The All Purpose Advice Thread

Optical TOSlink is kinda crap by design. The only reason it's the default digital interlink in consumer devices is its immunity to ground loop.

It's not that it's impossible to make it sound good, but most DACs don't bother when you can bypass it's issues by just using coax.

If you're gonna spend money, get something with copper digital output, whether that be a pro audio card, USB converter, or Dante audio-over-IP box.

 

I can't compare those, but B-stock CA Orions were my first decent IEMs.
I think they are great.
I use them at the gym and they are way beyond anything I ever used prior.
Good luck.

 

Ok, so I'm rebuilding a modest HD6X0 setup for my desk. I've owned the Vali2 with modibit previously. I've owned lots of older school DIY stuff like the CKiii and M3. I've also owned a mapletree audio tube amp. All that being said, I've been looking around the $200 price mark for a HD6X0 exclusive amp. I had a seller accept $200 on a
Massdrop EC ZTD Jr. The Valhalla 2 also came highly recommended, but I'm having a harder time tracking one down. Any thoughts?

Current source is line out from ifi nano black label.

 

Can this simple device be used to switch between two AES/EBU inputs? In theory it is passive and should switch anything with XLR connectors.

 

I just bought an LCD-X (found a great price on one used) and am wondering if anyone has found a nice amp to pair with it. For reference, right now I have a JDS Labs Atom and Topping D10 DAC on my desk.

My budget is $600.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

 

My turntable seems to skip with any very small bump, much easier to skip than on my current turntable. Even a heavy footstep will make it skip. What can I do to combat this? It may be the feet I put on, it was missing its original feet, so I just used random rubber feet I had, pretty hard rubber.
Its a Mitsubishi LT-10V linear tracking vertical turntable.
Any thoughts?
Setup:

 

@spwath , sorbothane sticky-back feet like these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075KKX3QQ/ref=sspa_dk_detail_7?th=1

From the specs on the page, 4 of the 3/4" ones would be appropriate for your turntable (8kg, if vinylengine is to be trusted).

 

Ok, ill have to try that, as the current feet make it so I have to step very carefully when playing a record. Also, I might need to check out the tracking weight when I find my scale, Im pretty sure I calibrated it, but have to re check on it.
Might just be weird with the non traditional vertical form factor as well.

 

This is gonna be wordy, sorry. Whatever floor displacement occurs is going to tend to raise or lower the front of the equipment rack. The rear is close to the exterior wall where the floor joists sit on top of it. Let's say the equipment rack has 4 feet arranged in a 50cm x 50cm square. A force displaces the floor vertically 1mm under the front feet with respect to the rear feet. However, the cartridge looks to be maybe 125cm above the floor. So that angular displacement (1.15 deg) around the centerline of the back two feet is also the angular displacement when looking at a vertical plane. But now the cantilever length is 125cm instead of 50cm, so the lateral displacement is 2.5 times the vertical floor displacement and in the same direction as the applied tracking force. IMO it's going to be very hard to solve the problem with feet under the turntable since they are quite close to each front to rear; the turntable is effectively being rocked front to back.

Thought #1 - can the turntable be laid flat instead of vertical? If yes, there should be some improvement, it should be on par with your old turntable if tracking forces are similar.

Thought #2 - it seems the best solution would be a wall-mount shelf to take the floor out of the equation. Unless there is a door or something not far away from that location. To test this, you might even be able to mount it on the window sill and see how that works.

 

To a certain extent, it also depends on the direction the framing is running (parallel or perpendicular to the front of the rack) as to how much movement you'll see in the floor. The direction of the framing may also impact where in the room your walking causes a problem.

If the problem occurs wherever you walk, then it's probably vibration rather than movement (in which case soft feet may solve the problem). If it only occurs when you are either walking up to the front of the rack (framing perpendicular to front of rack), or occurs when you are walking to either side of the rack (framing parallel to front of rack), then it could be deflection and getting it off the floor would be a great solution.

 

Anyone here ever placed speakers in a very glass/reflective "sunroom"? My room is 14'x14'. It has glass windows on 3 sides, and a sliding barndoor (with glass paneling) as the 4th "wall," which is often left open to the rest of the house. Hardwood floors. Very reflective space.

This isn't my primary (or even secondary) listening space, but it is a room I often find myself in and wanting to enjoy some music anyway... it's pleasant out there. And music tends to make pleasant things even better...

I have a Roon lifetime pass, a Qobuz HiRez annual subscription, and a moderately-sized library of FLAC files... I'd hook these speakers up to a Chromecast CCA so they could partake in my whole-home-audio. Today, what I'm currently doing is turning the volume up out on my main living room rig (a point of contention with my wife, who doens't like the loud volume while she's in the kitchen/dinette area), or I'm using a *very* subpar Google Home (the standard version, not a "Max", fwiw...). So this purchase would be an upgrade to that Google Home (wouldn't be hard) and/or eliminate the need to turn the volume up out in the living room to hear it in another room.

For this room, I'd like to stay "minimalist" here; for maximum WAF, no equipment racks for external DACs or AMPs, minimal wiring too... and limited ability to pull these speakers out away from the wall (or glass window, as it were) and into the room. I am afforded a great deal of A/V leeway in other areas of the house... my wife will kill me if I "clutter up" her sunroom with Gear.

Is something like the $1100 KEF LSX "worth the price of admission" for a sub-optimal/reflective room like this? Can I "pull it off" and be happy with the results? If I toe them in towards a "sweet spot" on the couch, can I achieve good "imaging" in a room like this? Or should I save myself $700 and buy a $400 pair of Aperion Allaire's (or similar)?

 

Unless you have money to burn, I would look at something a lot cheaper. It's going to sound really bright and echoey, smear city. Whatever gains in fidelity you normally might get with a nice pair of speakers is going to go right out the window in that type of room. imho

 

Sounds like a room perfect for headphones.

 

I am in a similar situation. I still love the Vali 2 but I want something solid state that will not act up (tubes are way too sensitive for signals sometimes). Schiit also made the Magni. Look into those. I know I am considering one.

 

Thanks for the honest input! I was almost kind of hoping/rooting for someone to tell me this... because I was willing to sit tight and 'save' for something like a KEF LSX, but the budget won't hold a pair of LSX's this summer AND other audio upgrades I'm planning to make this year... but I can probably afford ~$400ish on something like those Aperion's without any impact to other (planned) audio purchases...

I couldn't agree more! I've got my best headphone dac/amp and my two best pairs of headphones stashed in the back corner on an end table... it's my favorite place/way to take my morning coffee on the weekends!

 

Hi all - I’m giving semi serious thought to scaling way back. My current rig is an RPi3 with a digipro hat, volumio and a hard drive => Gungnir Multibit MB A1 => a Cavalli Liquid Crimson => HD800S. The initial plan was to add Eikons for closed cans and call it a day. I’d had Ether C v1.1 for over 2 years with the same rig.

I haven’t busted out the big rig in a while- several weeks. Sony ??1000?? Noise canceling or Airbuds.

So, I’m thinking of scaling into the Schiit ModiMB and Vali2 sized and priced stuff.

I’m soliciting opinions for dacs and amps in that range that will play nice with the HD800S and/or HD650.

I’ve had the Vali2 either twice or 3 times and I really like it. I love the Liquid Crimson and would really struggle to give it up.

Thanks all. Opinions are like assh I mean noses. Everybody has one. Please share!

 

How strapped are you for cash?

'Cause several weeks is nothing - sometimes I don't drink for a couple months but that ain't grounds to sell all my scotch ...

 

@aamefford I just compared my HD800S on a new Vali 2 (using a Brimar Ediswan ECC88 6DJ8) versus my Kenzie. I won't sugarcoat the Vali 2 is very listenable but you do give up some depth and air around instruments and performers, compared to a good tube amp. Unless you are strapped for cash I would sure give thought to keeping the Gungnir and Liquid Crimson ... you might miss them. I could not live with just the Vali 2 knowing how good the Kenzie sounds.

 

Yes to both, though I’m a bourbon guy. I suspect this will end up an intellectual exercise. Going through this may save me from selling stuff I really don’t want to sell, just to net a couple grand - which I’d blow on a computer or e-mountain bike or some such. I appreciate the replies, and hope for a couple more before the thread moves on.

 

In my system a Magni 3 sounds flat and sterile compared to the Vali 2 with a good tube. I have both and compared on both my HD800S and Decas. The Vali 2 is really worth the extra $$. I just keep the Magni around as a spare.