yyzsantabarbara

Responses from yyzsantabarbara

Upgrading from Thiel 2.7 to Sonus Faber or Focal???
For my smallish room, I demoed the Magico A3 and was also considering the Kanata 2 because of the ease of placement (never demoed it). However, I went with a used Thiel CS3.7 (that I completely rebuilt), I think it is still a great choice and defi... 
No preamp?
I added a preamp and it was much better than DAC direct. The DAC was the Benchmark DAC3 HGC to AHB2 amp and later a Parasound A23 amp.I then switched to the BM HPA4 preamp to the DAC3B to 2 AHB2's. It was much better. Especially at low volume. I t... 
Killer used integrated for <$500?
Go up to $900 and get a used Peachtree Nova 150. I owned it and sold it after a few years. It served me quite well. 
Speaker cables
I just got  some 1 meter Audience FrontRow speaker cables and they sound great with my Thiel CS3.7's and all Benchmark stack. I love the Audience cables because nothing stands out. I feel like you are hearing everything that is there in the record... 
Which Component Has the Greatest Affect on Low-Level Listening
My Benchmark HPA4 preamp had the biggest positive on low level listening. It has a volume control with 256 settings and it is quieter than any other source component you will use with it. Once of the reasons I got it was for late night low volume ... 
Recommended speaker pairing for ML 585.5.
The Magico A3 was very good with the ML 585. 
The Decline of the Music Industry
KCRW out of Los Angeles made me like living in Southern California. The best radio station I have ever heard. Eclectic to the extreme. 
Amps to match kef blade2
I should have added that Mola Mola has a new integrated that has the Tambaqui DAC inside of it. It does not use Purifi but some other Class D. Check it out on GTT Audio YouTube channel. It is a little expensive but checks of a the things you wanted. 
Amps to match kef blade2
Congrats, that is a speaker I am striving to get.Do not put the Luxman 509x on the Blade. It is not enough power. The m900u is so much better though maybe still a little power shy for the Blade.I heard the Blade2 with 2 Hegel units, the 360 integr... 
Have you heard these 3, Kef Reference 1, Kanta 2 and Sopra 1s.
The Reference 1 are likely to getting the META upgrade this year. So either a great time to buy the current Reference line or not too long a wait for the upgrade. I think the REF 1 is great and is not fatiguing with the gear I heard. I did hear it... 
LS50 + Amp Power
I told a dealer to order me the KC62 yesterday whenever that is possible. I am thinking of using the wireless connectivity kit from KEF for this.So Krell K-300i + LS50 + KC62 sub (maybe wireless)"KW1 Wireless Subwoofer Adapter Kit | kef" https://u... 
AES48 , is there a test to determine?
Maybe Mr Siau will see this thread and post a response. He is a member on A'gon.Just saw this review on Sereophile. https://www.stereophile.com/content/benchmark-hpa4-headphone-amplifierline-preamplifier 
AES48 , is there a test to determine?
@testpilot  You should email the designer of the BM gear.  I won't do that since I already bugged him with a few emails on compatibility of the AHB2 with my Thiel CS3.7's. John Siau - JSiau@benchmarkmedia.com - designerRory@benchmarkmedia.com - ... 
AES48 , is there a test to determine?
Yes, our units do support the AES48 standard. Rory RallSales Mgr.Benchmark Media Systems, Inc.203 E. Hampton Place, Ste 2Syracuse, NY 13206http://www.benchmarkmedia.com800-262-4675fax 315-437-8119 
Peachtree Nova 150 vs NAD M10
Buy a used Nova 150. I sold mine for maybe $900 about 6 months ago. For that price is it great.The weakness of the Nova 150 is the preamp section. I have compared each part separately. I must say though when I owned it for 2 years it did the job a...