wbass
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Jun 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
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Sep 1, 1979 (Age: 45)
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wbass

Friend, Male, 45, from London, UK

Pyrate

HD58X and RME ADI-2 FS, a decent transportable system. Nothing offensive, nothing special. Haven't had a chance to compare 58X to 6XX line. Jun 29, 2025 at 3:04 PM

wbass was last seen:
Viewing latest content, Jun 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM
    1. wbass
      wbass
      HD58X and RME ADI-2 FS, a decent transportable system. Nothing offensive, nothing special. Haven't had a chance to compare 58X to 6XX line.
    2. wbass
      wbass
      Goldfrapp "A&E"--what an immaculate production. Great tune, great lyrics. Hell of a vocal performance from Alison G.
      1. darmok and bixby like this.
      2. bixby
        bixby
        I had to do a quick check, I thought it might be something new. Yes, Alison is great!
        Jun 29, 2025 at 4:49 PM
        wbass and darmok like this.
      3. wbass
        wbass
        Ah, no, not new. Just been on heavy rotation lately.
        Jun 30, 2025 at 8:55 AM
    3. wbass
      wbass
      More HP on speaker amp fun. Picked up a Luxman M-200 for a great price. High-bias (I think) class AB, 25wpc. Great fit and finish.
      1. Inoculator likes this.
      2. wbass
        wbass
        Still with the ModWright pre and R26. A very appealing pairing with the Sus. Nice bottom end, great clarity, staging, and layering. Slightly warm up top, with an ever so slightly cold presentation overall, though not so much I mind it. LCD-4 pretty good, too. Sus and LCD-4 really complementary in their presentations.
        Jun 4, 2025
    4. wbass
      wbass
      Still finding the Quad II Classic mono speaker amps a pretty great match with the OG Susvara.
      1. Johnny the Nose likes this.
    5. wbass
      wbass
      Quad II's set up with ModWright pre, running into a Hifiman HE-Adapter (easier than grabbing a custom cable) listening through various HPs.
      1. wbass
        wbass
        Thus far: 1) very quiet 2) warm and dark 3) strong bass maybe a bit one-note but bass lines surprisingly well-delineated 4) I've been missing that dreamy, mid-range thing tubes do. 5) Strange how higher power seems to push out the soundstage on planars. 6) Prolly not hearing more detail than my SS amps but certainly *different* detail.
        May 16, 2025
        zottel likes this.
      2. wbass
        wbass
        No clue if I'll stay with this combo, but worth the set-up at the very least. Quiet enough for HD580! Maybe a bit too warm and dark for the LCD-4 but cool to hear the Susvara with more meat on the bone, if a little muted up top. Just a way different vibe than solid-state. Haven't messed with tubes in nearly 3 years!
        May 16, 2025
    6. wbass
      wbass
      Anyone have experience w/ the Quad II monoblock tube amps? Got a lead on a pr of China-made II Classics, which apparently very similar to OG
      1. k4rstar
        k4rstar
        The originals are sweet sounding, quiet amplifiers. Compared to other popular British amps (mostly EL84 based, like Leak) they are less brash and more polite. Very low input sensitivity, they need an active pre-amp. The Chinese re-issues are not really the same thing. Higher plate voltages on the driver stage and less NFB. They are chi-fi amps with a nice brand name attached. You may like them though
        May 14, 2025
        Tchoupitoulas and wbass like this.
      2. wbass
        wbass
        Got the Quad II's set up with ModWright 36.5 pre, running into a Hifiman HE-Adapter (easier than grabbing a custom cable) and listening through various HPs. Thus far: 1) very quiet 2) definitely warm and dark 3) strong bass maybe a bit one-note 4) I've been missing that dreamy, mid-range thing tubes do. 5) Strange how higher power seems to push out the soundstage on planars.
        May 16, 2025
    7. wbass
      wbass
      As much as I'd like to own a Master Solution turntable, it's always struck me as a uniquely ill-advised product name from a German company.
      1. wbass
      2. YMO
        YMO
        Should be Final Solution
        May 6, 2025
        SofaSamuraiX likes this.
    8. wbass
      wbass
      Visited a buddy in Berlin, helped him buy a hifi. Elac Carina floors ribbon tweeters, Yamaha streaming integrated RN600A, entry Pro-Ject TT
      1. zottel and MellowVelo like this.
      2. wbass
        wbass
        We listened to the Elac Debut floor standers, but they sounded very dull. Neither of us liked them. Carina's with the better tweeter much more lively, though still a little reserved. They are quite handsome towers however. Yamaha amp seems fine. Pro-Ject looks good and sounded speed stable. He has a challenging room with high ceilings and tall windows, but it didn't sound half bad set up.
        Apr 26, 2025
      3. wbass
        wbass
        While we were at the dealer, I snuck a little time to listen to their big Quad set-up. There was a ton of other stuff I wanted to hear, lots of mega-Euro equipment, but the Quads impressed me in a previous audition, and I wanted to try them again. They were good, but the showroom was a huge open diffuse and somewhat noisy space that any speakers would've struggled in. Why are so many hifi showrooms like that?!
        Apr 26, 2025
        zottel likes this.
    9. wbass
      wbass
      Got my R26 back out of storage. First impression is, yeah, it's way better than the RME ADI-2.
      1. zottel and ilikebananafudge_ like this.
    10. wbass
      wbass
      "He loves gold, only gold." How about a thread displaying the most tasteful golden hifi? And the most wretched oligarch-chic bling?
      1. Tchoupitoulas likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. ChaChaRealSmooth
        ChaChaRealSmooth
        Anything D'agostino is untastefully ORFAS in my opinion (tries too hard to look like retro audio gear or luxury watches):

        https://www.dandagostino.com/
        Jan 20, 2025
        JK47, Thad E Ginathom and wbass like this.
      4. zottel
        zottel
        @ChaChaRealSmooth I actually kinda like the look of the device on the front page. Green + bronze, nice. (Not that I’d ever buy such a thing, though.)
        Jan 21, 2025
        wbass likes this.
      5. wbass
        wbass
        The D'agostino is a bit better looking in person, to my eyes, but, yeah, the aesthetic isn't my thing. Seems very well made (or cased) anyway. I tend to like the utilitarian aesthetics of, say, Audio Research Corp.
        Jan 21, 2025
    11. wbass
      wbass
      Picked up a ModWright LS 36.5 tube pre for $1k today. Very nice guy who's gone to a solid-state integrated and just wanted to move it along.
      1. zottel, MellowVelo and Riotvan like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. wbass
        wbass
        I was trying to get away from tubes, also, and into class A. But, on the other hand, I tend to like a certain fatness or wetness or dimensionality that tubes bring to the table, and there's an argument for pairing a tube pre with a solid-state power amp, so maybe that's what I'll look into.
        Jan 11, 2025
        Riotvan likes this.
      4. wbass
        wbass
        The LS 36.5 only uses three tubes, so it's not a huge investment in glass either. I was initially looking for an amp I could leave on all day, but maybe that's not really class A either. It's not like Class A isn't a bit of a lifestyle choice also.
        Jan 11, 2025
        Riotvan likes this.
      5. Riotvan
        Riotvan
        Well i think the sound quality is worth any “inconvenience “. I switched away from tubes as well but luckily i’m still very happy with the preamp i have(phonitor x). Though a modwright… well well well.
        Jan 11, 2025
        wbass likes this.
    12. wbass
      wbass
      HD58X + Enleum a great pairing. Big $ differential, tho I got the amp used. SBAF didn't like the Bakoon, but Amp 23-R has been good to me.
      1. gaspasser, joch and ilikebananafudge_ like this.
      2. ilikebananafudge_
        ilikebananafudge_
        I was on the Bakoon loaner and I wouldn't buy the Enleum based on my experience, but the most important thing in this hobby is enjoyment, so it doesn't matter what others think as long as you're enjoying your setup.
        Jan 10, 2025
      3. wbass
        wbass
        I hear a lot of stuff differently than SBAF does, and I’m totally fine with that.
        Jan 10, 2025
      4. gaspasser
        gaspasser
        There are some trusted ears that like the 23-R
        I’m glad you are enjoying it!
        Jan 10, 2025
        gsanger and wbass like this.
    13. wbass
      wbass
      The recording (and performane) of Kahil El'Zabar and the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble's "All Blues" has really been blowing me away.
    14. wbass
      wbass
      Guy on CAM using photos from a listing from a few weeks back. This is a scam, right? First listing:
      1. Gazny likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. JK47
        JK47
        Ask for pic with today's newspaper
        Dec 15, 2024
        Tchoupitoulas, roshambo123 and wbass like this.
      4. Slade01
        Slade01
        The 2nd guy seems to have bought it from the 1st guy. You can tell as they left each other feedback on that item.
        Dec 15, 2024
      5. wbass
        wbass
        I passed in the end. I already have an HM-7 based SUT. I would've liked to have tried the HM-3, but, oh, well. The guy was legit, and no hard feelings, it seems.
        Dec 16, 2024
        Slade01 likes this.
    15. wbass
      wbass
      Tons of ear candy in the new Floating Points. Good bass workout, too.
    16. wbass
      wbass
      Any amp suggestions for the ZMF VC? Maybe solid-state specifically. It’s hit and miss on my Phonitor. My Starlett still stuck in storage.
      1. theveterans likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. ilikebananafudge_
        ilikebananafudge_
        I highly recommend DSHA-3F
        Dec 9, 2024
        wbass and joch like this.
      4. theveterans
        theveterans
        I remember trying out the VC on my Bifost 2 OG / Midgard stack that I brought on Rosson's former place back in Jan 2024 meet and thought it was pretty good for a SS amp. The VC warmth really pairs well with the neutrality of Midgard
        Dec 9, 2024
        wbass likes this.
      5. Cryptowolf
        Cryptowolf
        I like my Phonitor X combined with any ZMF, but only after disabling the crossfeed and using HQPlayer embedded.
        Dec 30, 2024
        wbass likes this.
    17. wbass
      wbass
      Didn’t buy a damn thing on Black Friday. Were there even any deals worth having? Anyone pick up anything?
      1. View previous comments...
      2. penguins
        penguins
        Stuff for most of my other hobbies usually only goes on sale 1-2x a year with one being BF. Got a decent but not huge amount of miscellaneous things I had been holding off on for a while.
        Dec 5, 2024
        Cryptowolf and wbass like this.
      3. yotacowboy
        yotacowboy
        i bought 3 bags of salad. none were on sale.
        Dec 5, 2024
        joch and wbass like this.
      4. Mystic
        Mystic
        Picked up a couple bottles of bourbon. Would have picked them up at full price but I didn’t know they even had them until I saw the ad.
        Dec 5, 2024
    18. wbass
      wbass
      Blast from the past. AKM4493 RME ADI-2 FS off ebay. Rec'd for HQPlayer. Should be fun to try DSD256 eventually. Also for an AIO for travel.
      1. zottel and ilikebananafudge_ like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. wbass
        wbass
        I really should experiment more with the Neo Stream and HQPlayer. I'm just not in a place right now where I have the computer set-up to be able to run any of the better settings. Hopefully some time within the next few months. But I'm just finding the Neo DAC un-engaging right now. It's annoying that iFi doesn't tell you which DAC it uses.
        Oct 22, 2024
        zottel likes this.
      4. wbass
        wbass
        RME arrived the other day. It's actually the older AK4490 chip, but I guess most reports say there's not terribly much daylight between it and the 4493. It's kind of hard to know what you're getting buying secondhand, as the serials are confusing. Top plate is a bit scratched, and the dude sent it the most ludicrously unpadded box.
        Oct 24, 2024
      5. wbass
        wbass
        But I got an okay price, and I'm not really in the mood to try a return, etc. And, well, having gotten it set up, it's immediately way better than the Neo Stream internal DAC. Now I have to work my way through the million options in the RME. Even volume settings aren't immediately obvious. Ha.
        Oct 24, 2024
        zottel likes this.
    19. wbass
      wbass
      The LCD-4 rules. Dark/bassy Audeze old house sound with excellent resolution. It layers really well, too, esp. front to back. Bring it back!
      1. View previous comments...
      2. Rthomas
        Rthomas
        Totally agree. Listen to Warriors Dance by Prodigy. The LCD-4 takes you there like almost no other headphone!
        Sep 24, 2024
        Tchoupitoulas and wbass like this.
      3. Tchoupitoulas
        Tchoupitoulas
        Listened to mine the other night from the Mjolnir 3 and it was pure pleasure. I'm getting mine RD modded but there are moments like the other night when I remember that I like the stock one a great deal too.
        Sep 24, 2024
      4. roshambo123
        roshambo123
        I'd own one if each cup wasn't carrying 80 lbs of magnets. They aught to include vouchers for a chiropractor
        Sep 24, 2024
        Ti_Leo likes this.
    20. wbass
      wbass
      Where do the EC Super 7 and ECP Black Diamond sit in the amp hierarchy these days? How close to the DHSA-3F is the Black Diamond?
      1. wbass
        wbass
        And the Super 7 is... around the quality of a DNA Starlett? Below? Just different?
        Sep 17, 2024
      2. purr1n
        purr1n
        Different. S7 is better than Starlett if you have the right OPT (there were two versions) and mods.
        Sep 17, 2024
        Cryptowolf and wbass like this.
      3. wbass
        wbass
        Cool. Thanks for that. How do you tell which version has which transformers? And which are considered preferable?

        I tried going back through the threads, but sort of lost track in all the talk of various mods.
        Sep 17, 2024
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    Gender:
    Male
    Birthday:
    Sep 1, 1979 (Age: 45)
    Location:
    London, UK