jax2

Responses from jax2

BEST RECORDING STUDIO
I don't know about the actual studios used to record in, but two labels that come right to mind for consistently outstanding recordings (SQ) are Jordi Savall's label, Alia Vox (early music - many of which are recorded in a stone church rendering a... 
Converting Vinyl to digital
I have no direct experience with it, but the Apogee Duet has garnered some pretty good reviews for doing just what you want in a small package and with excellent a/d conversion. It is also called out for it's excellent DAC section. Again, no direc... 
How to get the system sounding live?
That's a great description, Plato. I would have not been able to articulate it that well, but I'd have to agree that the idea of separation and (natural) contrast comes strongly into play for me. Nothing will ruin the illusion quicker than congest... 
SS Amp to replace VAC 300.1 in a side-ways move?
Is there a solid state power amp that truely has the magic of a tube amplifier?IMHO, no. There are SS amps that have qualities that you may value in a tube amp, while possessing other qualities (and weaknesses) of their own. The only time I've hea... 
Lost that "Tube Magic". Can you help?
I used to own a couple of HH Scott components (amp and tuner) that I had my friend, George Wright (RIP), work on for me. One of the things he pointed out was that he felt some period NOS capacitors were superior in sound to his ears than any moder... 
Best USB DAC under $1000
Yes, the Havana is an NOS DAC (it does not upsample or oversample). Lavry would be another candidate as well. 
Best USB DAC under $1000
In my direct experience you cannot go wrong with an MHDT Havana in that price range. Stupendous for the money. That said, there's a ton of stuff out there that are worth of consideration. For a bit less money the MHDT Paradisea+ doesn't give up th... 
battery-based SS amps
Red Wine Audio has some battery powered gear that I've heard and sounded great at the shows. I cannot compare them to the others you are considering, but from what I heard they should be on a short list of battery-powered amps to consider. 
About Wireless Audio
Mr. Liu - You may not be familiar with Audiogon, but this is the wrong spot to advertise your product. It looks like an interesting product at a reasonable cost, but you should place this announcement as either a classified ad or an auction. Placi... 
Coincident speakers
Are your speakers wired for 12 ohm or 6 ohm. Could be the reason the SET workedThe SE III's have a very flat curve at 10ohms and are 97db efficient at 10 ohms. It is as much the flatness of the response curve as it the sensitivity that contributes... 
Coincident speakers
Chas - The experience I have had with Coincident floorstanders, and specifically with my current SE III's, certainly do NOT remind me at all of Harbeth 7's. The Harbeths are one of the most laid back speakers I've heard. They present a soundstage ... 
Loose driver mounting screws on Velodyne HGS-18
One note on Loctite - It is intended for metal on metal, and not for metal in wood. Not sure how it would work in the latter application, but I'd choose a different adhesive if your screws are going into wood. Totally normal for drivers to come lo... 
Coincident speakers
I have Super Eclipse III's as well and love them. I've used them with an 8 watt SET amp, where they were the closest thing to the speed of horns I've found in a floorstander in that price range. I'd say they are lightening fast and very detailed s... 
Vibrapod Isolators and Cones
Beware - they will put marks on many surfaces which will be very difficult to remove. This is a known issue. 
New Rickie Lee Jones CD
Hey thanks for the tip. I'm a big RLJ fan - I've seen her a few times in concert, the last one an acoustic concert (much like "Naked Songs"). Great stuff. Good to hear the latest effort is worth seeking out. I really didn't connect with her previo...