cat_doorman

Responses from cat_doorman

How do you make a final decision on a DAC
You can read lots of reviews, but you’re still going to be making guesses. Past a certain point it seems to be more about personal taste than anything else. Instead of going all in right away you might try a few different types at more entry price... 
everything sounded great until the upgrade
Toe in might soften some top end depending on off axis response. Older CD players can definitely benefit from an external DAC   I have an MF A300 with a pair of Dynaudio Audience 82 that I bought new and used everyday for about 20 years. I thoug... 
Looking for a new (preowned OK) line stage under $5K: suggestions?
I recently bought an LTA MZ3 and think it’s pretty incredible. Almost went with Aric Audio Super which might be more inline with what you’re looking for. Or even the Motherlode if you want to stretch your budget. I had set a $5k cap on my search t... 
Upgrading from Primaluna
If you run the numbers, the DPHP should have enough power to push your speakers to ear damaging volume cleanly. I used mine with 87dB Dynaudios until I moved on to more efficient speakers. Having options is good though. A solid state amp could be ... 
Any direct comparisons between Decware SE34I.5 and SE84UFO2?
@joshwed  My experience is fairly limited because I'm basically a hermit and only ventured into tube amps a few years ago. Another little Class A amp that a few people have recommended is Inspire by Dennis Had. There are probably a few threads ab... 
Any direct comparisons between Decware SE34I.5 and SE84UFO2?
@joshwed Thanks for the link. I think I did see this one, but it’s from 2002 so each of the models has gone through several upgrades since then. Now I think both amps use the same output transformers which brings the sound closer together than pr... 
Affordable vs. ultra expensive speakers - what's the difference?
Precision costs more money, but does not always guarantee better performance. Exotic materials cost more money, but do not guarantee better performance. There are also costs associated with R&D that are defrayed over the total expected run of ... 
Which amp to use with Linear Tube Audio pre?
It’s so easy to forget how much our ears can adjust for loudness. Once you’ve acclimated to a quiet room music at 70dBC can seem plenty loud, but turn it down to 70 from 90 and at first it sounds wrong and imbalanced. Even though I find myself lis... 
2 channel + HT suggestions
Why is the Krell useless? You may be underutilizing it by upgrading your 2 channel amplification, but that’s not bad. If you don’t want to leave channels unused then add more surround speakers or something. I’m not up to date on HT. I watch movie... 
Which amp to use with Linear Tube Audio pre?
I’ve read more than a few places that the XA25 makes an excellent pairing. I might step up to that eventually, too. At least for an SS option. I’ve been using a Schiit Aegir sometimes, but prefer the Primaluna DPHP. What speakers are you using? I ... 
Need help choosing a new DAC
I’ve had a Chord Qutest for a while and recently bought an MDHT Orchid because I was curious how an R2R with tube output would compare to a Delta Sigma FPGA. It was much closer than I thought it would be. I didn’t use the stock tube for long on th... 
How much gear do you own?
More than I need, not as much as I want. Multiples of a few things I switch between, but not a full complement to have multiple systems. Yet. But I usually keep things until they die and need to be replaced. It’s only recently I’ve bought more.   
Better Sounding Systems, Objectivists or Subjectivists?
Surrealists - why settle for reality when you can have so much more?  
Zu Soul Supreme Recap -- Owners, what are your preferred system pairings with them?
@mahughes Look for class A integrateds. The only SS amp I’ve used with DW and SS is the Schiit Aegir. Of course I used tubed preamps, Saga+ among others. I’m using the Aegir right now in fact. It’s only right after I switch back to my much more ex... 
When choosing new Speakers, what matters most to you?
I don’t care how it measures if I don’t like the way it sounds. And if I like the way it sounds then why do I care how it measures. It’s not like I have the option to EQ my ears and I doubt they have a flat curve. The most important spec is price...