pops

Responses from pops

Best upgrade for the money ?
Well, as usual with this hobby we've run the gambit with opinions so here's mine for what it's worth. I would replace the speakers last, after you have addressed aftermarket cords, possibly dedicated lines to your system unless this is too much of... 
Satellite Interconnects
Bagwell, what kind of reciever are you using? I was renting a one from Directv, I originally had an RCA 32 bit processor receiver. They changed that out when I got local networks to a hughes. The sound and picture quality on my Pioneer elite was d... 
Best Retailer Youve Done Business With?
Sound and Cinema, formerly Audio Solutions in Atlanta - great guy and Overture in Delaware. Both stores have worked for me. 
speaker upgrade
Give a listen to Proac 3.8's, around $7500. 
Theil/Classe 6, and listener fatigue
The Rotel, I have one as a backup and recently replaced a Meridian transport with it while the Meridian was being fixed and my warm system - CJ pre, Classe amp, and Mit cables got considerably brighter. MIT or Cardas and a new CD source will difin... 
Severe Imaging Problem
David, it sounds like you've tried this already but it sounds to me like a phase problem. I have an inverting preamp so I swap the leads at the speakers. I have experimented both ways with the speaker cables and on some recordings it makes a huge ... 
Rolling Stones remasters
Kira, I have the following Stones remasters - Exile on Main St., Sticky Fingers, and Goats Head Soup. They are all supremely better. These are remastered by Bob Ludwig using the Apogee UV22 blah, blah, blah. They are a big improvement, especially ... 
Interconnects for Tube amps
I am also a MIT fan/user. I use shotgun medium impedance with CJ Prem 17 preamp and Classe 200 and 750 speaker cables. I started out with Music Link 10 years ago (prenetwork boxes). Upgraded to 330's and last year shotguns. Watch it Lamapp - INCOM... 
Preamp for Classe CA400 and Confidence 5
I would recomend without hesitation a CJ Premier 17 or possibly the new 14LS, it isn't out yet so it needs to be heard first obviously. For $2500 you might look for a used Premier 14 which has been discontinued - it is a classic CJ preamp. The 17 ... 
Why does it sound less dynamic?
I second the point Mmkwf made about the cable between the transport and dac - it is without a doubt the single biggest improvement in cabling that I have ever made and I've made a bunch. BTW I have been using illuminati for several years now and c... 
Why does it sound less dynamic?
I think Joe and No_money are right on - I recently had to send my Meridian 200 transport in for repairs and substituted a Rotel 855 driving my Meridian DAC and the sound worsened considerably! The soundstage really suffered, much as you have descr... 
Conrad Johnson PV-14 Anyone??
I contacted CJ and according to them these won't be shipping into the marketplace until late November. Retailers have slicks with specifications so you can get a look. 
3-D Imaging: How??
Everything contributes to the depth of the soundstage, cables, equipment, treatment, etc. MIT shotguns are imaging animals, both laterally and front to back. When I switched pc's from a Synergistic master coupler to the BMI EEL reference on my Cla... 
Top Ten Tube PreAmp of all time?
CJ PV10 huge bang for the buck - even better is the Premier 17LS. 
Top Ten Interconnects of all time...
MIT Shotgun series - Impedance matching series. Best I've heard.