[DAC Thoughts]

Hey Gambit.

I haven’t heard those DACs but I’m sure they’re quality.

I’ve played with a few different  Dacs over the years and I think they are probably the hardest piece of the puzzle to get right. As you would know it’s quite hard to match different gear together.

There are some on here who are very experienced and have solid knowledge in this area. I suppose you just have to list what you have (amps, components, speakers) and hope one of the gurus comes to your aid with a tip or two.

Personally, for convenience I use my phone to play music so I transfer the data through an audio engine B1 into my BelCanto 2.5 DAC. (I have them teamed up with a Michi amp and ATC SM40 speakers +sub).

to be honest I reckon I fluked it with this combo, it could have gone south like other mismatched equipment but it didn’t, if fact I’ve never heard a better stereo (I have heard equivalent but not better). I’ve done my playing now, it was a fun journey but I’m staying with this combo for life.

My music gets my hairs standing up and my foot tapping and that’s what it’s all about.. 

Good luck and have fun playing with it all. 

 

 

[Let's build a room. How big? What dimensions?]

The classic Golden Ratio is 1 x 1.6 x 2.56 (Height, Width, Length).

I built my room to these specs and my music sounds amazing 

[Yamaha NS-1000 Monitors Owners & Discussion Thread]

I’ve only heard these once, a guy had them in an overcrowded room that you could hardly move around in.
He played them with pride but I can’t remember being overly impressed, in fact I remember the situation being one of those moments when you’re hearing a system that is inferior to your own so you nod politely and act impressed when you’re not.

To hear them being compared to (and exceeding) ATC speakers is a bit of a shock, now I really want to hear them in a properly set up room. 
 

[2 way vs 3 way]

On 17/12/2020 at 12:05 AM, almikel said:

I can see why you regard yourself as Mr Generalisation

 

What is "good filtering"?

• steep crossovers that reduce "out of band" content for drivers?
• sensible parametric EQ that doesn't make the room sound worse at different listening positions?

What do you mean by eliminating the noise in between vocals, instruments etc.?

• I completely accept that reducing distortion is a worthwhile goal in any playback system
• and that when the "off-axis" response of speakers bounces off walls to combine with the direct sound at the listening position, if the "off-axis" sound is different to the "on-axis" sound then they won't combine very well at the listening position - but this wouldn't be regarded as noise

Generally I would agree - better gear sounds better - but with audio the $ spent doesn't always equate with "better" gear.

And there's areas where money is best spent...IMHO the priority should be:

1. the room
2. the speakers
3. everything else

Mike

Hey Mike. 
Im not capable of talking tech about how components filter out noise to create a blank background, I don’t even understand how caps work.
All I know is the better the gear, the blanker the background. It’s as if you pay up to eliminate unnecessary sound. it’s what you don’t hear that makes music beautiful.

I have a Belcanto Dac2.5 going into a Michi RHB-10 that feeds my ATC scm40 speakers. I’ve never heard the music I like presented better.

Tony

[2 way vs 3 way]

I am Mr Generalisation.

 

While I’m here I’d like to say what I think are the ‘important things’. 
Pretty simple really, good filtering. Eliminating the noise in between vocals, instruments etc.  

Generally speaking the better the gear the less you hear. 
 

[2 way vs 3 way]

I love music and have owned many different configurations of stereo equipment over the years. 
Ive spent many hours in hifi shops  listening to the latest gear and of course  hifi shows.

I was considering downsizing to two way and auditioned all of the prize winning, big reputation two way speakers on the current market ($1000-$4000).
None of them come close to a well made three way or 4 way. 
Most have a unique, nice sound but don’t kid yourself, they are inferior (when comparing apples to apples).
I’d put my three ways up against any two way speaker out there and it wouldn’t even be close. 

[FS: Dali 109 speakers]

They are the same woofers. I had to redo the rubbers because they were starting to fray and while I was at it the repairer said the cones could do with changing so he did them as well. It was an improvement in sound so I was happy with the job done.

I had them on spikes at one stage and they were tight. I did a timber floor and put them on rubbers so they don't sound as tight anymore but that's an easy fix.

They're bloody good speakers, they'll go forever.

[FS: Bel Canto DAC2]

Item Condition: Good

Shipping Options: Pickup available but audition is not available.,Shipping is available at agreed cost.

Suburb or Town: Northcote

State: VIC

Payment Method: Transfer or cash

Reason for selling: No longer required.

Further information: 

24/192

Works perfectly fine, nice simple quality DAC. (Happy to give a money straight back 'working guarantee') .

Switches between digital and coaxial inputs.

Sold in Australian so it operates 240V no problem (it says 115V but ignore that)

 
Photos:

PLEASE READ

• If you are advertising multiple items, you must post one bulk price only, or post seperate ads for each item
• If you include any reference to pricing whatsoever in this section (excluding RRP), your ad will not be approved
• If you don't include photographs of the actual item being sold, your ad will not be approved

[FS: Bespoke super tweeters made in UK]

Item Condition: fair

Shipping Options: Pickup available but audition is not available.,Shipping is available at agreed cost.

Suburb or Town: Northcote

State: VIC

Payment Method: Transfer or cash

Reason for selling: No longer required.

Further information: Bespoke super tweeters 

Dual concentric ring radiators

Frequency response 16kHz - 40kHz

6 Ohm

100W

Sensitivity 92db

Hand built in England

I bought these new about 8 years ago

3 settings 
Photos:

 

PLEASE READ

• If you are advertising multiple items, you must post one bulk price only, or post seperate ads for each item
• If you include any reference to pricing whatsoever in this section (excluding RRP), your ad will not be approved
• If you don't include photographs of the actual item being sold, your ad will not be approved

[FS: Dali 109 speakers]

Item Condition: fair

Shipping Options: Pickup available and you can audition.,Shipping is available at agreed cost.

Suburb or Town: Northcote

State: VIC

Payment Method: Transfer or cash

Reason for selling: No longer required.

Further information: Bought these new in 1995, I think they retailed for $2950 back then? 

Woofers upgraded and new rubbers about 8 years ago.

Made in Denmark.

Very powerful and great sounding. These are better than the models that came after them.

2x 10inch drivers!

4ohm

Suit a party house or someone who likes a warm quality sound.

Yes they have the covers and they're not broken.

Regretful sale but I just don't need them.

 
Photos:

Yes they have the dust covers 

PLEASE READ

• If you are advertising multiple items, you must post one bulk price only, or post seperate ads for each item
• If you include any reference to pricing whatsoever in this section (excluding RRP), your ad will not be approved
• If you don't include photographs of the actual item being sold, your ad will not be approved

[Future Classics, any predictions?]

On 02/10/2020 at 2:32 AM, Al.M said:

Some would include -

 

Kef Blade, Ref 1 & 3, Ls50 and 50w speakers

ATC 40 speakers

Roksan Kandy integrated amp

Yamaha AS 2100, 3000 amps

Yamaha NS5000 speakers

Stereo Coffee preamp

Supratek preamps

Was going to say the ATC 40 speakers (the model with the 8 inch drivers). Best speakers I’ve heard. 

[SNA Speakers Audition Short List]

Price Range: $100 to $1000
1. Q Acoustics Concept 20 $699
2. Dynaudio Emit M10 $999
3. Audioengine HD6 active stand-mount $960 incl power amps
4. Monitor Audio Bronze 2 $699
5. Krix Equinox Mk4 stand-mount $900
6. Pioneer SP-FS52 $700
7. JBL LSR305P Mk2 stand-mount $400 incl power amps
 8. Elac Debut B5.2 $444
 

Price Range: $1000 to $2000
1. VAF i90 $1,998
2. Dynaudio Emit M20 (Stand mount) $1250; Emit M30 (Floor standing) $1990
3. Krix Phoenix Mk2 $2,000
4. Monitor Audio Bronze 6. (Floor Standing) $1700
5. Kef LS50 passive stand-mount $1500-$2000; LSX active $1890 incl power amps
6. JBL Stage A170 $1,700 
7. Klitschko RP 160m $1399

8. Dynaudio BM5A $1,400
 
Price Range: $2000 to $5000
1. Lenehan Audio ML-1 $2,800 in 2014
2. Kef LS50 Wireless $3,495
3. Paradigm Prestige 75F $3,999
4. B&W 603 $2,699; 703 $4600
5. Magnepan MG1.7i - $3,790.00 with Elac Debut S12EQ $1,300 (cannot recommend the 1.7 without a subwoofer)
6. Spatial Hologram M3 Turbo S $4290
7. Focal Aria 926 $4500
8. Krix Harmonix Mk2 $3,000 
9. Golden Ear Triton 7 $3000
10. Proac D2 $4950

11. Dynaudio Special 40 $4,690

12. ATC SCM 19 $3,999

13. Osborn Eos Elite $4000

14. Legend Acoustics Tripos $3490

Price Range: $5000 to $10000
1. PMC Twenty5.23 $6,490
2. Dynaudio Focus 20 XD stand-mount $7,999 incl power amps; Contour 20 $ $8000, 60XD $14,999
3. B&W 805d3 $7900
4. Krix Neuphonix Mk2 $5,300
5. ATC SCM19A $6800
6. VAF I66 $8500; VAF Signature i66 Mk2 $8,000
7. Audio Physic Classic 30 $8000
8. Harbeth 30.2
9. Krix Esoterix Altum $6995
10. Revel F208 $9,400

11. Devialet Phantom Gold pair $10,000

12. PMC Twenty5 24 $8,990

13. ATC SCM 40 $8399

14. Focal Aria 936 $5500

15. M8audio Sweet Maxwell $6500

16. Q-Acoustics Concept 500 $8,000
 
Price Range: $10000 to $20000
1. Dynaudio Confidence C1 Platinum $11,999; Focus 60 XD $15,499 incl power amps
2. Revel Performa F228Be $19,000
3. Martin Logan ESL 9 $11999 & 11A $16,999
4. Yamaha NS5000 stand-mount $19999
5. VAF I93 $12500; Signature i93 Mk3 $13,500
6. Legacy Audio Focus SE - $18000
7. Duntech DSM- 15 - $12000
8. Dutch & Dutch 8c (active)  $16999
9. Spendor D9 $15999
10. JBL 708P stand-mount $10,600 incl power amps

11. Focal Kanta no 2, $14500

12. Sonus Faber Olympica III $18000

13. Magico A3 $14000

14. Monitor Audio PL300 $14000

15. Hulgich Audio Duke $18,600

16. Magnepan MG3.7IR - $11,999

[Backwards steps in audio gear?]

I’ve heard (and read) that the BelCanto 2.5DAC sounds better balanced than the 3.5 which Is newer and cost more. 
Can’t verify. 

[What watt are my speakers]

Don’t they have a nominated number of ohms on the plate?
The lower the number usually indicates ‘the harder to drive’ so you need more power feeding into low ohms speakers to drive them properly.

As I understand it 4ohms  Speakers are ‘less efficient‘ than 8ohms by a fair margin.  

Nominating a wattage limit for a passive speaker is a bit strange to me as wattage is generally a unit of electricity.
Definition: The watt is a unit of power. In the International System of Units it is defined as a derived unit of 1 joule per second, and is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. 

[Hi everyone]

I remember looking forward to seeing and listening to them at the HiFi show at the Meridian in Melbourne (about ten years ago) and was a bit disappointed with them at normal (low) listening level. Up loud, yep, no worries. Down low, no thanks.

They look fantastic in the flesh though.  

[Bass response of ATC SCM100ASL]

I added a quality sub to my ATC smc40’s because I love bass.

There’s plenty of adjusting required to get the balance right but when you do that’s it, you’ll never buy another set of speakers In your life. 

[Why We Love MORE BASSSS!]

In 1981 I discovered music (I was only 9yrs old).  My mum had an original ghetto blaster (Aiwa?) with a bigass woofer in the middle.

AC/DC, Stones and all the latest hits of 1981 got played regularly. 
I used to grab a chair put my head right up to the thing and crank my favourites. The funny thing is I immediately adjusted the music to my taste even though I was just a kid. I knew what made me feel good so the bass was at about 2.30 o’clock and the treble at about 1.30. 
It’s hilarious that too this day I need that bass, music feels too tiny And light without it.

I run a pair of ATC scm40’s with a Michi RHB 10 amp (+Belcanto 2.5DAC) and I’m sure many of you would know this is a great sounding combo. Powerful, clean and amazing life-like sounds. But I still needed more, so I bought a SVS sub and now I’m happy. Bass maters a lot, to me. 

[Excitement and impatience in your audiophile journeys?]

1 hour ago, Luc said:

Sorry, but that's complete bunk.

You can't replicate your home sound environment in an audio showroom or in a hotel room at a hifi show.

There's another thread here about this same thing that you must listen to something before buying. The great majority of all speakers and hifi kit in general is purchased 'blind'. Once you've been in this hobby for awhile you learn who to listen to for opinions and ideas, you know the gear that you already have and you should know it's limitations and it's areas of expertise.

 

If you could audition in your own home then yes, try before you buy but that's a rarity. 

I'm just listening to some new speakers I bought blind last week, there was no way I could listen to them in the flesh due to where I live and where they were located so...take the punt and dive in. Specifications seemed to match my system, resale wouldn't be too hard I'd imagine if they're not keepers and all my other speakers over the years have been bought 'blind' and I'd suggest many other people here have done the exact same thing.

I didn’t suggest people don’t do it, in fact I know many people with a lot of experience and knowledge do it regularly and quite successfully. But of course I’m not posting to that rare 5% am I, I’m talking to the 95% with less experience.

Also, as for your suggestion that hifi shows are pretty much a useless learning environment because of the room environments, that’s pretty much BS Luc. Sure the sound is going to alter a bit from the ‘listening position’ in different rooms but most of us can hear the difference In quality and style out of the speakers in those carpeted rooms.
I’m not a fussy audiophile and I don’t think many of us are. What we have in common is a love of our particular tastes in music. Some like refined, some like it rough and heavy.

How many times have you disagreed with a product review Luc?

If you’ve been around for a long time I’m sure it’s plenty.  
 

[Dali Speakers Owners & Discussion Thread]

There’s a bit of size difference 

[Excitement and impatience in your audiophile journeys?]

I’m always surprised that anyone would buy something important blind, purely off the back of what others have written.
Sound is so subjective. 
I get that sometimes you’re forced to, I have bought blind twice,  I bought a subwoofer off the back of reviews (but that’s a pretty safe bet) and I bought a bel canto 2.5DAC which luckily turned out to be a very successful buy.

Main speakers however are the most important part of a stereo system’s sound and should never be bought blind. 
I’ve heard plenty of expensive speakers with great reputations that I think sound ****. I couldn’t imagine someone liking them so much.

A great learning experience is to attend hifi shows, there’s one in Melbourne in July next year. If you can go to it do it, you will be shocked at how many expensive systems sound crap to your ears. 
And of course you will hear amazing stuff. 
 

[Which subwoofer]

I bought a brand new SVS SB 2000pro about a month ago and it came with a cloth grill, I think they may have got too much negative feedback regarding the look of the steel grill.

Great ballsy sub for my mid/large size room and I love the Controller on my phone. I still can’t stop playing with the controls, it’s addictive. 
For music I’m happiest with low pass at 70Hz and volume at -25db. Let’s your speakers do their thing and the subby do it’s thing.
Great blend, for me. 

I highly recommend SVS subs (never owned a Rel). 

[Dali Speakers Owners & Discussion Thread]

I have a pair of Dali 109’s that I bought new back in 1995.
I had the foams and cones fixed/upgraded a few years back and added a bespoke tweeter on top.

They still sound fantastic and go VERY loud with a quality powerful amplifier. 
I recently bought a pair of ATC SCM40 speakers because the size is far more civilised.

I’ll be reluctantly selling the 109’s when the restrictions are over.
If anyone out there prefers pure, clean sound over ‘looks’, and if you can live with the huge size,  they are a great bargain buy. 
They out perform more expensive speakers for sheer power. They can go a fair bit louder than the ATCs and that’s saying something. 

 

 

 

[An Essay on The Challenges of Buying Hi-end Items]

Hey old man.

Hifi is such a funny game. The problem with getting addicted to clarity and trying to buy perfection is that most recordings (of great songs) are not super high quality.  I also think some personalities would have benefitted greatly in life by never hearing a great recording on a high end stereo. Hifi equipment can be like heroin to some.

Most of us get into hifi because we love music, but that can get lost when you start listening to your stereo rather than the song.

I reckon you don't have to spend over $6000 to achieve an amazing, beautiful and powerful sound that should fulfil any music lover (that's not buying all new).

Trial and error is the most costly obstacle in the pursuit to satisfy your taste, and thats why this post was created.

I nailed it when I up graded recently with non matching equipment but I was lucky (I bought second hand). I could easily have mucked it up and joined the money cannon society. 

I think the key to it is to research and buy a great set of speakers and build it from there.

Oh, and while I'm at it never pay too much for interconnects and speaker wire, blind tests consistently show no one can tell the difference between a $100 cable and a $1000+ cable (unless they have a different gauge but thats got nothing to do with money, thats resistance).

I believe your cables shouldn't cost more than a few hundred, and even that price is mostly aesthetic. Just make sure they are well shielded with matching gauge to your equipment.        

[An Essay on The Challenges of Buying Hi-end Items]

On 29/08/2020 at 7:23 PM, vivianbl said:

Enjoyed your essay and the responses, but when you refer to the challenges of buying “high end” I wondered what you exactly meant? What do others mean by that?

At what point does Hi fi become “high end”?

Very good point.

To add to this I've heard an amazing amp that some call a good anchor.

Subjective  

[An Essay on The Challenges of Buying Hi-end Items]

Great essay and good points.

I've been around music systems since 1981, I've owned plenty of gear, good and bad and had my eyes opened plenty of times.

My only 'strong' understandings are 'you can't change physics' and 'people prefer what is applicable'.

 

Just to add a little stoking to the fire I'd like to share my views regarding the stand mounts vs floor standers debate. I've listened to so many high end speakers and I'd like to declare that a two way speaker cannot compete with a similar grade three way speaker. Yes, that means no book shelve speaker comes close to the equivalent 3way+ floor stander. Chalk and cheese.

In my opinion.