ghdprentice

Responses from ghdprentice

Analyzing Balanced versus Unbalanced Amplifiers--Difference in sonic quality?
In high end audio implementation is everything, the design, the exact components used (manufacturer and type of resistors, capacitors… etc). Playing with the signal digitally is virtually always a bad thing. Really good equipment doesn’t touch the... 
RCA interconnect recommendation
Cool. The sound more relaxed or laid back is a thing. Remember interconnects can take a hundred or more hours to break in. Typically they will sound bright with less bass and a bit unnatural at first. As they break in they get more natural soundin... 
Preamp recommendations for my system please
Congratulations. Would be great to hear your impressions when you get it as as things break in. The preamp will take a couple hundred hours to go through its largest part of breakin (~100 - 120 hours SQ can waver substantially)… after that it slo... 
Should I redo the AC power in my house?
@4krowme   You didn’t happen to have a good system operating during the steps of the upgrade and able to hear what change did what? That would be real;y interesting to know. I had one direct line installed when I bought my house, and then anoth... 
Is the Audio Ref-6SE worth 7K more than the BAT VK-80?
@vinocour +1 Good summary. You have a great system… very synegistic electronics. The Reference 6 is a world class preamp. The 6SE does sound better, but it is really a question of how much money you have and associated equipment, it is not a nig... 
Tube Vs. SS Preamps
@jffyg     ”I am going to chime in here and then everyone can attack me. I think that many lesser priced tube based designs can be very musical and soft sounding which compliments many lesser expensive ss designed amps…”   Nothing to attack, it... 
used single ended ss power amp
I owned a Threshold s500 I bought in about 1980. When I replaced it twenty years later with a newer Pass amp I was just blown away with how much better it was in every respect. The older design was thin sounding with much less current. I would hav... 
The Decware Pill - Any Experiences?
“Choose the red pill or the blue pill.”  
Is the Audio Ref-6SE worth 7K more than the BAT VK-80?
I have owned several Audio Research preamps including the Reference 5SE and currently the Reference 6SE. No hype and not overpriced… priced in line with performance.   
Moving away from inefficient/low impedance speaker in order to move to a Tube Amp
Speakers are a very important component. I would put the sound of the speakers above all. It is pretty easy to evaluate speakers and just check to see they are not really inefficient. You want speakers you love the sound of, then tweak your electr... 
CJ PV12 or VTL TL2.5
I have enjoyed my auditions of CJ and helped a good friend of mine choose a preamp… it is a CJ… he has been very happy with it for over 25 years, no service required. If I wasn’t so committed to Audio Research I would own a Conrad Johnson. Both ar... 
Nobsound springs - load range
@ryder Thanks for posting your experimentation and results. Very informative to read.  
The Big Misconception About Electricity
Excellent video.  
usb, spdif, or usb to spdif converter
It depends. One way to look at it is:  If your DAC is better than your source then USB. Otherwise SP/DIF. The USB is retimed by the DAC, the SP/DIF, AES is not. But basically you have to try both.    Never convert anything.  
Seeking A New DAC - Recommendations
I recommend a Schiit Yggdrasil. I recently helped a friend get his first good DAC. I did a lot of research and bought a Schiit Gungnir multibit to test my hypothesis on Schiit’s value proposition (I use it for my office system). This unit confirme...