smrex13

Responses from smrex13

Bookshelf speakers for small room
The Harbeths sound great at low volumes. If you liked them, I wouldn’t look too much further. In general, you might focus on those British monitors - Harbeth P3, Spendor A1, Falcon LS3/5A, etc. They were made for the type of set up you have, and t... 
KEF LS50 Meta and 40-ish WPC Tube Amps
It will depend on your preferred listening levels, type of music, and the size of your room.  If you're setting up in a smaller room and not looking to blast the volume, then something like the Primaluna should work well. However, if you're in a l... 
Help! Can't Get Rid Of Buzz in system at Higher Volumes
I've had quite a few different phono stages, and I don't think I've ever had a setup that didn't have noise around halfway up the volume dial.  The high gain of a phono stage can do that.  Do you listen at 50 or above on the volume?  I never worry... 
Order of Operations
Just as a note, the Mani power supply is a 16V AC transformer, not a typical DC wall wart.  The only external power supply that I've seen for the Mani is this one: http://www.swagmanlab.com/Product_PSU?product_id=670.  I have used the Mani with th... 
Help! Can't Get Rid Of Buzz in system at Higher Volumes
When you say "turn the volume to 50," are you talking about halfway on the volume control?  What level do you usually set it when you're listening?   
Tube virgin looking for tube amp under $3k
I had the original CAV 45, and it was beautifully built and sounded fantastic.  I had speakers that were not particularly efficient at the time, and I decided I needed more power.  With more efficient speakers, I can only imagine the CAV 45 S2 wou... 
What would you do?
I was just about to suggest the SS-X, but @mesch beat me to it.  It gets my highest recommendation - I'll never have a stereo system without it. 
What is your favorite ''slow dance'' song of all time?
Wonderful Tonight. 
Tube virgin looking for tube amp under $3k
I'd also suggest Primaluna.  You can probably find a very good price on a used integrated.  For a first-time tube user, Primaluna is a great option.  It's easy to use (automatic tube biasing), sounds good, is built very well, and can take several ... 
Putting weights on speakers?
For some simple, affordable experimentation, you can try some round metal doorstops that can be found on Amazon.  I have used them with success on speakers and on components.  There are several different sizes/weights, and they only run about $10-... 
Looking for a SS Amp to power Spatial Audio X-5's
@fixedincome - yes, a watt is a fixed unit of measurement.  However, a high quality 20w amp that suits your tastes will sound a lot better than a poorly constructed 100w amp that doesn't suit your tastes.  In addition, the way an amp clips can mak... 
Help Please With A Replacement For Old Aragon Amp.
Are the ATCs relatively new to you or have you had the Aragon/ATC pairing for a while?   
Looking for a SS Amp to power Spatial Audio X-5's
Valvet gets exceptional reviews for solid state: https://highend-electronics.com/collections/valvet.  I've always wanted one, but I've never had speakers that were efficient enough. 
Elac Vela FS 409's
I just got a pair of the Vela BS 403 - only had them for a day, but they are impressive right off the bat.  The tweeter is very smooth and the bass is punchy and well controlled for its size.   
Jolida Foz SS-X Tube buffer & soundstage expander?
@mesch It's a fairly minimal cost for a (potentially) significant upgrade.  If nothing else, it's a fun piece to play around with for a while.  With a tube DAC and tube pre, you may find it to soften things up too much, or it might just add to the...