helomech

Responses from helomech

Two preamps into one amp?
It’s all good until the one time you forget to switch the input selector.   
Low Cost Electronics
There are some stupidly good low-cost components out there at the moment. I can’t speak to the ones you mentioned but I can attest to the Topping E70Velvet DAC, Topping A70Pro (as a line preamp) and Parasound Z-Phono XRM phono preamp. Both are com... 
Have you reached your end point with this addictive hobby?
Getting off the gear treadmill is mostly about finding the right synergy. Even six-figure systems can be surprisingly disappointing when the synergy is off. Conversely, a six hundred dollar system can sound great with the correct synergy. Some li... 
Coda vs Parasound
Finally, even though both the Parasound Halo JC 5 and Bryston 3B have higher wattage ratings than the No. 8 amplifier at 4 ohms, neither have the iron-fist control of the bottom end frequencies or the explosive macro-dynamics of the Coda Continuu... 
And the biggest influence on sound quality is...
The room+speakers, then everything else. You’d be surprised how good some “bad” recordings can sound with high-end speakers in a proper room.  
Coda vs Parasound
I haven’t owned the JC5 but have owned the original Parasound A21 and a Coda No.8 V1. Owned both simultaneously. In my system the A21 sounds considerably more “effortless,” with better bass. However, the Coda was a little more resolving and refine... 
What are your top 3 favorite turntable companies (manufacturer) and why?
SME—because they’re the best  Brinkmann—close to the best  Technics—best bang for the buck  
a rant
Regarding amps, I began buying them based on measured distortion profile rather than focusing on their topology. I.e., the amp’s primary distortion harmonic that would be most audible. I began noticing a pattern that my favorite amps have either s... 
The Insane World of High End Audio! Is it All a Scam?
I’ve said it elsewhere and say it again here: the weak link in 99% of audiophile systems (aside from room acoustics) is the speakers. Even if lamp cord is being employed as the speaker cable in an otherwise $50K system, it’s not likely to be the w... 
One Sub or Two?
I went from two REL 510s to a single Carbon Special and in my system it resulted in an upgrade. Perhaps I never had the 510s perfectly dialed in, but how much can one futz with placement and settings before calling it good? The Carbon Special imme... 
Question for Atma-sphere, will expensive power cables improve your amplifiers?
Use caution when shopping for “audiophile” cables and cords. Some of them are poorly designed and actually inferior to cheapo manufacturer-supplied cords/cables.  
The DAC Scam - Almost everyone believes the hype
I went from a Topping D90 to Pontus 12.  There is a difference and it is worth the extra, IMO.  Yes, for better or worse, Denafrips DACs sound very different from most Toppings.     
Anyone knows reputable places in Europe and Canada to buy NOS tubes from?
Years ago I bought Mullard tubes from these guys and had a good experience: https://www.watfordvalves.com/search.asp?search=Mullard&Submit=Search  
The DAC Scam - Almost everyone believes the hype
Actually, as true or false as it my be, none of what the gentlemen in video stated really makes a hill of beans difference to the average audiophile. This hobby is more about what captures your imagination, illusions, stirs ones emotion and pass... 
Who has kids that are in a band or have been?
I don’t have any kids in a band but I have had many friends and relatives that played in various bands over the years. Currently, some friends who are about 10 years my junior play in a local band as their “full-time” gig (I think the wives suppl...