whipsaw
Responses from whipsaw
| Too many choices for R2R DACS--opinions appreciated @lula The Merason is the DAC that I owned between the Pontus II and La Scala. Well-reviewed, as you likely know, and perhaps even a bit surprisingly used by Vinnie Rossi at the recent AXPONA audio show, to showcase his new Brahma integrated amp ... | |
| Too many choices for R2R DACS--opinions appreciated I have owned three of the above-mentioned DACs, a Pontus II, Merason DAC-1, and Aqua La Scala. I am now very happy with the latter, though it isn't really fair to compare it to the Pontus, as the Terminator (or Holo May, etc.) are closer to its pr... | |
| Moon AKA Simaudio announces new line of speakers. I prefer not to eat at restaurants that serve Indian and Italian food. Yes, the analogy is loose, and I do have respect for SimAudio. But I definitely prefer to buy components made by manufacturers which have a relatively fine focus. | |
| Need Help: Can't recall which hi-end R2R dac had an optional preamp board? Holo Audio Spring for sure. | |
| How do you make a final decision on a DAC FWIW, I recently switched to an Aqua La Scala. I wasn’t planning to spend more than $3-4k, but was able to audition it in my system, and was captivated. I can’t be of much help in terms of comparisons, though I originally owned a Pontus II, and c... | |
| Vintage Integrated Amplifiers With Great Sound It wouldn’t be cheap, even if you could find one, but I thoroughly enjoyed an Accuphase E-303x while I owned it. I did have it re-capped, but given its age, it sounded terrific. E-303x details | |
| Thinking Hybrid Integrated. A few members, including myself, are quite happy with the Circle Labs A200. Similar topology to the above-mentioned Levante, at a fraction of the cost. | |
| What is the Bu-ray plauyer that you are using? Oppo 103d – superb for DVD and Blu-Ray. | |
| Circle Labs A200 Integrated amplifier review - It will appeal to both tube and SS lovers…… @jc51373 You're welcome! With a challenging load, I would be a bit concerned about fan noise. As you know, passive cooling simply means heat sinks, and that's a good segue to the A200. The casework is among the best that I've come across, and ... | |
| Circle Labs A200 Integrated amplifier review - It will appeal to both tube and SS lovers…… @jc51373 The GATO AMP-150 was one of two favorite SS amps that I have owned, and that includes more than a few over ~40 years. The other was a 1st generation Jeff Rowland Concentra. But over the years I have also owned a Pass, Bryston, and other... | |
| Magico A1 or Sopra 1 or Marten Oscar Duo I second Rick's recommendation. As you are in Europe, you may be able to audition a pair of KIM. I had a long listen to the Marten Parker Duo, but ended up buying the KIM. Here's a link to a comprehensive review by Martin Colloms (in pdf form): ... | |
| Least Expensive Power Conditioner/Surge Protector That Won't Worsen Sound Probably more than you wish to spend, but I have had very good experiences (both audio and video) with this IsoTek power bar: EVO3 Sirius I bought it for around $500 used. | |
| Circle Labs A200 Integrated amplifier review - It will appeal to both tube and SS lovers…… I'm enjoying mine as well, and @grannyring is partly responsible for my having taken the leap. As I recently upgraded my speakers to a pair of (German) FinkTeam KIM, the A200 is further revealing its potential. A terrific integrated amp, and sti... | |
| Braun Audio. Dieter Rams Designer Though it requires payment, there is an outstanding documentary on Dieter Rams available on Vimeo (also on Amazon). Here's a clip: | |
| Amir and Blind Testing @pabs85 Well, if the choice were binary, then yes, I'd agree that listening would trump measuring. This can be confirmed by the fact that not all components which measure very well necessarily sound good to all ears (e.g. a dry, analytical amp),... |