Deezer (another similar CD quality streaming service) are available on Sonos, so a relatively inexpensive Connect is all you need. It is improved by using the digital output into a nice dac, but to get started, just get the C... 
Buying a used cartridge...tell us your tale.
About 15 years ago, I was traveling for business to Denver and went into an audio store there. Can't remember the name of the place, but they had four or five lightly used very high-end cartridges from one of the audio designers in the area, who w... 
TIDAL Lossless Streaming Service
Yes, the Aries is the type of device I am looking for. Are there any other similar devices out there? Less expensive would be great. 
TIDAL Lossless Streaming Service
Are there any streamers that have an app for Tidal yet? I have been looking and cannot find any. I am using Sonos righ now, and satisfied with it, but would like to add a Tidal option without having to fire up my Mac. Preferably just a streamer wi... 
TIDAL Lossless Streaming Service
I was excited about Tidal, and signed up on the first day. Since there is no ap yet for Sonos, I was streaming it from my Mac Mini music server into my Metrum Hex. I was disappointed in the sound quality, even compared to Spotify and Beats, both o... 
Audio Research Reference 250 capacitor issue
"Dull and lifeless" sounds like a tube issue, not caps. 
Distortion with ARC Ref 150 and Maggie 3.7
Yes Almarg, that was what I was trying to clarify in my post. Most people don't consider the preamp to be the "source".Atmasphere, I have had the same conversation with Kalvin. He told me also that the preamp must be balanced with the Ref150. He d... 
Distortion with ARC Ref 150 and Maggie 3.7
Atmasphere mentioned using only a balanced source. This I assume is only referring to the preamp. It is very possible to use single-ended sources into a balanced ARC preamp, going into a Ref150. They work great, it is only the preamp which needs t... 
Metrum Hex vs Metrum Octave
I did own an Octave for about 10 months before getting a Hex. Both are really great DAC's, imo. I have owned an ARC Dac7 and 8, and Naim Dac, and it would be really tough to say anything was better than the Hex. I went from the other Dac's to the ... 
Solid State to replace Audio Research REF110?
Reading that back, it sounds a bit harsh. Sorry.This is supposed to be fun. 
Solid State to replace Audio Research REF110?
What bugs me about this thread is all the armchair quarterbacking about circuit design by non-engineers. These designs are all different. BAT does not design like ARC. Any electrical engineers with expertise on tube circuitry weighed in on these i... 
Solid State to replace Audio Research REF110?
Joman, why do you say it is a persistent problem? It is not. If it were, they would fuse it and not have the issue. Can you imagine the issues they would have with the ref610 and 750's if these were recurring problems?This is the problem with the ...