dogearedaudio

Responses from dogearedaudio

Streamers and software
I would stick with Qobuz, personally.  The best sound of all the current streaming services, IMO. If you're using the Bluetooth connection to the Node, why not correct directly to the Topping, as someone else suggested?  Otherwise, for an etherne... 
A list of efficient speakers at ~$5K a pair.
A  friend of mine has a pair of Living Voice speakers, I think maybe older R25's?  He got them for a steal price because of some small dings in the cabinets, but they can be had for less than $5K.  You'll pry my old ProAc Response 2's out my of co... 
Discerning a difference between streamers is difficult...only me or common for all?
@asctim Okay, let’s take a very common example. Many, many digital audiophiles remark that Squeezelite, MPD and Roon all sound very different. When it comes to MPD and Squeezelite, I have the option to use either on my streamer. When adjusting s... 
I hate to say it, but now I think maybe I like my amp in ultralinear mode versus triode
Ralph makes a very good point about the percentage of screen taps and their relationship to the effectiveness of UL operation.  In an earlier post I referred to the original "Musician's Amplifier," the first iteration of the the British Williamson... 
I hate to say it, but now I think maybe I like my amp in ultralinear mode versus triode
@decooney  A single-ended amp like the 805 or his Inspires, sure, I can see no global feedback.  But a 100wpc push-pull ultralinear amp without feedback seems like a stretch, in terms of achieving good bandwidth and a decent damping factor.  But ... 
I hate to say it, but now I think maybe I like my amp in ultralinear mode versus triode
@immatthewj "Zero" feedback? Really? I’ve looked at the CAD-280SA V12 manual online and it doesn’t mention feedback, but perhaps that's a different model. Hard to imagine they use NO feedback. Maybe not global feedback, which encompasses the out... 
I hate to say it, but now I think maybe I like my amp in ultralinear mode versus triode
I'll also add, in reference to "marketing," that IMHO a "tube-swappers dream" is definitely a marketing ploy, in that there is no way an amp like that can be truly optimized for each tube--as Ralph cogently points out.  I don't believe there's any... 
I hate to say it, but now I think maybe I like my amp in ultralinear mode versus triode
When Ralph and others talk about "optimizing" the amp for UL or triode mode, one thing they’re talking about is maintaining appropriate levels of feedback for each topology (assuming the amp uses global negative feedback). Switching from triode to... 
Discerning a difference between streamers is difficult...only me or common for all?
@asctim I’m not a software engineer so I can’t satisfy your need for an explanation. But I think if you actually look into different playback and operating systems, you will find that there are differences both in the way the operating systems c... 
Discerning a difference between streamers is difficult...only me or common for all?
@asctim I’m not talking about cables, that’s a rather different topic. I’m talking about the differences between different servers and different software. One digital copy may exactly resemble another, but you still have to get that digital file... 
Discerning a difference between streamers is difficult...only me or common for all?
@asctim  "If the server software or the cables are delivering the digital file information to the dac in a different enough way to make the DAC sound different, then some or all of them aren’t working correctly. Or the DAC isn’t working correctly... 
Discerning a difference between streamers is difficult...only me or common for all?
I have no wish to add to the OP’s confusion, and I agree with many of the commenters who feel that past a certain level, streamers can vary in whatever added value they bring to a system. But we also shouldn’t overlook the differences in software.... 
Help me identify an amp
Sounds like you have a solid plan in mind.  Good luck!  
Help me identify an amp
Here’s a thread that contains photos of the original documentation. They would be worth downloading and saving should the amp need service: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/st-70-gsi-mod.324845/ It is probably in good working condition... 
Do you have a perfect digital marriage?
DC-powered 2016 Mac Mini -> Pi2AES streamer -> Doge 7 DAC.  Big, 3D analogue sound.  Sounds pretty good to me, and my listening buddies agree.  The Pi2AES is $199, plus $80 for a Raspberry Pi 4 and $80 for Gentooplayer operating system.  Sam...