mlsstl
Responses from mlsstl
| Will a Chord Hugo 2 make a music streamer addition obsolete? The Chord Hugo 2 is a DAC/Preamp/Headphone amp. By itself it has no ability to receive a streaming signal. While, as others have noted, you can use a PC to send a streaming signal to the DAC, this does not give a good quality signal. PCs tend to ... | |
| Do I Need a New DAC? @junge "How much will be the initial investment in streaming?" Once you pick a DAC, it doesn't cost a lot to try out streaming. You can get a WiiM for $90 (Mini, optical only output) or $150 (Pro, with optical & coax). Qobuz will cost you $1... | |
| Do I Need a New DAC? Concerning the Yggdrasil, check out the classified ads over at Head-Fi. I just checked and there are currently several units available used, all for well under $2K. I also second the motion concerning Qobuz. I started in the music hobby in the la... | |
| STREAMER The only answer is to try it yourself. Some people hear a difference, some don't. Don't waste your money because of what someone else says they can hear. There are a couple of ways to approach this. One is buy a new cable from a company with a g... | |
| Oppo sonica 9018 chip Lots of places (but not all) that sell DACs have good return policies. The best way to answer your question is to read some reviews of various DACs in your price range and pick one that seems to match your audio tastes. Then buy one from a dealer ... | |
| Schiit Audio Vali 2 as a preamp I have the Vali 2++, Lyr 3 and Asgard 3 in my collection. All work fine as preamps as long as you don't need to select from multiple input sources. | |
| How does a speaker blow out? Another possibility is simply a defective product. Even with really good quality control on the production line, there can still be hidden issues that show up only after a product has been used for a while. | |
| Sensitivity 86 v 90 What is your preferred listening volume in the room? Have you bought a sound level meter in order to get a real number to work with? Note that one person's "loud" is another's "medium" and so on. The size of the room is also a factor along with ... | |
| Spendor S3/5R2 or Wharfdale Jade 3 I'm also a Spendor fan. Have had several different models of their speakers in the past and currently have their 4/5. Don't hesitate to recommend them, particularly if you like accurate reproduction of unamplified acoustic instruments and natural ... | |
| Fantasy or reality? Inexpensive solid state preamps that get you 80% there? I've had a Schiit Saga -- an excellent, very neutral preamp. The only problem I had was that it is unity gain. My setup needs a preamp with a bit more gain. I ended up switching to a Schiit Lyr 3 which has switchable gain. It has only one or two i... | |
| DIY Amp Another option are the kits by Triode Electronics out of Chicago. Basically modern Dynacos from the ST35 and ST70 up to the Mk III amps. See https://store.triodestore.com/ampsandgear.html | |
| Recs for small footprint integrated amp (<= 14 inches W) min 30 WRMS While I love Schiit gear (I own a number of their pieces) the Ragnarok is bigger than what the OP requested, 16" wide versus the under 14" requested. A Schiit option that would work is their Asgard 3 combined with a Vidar amp. These are only 9" w... | |
| Power conditioner wire gauge? Serious issue This is another classic -- always fun to watch the back and forth. This issue can be broken down into two separate areas. 1. House wiring safety. What size wiring needed is determined by the amperage of the circuit breaker used for that circuit ... | |
| Quobuz subscription @anzaanimalclinic -- just a reminder that the OP was complaining about the mediocre sound quality of a few specific albums. Understand that neither Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify or any of the other streaming actually record or produce music themselves. N... | |
| Quobuz subscription @czarivey -- I've had a Qobuz subscription for several years now and have been very pleased with it. So, I tried out some of the albums you mentioned above by Masayoshi Takanaka and Eloy and can't say I was impressed by the recording quality. My D... |