jpelg

Is that if you do the ripping soley through the PC (ie. insert disc into PC's DVD-ROM drive)? If you had an external DVD-A player (not your PC) that could output the full hi-rez signal, couldn't a PC soundcard with the appropriate digital interface (ie. coax) accept that signal into a single ripping application? Where's the technical bottleneck?

Needle drops require an A-D step. Since it's PCM, I would expect/hope that ripping DVD-Audio is always in the digital domain, no? Different from copying analog-outs from an SACD player.

Thanks, T. It appears from that graph that it never drops below 600-ohms. Doesn't that indicate the amp's output impedance would have even less of an effect?

Is there any measurement data to show if the T1's have a significant variance from their nominally-rated impedance across the FR range?

I'm still not convinced this all matters to a 600-ohm headphone driver. Can someone show me some calculations that take driver impedance into consideration?

With my headphone amp also being a decent preamp, I have some interest in active monitors for when speaker listening is an option. I know that there is a fairly strong Quad active fanbase around here. I came across the Tannoy Reveal line: Seems this series has a bunch of options, ranging from passive, to active, to active w/digital inputs, all basically differing in driver size (5, 6, 8"). Anyone heard any version of these?

Thanks for the info & suggestions guys - just what I was looking for.

Cartridge reco's for Technics owners typically fall into the Denon MC camp for compliance matching, and classic sonics. However, the Ortofon Concorde integrated shell/cartridge presents some interesting potential usability/setup benefits. Anyone have any experience with KAB's custom hi-fi version: Thoughts on the general subject? Thoughts on which stylus is best (STY20/30/40)?

Interesting comments about the hi-Z output helping the T1's FR. I have heard a difference using 120-ohm output with 250-ohm Beyer models, including DT770 & DT880's which are not explicitly advertised as needing 120-ohm outputs (as were the discontinued DT831/931 series which absolutely needed it). However, it differs from my experience with my 600-ohm DT880 Manufaktur, which is imperceptibly affected by plugging them into the 120-ohm output of my Prehead vs. the 0-ohm jack. It also flies somewhat in the face of my admittedly limited understanding of electronic "theory" that a 600-ohm headphone be significantly affected by output impedance. All that being said, my ears/gear may not be up to the task to hear the diff, theory is not always reality, and of course the T1 is a different headphone from the DT880's. So I will have to wait for the next NY meet to hear & compare.

Thanks for the update, Mike. I recall seeing your posts about the ULN'2's phono inputs being too noisy. Also, this requires using Mac software for the RIAA equalization, correct?

I had a chance to briefly listen to the ULN-2 last fall at a meet, and really liked what I heard. Still, the dependency on Mac-centric software to control things as simple as changing digital inputs (at least that's what I glean from the user manual) unfortunately makes me pause. Current lack of Windows support is doesn't help. Wondering how the ULN-2 is holding up months later, and against other DACs y'all have had to compare?

Still catching up via DVR. Watched "A Love Supreme" the other day - really good, probably the best ep ever. This morning was "Stop-Loss" - ok, but not on the same level. Makes me wonder if it's the show's demise that makes them put out the good stuff sooner than later, because they know its the last time they'll have an opportunity to air. Looking forward to viewing the final eps.

You may only get paid with a palette of KSC75's, maybe ESP-950's is you're lucky.

HFI-780 - Couldn't stand them. Shouty sound on top & bottom. Very uncomfortable physically. Proline 650 - Nice mid-level cans. A bit rolled off compared to the top models, but well-matched for properly priced components. Proline 750 - Loved them. Miss them. May have to buy them again when I have some spare cash. Great for low-level listening. Demand good source. Bass-boosted material sometimes sounds too much so. Still don't believe the 900's are different, but I haven't heard them to confirm. PRO2500 - Never warmed up to these nearly as much as the 750's. Technically capable, but just not as "right" for some reason. Edition 9 - A refined version of the 750's. Smoother, but without losing detail. Better soundstage. Luxurious leather pads are particularly nice. Wish I could afford them. Still want to hear the Edition 8's.

Hope so too, as I am certainly in the "target audience" age-range. The first ep was a little depressing, as they tried to pack a lot in at once. Almost too real. Hopefully there will be better balance & pacing if it is allowed to continue.

Funniest show I've seen in a long time. My wife's & my favorite new show this season.

So now it's got an integrated speaker amp rather than a headphone amp?

I think that people had a difficult time seeing any redeeming qualities in the characters. The writers did demonstrate some consequences, but I think that the underlying idea of basically an expensive whorehouse is difficult to reconcile for most viewers, especially without the reasonable expectation of a money shot.

Really nice work...again, Nate!

I like their look & cable entry design. Overall, seems quite logical. Of course, they'll need a re-cable to sound their best. Maybe some new pads as well.

Shiny discs are available today. Players are available today. The real question is whether there are recordings that are best demonstrated in the SACD format, with little or no possibility of it becoming available in an alternate one in the forseable future, that are important enough to you to spend the money obtaining & playing today? Regarding players, I never liked the early Oppos. If that's all you're willing to invest, I'd say "pass" on the SACD's. The Sony 5400 is probably the least expensive SACD player I've heard that satisfies. Haven't heard the latest Oppos though. Also, if using multiple sources - computer, vinyl, SACD (analog-out) is part of the equation, you'll still need switching capability. Still have that Skipjack, Vincent? Get thee to a modder-y, my friend! For those extremely rare instances where the hi-res versions are available on both SACD and DVD-A. Still, your ears are better than mine, D.

Seems that a hugely logical application for this kind of tech is for university textbooks. I would have loved to have something like this when I was a student! Have any universities started to adopt any of these formats? This would turn the new/used textbook business on its ear. How about libraries? No more going to the B&M building to check out a book from my town library. It also seems logical that the reader devices themselves eventually become ultra-cheap, or even free, with subscription services. This would drive the market much faster, similiar to how it drove the cellphone business to the point of ubiquity. Maybe all of this will happen after the basic tech is ironed out, again similiar to the cellular industry.

Congrats. I agree the Mini-DAC is a great source, not to mention a bargain. I just wish that Apogee had not stopped Windows development.