dbear44

Responses from dbear44

New Forum Format Sucks
True, you can do a search within Audiogon, but if you are doing a general search on, say, yahoo or google and you get several pages of links then why bother. By the time you check out links on other forums- HiFi Engine, Polk, Audio Asylum, Audio C... 
New Forum Format Sucks
I have noticed that doing web searches on equipment, the links do not work to Audiogon forum posts. So, I guess we won't be able, at least for now, to have access to those opinions posted here on the old forum. This is REALLY bad news. A typical w... 
Scratch removal before ripping
Although I keep all of my CD's in pristine condition I use optrix spray on most of the DVD's that I get from Netflix. Many of them arrived so scratched up as to be unplayable. Optrix has salvaged almost all of them! 
Grado Sonata a good fit?
I'm using a Clear Audio Virtuoso Wood and love it. It is a major step up in resolution form the Sonata which I owned for years. Clear Audio has similar georgeous midrange and coherence and tracks WAY better than the Sonata. I'm using Rogue Magnum ... 
How to service Cal Audio products?
I spoke with my local dealer a couple of weeks ago who has been a CAL dealer since the company started. He told me that he has been unable to get his customers CAL equiptment serviced. He said that CAL's parent company went bankrupt. Buyers of use... 
Lenco Turntables? any info, opinions, thoughts?
I remember them from the late '60's and early '70's. They used an idler wheel under the platter which was moved in and out to give continuously variable speed control. They were fairly well made but not very high performance. They were used a lot ... 
Magnepan 10.1- any good w/out a subwoofer?
I agree with Zaikesman. I have owned MG10's for a number of years, first in my music system and now for the main speakers in my Home Theater system. I think that they are great speakers but you MUST use a sub. Otherwise there is NO bass and the ba... 
ARC SP9,SP9mkII,SP9mkIII
I have owned all three versions of the SP-9 over a period of nearly 10 and have been very happy with each of them.I cannot agree with the negative comments above. The SP-9 was for many years the best selling preamp in this country (world?). Needle... 
Sonic Frontier Line 2 Preamp Noise
I had problems with intermittent noise with my Line 1. Turned out to be a bad tube. I would definitely check that out first before sending it in for service. Good Luck. 
sonicfrontiers pre-amps reliable or not?
I seem to recall from earlier posts that they have had some problems with one of the chips that controls the Line series preamps. I don't think that it was very common. I have been using a Line 1 for about a year and am very happy with it sonicly ... 
B&W Nautilus Subwoofer to match N804s
I am using the Vandersteen sub with my N804's in my 2 channel music system and have been very happy with the results. Really blends in nicely and fills out the rather lean and weak low end of the 804's. I use a HSU sub in my HT setup. I don't thin... 
Audiogon "RECORDINGS TO DIE FOR" list
Here's a few more that I couldn't resist throwing in:1. Don Byron- Bug Music2. Oregon- Northwest Passage3. Songs from the musical Ragtime4. Rod Stewart- Unplugged5. Chick Corea- My Spanish Heart6. Bruce Cockburn: Breakfast in New Orleans,Dinner in... 
Sony SCD-1 with P1A/P3A ?
I had a SCD 777ES and sold it to buy a SCD 333ES + P3a with Dan Wright Mod and Monolithic supply. (I am waiting til the software comes out for my speakers before I get the P1-a). I have to tell you that the Perp Tech dac BLOWS AWAY the 777es on Re... 
Audiogon "RECORDINGS TO DIE FOR" list
Great selection of discs folks.I'll skip mentioning Kind of Blue and Patricia Barber again. Here are a few others that I love that haven't been mentioned.1. Lenord Cohn- Live2. Carmen Lundy-Old Devil Moon XRCD fabulous!3. Neal and Leandra-Hears an... 
Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 Transport?
I have a friend who has a ARC CD-1 which uses an earlier version of the Philips transport and has been having severe tracking problems with it. Acording to ARC, the grease in the mechanism hardens with age. The only remedy is to replace the transp...