Home Source Components

So I'm tinkering with the notion of dumping the 999es in favor of a player which also handles DVD-A and HDCD. HDCD capability is important since all of the new Grateful Dead Rhino releases are HDCD encoded, and I love the Grateful Dead. The most immediately obvious choice is a modded Denon 3910, since it is widely positively reviewed, and modded models can be had cheap on the gon. As we speak there is an sacdmods for 1300 and a modwright for 2300. I tend toward the Modwright since I'm already a fan of the Modwright house sound, and since it has that big ass overbuilt power supply (which, if I bought used, I would send in to get the tube rectification upgrade). I'm look…

I finally got my amp back and running, so I'm going to start posting my impressions of my new CD player. I still have my Panasonic SL-S160 PCDP as a reference, but I'll probably stop making comparisons after a while. Before I mention anything else though, I noticed the output power is much higher than my Panasonic's - this is logical because of the differences between portable and home players' power supplies and output sections. Anyway, the Arcam sounds much louder at the same level on the volume dial - I'll probably have to turn it down when I listen for longer periods. I've only listened to the first three tracks of Jane Monheit's Taking a Chance on Love on both pla…

Hi all, I posted this on head-fi as well, but figured the folks here might have some input as well since there seems to be quite a few DAC users... Well, I am still strongly considering the Lavry Black as it seems to be a perfect solution for my needs. I will be using a Slimdevices Squeezebox to feed it and initially will drive my HF-1's from the headphone output and my balanced K340's from the XLR outputs. Now, the QC issues that are being discussed on the Lavry forums combined with Ori's recent review that seem to be giving the nodd towards the Zhaolu have me concerned. What I'm wondering, is there any similar DAC's out there that I may want to consider? Things…

Silly me about to spend $1-2K on a dac. Like a poster told me...."why bother" Check post #697 and the link given.... http://166.90.205.111/forums/showthread.php?p=2268162#post2268162

Has anybody heard this player? Their website is a bit messy and old-school, but it sounds like an interesting Redbook source, for the low, low price of $10,950 http://www.novaphysicsgroup.com I found out about it from doing a bit of research on Melos Audio - these are the same guys, I think...

My babies transport has died today, was working earlier but now she just makes a clicking noise.. She has had her use over the years sometimes playing 10 hour days sometimes even 24 strait for burn in... i called Meridian and they are sending me an email on what to do next, expected turn around is about three weeks from start to finish. no clue on repair cost as the machine is way out of warranty. been offered $5000 on a used 808 yesterday also, but i don't have the time nor use for such a player now. i just hope the repair cost don't hurt me... please pour a bit of coffee out today for my fallen homie!

You can see what my current, primary home rig for headphone useage currently is. My sound quality is fantastic except for two things: 1.) I need to find a way to inject some more warmth without taking away from everything else. 2.) There's a touch of harshess that shows up at times that could stand to be refined out of there. This is not an earth shattering, extreme problem. That being said, I'm considering all kind of things from an external DAC that would turn my Onkyo 1000 into a glorified transport, a different set of cans although I'd hate to lose the 701's strengths, possibly a new source outright, or maybe some kind of "accessory" like this: http…

Hello crew, I am completely ignorant to the whole laptop/computer as source thing, so could use your help. I am looking for something to play music from my laptop wirelessly through my Zana. The Zana has 3 inputs with one being sourced from the Meridian, so I figured I could use another source. I am pretty much on my laptop all the time, would be nice to source some music from here as well. Nothing too crazy or expensive, just sound decent enough, the cheaper the better, so no modwrighted or APL modded transporters and what not. Also, I could probably get some ideas for software programs that can play music where I can bypass the volume control on my laptop, that could…

I've had my CDP-2 for a year and a half now, and I really like it. It's the best source I've ever owned. It doesn't have all of the slam that the four DAC chips inside my Adcom GCD-750 produce, but it's much more nimble sounding. Oddly enough, it has great synergy with my 12L Actives. It's not a fair fight, but I prefer the sound of my CDP-2 to my humble Pico DAC (which is great for what it is.) In fact, I like it better than any of the other DACs in my house. The CDP-2 goes for $1200-ish new, AFAIK. What I'd like hear about is any DACs in the price range that best it. I read in another thread on here that the $1500 price bracket for DACs is a crowded one. A num…

I think it may finally be time to do away with CDs for the meet rig. Plus, shipping the CD player back and forth to meets is costly and takes up expensive table space, and they eventually break. Time to go DAC-only. At RMAF, i did have a few people come up to me wanting to play their files off SD cards or USB flash drives, and I was not equipped to do this with my CD player...another DAC advantage as I know some of them support this. Something small and lightweight would also be a plus as it makes travel/shipping easier. any recommendations?

Per 6Moons news snippet: I've liked their products I've had or heard, this sounds pretty nice. Sounds far enough off, we'll see if it comes in with that estimated price intact....

Just noticed that Electrocompaniet has a new DAC, the ECD-2. This interests me - I <3 the ECD-1. http://www.electrocompaniet.no/news/item_0033.html (Looks kinda ugly though.)

http://www.slimdevices.com/ It's like a squeezebox on steroids! (credit to akwok on irc for finding it)

Hi Guys, Just venturing into sacd and have the option of buying either of the above. Not into video side just Audio. All comments appreciated. Budget limited at present. The s2000 came out in 2007 and the age worries me. Valid or not?. Technology changes rapidly these days. Thanks Les

I've got a netbook running XP with redbook FLAC files played by Foobar, that I hooked up to the miniDAC via USB, so I should just set the Apogee USB ASIO driver to 44.1/16 bit, right? Any reason to set it at 24 bit? (Still waiting for my PICO to arrive, but I dusted off the miniDAC to try with the netbook. I've been using the 840C primarily, and I'd forgotten how good the miniDAC sounds!)

I sold my McCormack DNA-500 to a guy with an agreement that he could audition it and decide whether to go through with it. He uses his Bel Canto Dac3 as source and preamp. He goes directly into the amp, and I have asked whether he uses balanced XLR cables or s/e RCA cables but I have not heard back yet. The amp sounds great with his Wilson Benesch speakers, but the problem is a buzz/hiss that is present and presumably most noticeable in quiet passages or when there is no music playing. He has contacted SMc Audio, Steve McCormack's shop, and has done what they have suggested (cheater plug, switch outlets, try a line conditioner and direct into outlet, etc) to no avai…

Has anyone had a chance to hear the new McIntosh SACD/CD beast yet. I'm pretty sure this uses the new ESS ES9018 chip. It also has SPDIF in so this is certainly a contender for the 2-channel system. Well except for the fact it has a $6500 MSRP and at that price point it better be pretty special.

Picked one up mostly due to an interesting feature set. I've had good experience with RME gear being technically impeccable, but falling a bit short in listening tests. The ADI-2 Pro was intended to be an office rig, but I lug it to and fro work, it's that good. Ended up buying one of the limited Anniversary Editions, cuz it's black and has moar pretty. It runs my HD800 balanced with 6x OPA1688 chips pre channel. Sounds as good or better as I've heard any HD800 perform. It also does 5 band PEQ which makes HD800's actually listenable. For my Equator Q12 I use the back XLR's and intend to hook up a MiniDSP via optical to integrate two custom 15" subs. …

I tried one of these on a lark. It looked like it would work on my Regas, with their teenie weenie stubby little spindles. My really old Planar 3's spindle was too short even for this gizmo. But my merely old one accepts the thing just fine. Amazingly, it actually works. It ain't no Sota Reflex Clamp but it does help bass and image focus. It costs $29 and works on spindle-challenged tables, so what's not to love? (If you haven't seen one, it's a little clear plastic saucer that looks like it just escaped from under a cup of cafe Cubano, or maybe from being the lid for a cat food tin. I'm sure most of the 29 bucks goes to paying off the mold. I don't see mu…

I got an HRT Music Streamer II for my parents Mac Mini. Just needed a cheap DAC and wanted one that didn't need a power supply. In theory, this DAC fits the bill. In practice, that's not the case. For anyone out there considering the HRT, be forewarned that you very likely will need to run it off a powered USB hub. It appears to simply draw to much power to run reliabily out of a 'puter's USB ports. There are a bunch of posts about this on the internets, but I figured I'd give a heads up here, too.

I'm planning on getting a universal player within the next few months, so I can play dvd audio discs. Probably the Ayre DX-5. Headphone rig only for now, so stereo only. I noticed some dvd audio releases are advertised as a standard cd and dvd with 5.1 surround. If the release does not specifically mention a high resolution stereo version too, will the surround mix not get sent to stereo correctly? I want to avoid getting something if I can only listen in surround, basically.

As promised here are some pics of the first reference level CDP Sony ever made, well one half of it. Released in 1987 it's built to a standard Sony can only dream off today with solid copper panels and huge transformers for it's meager 25w draw.

What do you guys think the SQ on lower end DAC (ESI Nano/Gamma 1/Ordnance DAC/Go Vibe DAC fed by losless from computer vs a direct play using CD from a standard issue DVD player ($100 or lower price) ? Which is better in your opinion ? My take is on this lower end DAC, DVD player playing CD is better.....

Good day everyone, I am in the process of purchasing a new DAC.... So Far, I bought a pair of Sennheiser HD800 and a WOO Audio 6 SE headphone amp. All my music is on Apple Lossless on an external hard drive. My last step is the purchase of a new DAC..... AUDIO-GD is what I have in mind so far.... This company has a lot of fans on Head-Fi, but it doesn't seem to be the same thing here.... The DAC I will buy should last at least 10 years.... maybe more, like my HD800 amd my headphone amp. As I will not have the chance of listening to the DAC before I buy it, I seek for your help... I am thinking of the Audio GD NFB 8 or REF 5 or Wyred 4 Sound Dac 1 o…

My heavily modded Philips 963SA was acting up so I just pulled the trigger on the Music Hall CD25.2 player that PartsConnexion had in their autumn sale for $499.00 w/free shipping It has their level 1 mods: RCA jacks upgraded to Vampire Feet upgraded to sorbothane Chassis deadening Cap and resistors in output stage upgraded to audiophile level Output op-amps upgraded to OPA-627 Diodes and caps in PSU upgraded as well. Will post pics when it arrives