socrates

Responses from socrates

Recommendations of CD player for my system
Toudou, my friend with near the same setup to mine has the Myryad and a newer EAD side-by-side for a shootout, to both of use the EAD was the superior preamp, which shocked us to as we'be both seen the reviews for the Myryad as favorable. We only ... 
Help.... Need Amp advice
I own the Odyssey. I have owned the Parasound (glassy top end with painful sibilance, great bottom end but overall very dry, dull and had a horrible time with complex passages) and have heard the Acurus (just awful, enough said!), this would be an... 
Best mid-size speaker, cost no object
Even with "cost no object," listen to the Von Schweikert VR4genIIISE's.... 
Tube pre into SS Amps for Home Theater?
Have you ever heard a tube pre with a SS amp? I highly suggest that you try before you buy, you may not like what you hear.... 
Recommendations of CD player for my system
I would keep your CDP and dump the Myryad for a bigger improvement in sound for the $$$. 
Dylan SACD-good news.
If you haven't heard SACD or DVDA, please go to a local dealer for a demo....it might just save you a lot of cash and dissapointment. 
Pioneer Elite Transport or Rotel?
Also, don't count Pioneer out based on the name, the stupidly expensive cd players and transports abound aren't made from scratch, many source from Pioneer for a large bulk of the players internals. Even for those well over $10K players reviewers ... 
Pioneer Elite Transport or Rotel?
Yeah, why not just A/B both side by side and post your results! I would be very interested in your appraisal and will perform a similar shootout soon with the same dac. FWIW, MF claims any cheap transport will work with that dac very nearly as wel... 
Which DAC?
With only $400-500, I would think about a used Rega planet CDP, Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 or maybe the Philips Sacd player some seem fond of. If the cheap dac doesn't reclock the singnal from the transport, and most don't, the transport may kill the pot... 
Do I need or want preamp tone controls
In what I believe to be your price range, tone controls are a big no-no. There may be some megakilo-buck pres that can get them right, but for under $2K I wouldn't do it. With the Stratos you will not need/want tone controls anyways. Aside from th... 
Time for a total system upgrade
Only advise I could offer is just go listen. Go to every dealer within a couple hours drive and see what you like with your evolved and unique tastes. I know what I like, but I only know that having heard many, many dozens of setups in dealers sho... 
The best hybrid amp?
Jafox, is sure does look like this is about hybrid amps, without furhter qualification, and the HCA-2 IS IN FACT a hybrid amp. Check it out.www.psaudio.com 
Whats wrong?
I ditto all of what Phasecorrect suggested abpve, and also agree that the smaller Parasounds where very bright and brittle up top. On conventional speakers even the smaller Parasounds would always pump out very good bass for their power rating, an... 
Thoughts on Amplification - Requesting feedback
Some people don't like tubes, the tradeoffs just don't work for them, which I can appreciate. However, I have no doubt that you will loose your religion with another solid state amp. I've owned and heard many of the Parasound amps, and other then ... 
The best hybrid amp?
Many in the know feel a digital hybrid amp will be the future of audio....we'll see.