dtorc
Responses from dtorc
| Adding a tube amp is a good idea? And I moved from the PS Audio hybrid BHK 250 to an all-tube Zesto Bia 120 ( now replaced by the even more powerful Bia 200). I liked the BHK 250 very much - it is obviously a very good amp. But the Zesto changed everything. Suddenly it felt like t... | |
| If you HAD to purchase a used (over 4 years old) DAC, what would it be? I would find a used Ayre QB-9, or QB-9 DSD, and then send it to Ayre to be updated to the QB-9 Twenty. I think it sounds wonderful in that new form, and both buying the used DAC, and then getting the upgrade would likely be under $3,000 total. | |
| Qualified service technicians disappearing! Recommendations wanted I suggest driving up to Boston, and bringing your amp to Goodwin’s High End in nearby Waltham. Working inside that store is Jim Fuller of Fuller Sound. He is excellent with all manner of electronics, and I’ve never waited very long. Worth the driv... | |
| Can we make major musical discoveries at age 50, 65, or 80? I think loving the music that formed us is natural, and probably healthy. But I am so excited to find new artists, and new genres. People around me, family and friends, are passing on - seemingly every month or so I lose another. I want to live w... | |
| Doozy of an amp question I own a Zesto Bia 120 amp, and it is my favorite in a long life of many power amps. I find it has a clarity balanced by a smidge of warmth that really works on the wide range of music I listen to daily. You may find a used Bia 120, which you c... | |
| A list of efficient speakers at ~$5K a pair. I got the Volti Razz in its "Decorator Series" guise. That saves you $2000 off the list for a finished pair (so, $5500 vs $7500). I got then painted at a furniture refinishing place, and they did a great jo. You could do it yourself. It comes in p... | |
| Downsizing from tower to bookshelf I want to recommend a speaker I haven’t heard myself, but I use the company’s products, and like them. Plus they get great reviews. The speaker is the PS Audio Aspen FR 5. Apparently they are warm, rich and have surprisingly powerful bass. The... | |
| Do you have a perfect digital marriage? Well, if not perfect, I would say it is wonderfully engaging, and I look forward to discovering music through it daily. I hardly ever think about the equipment, which I love. Small Green Computer SonicTransporter i5/Sonore Optical Rendu/Ayre Q... | |
| Tonearm paralysis by analysis The Pete Riggle Woody SPU tonearm is higher mass, 12.5”, and very adjustable in almost all parameters. I use mine with a few Ortofon SPU cartridges, and love the results. It takes any SME type headshell. It costs around $2000 usd. | |
| Phono stage for second system Just in case you want really cheap and very good, I recently got an Andover Sound Spinstage Phono preamp as a backup for my all-tube phono preamp. For $249 dollars. It is a moving magnet and moving coil preamp. In MM mode, it has so much more flex... | |
| Any regrets in selling gear? I have, on occasion, sold something that turned out to be more engaging than the thing that replaced it. It usually takes me a while before I notice whether I’m present with the music or drifting away, or wanting to read a magazine. I think my... | |
| Tube amp repairs in the Boston area? I live in the Boston area, and I have used Jim Fuller of Fuller Sound. He works in/with Goodwin's High End in Waltham. He is truly wonderful in terms of the range of equipment he can competently work on. The costs seem reasonable, too. Tech HIFi ... | |
| Faint buzz in speakers I have had this problem twice. Once, it turned out to be proximity to a router. When i removed it from the room, the problem went away. The bigger issue turned out to be a defective toroidal transformer in my amp. The manufacturer replaced the t... | |
| ???What's The LEAST Expensive "End Game"Amplifier You've Ever Heard??? I am very impressed with the Coincident Dynamo SE Mk.ll. I think it is now up to MK.lll status. It is a SET amp that uses EL34's instead of the usual suspects for a SET amp. If your speakers are efficient, the 8 watts seem powerful and also subtle... | |
| An audio component you just can't let go For me, my timeless component is my Scott 350D tuner. My area still has good, even vital FM radio, and I love the way this tuner presents the music - rich and colorful and absolutely engaging. When it is a live broadcast of music, it might be my m... |