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barmar46

High Rollers
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Everything posted by barmar46

  1. But this issue is: If your budget is a constant as well as the money you've dedicated to your speakers and all the other gear were the variables, would you compromise significantly on your cd player, using it as a transport to feed into a dac and them put the rest of budget into power cables and conditioner or... woud given the aforementioned constants would you focus on choosing a better cd player with a descent dac fed it in to a good phono amp and forgo the upgrad in power cables and purchase of power conditioner to a second phase. There's the rub. If I go with the latter it means I don't buy that Exempler Denon 3910 tube stage output mod and stick w/my inferior Cambridge 540c v1 coupling it w/a Lavry dac and get Cable Pro power cable cables and power conditioner and forgo the former until stage two of my investment. It doesn't feel right to me. But I'm neighter an official audiophile or acousticist. What say you?
  2. I just talked to an "expert" in high end audio, acoustic theory and application. He went into a dissertation on the primary importance of room acoutics, proper power cables and power conditioners in getting the most out of excellent speakers(#1 consideration and cost factor for a sound system)... even more important than the cd player as a source. His theis is if the sound is not clean from the git go than a good cd player will still be working with a distorted signal. He talked about secondary considerations like room devices such as "bass traps" and other assorted construction on walls and ceilings. As you all know by now: "I know nuthing!" So...anybody buying? I really would appreciate some feeback here. I got a feeling my latest posts may have been pretty inarticulate to all you audiophiles or maybe just plain dee you em bee, because I only got one reponse total (thank you, Jacob!) So please bear with me here. I'm trying my best. But you guys (and gals...Hi Vicki!) are pretty much over my head in all these tech matters. I want to hang in here if I can!
  3. Mutated crapped threads? Were you referring to my life? ...you guys are a trip(Remember the 60's- like in "don't forget!)
  4. Is the BAT VK-3i a better deal than the BAT VK-30 balanced (both on Audiogon)? ( I see I have an interweaving thread here. I only posted when I thought this thread had been complete with the "announcement of the DAC 1 purchase. Sorry to all if I've interrupted the flow.)
  5. Thanks Jacob. I was getting very lonely... How 'bout $1000-1500 at most used?
  6. What components do you need in the chain between the cd player and the speakers themselves to drive them and give them volume control? What brands to you recommend and why? ( Price point under $1500; goal involving, full, dynamic, relsoving sound-not too bright or edgy, yet not rollled off on highs, mids well present but not over stated, bass, foundational, but not dominant, boomy or muddy, just tight. Listen to acoustic singer emphsis and jazz. Transparency and immediacy critical. (posted something like this on Source site referring to dac issue and didn't get response.)
  7. Dac/Preamp/Vol control recommendation Part Deux: I have bought a great pair of ATC 20-2 speakers(ah, no amp required) as well as an Exemplar Denon 3910 tube stage out mod. Now in taking to various ATC reps I an getting various different stories about what else I need in terms of components and what brands (I want warm acoustic immediacy. Highs not too bright or edgy nor rolled of, balanced mids, and bass present and accounted for but not tight not over stated, boomy, or muddy.) So at first I was told I need some kind of volume/gain thing-a-magig(I didn't quite get the concept but I was so excited about the deal I got on the speakers being high and ignorant felt allright for awhile. Then it seemed this volume control had to be tied to a preamp. And finally the consultant who I most trusted (he seemed lest invest in selling me a bunch of shit and more in provide me a minmailist approach to getting me started and listening myself to my rig so I could learn as I go) suggested a Lavry Dac(which by the way he did not sell himself.) He said plugging into the dac would solve all the problems and it had a remote volume control ta boot. Also as a side note, he suggested I get very basic cables and power chords to start and let both the speakers and my listening break in so I could grow into tweaks my experiences taught me what I really wanted. So is the dac off the cd player into the active speakers the chain of love? (And this guy is a heavy duty pro in music production in television sound producition who came hightly recommended the the American distributer for ATC speakers.) Or is something amiss? Also he felt Larvy had a warmer, maybe more neutral sound than the Dac10 which he thought colored the music more than I wanted? He gave is opinion but he was in no way pushy. I told him I would run this all by my friends.
  8. Hey Dusty, Such helpful info and "go git um" encouragement." Before I take step 1, sending the check today for the Examplar, something came up, last minute that may be another camel or could be snake or well nothing at all...As the seller and I were discussing Deal # 2, he brought up that the Exemplar mod had no rubber feet and that there were simple solutions. I kind of pushed him to provide them himself. Those triangular supports under the cd player and the wood/cork ones under the piece of butcher block. He told me retail prices and I again pushed him to throw it all in for another $100(sans the butcher block). Orignially when I wrote several ?s on Audiogon about the condition of this item and he had every opportunity(responsibility?) to state the rubber feet were missing, well he did not do so. Is this a deal killer, or no big deal? I have committed to making the purchase and was so into the Deal #2 that I did not bring up the discrepancy with him yesterday.
  9. What if...I just bought the speaker for this camel guy(they really are selling for upwards of $8000) and got my cables and stands off (he says they take special $600 stands. Could that be true or could I find some used conventional stands for quite a bit less) Audiogon? What else would I need if they are active speakers? Preamp? I did talk to alot of folks today and read a couple of fine reviews and those speakers came highly recommended for true to life acoustic sound. If there is a way to "have my cake and eat it too" I'd sure like to explore it!"
  10. I don't have an amp, nor cables, etc. Is it too bold to ask to be made some kind of head-case "project" and maybe we could work together and look on Audiogon for the components and super deals within my budget. Or again being bold would anyone who feels a strong afinity for speaker systems, has some time and generosity to spare and can handle a neurotic but music loving soul take me on as a work in progress? As Ben Stein said in Ferris Bueler: Anybody? Anybody? Anybody? You've all been so generous and kind so far, I hope I'm not violating some kind of head-case code. But I have to say too, I really like it here on head-case. I trust you all. To tell you the truth Jacob, if I lived anywhere near Cincinnati, I'd already be at your door.
  11. Well Reks, here's one for you...the fellow who is selling me the Exemplar came up with the same recommendation. And an offer. He is a audio dealer among other things in the music industry(really a nice man) and he has a pair of ATC SCM 20-2 active speakers(demos) that he wants to give me for $4000. I did some research in the internet and calling around and I found nothing but great reviews. Also new prices ranged from $8,300 to $10,000. One dealer told me that Flat Earth, the American Distributer, no longer had any and the ATC was not going to continue making this model because they could not get enough a specific component part from one of their sources and didn't want to be embarrassed by not being able to meet the high demand (Who knows how much bull's in there?) The problem that did come up is the this dealer hoped he could get me out the door in the $5k range including cables, stands and volume pod of some sort. But when he checked deeper into it he found it requires a certain level of preamp and even with his discount to me(which I think is generous and genuine) I'm up to over $7000 which I may not be able to pull off. I really appreciate your offer to come listen to your set up. I live in Starville, MS. Not all that far from Cincinnati. I'd love to vist if I get the chance. We have some similar music choices. And what kind of system/speakers do you have? What would you recommend for me? Do you know the ATCs?(long post!)
  12. E.R. I would really appreciate a very serious response from you regarding what I should buy? And as a side bar...I had a conversation awhile with ASR when I was starting this exploratory adventure. He told me straight out that he too thought the amp was the least important element of the chain and I know how invested he is in sources. He thought I just hadn't found my headphone yet and suggested I focus in that area. (I don't know if I agree there, but I'm open to it all right now.) Just a side bar. So please tell me what you think!
  13. Electrostat system? Do I hear any kind words for the BHSE/Stax Omega MKII? That's where I started in the first place. I'm still on Justin's list. But I didn't hear much encouragement for that set up in reference to my musical preferences? And hopefully the Exemplar Denon 3910 tube output stage mod scales and synergizes well w/that combination. I am doing alot of amp juggling here. There's the 307A, and the Natulus and Balancing Act, and Kevin and Justin's Blue One. I'm in need of balancing myself.
  14. Oh, Mr. "E.R." I don't think you're being an ass at all. When I don't know I find it quite helpful to have it straight back to me. And to make sure I can clarify connotation as well as dennotation. Is it a declarative statement in "Yes it is worth a couple of thousand dollars to have the analog out of the Denon mod "(which again is only temporarily matched w/the HR amp/dac) or is it more an emphatic question of alarm and dismay in: "You are spending thousands of dollars on it because(you think) the analog outs are better than the HR dac( and you are waisting your $)?" I sorta figured that analog outputs were better but I didn't want to have a source that had anything left off. Silly. Irrational. OK. But, then again, this is big bucks to me and I'm not much in the know and...this used piece of gear is not returnable. (One more note: I tried to download spellcheck and my computer will not do it. I recognize I spell words wrong frequently. I just want to acknowledge that I have a brain dissorder that really messes up my memory and processing abilities. So appologies for all the mistakes in spelling and sometimes in confusion or repetition in my content.)
  15. I still have my Headroom Balanced amp/dac so until I choose a new amp I thought I would use a digital connection to make use of the HR dac.
  16. Turns out however I got the notion that the 3910 was just analog out was a mistake. It has both optical and coaxial. Read it in an old review of the Denon I found online and got confirmation from seller. Awaiting delivery of said source. Oh boy!
  17. I see this is an old thread I've resurected but I have a current reference to a specific active speaker for use in a relatively small room(14'x12') Looking for opinions of the ATC 20-2 re:SQ and bang for the buck. Also any ideas on what's a decent price new?
  18. Thank you everybody. Appreciation x2. One note to qualify: When I was posting on the Source thread about getting the Exemplar Denon 3910 mod I did say it had no digital outputs. I thought the consensus was that would be no problem even in balanced situations going from RCA to RCA ,analog. Did I missunderstand? (A balanced mod is about $2000!)
  19. Looking for an "endrig" in "till death do us part" or "till my ship comes in." Was leaning toward Pete's new Monster TTVJ but concerned about it's brightness and reports that it may not be as involving as some other choices and well it is $6000! Then there's the BHSE but that marries me to electrostatic when the Monster has such dynamic versatility. And now I'm hearing alot about Craig's amps: the Nautalus and the Balancing Act. However I just talked to him yesterday and they really seem to be on the back burner in terms of production and distribution. So that leaves the Zana Deux and the HD-2(which I know nothing about but have only heard about in passing) I know the ZD is significantly less money the all the amps above. But...my bottom line criteria is SQ: full, rich warm sound. Not too bright (certainly no harsh or edgy highs, no boomy or muddy bass) I listen to acoustic singer acoustic guitar stuff and jazz primarily. I want things to sound natual and immediate. Humam and alive. I don't want to even know there is any gear between me and the music/musicians. Oh, my source is a Exemplar Denon tube stage output modded cd player. I currently have two bal headphones: HD650s(Equinox), K701s(APureSound) Chime in, if you please~ And yes, I know some of this is redundant from other threads but now that I have my source I can focus on my amp.
  20. I have a friend who interviewed Mr. Rollins awhile back. He asked him a pointed question (probably obnoxious) and mild mannered Mr. Rollins threatened to throw him off the plane (It had already taken off) Dun.
  21. Great, I just emailed the seller w/a couple of more clarifying questions about history(one of his answers was a bit ambiguous) and told him I'd be calling John tomorrow just to make sure the connections were clear and clean. But I told him given that clarification we had a deal! Sleep well guzziguy!
  22. Yeah, I wasn't quite sure. Thought that at first, but you know when you're just about to spend, like $2000. you begin have parnoid flashes, hear voices..wait that's just my everyday life!
  23. What about the Exemplar tube output stage mod on the 3910 that's on the unit that I'm looking at? I don't see that mod on the SACD mods web site. Is that feature and what comes with it to make it equivilant to the 2910 mod? And I'm a little confused because the interview I read with John indicated that the 3910 was and upgrade from the 2900? But I thing I'm hearing you pretty loud and clear, guzziguy (and you were the one who spoke so exemplary or Exemplar) that if you don't correct me, I would be better off refraining from the purchace of this $2000 3910 Exemplar tube mod and wait until a 2900 mod comes along? Do I hear you correctly?
  24. I done a little more digging and dug up a little controversy as to whether the 2900 mod performs better that the 3910 (I read one interview where John says that the 3810 is definately an upgade) Anyone done a/b comparisons? Dusty how would you compare your two? (I'll probably by the 3910 I've been drooling over tomorrow after I talk to John to clarify his support unless you I find out something to contradict this choice.
  25. I have been in contact with the seller. He says he is a dealer for John at Exemplar and that this unit was a dealer demo having about 200 hours on it and being about 2-3 yrs old. He said he will stand by it through shipping to my address and John will definately stand by it all the way. He also suggested that John may extend some kind of warrenty but I would have to check with him. I can get the cd player for about $2000 give or take a couple 'o bucks. The seller is just waiting for my return response. So ...do I pull the trigger or ask more qualifying ?s are there other concerns? Oh one more thing. If I wait on purchasing my new amp for a bit (maybe I'll go ahead w/the 307A, maybe the BHSE) but in the meantime still use my Headroom Balanced amp/dac with the home module, will switching out my current Cambridge 540c for this modded Denon make a big difference or are we talking "baby steps" since it's still a transport?
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