facten

Responses from facten

Gabriel Gold IC's are they really this good?
Yub12know, I do have a one of the last cables from the original version of the Rev in another system I have. Since I just received the Extreme MK2 I haven't pulled the Rev yet to a/b, but will comment after I do. 
Gabriel Gold IC's are they really this good?
If you are looking for an excellent IC at a very reasonable price you need to check out Steve's new Extreme MK2 - clean, clear, well balanced, and natural sounding. 
Cable & Interconnects for a Plinius 9200
ICs Audio Metallurgy - GA2 or GA 0's - used them with my 8200 - auctions run on Agon; Speaker cable - Signal Cable -Ultra; Power Cord - Audio Art Power 1 (for me the only PC that has made an audible difference in its relative price range). 
Can excellent tubes transcend modest amps?
Not the expert, but you can put moderately priced NOS tubes in moderately priced well built amps and take the musical enjoyment up a seveal notches 
Do I need a power cable - if so what brand?
Take a look at Audio Art Cable power cords - only one that made a noticable difference in my system at a reasonable price 
6sn7 and 5u4 tubes
I don't have your amp, but you might want to check with Brent Jesse - http://www.audiotubes.com/6sn7.htm; good selection, good prices ,honest advice - not afflated other than as a satisfied customer 
Best Budget interconnect cables for cd to preamp
Might want to try the entering auctions for Audio Metalurgy Cables - very good cables 
Interconnect/Speaker cables
Signal Cable or Audio Art Cable - both good bang for the buck 
CDP to DAC cable
Suggest contacting Stephen Monte at Quest for Sound (A'gon Guild listing - I'm not affiliated but a happy customer) about IXOS digital cable 
cheap tube integrated for 4 ohm speakers
Suggestion - Consonance Cyber 100 Sig - 50 wpc 6550 driven comes with EH 6550s , nice sounding amp, I switched over to SED6550s , seem to have a little 'authority' to me, but the EHs are good as well. Might want to check out closeout page on A'gon... 
Transport Upgrade
If you are looking at DAC in the pricerangeof the Benchmark you might also want to check out the PS Audio Digi Link 3 (non-modded) , have it in my second system using an Arcam CD 72 a transport. The amp is a Consonance Cyber 100 Sig - very nice to... 
sweetest sounding ss integrated
Portal Panache 
Budget USB DAC
Mightconsider a Lite Audio DAC AM Modified - had one pretty good for the money Pacific Valvecarries the (not affiliated) 
DAC improvement
System 1) Audio Analogue Paganini CD to April Music Stello DA220 Dac to either SoundQuest SQ 88 tube integrated orPlinius 8200 Mk2 integrated - Virtual Dynamic Testament Digital RCa. Previously using just PaganiniSystem 2) Arcam CD72 to PS Audio D... 
Digital Purchase Advice . . .DAC or New Player
The PS Audio Digi Link 3 even without the mods will be a very good choice - purchased one for my second system using my Arcam CD72 as the transport - nice upgrade to my ears