mapman

Responses from mapman

Describe the "new HiFi sound"?
It’s bold!  It’s daring!  It’s in your face! It’s as if the audio gods finally decided to give it up.   
Food: What does the typical audiophile eat?
Crow.  yum!  😋  
What is the proper loudness for listening?
@laynes that could be odd order harmonic distortion that makes the treble hard to handle at higher volumes. It’s an artifact of many older SS amps. Tube amps and most modern Class D amps are less prone to that issue. @atmasphere talks about that a... 
What is the proper loudness for listening?
Large room or small, the music sounds best to me when the measured peaks are coming in over 85 and under 90db. Loud enough for realism but not so loud that damage to hearing is a real concern. A sound meter app on your smartphone like decibel app ... 
Axpona 2023
I have Vanatoo Transparent 1 Encore actives in one room. Heard them first at an audio show where the room was packed with agog listeners who couldn’t believe the sound for the price.  Packed with lots of wonderful design features and sound great. ... 
Warmer class D amps for magnepan?
I’ve heard Rogue Pharoah + Magnepan.  👍  
Recommendations for modern integrated with tone & balance controls other than Mcintosh
Tone and balance control is very 20th century. Automated Digital room correction is the right tool to apply when a room just can’t cut it otherwise these days which is often true in more cases than not. Check out the new NAD 3050 for example.  
Axpona 2023
$15k with those tiny speakers? That’s funny! Only audiophiles…..   Maybe the laws of physics no longer apply.  Join the club!  
2023 AXPONA Show Report
All it takes to make an audio show worthwhile is to give out a few choice freebies for your price of admission. Like say a nice Audiophile music sampler CD. Don’t cheap out expensive audio shows!  
VAC preamps - too expensive?
If you like VAC, want VAC and can afford VAC, then you are in a position to own and enjoy  some of best and most prestigious museum worthy pieces out there. Go for it!  Life is too short to wait.   
I feel it is time to upgrade my 1977 system.......
You are like Buck Rogers in the 21th century!   Keep it simple. How about the new NAD C 3050 integrated? Retro NAD look….modern performance. Or Cambridge Evo 75 or 150. I’ve been at it since that time also and been through a lot and have landed... 
Can we create a consensus list of the TONALITY of different amps/preamps/brands?
Let me know when the consensus emerges.    
What is the most challenging music to play on a stereo?
That’s easy….Bad recordings.   
New MOFI speaker (Andrew Jones)
Ah yes. 10 “ drivers. 8” drivers. Just like the good old days! My ohms are 12” and 8” drivers respectively. Hurray for Real speakers not with undersized drivers that are still around these days and are of high quality but  that won’t break the ban... 
Thinking of Magnepan ... finally!
One of the long time respected local hi end dealers that I have been a customer with for years has been pairing Class D amps with power hungry Maggie’s for years. It should not be an issue, in fact a most effective way to go. Otherwise he mostly s...