dcstep
Responses from dcstep
| Benchmark DAC1 Harshness & Empirical Audio Not surprising. Nice report.I'd venture to say that's not the "ultimate" DAC, but it sounds like the mods brought you really close to the top of the pile.Dave | |
| Drive a pair of CREMONA AUDITOR M's Well, since it's the last amp, you'll need to look at the Jeff Rowland Design Group's Continuum 500. It'll be a great match with the Cremonas.Dave | |
| Source or speaker Pedrillo, are you listening in mono and stereo? If yes, then the two arm TT makes lots of common sense; otherwise, you're a "reviewer" comparing various cartridges, etc. That's actually fine and can be fun. I just wanted to be sure where you're at... | |
| analog vs. digital better ? or just different The best of both is about the same; however, I think that you need to spend more on digital to get it up to the analog hurdle, but once there, it's every bit as good.Dave | |
| Transistor Preamp that sounds like a Tube Preamp? You're right Mariusz, the Capri has it all. (I never said it's "sterile"). However, sweet, clean, transparent and neutral are all very good descriptors, IMHO. Is there something inconsistant with that assertion and me being a "nice guy and everyth... | |
| Source or speaker Good point. I agree with picking the speaker first and then adding synergistic components. However, in allocating the budget, I like 20% for each major piece in a base-line system.Dave | |
| Balanced or Unbalanced? Unclejeff said:"In this situation I stick with RCA as this is what the system was designed for."Well, there are plenty of "balanced" components that are truly balanced. When the total silence potential of a balanced combined with DC power is heard... | |
| Okay......best single box reference CD player Yes, being a musician and/or hearing a lot of live acoustic music is a big plus. You get very good at hearing timbre and dynamics, particularly as a musician, since you're responsible for making it happen.I have know several non-musicians that dev... | |
| Source or speaker Shadorne, my rooms have all worked without treatment, every place I've lived since 1969. My rooms tend to be carpeted and relatively stuffed with furniture and of relatively large size, so that mitigates my need to treat somewhat. However, the ass... | |
| Okay......best single box reference CD player About that getting older thing, it's true, but not entirely relevent, depending on the listener. You must consider the training and experience that the ears have received. Mario Andretti is over 60 and seldom drives competitively anymore, but he c... | |
| Balanced or Unbalanced? Well, good points, BUT the value of balanced vs. unbalanced can vary widely from system to system and environment to environment. In an all-analog system, in a low RFI/EMI location with an integrated amp in a starter to mid-level system, the advan... | |
| Okay......best single box reference CD player Measureable objective evidence can be tough to come by when we're talking about the nth degree. Playback Designs reports absolute zero jitter, but until a third party like Stereophile validates it, that's just a report. Owners of Emm report that u... | |
| Source or speaker Let me pile on with Photon46 and disagree with Bob's contention that there's little difference among solid state pieces and among digital pieces. The difference are actually very large.However, at the lower end of the price range, Bob assertion ha... | |
| Source or speaker Well, a great source can't fix a limited speaker, but in my budget I've spent way more on sources than on speakers.My TT cost about the same as my speakers and my digital front end cost three times as much. (You apparently haven't heard good digit... | |
| Transistor Preamp that sounds like a Tube Preamp? Saxo, were you able to listen to a Rowland Capri?Dave |