retiredaudioguy
Responses from retiredaudioguy
| Are EL34 based amps more musical than KT series based ? Or it's purely a matter of design? The VAC 80/80 was KT88s, good sounding $2,500 amp but it chewed up KT88s, and it bias drifted. I had an MV52, that was sweet, perhaps beige like the front panel, but lacked any real punch. I also used a VAC Ren 30/30, gorgeous but it chewed up 30... | |
| How often do you upgrade turntable ? I have had my VPI Scoutmaster since 2005 or 2006, I do grease the bearing every few years. It replaced the earlier entry level VPI that I bought in the late 90s - my daughter now uses that, I had a Thorens before the VPI, before I entered the h... | |
| Do you agree with John Atkinson (and me)? I think I was driven into the Audiophile passion by my passion for Music (classical). I spent the 70s and 80s listening to LPs an a reasonable 'HiFi' system - Ohm Walsh speakers and I forget the rest. I changed jobs in 1990 and one of my colleag... | |
| Do you agree with John Atkinson (and me)? I have (approx.) 3,000 LPs, 2,500 CDs, and 1,500 Hi-Res downloads - and a subscription to Presto Music streaming. The streaming SQ never seems quite as good. Of those 7,000 albums there are a probably two hundred that I listen to most frequently... | |
| I often notice that people who have open reel decks and/or tube equipment are nicest Perhaps I have been around a long time. I built TRF leaky grid triode AM receivers when I was 9 or 10, with help from my dad. That was 1953 or 4. In the early 70's I had a Garrard 301, SME 3009, Shure V15, and a Quad 33 / 303 with a pair of the... | |
| Harbeth P3ESR question (tongue in cheek (I think) but maybe not) Just moved them so that they are in the preferred orientation. Do not hear any difference, but they DO look better with the name tag outside! | |
| Harbeth P3ESR question (tongue in cheek (I think) but maybe not) OMG. I have had them reversed for 15 years! I had never looked at the serial number. Now for critical listening. (Ha). I do think they are an amazing speaker in such a small package. | |
| Confused about adapter for RCA to BNC The potential problem is characteristic impedance. Digital signals at at a frequency where impedance mismatches will cause reflections so you may need to try different. @mitch2 LAYING, really, in public. I hope he was just lying. | |
| Cary SLP 98 vs Benchmark LA4 FYI the Benchmark LA4 can be tried out at home for 30 days. To my (admittedly elderly) ears it is totally transparent and uncolored. | |
| Any piece of equipment you currently dream of ? Esoteric Grandioso. In about 2008 I purchased an Esoteric X-03SE, and was amazed at the improved SQ by every measure compared to the Sonic Frontiers DAC. In 2021 I switched to the K-01XS with another quantum leap in SQ. Perhaps the Grandioso w... | |
| I Was A Skeptic Now I'm Not So Sure It is true that digital cables matter. They should NOT, other than being a true 75 ohm transmission line. Surely, the digital data (which contains error correcting bits) should be buffered in RAM and then clocked to the DAC chips using an ultra ... | |
| Power Amp or DAC - weakest link, help please? You might take a look at Benchmark Media Systems. I have no personal knowledge of their DAC/Pre or PA products - but they offer a 30 day evaluation at home. The DAC3 L is a DAC + PRE and the AHB2 their PA. Their products are known for neutralit... | |
| What is the true impact of power supply differences - Japan, US, Australia? @jea48 Thank you. | |
| Vinyl Lovers-- Cartridges!!!! Do you have a daily driver? I have had my Koetsu Black for many years and it sounds good as new, but I listen to my vinyl only a few hours a week - I have about 3,000 LPs but my Esoteric K-01xs delivers, since that move vinyl time has declined. I did a bit of research and N... | |
| Directional wires/cables @jea48 I looked around for a primer on the subject and found this YouTube it's about a 40 minute chat but is, I think, rather good. Simple but not simplistic. He doesn't address directionality per se but does explain why different cables may so... |