tonykay
Responses from tonykay
| Looking for closed back headphone advice There are exceptions to every rule, but in general dedicated headphone amps are superior to headphone jacks on integrated amplifiers. Also, CD sound can be further improved by the addition of a quality DAC which often includes headphone output wit... | |
| Scam or awesome deal We moved to Arizona from the Bay Area. There is rarely anything worth considering in the Phoenix Craigslist. However, I do look through it occasionally. If I find anything of interest at a reasonable price, I usually look at the ad only to find th... | |
| Looking for closed back headphone advice With your $700 budget, I would look to Sennheiser, Denon or Beyerdynamic. There's a pair of Beyerdynamic T-1s for sale here now. You decide. | |
| Looking for closed back headphone advice I have used Stax headphones for years, most recently a pair of 009s with a Stax SRM-T1S. I love them, but missed the intimacy and isolation of closed-back phones. I found a used pair of Audeze LCD-XC phones here for around $800. They are not quite... | |
| Any currently using a Classe CP-50 or 60 pre amp, or prior experience? My first preamp was a Classe DR-6. I used it with a Classe DR-15 amp. I was pleased with it but wanted something new, so I sold it. That was probably 20 years ago. I do recall it was well-built, and well-reviewed at the time. The guy who bought it... | |
| Am I getting old and grumpy? I very much dislike the "Contact for Price" price. It always reminds me of the old saying that if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. I suppose that’s true, but it still puts me off. I complained to one dealer and he told me that he is forced to... | |
| DAC volume controls I use an Oppo 105D for CD, and a Benchmark DAC1 (which has a volume control) directly into my amp. I find the combination works better than the Oppo directly into my preamp. I'm so pleased with the upgrade in sound quality with a separate DAC that... | |
| Most unusual/mesmerizing female voice. I have seen Natalie Merchant several times, in different venues. When she starts the songs from "Ophelia", it can only be described as mesmerizing. The audiences seem to agree. | |
| Dac Suggestions around $500 For around $500, you can get a used Benchmark DAC1, possibly even a later version. I saw one this week on Craig****t for $200. That's a good price for a great DAC. | |
| The very best sound: Direct to Disc One of my favorite albums is Amanda McBroom's Sheffield recording of "West of OZ". If you don't have it, you should get it. | |
| CD/DVD/Blu-Ray Players with RCA outputs I can't speak for all Oppo units, but my 105D has both RCA and XLR outputs. Buy one, you won't be disappointed! | |
| What was your most disappointing album purchase? "Primitive Cool" by Mick Jagger. Taste is subjective, but I thought it was terrible. I took it back, and I almost never take anything back. I can't remember if there was a listenable song. | |
| Big source improvement using CD player Oppo 105D. | |
| Best DAC for around $2,500 or less I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the Benchmark products. Check the connections and capabilities first. They are an even better value on the used market, usually under $2K. I have heard good things about Schiit products, but I have not ow... | |
| Rock concerts Add two more to my list above; k.d.Lang, and Al Stewart (twice). Both were great concerts. I really do miss live concerts! |