desktopguy

Responses from desktopguy

More expensive DAC the answer?
correction: "You can easily use is as a DAC only, however..." 
More expensive DAC the answer?
Addressing the digital question only (amps & room treatments are worthy side topics, as others noted)--I found a very large increase in my appreciation of digital audio just by ditching delta-sigma DACs and going to multibit, especially NOS (n... 
VPI Prime or Scout or ???
+1 on the Grado MM cartridge. I had the best one he made circa 1986 (after ~5 yrs of struggling to get MCs to sound humane in my system). I never looked back.I also had Grado's tonearm, a real thing of beauty that I bought used and installed on my... 
Autoformers, The Benefits in matching amp to speaker
I don't know a thing about autoformers. I only post to say Roger Modjeski/Music Reference is the real deal...I would tend to believe whatever he posts here, based on past experience.In the last 1980s I had 2 X RM-9s. If memory serves, I bought eac... 
Mytek slams Hypex in Stereophile Amp Review
Class D amps remain controversial in high-end circles. I did a lot of reading about them before finally buying one (a used Wyred4Sound ST-500 built around an ICEPower core) to use w/my ATC SCM12 Pros. I was struck by how balkanized much of the com... 
Dearly departed Music Reference RM9
Just seeing this (by now 15 month-old) thread. I hope someone will see this reply.I actually own 2 RM9s (the original model). I got them used (perfect condition) in late '80s. Used 1 for 3 years; never actually used the other. Both have EL34s; 1 a... 
My experience after lost of 20k$
OP's post is difficult to respond to--he/she gives no idea what was tried, what failed, what sorta/kinda worked. What was the gear? What types of files? As another poster here put it, my experience w/PC Audio was radically different from OP's. For... 
Class D Audio
Tom was unfortunately influenced by his cousin, Tom-Tom, who had CTE from being struck repeatedly.Back to reality: I did a LOT of research on class D amps (not just features, but how they are said to sound) to use with high-quality studio monitors... 
Value of burn/break in?
I have found 3 levels/processes of burn-in that operate in audio systems. Each is real (judging by subtle but perceptible sonic results) and has its own time requirements:1 - New electronics:: Solid state electronics as well as individual tubes be... 
Speakers for aging audiophiles - What's with today bass emphasis ?
My desktop audio system is located in a bedroom/converted to home office (13 X 13), and by necessity the speakers/monitors are located w/in 10" of the front wall, similar to your situation.I've tried 3 powered monitors here. The 1st was sealed but... 
"Bookshelf" speakers designed to be placed near the wall behind them?
I did a lot of research on this very issue--because my desktop space is limited & my monitors/speakers end up w/in ~8" of front wall of the room w/big picture window.Found 2 designs that should work:-- ATC SCM19 Professional monitors: this sea... 
Used Korean Speakers
After listening to these petite speakers:you'll laughyou'll crythen you'll be blown to tiny pieces by anti-aircraft guns 
Thoughts on the most difficult instruments for speakers to reproduce?
The obvious/tried-and-tested options are all mentioned above (ie, piano; massed strings; muted trumpet). But another instrument that tests speakers/entire system in a very different way is the vibraphone ("vibes"). This is primarily played in acou... 
NOS DAC Warmth
Yes, all NOS DACs are R2R ("multibit") designs. They are multibits that are non-oversampling.There are also a great many multibit DACs that are non NOS.I own one of each: Audio GD NOS 19, the non-oversampling variant of this standalone multibit DA... 
speakers with balls
I'm running a pair of ATMs (SCM12 Pro) on my desktop--and I'm immensely impressed by these big 2-ways. They eat power for breakfast (powering them w/Wyred4Sound ST500 amp @255WPC). They can get so much louder than I would be able to tolerate in th...