mike_in_nc
Responses from mike_in_nc
| Rip Blu-Ray Pure Audio Discs? Anyone know, does DVD Audio Extractor work on such discs? | |
| Low hum from amp If it's coming from the amp -- the physical amp cabinet -- and not the speakers, it may be the power transformer humming. This occurs when there's a little DC offset on the line (not uncommon). A cure is available as the AVA HumDinger. I have thr... | |
| What’s a 10k to 15k speaker from smaller company that performs well? Janszen Valentina - it's a hybrid electrostatic, and it has all the virtues of that kind of speaker: transparency, clarity, even frequency response, smoothness, low distortion, and great imaging. Plus: it has bass! Like all speakers using flat pan... | |
| Digital Player Upgrade Options I have not heard the Bryston units. I have an Auralic Aries G1, and it's really good. It has great reviews. I found the presentation a bit airier (in a good way!) and the soundstage more convincing than the original Aries femto. The difference was... | |
| Floor standing speaker recommendations new or used, $10,000 and under If you don't mind a rather narrow sweet spot (as with most electrostatics), the Janszen Valentina is a really great speaker. You can search for reviews under that name and also Janszen zA2.1. The model recently was upgraded to larger woofers and b... | |
| Mutec MC-3? I owned a Mutec MC-3+ USB for several years. Results were system dependent.When it was between an Auralic Aries (femto) and a Classé CP-800 DAC-preamp, I thought it improved the imaging and soundstage appreciably. I was really happy to have it, as... | |
| Active line level crossover with subwoofer out - HELP BrystonJL AudioMarchandAnother possibility is a DAC-preamp with HP-LP crossover in it. They are made by Anthem, Legacy, DSPeaker, Trinnov, MiniDSP, Classe, and NAD, among others.And as mentioned, a miniDSP unit is a path taken by many. | |
| Polarity It has not been ignored. There was a big fuss 10 or 20 years ago, and all the DACs, CD players, and preamps had "polarity" buttons. Since many people can't hear the difference, and if they can don't have a strong preference, those buttons are beco... | |
| I'm interested in hearing what "the best" systems sound like, where to go? @douglas_schroeder :Beware of claims of "the best". Think of performance not as a peak, but as a range of ridges of varying heights. There are MANY superb components, speakers, cables, etc. There are MANY systems that are world class. +1 on that. ... | |
| New Janszen zA2.1 Valentina Review Apparently, the active version does have digital inputs. Not entirely surprising, as some of the speakers' magic is done with DSP. | |
| Which DAC makers let you do in home trial? Anything that Crutchfield sells comes with a 60-day trial.The new Topping D-90 has outstanding measurements & has gotten great reactions from early users. I'd be tempted to try it, at $699. Available from Apos with a 30-day return. Benchmark a... | |
| Separates or Integrated? What makes more sense? I like to have the preamp near the listening position (for accessibility) and the amp near the speakers (for short speaker cables). That also means only a small amp stand between the speakers, not something large that potentially messes with the i... | |
| What sacd/cd transports have an aes/ebu output? Thanks Simaudio Moon 260D. I’m not sure if it’s still made, but they are available from time to time on the used market.P.S. If I'm not mistaken, the current terminology for that connection is AES3. | |
| Streamer recommendation under $3000 With the possible exception of Roon, I am wary of any endpoint that works only with its own manufacturer's software. I would rather have the ability to pick a DLNA control point and server that meet my needs -- they are all different -- rather tha... | |
| Benchmark DAC-1 My advice is, don’t buy anything before you hear it. Your current setup is good enough that it’s too much of a risk to buy before hearing.The latest bargain darling is the Topping D90. I would be tempted by that if I needed a DAC. Its measurements... |