jrw1971
Responses from jrw1971
| Reliability of Dan D'Agostino equipment No issues with my D'Ag gear, or prior versions. But agree with the car analogy; Ferraris and Astons still need attention, things can happen (I've had very infrequent issues with some other pricey audio stuff and I don't automatically disown the m... | |
| This place is getting sloooooooweeeerrr...... I’m with the OP. Slooooowwww. My Mac is new. My broadband is strong. Everything else works great. A-gon’s site has been a nightmare. I stopped checking in as often as I’d like. | |
| Best qobuz records to compare dac upgrades Blake Mills “Heigh Ho” album. Unbelievably well-recorded, mastered, etc. and the bass is a great test for lots of things. | |
| Dead Box set of Lyceum 1972 3 shows vinyl just released Just got mine. Sonics are killer, actually. I mean, it's not a Chesky recording, but it sounds immediate, natural, no BS EQ that I can hear, tight and textured bass, JG vocals come out of the mix nicely, ... I'm pleasantly surprised. Clean, but... | |
| What is it I'm failing to grasp? Such a cool freakin' thread. That's pretty much all I wanted to say, but I guess I have few tiny thoughts to add: "Effortlessness." That damn word. I use it to mean the system is not pushing the sound to me, it's just letting it through. I... | |
| Do you trust your system? @dain — I love the question you pose. Here we are, collectively, trying to build/refine/tweak a system that sounds the way we want it to sound. And the only way to asses your status and progress is by playing recordings. And those recordings al... | |
| High end cartridge Like some above have said, I found success with a Lyra Etna + VPI + FB gimbal. As others have also said above, the phonostage choice is important. But if you’re not planning to spend $10k on the cart and another 4-5 digits on the phonostage... | |
| $100K system build - % breakdown of spend I assume OP is using MSRP / new prices. Which is fair. But I would certainly consider used options for some of the gear. In any event, I’ve been through a few system builds for two different rooms, and I have thoughts on his suggested speaker a... | |
| Audio Research Refernce 75se I own that amp. Agree with others; there shouldn’t be a buzz/hum. I’ve had issues with other ARC amps, and it was miserable. (Brand new 160S that had to get a new PCB after a few months, which took several months). FWIW, I also ran it with Tre... | |
| What is the best speaker cable for Wilson Sabrina X? When I bought my Sabrinas (non-X), I grabbed a pair of Nordost Red Dawns because I needed spades for those speakers. I was moving into a league (ARC+Wilson) that was arrogant enough to insist on spades. And those speakers sounded glorious when f... | |
| More expensive = better? I’d humbly propose widening the lens. Assuming legit manufacturers, etc, a $150,000 preamp+amp(s) combo will always sound better than a $5000 integrated. It just will, even to the most jaded among us. Sure sure, you could have your quips, but i... | |
| Turntable upgrade recommendations: SME vs AMG vs Technics vs other No glitches to the air system for me. Smooth, quiet, idiot-proof. I see some reference to price in some comments, but your OP suggests you are looking at some pretty expensive options, and the Air Force V is something like $22k, then you have th... | |
| Turntable upgrade recommendations: SME vs AMG vs Technics vs other To each his own, YMMV, etc etc. But if you’re asking for ideas: strongly recommend looking at the TechDAS Air Force 5. With a Graham Phantom tonearm. And a very good tonearm cable. When you get that Yip phono — and you should — you’ll nee... | |
| Is advice from a constant upgrader to be avoided If I wanted restaurant recommendations, I'd want to hear from folks who dine out a lot. Sure, some are flippers or their unrelenting gear changes are driven by some sort of audio ADD (obviously shorthand and not intended as a comment on genuine d... | |
| Keeping Audiophilia And The Love Of Music Alive & Well! This is off-topic, with apologies. Miller's lava lamp has reminded me of a recurring, non-serious thought: Do you think you could determine what kind of sound a person might like based on other preferences? Like, if you enjoy a red lava lamp, yo... |