I think I'm going to take the plunge on a tube integrated amplifier. I've been collecting more classic and audiophile jazz and would love to experience the magic of tubes that I've read so much about.
i have had a marantz sa8005 sacd for about 8 years, a very nice sounding player but missing that last degree of refinement, transparency and smoothness around the edges. The Luxman does that and is so easy to listen to. It also beats my Sony HAP Z1ES hi res player in sound quality.
I did it (Rogue Audio Cronos Magnum III) a couple of months ago and am still just gobsmacked nightly by how great everything sounds mid-near field through the small Harbeths.
Wow, very thin sound? Where have you heard that? I am not getting that. It's taking awhile (or maybe the player is taking awhile to fully settle in) for me to get a real feel for it's sound.
A few places on Hoffman. I’ve a Marantz Reference amp and get none of that either, but some do....I suspect their amps are faulty.
Does a new iPad Pro count? I intend to stream Tidal with it through an Audioquest Dragonfly Red and headphones.
Whatever the boss/wife will let me get away with. I went on a small spree the last 6 months, so probably not much but maybe bass management device of some kind our a new preamp with decent bass management ie. Parasound
I would be interested in a Benchmark DAC4 if it appears and it's a genuine step forward from the DAC2 I presently own. Perhaps also the HPA-4 to drive my HD800s. I currently use a DAC2 feeding the Sennheiser HDVA-600, balanced, which I like a lot but I'm open to improvements if they are worth it. I live in a flat (apartment) so can't run speakers at anything like the volume I'd like to, hence headphone listening is my primary focus.
Well, not really planned, but so far: SL1200GR with Goldring E3 Schiit Loki EQ (I think I got it this year?) Cambridge Audo Solo Some cables to hook them up Next fall $500 range cartridge, MM or HOMC.
Other then swapping out the version II Improved fixed headshell arm that came with it for this unimproved II that I had on another table I can't take credit for the installation. Most likely was done when the table was new. But it aligns perfectly and sounds great.
Q Acoustics Concept 3oo stand mount speakers SPL S800 Performer power amp Parasound JC3 Jr. phono stage Sent in my Schiit Freya+ preamp to have it check for weird sounds it was making in the tube buffer mode, so fingers crossed don’t need a new preamp as well
Just got in the new Grado 325X headphones. Pretty clear and open sounding. Definitely sounds better than the e series which was also excellent.
