Goya

[callmeslick]

might be looking at a Cambridge Audio 840c CD player........ya think I might have a fonder view of CD's
with that one?? Toying with either that or waiting for an Arcam Alpha8SE(just missed one of those for
under $350, damn!) to become available. Right now, I use an older Marantz 5 disc changer. Maybe it would
be better just to spring around $400 for a used, decent DAC and run the Toshiba disc player that I use
for DVD's into that?

[GOYA]

It might be better than what you're using now but personally, I've run some test recordings with a new M-Audio interface and my opinion of CD quality has changed. There are some CDs that sound very good but most are lacking in presence. I recorded a song from vinyl at 24/48 and then again at 24/96 and the difference is obvious. For me, that leaves CDs out in the cold. At 16/44.1 there is just no way that CDs can contain the information to sound excellent. The lower bit rate recording sounded dull in comparison. I'm considering this:

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/ ... c=EM091809

I have an SACD ripped to FLAC format (Dark Side of the Moon) and it sounds very, very good. I just worry that the DVD-A and SACD formats haven't caught on very well. (and why should they when the public is generally fine with 128 bit MP3s?)

I have a line on some Magnepan MG-1Bs for $200/pair. I think I'm going to pass because I have this other speaker project in the works. Also the Maggies need more power than my tubes can provide. And they lack bass compared to my DCMs.

If I were you, I'd listen to the Cambridge unit before purchase to make sure what you are gaining. It may sound better but not enough to merit the expense.

[callmeslick]

well, Goya, thanks for feeding my reservations about the upgrade.
FWIW, the Cambridge uses dual 96 bit DACs, one for each channel, so a standard CD should sound
as good as possible. It's just a question of what IS possible.....

Good call, IMO, on the Maggies. From my limited experience, those are fine sounding speakers, but need
extreme juice to get the fullest range from them. I've heard a pair, driven by a couple of 400 watt MAC
power amps through some kickass solid state pre, and they sounded awesome(you wouldn't be knocking
the bass one bit). Hang onto those Timeframes for the time being, until you see a deal on Klipsch Fortes or
Cornwalls, then jump on those. Your tubes will sing!

[GOYA]

What I'm making will have horns for highs. And those horns will be very efficient. (109 dB - 1W/1M)

The single ended tube amp will power those horns.

[callmeslick]

by the way, Goya......I just looked at the Denon. The specs are very close to the Cambridge player,
which lists at 1000, and doesn't do the video stuff. Now, I know that specs are far from everything in
audio, but it kinda gets a fella suspicious, don't you know.......

[GOYA]

Well, notice that the Denon used to sell for $850. Usually I would call that bullshit but in this case it's true. It's a closeout.

[callmeslick]

the direction I am toying with is along the lines of a DAC. And, after talking with other audio types, I am looking into an intriguing possibility: a Behringer SRC2496, designed as a piece of studio equipment. Apparently, it is a very solid(if ugly-looking) piece of electronics, with a lot of fine control over signal. It will have a lot of features I will never use, but at less than $200, will be able to upgrade the output from both
my Marantz changer and Toshiba DVD player. Quite a few have absolutely raved about the resulting soundstage, air around instruments, etc, out of this thing. Some have compared it favorably to any audiophile DAC costing under $1500. Further, if I decide I don't like the results, the resale value is quite good.

[GOYA]

In home recording circles, Behringer is considered bottom of the line stuff. They do make some quality stuff but generally they are not well respected. I know that some of the speaker building gurus think highly of the Behringer digital crossover and it uses the same converters as the SRC2496. But don't expect really high quality. And many in the DIY world mod the SRC2496 to a better power supply and better opamps in the output section.

But for $150, I'd say it is worth it.

[callmeslick]

the tinkering with stuff(thus negating the benefits of buying new) shied me away. What I'm doing, for the moment(you know how this stuff works, next year is a new ball game) is buying a pretty damned cheap
Cambridge DacMagic 2 Mk2(about 10 years old), which seems well regarded, and has a lot of mod paths available. In light of the fact the changer gave up the ghost altogether this weekend, the DAC will be fed by my DVD player and Satellite TV sound feed via separate lines. We'll see how that sounds, and then fine tune with a better transport source in the new year(see above, I'll probably get a tube DAC and SACD/DVD/CD player like an Oppo, spend 1500 and piss da wife off).
Tangental altogether, I don't know if you caught HBO's 4 hour concert film from the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Great shows, some interesting pairings and great music at times. Why I brought it up in this thread is this: the recording was stunning! Feeding the old 'Sui through a pretty decent set of
RCA cables from the analog out on the satellite box, the sound was pretty damned impressive(sans DAC).
Whoever recorded that thing deserves an award of some sort.

[GOYA]

My passive pre kit arrived today. I'll be in soldering mode for a while. I hope it sounds as good as running straight from source to power amp. We'll see.