Miscellaneous

Seeking some advice here. I traded some of my stuff for Symphonic line RG2 Preamp. It's in OK condition and sounds good, but shiny steel front plate and body are covered in patina. What can I use to clean it to restore to it's shinny condition. It should look like this: It's also missing two screws from the back plate that hold two RCA jacks to the back panel. Do you guys now a good store to order various crews. These amps are made in Germany so all the screws are hex.

Anniversary is coming up. In addition to the new car I bought her yesterday, I plan on also getting her a nikon d3000. Just wanted to know which online vendors you guys like to go with.

hey all, This forum is great. I'm new to the audio world, and its been fascinating me for a while since I innocently stumbled upon head-fi when researching new headphones (ended up spending 6 times more than I originally wanted to...). Then I found this forum, and I've been casually reading through some of the posts for a while now. Besides tempting me to spend money I don't have, it has also kept me highly entertained. So I decided to join. I'm not going to pretend to know much about anything, and I don't plan on posting that much for fear of instant insult barrages (you guys are all asshats ). Just so you know how much of a newbie I am to this audio world here…

This is priceless...... Three billion, you say? http://www.cnet.com/news/bose-accuses-beats-of-infringing-noise-canceling-headphone-patents/

Having problems with the search function so apologies if this has already been dealt with. I'm quite enarmored with PC as source due to its convenience but wondering about possible ways to get data from a PC to a DAC. For instance I have a Havana DAC that I've compared using direct USB input vs RCA from an EMU1212m soundcard and preferred the USB by quite a bit even though it's regarded as a lesser method. It just didn't sound as detailed or tonally correct via the RCA socket. So, for an older style DAC with BNC input (like an Assemblage 2.0 for instance) I was wondering whether anyone has any thoughts beyond just connecting up the EMU1212m via a BNC cable and RC…

I am so excited about getting this new laptop. It has 1GB of memory, 16 GB SSD, 8.9 inch LED display (1024 X 600), XP Home SP3, LAN and Wi-fi, weights 2.28 lbs and is pretty small to boot. I can't wait to get this thing in and try it out. Battery life isn't that bad at 3 to 4 hours as well.

So I've got a bunch of FLAC files that need burnin' to disc so I can play them in my 999es. I don't trust WMP or iTunes. I just downloaded CD BurnerXP Pro and it seems to be a good program. Are there any other programs I should consider? This is specifically for files without a cue sheet, obviously if there is a cue sheet I'll use EAC.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/02/22/24.bit.music/ Apple is among a group of digital music retailers in discussions with record labels to improve the sound quality of their digital offerings, according to a new report. Citing executives involved in the talks, CNN reports that the change would involve the labels supplying retailers with 24-bit audio files, as opposed to the 16-bit files that are currently distributed. “We’ve gone back now at Universal, and we’re changing our pipes to 24 bit. And Apple has been great,” said Interscope co-founder and chairman Jimmy Iovine. “We’re working with them and other digital services—download services—to change to 24 bit. And som…

Just looking for some recommendations for good CD-R that I could use for burning music, since most of CD-R's I buy are crappy generic ones I use for data-related purposes.

So, looks like I won't get to a nice 80/20 based rack, as my wife as vetoed the aesthetic. She wants something totally closed (of course) and there's no way I can let that happen to do heat considerations. What we've compromised on, is something like this, in fact exactly like this would be great, but it needs to be able to house a 17" depth component... Any recommendations of things with a similar look? Otherwise, making something like this is just about as hard as lighting up a LED in a switch, right? (hint, hint, nudge, nudge)

I am planning to get Yumi a digital piano for Christmas. She has been playing since she was young (she is used to an acoustic piano). I have an old Casio PS-20 (https://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/casio-ps-20-88-key-digital-piano) from 2002 which does have hammer weighted action but I am sure the technology has come a long way since then. I was looking at the Yamaha Arius 163B since I have heard good things about Yamaha. I listened to both this one and the 143 and this one certainly had a better sound. Anything that might be better to look at without completely breaking the bank? Is it worth upgrading to the Yamaha Clavinova 625? https://www.…

I'm thinking about getting into recording. Portable recorder, maybe make a dummy head. Regular visits to the Younger Hall, field recordings, whatever. Anyone here into recording? Is there a forum for this sort of thing? Where does one learn which bits of kit are best to buy?

it's another afternoon to evening in the city by the bay. I'm going to class, getting out of discussion, when I see a beautiful tree against a lit stone building. The sun is going down... I prepare, set up, click, hold... and when i get back home, I realize it was too slow... the image isn't as sharp, i'm shaking too much. I meet a group of friends at a restaurant, I take pictures as they come in, but they wink too much when my flash goes off. The light around it isn't bad, but being indoors is a disaster for this lens. I tell my camera not to flash. I get two results, either it's kinda dark and the guy sitting next to Teresa (my subject) isn't even visible. Or...…

In the process of buying a property, my credit report was pulled with much lower score than previous. It was due to some %$#@ opening a credit card with my identity, defaulting on the bill, which went into collection. I never knew any of it because the address they sent their letters was different than mine. I asked the credit card CS on the phone how could someone so easily open a credit card under someone else's identity, and he said "It is easy." Damn, if it's so easy, why don't credit card companies do a better job of screening applicants for fraud Now all my real estate actions are on hold, and I am supposed to call their Identity Theft department when…

one I have been an enthusiast of luxury snack items for awhile now, but nothing has yet trounced the cream puff as my favorite indulgence. The process of obtaining a box of Beard Papa's cream puffs and then transporting it to a suitable place to be sampled slowly is a holistic experience. Each retail location is different than the next, so it would be useless to describe the environs and aura of each- but note that they will almost always reside in upscale urban areas devoid of such undesirable establishments as OTB betting or check cashing stations. The staff will be light-hearted, energetic, and above all- enthusiastic. To be employed at beard papa's, one nee…

In the spirit of last year's thread I decided to see what everyone else is thinking for the year My major goals are the following two Gran Fondos: Diabolical Double (16k+ ft, 125 miles): http://www.winthefight.org/granfondo/diabolical_double.htm The Alpine Loop Gran Fondo (11.5k+ ft, 107 miles): http://alpineloopgranfondo.com/ Plus I think I will probably do the Tour de Cure in Northern VA (6/1/14) with Jeff. I'm also loooking at: MS Ride The Riverside (6/7/14-6/8/14) Airforce Classic (6/8/14): http://cyclingclassic.org/ Total 200 Double Century (6/14/14): http://www.total200.com/ Edit: It's not a "goal" really but I'll probably do a few 5k races w…

Yep, It's now official Available direct from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Fire-Phone-32GB-AT/dp/B00EOE0WKQ etc http://online.wsj.com/articles/amazon-unveils-smartphone-1403114271 http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/18/amazon-phone http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/18/5819516/meet-the-fire-phone http://gizmodo.com/amazons-fire-phone-is-here-at-last-developing-1592702508 http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/06/amazon-announces-its-first-smartphone-the-fire-phone/ http://time.com/2895275/amazon-fire-phone/ http://m.t3.com/news/amazon-announces-the-amazon-fire-phone Firefly:"It's basically the easiest way to spend your money you'll ever find."

I don't know what KG has to say, but I've had the chance to carry a DBT at my place using cryoed and uncryoed tubes on my speaker amp, and I spotted them with 0 errors . This doesn't mean the cryoed were better. They weren't. Cryoing was clearly an awful thing on power tubes. On caps I also noticed clear differences, but for obvious reasons it was impossible to carry a proper DBT. Probably some parts change more undergoing cryoing than others. Not sure the plastic sheet on an electrostatic HP would change a wee bit.

Maybe these are old news, but I'm often slow at finding this stuff. I have trouble both at work and at home with power strips that can basically charge my two phones, computer, maybe my slim, ipad, etc at the same time. I just bought one of these and will see how it works. quirky | Pivot Power Flexible Power Strip Any one else try it or have a better solution?

I've never been allergic to anything my whole life, been woodworking on and off for decades and now it seems I've become allergic to certain woods! I've been getting little tender bumps on my fingertips for a few weeks and now after a couple of days going at it my whole hands and parts of my arms are now filled with a rash that's both very sore and itches like a fucker. I don't know which wood(s) might be causing it but it's really depressing. I ordered some barrier cream, got some work gloves and am taking Zyrtec and rubbing cortizone cream to get the itching down. I don't know why it's only affecting my hands as there's dust and chippings everywhere when I'm working…

Read it and weep

Pretty cool link I've found on H-F, it's a bunch of A/B tests to measure how well you can hear distortion. The tests are simple and well-made and you can compare your results with the average of the other participants at the end. Audibility Of Distortion

My Denon Integrated is getting very unreliable due to bad connections in the source selecting mechanisms (noisy and one channel cutting out intermittently). I was looking at an Onkyo A-9555 digital amp. Dont want to spend more than about $350 for a really good sounding integrated for use in the den (secondary system) playing cds through bookshelf speakers. Any thoughts or sugestions? Also need a CD player for this rig, as the Denon CD player just died.

I now have two headphones whose foam is deteriorating. (0) What causes this? (1) Is there any way to prevent this? I suspect not, since I've had foam inside an anvil case (the kind that's valenced and is practically hermetically sealed) deteriorate purely out of age. (2) Does it "run"? I.E. once the foam starts deteriorating, should one just throw out the entire batch? Or is there a way to save the foam that hasn't deteriorated yet? (3) Is it "contagious"? I.E. Can it be transfered from one to another? (4) Is there a way to determine ahead of time how soon foam is going to deteriorate? (5) Best way to fix? Are there different kinds of foam? I know with Grado…

To the limited few who have /had Senn Headphile woodies, the deep depth type, do you guys think they are worth it? Do they affect the sound in a positive matter? Any wood suggestions (except GE's ugly woodies). Maybe some crazy Ebony deep depth woodies?