petaluman
Responses from petaluman
| Buying used vs new speakers from a technology perspective Yes, they can become outdated, both in the sense that they no longer perform to their original specifications, and that they can be surpassed by newer technology. And yes, they will eventually require repair or go past that point. 14 years is pr... | |
| Amir and Blind Testing I believe that when Amir places an audio device on his test bench, he goes into "lab tech" mode, where sound only exists to confirm the perfection of his measurements. Seriously, improvement is a hard thing to quantify. If everybody agrees A >... | |
| Recommended integrated amplifier for upgrade I can't speak to Audio Science's possible affiliations or commercial biases. I'll be honest, though - I'm a litle biased against it. The sheer number of reviews suggest that they are really just lab tests. I did read the Topping review linked a... | |
| Class A or Class D solid-state amplifiers (modern designs) Actually, the 70s were the Spec Wars. Objectivism ruled and high negative feedback gave vanishingly low THD and IM numbers. However, the resulting sound quality got worse, not better. TIM distortion was discovered, feedback was dialed back, and... | |
| Turntable - The Next Step If you're asking what single upgrade would yield the most cost-effective benefit to SQ, I'd suggest a new cartridge. Another bang-for-bucks upgrade would be to get an LPS to replace the wall wart on your phono preamp. MS sells one that would be ... | |
| Are there speakers that disappear regardless of the recording? This is probably not what the OP is referring to, but anyone who has ever heard the Beveridge electrostatic speakers would have to answer YES. They generated a true cylindrical wavefront - you could walk anywhere in the room including around and ... | |
| What stereo equipment do respected musicians listen to? My experience is that self-designated audiophiles are extremely rare in the general population. I would expect the same amongst professional musicians. Classical or other acoustic music might on the whole be a bit more picky about accurate repro... | |
| Is there any one piece of vintage gear you most wished you owned? Back then it would have been the Infinity Servo-Statiks, which were the first speakers to truly dumbfound me. Now, it would be a room big enough for them (rooms that big are pretty "vintage" in the homes of today!) | |
| Please Recommend Highly Efficient Floor Standing Non-Horn Speaker Suggestions I've not heard the Tektons, but am aware they get a lot of (+ & -) talk around here. So, when I saw a Stereophile review of the DI recently, I skimmed through it. They did get a good review and I believe made the Recommended Speakers list. ... | |
| Best Recycled Streamer? @bruce19 Thanks for sharing your experiences. I readily admit I don't have the most recent wifi setup - I'm using an N device, I think. I do find video streaming can be laggy, but that could be on the sender side. I am very curious why Auralic ... | |
| Best Recycled Streamer? I don't use Roon, so I'm just guessing here. It sounds like your desired Roon endpoint would be wirelessly connected to your network. This is generally undesirable for consistent sound quality, regardless of player software. That wouldn't be an... | |
| 2nd system thoughts on vintage receivers I think a fine second system can be built around a vintage receiver. Keep in mind, though, that they are more likely to have problems due to parts aging. If you're going this route for bang for the buck, you can just wing it and hope for the bes... | |
| Berkeley CA audiophile is desperate need of help You might find it valuable to join your local audio lover's group, the San Francisco Audiophile Society. I preferred the original name (Bay Area...) and the group's membership is even broader than that. They have a forum where you could make thi... | |
| Will a new Dac improve the sound? People sometimes overlook the A in DAC. The analog side is just as important to the overall sound. While I'm not personally a fan of tubes, they are an example of how much the sound can be affected by the analog stage. However, the digital sid... | |
| $100K system build - % breakdown of spend If it was my 100k, I would start with a dedicated room. It's by far the hardest thing to upgrade and will never be obsoleted. It doesn't have to be away from the rest of the house. However, ideally it's separate from your "TV" room. If you hav... |