petaluman

Responses from petaluman

Bang for the buck
With speakers in particular, it's best to hear them yourself, with your amplification or perhaps what you hope to get!  There are so many good speakers in your price range, and they all sound different. Some bigger makers, like KEF, have several ... 
Sat front row at the symphony...
It's not about the sound.  How can any equipment compete emotionally with experiencing incredibly talented, devoted musicians playing music they love as a member of a rapt audience devoting their full attention to the performance.  Listening to yo... 
EBAY MONEY BACK.......WHAT A JOKE ???
I recently had a similar issue with non-delivery on eBay (not an audio item).  I emailed the seller multiple times over several days with no response.  Then I went back to the ebay item details page.  There was a button - get refund, or something ... 
Starting from scratch and say $5000
Like many, I'd encourage you to listen around & choose your speakers first.  I do have a suggestion for a moderately priced, versatile all-rounder integrated, though.  Admittedly, I have no experience with this specific model, but I have a lot... 
First Watt J2 & speaker pairing ?
The First Wat amps are intended to be simple expressions of their output devices.  If you get a chance to try one with your current speakers, you may find the power adequate for your needs.  If not, there are more powerful class A amps to be had, ... 
Tidal class-action
HDCD was a similar technology applied to physical CDs, where the native sample rate had a fixed limit.  I believe MQA is similar, but used for streaming, where the potential signal bandwidth continues to increase.  If you have a high speed Interne... 
Law Of Diminishing Returns?
The concept of diminishing returns does apply to the audio world.  However, "hifi sound" is entirely subjective.  Most people will tell you they're getting it for < $1000.  A few people will tell you that you can't get it for $100,000.  They're... 
Integrated Amp Shopping Decisions
Honestly, you might be better off getting the Parasound NewClassic 200 integrated instead.  Its price new is <50% of the Hint 6, and has a very similar feature set.  Put the $ saved into your speakers and you'll likely come out ahead in SQ.  
What should my heirs do to dispose of my vinyl and CDs?
If you're in the SF Bay Area, you could contact the San Francisco Audiophile Foundation.  I don't know if they're actively soliciting donations, but they are a 501c3 organization, so it would be deductible.  I haven't been to a meeting in a while,... 
What to do with my legacy CD collection?
If you're in the SF Bay Area, you could contact the San Francisco Audiophile Foundation.  I don't know if they're actively soliciting donations, but they are a 501c3 organization, so it would be deductible.  I haven't been to a meeting in a while,... 
Sonus Faber Olympica nova 2 VS Sonus Faber Cremona M Loudspeaker vs
@dynamiclinearity  Thanks for the correction!  I didn't mean to give the front man undue credit, although his continued success with innovative designs is commendable.  Do you know who the designer(s) are behind these speaker lines?  
Sonus Faber Olympica nova 2 VS Sonus Faber Cremona M Loudspeaker vs
I apologize to the OP for the intolerant here who feel it necessary to judge your musical taste & suggest your needs are not worthy of the best sound you can get.  Does that make them anti-audiophiles? Good luck with your search!  Sonus makes... 
Jazz like this? Suggestions
I confess that I haven't yet had a chance to hear the Magnus Ringblom Quartet, but you might want to check out ECM Records.  Their European style of jazz has more classical influence, less swing or R&B.  
getting into streaming
If I read the OP's original post correctly, they asked if anyone could recommend a streamer device that came with its own dedicated controller.  No one seems to have answered that.  Unfortunately, I don't know the answer.  I know they existed for ... 
un-becoming an audiophile
I believe the best way to listen to music is with no stereo at all.  Go out and listen to live music.  You lose all ability to change or "upgrade" the SQ; you gain the immediacy of having the musicians right in front of you, and the community of s...