The State of High End Audio

[Blizzard]

Thanks for that bozo, re upsample I have never liked it. Found it thins tonal density and just sounds wrong. Can be hifi but not musical imo.

What did you use to do the resampling? saying you don't like resampling is saying you don't like any DAC that doesn't have a R2R NOS chip in it. Because that's what they all do internally anyways.

 

[bonzo75]

Thanks for that bozo, re upsample I have never liked it. Found it thins tonal density and just sounds wrong. Can be hifi but not musical imo.

Hi it's not that simple. You might like it on some tracks. It is just that I have not been interested by the A/B. Get the Lampi and a good streamer and you don't need to worry about digital. Then plug and play. If you feel some tweaky-itchiness, change valves. If you feel more itchy, go TT

 

[spazmatron]

What did you use to do the resampling? saying you don't like resampling is saying you don't like any DAC that doesn't have a R2R NOS chip in it. Because that's what they all do internally anyways.

Yea I know, my tad puts everything to 24/96 for clock reasons. I just mean the last player I have that could upsample by user defined parameters I never liked it.

It's a while ago so I sure will be investigating it again when my technology allows.

I am of the opinion that higher upsample is not necessarily always the best option.

Just sharing my experience Mike, it's not a statement of permanence. I think fluid.

 

[Blizzard]

Yea I know, my tad puts everything to 24/96 for clock reasons. I just mean the last player I have that could upsample by user defined parameters I never liked it.

It's a while ago so I sure will be investigating it again when my technology allows.

I am of the opinion that higher upsample is not necessarily always the best option.

Just sharing my experience Mike, it's not a statement of permanence. I think fluid.

I felt the same as you before trying HQplayer. As all other resampling software sucks IMO. This is exactly why Roon chose to integrate HQplayer, rather than making their own filters/modulators internally like Jriver.

 

[spazmatron]

Hi it's not that simple. You might like it on some tracks. It is just that I have not been interested by the A/B. Get the Lampi and a good streamer and you don't need to worry about digital. Then plug and play. If you feel some tweaky-itchiness, change valves. If you feel more itchy, go TT

I know it's not that simple but for the sake of this communication medium I can't be arse to write a million paragraphs on every track I tried it on, what rate and what I thought.

I don't want valves and I don't want a tt.

 

[Blizzard]

I know it's not that simple but for the sake of this communication medium I can't be arse to write a million paragraphs on every track I tried it on, what rate and what I thought.

I don't want valves and I don't want a tt.

Bonzo doesn't have the experience as he just admitted to make a call on what's best. But great suggestions if you want to spend a pile more money just for inconvenience, poor reliability, and worse sound.

 

[bonzo75]

I know it's not that simple but for the sake of this communication medium I can't be arse to write a million paragraphs on every track I tried it on, what rate and what I thought.

I don't want valves and I don't want a tt.

Then get a Lumin, hasslefree.

 

[spazmatron]

Then get a Lumin, hasslefree.

I have what I want. Room treatment this year and back end of the year I will look into file based media. I am not a black hole of discontent, as long as I have music that sounds the way I want it I am happy. I have that now.

 

[spazmatron]

Bonzo doesn't have the experience as he just admitted to make a call on what's best. But great suggestions if you want to spend a pile more money just for inconvenience, poor reliability, and worse sound.

To be fair to bozo he does listen to a lot of gear, so he is expert at what he likes and responds too.

 

[treitz3]

His moniker is Bonzo75 spazmatron. Personal insults are highly frowned upon here at the WBF. I would invite you to read the TOS again, they can be found here >>> http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?1207-Terms-Of-Service

I'd like to take this opportunity to point out this particular statement that all members must adhere too;

Our goal is to have a friendly place where everyone shares ideas and information without the level of bickering and angst that other forums tend to create.

Please show a little bit more respect to our fellow members when responding to posts.

Tom

 

[spazmatron]

His moniker is Bonzo75 spazmatron. Personal insults are highly frowned upon here at the WBF. I would invite you to read the TOS again, they can be found here >>> http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?1207-Terms-Of-Service

I'd like to take this opportunity to point out this particular statement that all members must adhere too;



Please show a little bit more respect to our fellow members when responding to posts.

Tom

That was not a insult, merely a iPad anomaly. I was infact recognising his experience.

 

[bonzo75]

Blizzard's post, as always, is insulting

 

[spazmatron]

Blizzard's post, as always, is insulting

Possibly bonzo but I got greened for a typo!

I can't be trusted with tt and valves will make me Go crazy with all the tube rolling I would be doing.

Too much critical listening not enough enjoying the music would be the result. I don't like that.

 

[bonzo75]

Possibly bonzo but I got greened for a typo!

I can't be trusted with tt and valves will make me Go crazy with all the tube rolling I would be doing.

Too much critical listening not enough enjoying the music would be the result. I don't like that.

I like Lampi because it was the most musical straight out of the box and also a tweaker's wet dream if so required. Plus it did all the good things of both valves and SS - speed, slam, details, etc. Otherwise in hifi I always end up liking some products and then wishing for some attribute of a competing brand. Not so here.

 

[spazmatron]

I like Lampi because it was the most musical straight out of the box and also a tweaker's wet dream if so required. Plus it did all the good things of both valves and SS - speed, slam, details, etc. Otherwise in hifi I always end up liking some products and then wishing for some attribute of a competing brand. Not so here.

Yea I can appreciate that, I guess I am not audiophile enough. Have you tried his amps bonzo?

At the time I bought my tad I wanted a cdp, so that's the direction I went in. Plus the tube thing for me is a no no.

 

[bonzo75]

Yea I can appreciate that, I guess I am not audiophile enough. Have you tried his amps bonzo?

At the time I bought my tad I wanted a cdp, so that's the direction I went in. Plus the tube thing for me is a no no.

No, best way to buy his products is to give him time to do a few iterations. Also yes for me tube amps can be a pain in the long run but not a tube dac, that's easy to keep, no need to bias or swap, etc. I will probably go planar so his amps will be a no go. For horns they are too powerful. The Luxman m800 monos bridged are great in SS, but bridged is expensive and gets the room hot. Spectrals are great but then cabling becomes too expensive. So am still not sure on the amp side. Many options but none perfect.

Since you like SS, have you tried the Analog Domain integrated? Simple, small amp, well-rated, relatively expensive but will become cheaper used.

 

[spazmatron]

No, best way to buy his products is to give him time to do a few iterations. Also yes for me tube amps can be a pain in the long run but not a tube dac, that's easy to keep, no need to bias or swap, etc. I will probably go planar so his amps will be a no go. For horns they are too powerful. The Luxman m800 monos bridged are great in SS, but bridged is expensive and gets the room hot. Spectrals are great but then cabling becomes too expensive. So am still not sure on the amp side. Many options but none perfect.

Since you like SS, have you tried the Analog Domain integrated? Simple, small amp, well-rated, relatively expensive but will become cheaper used.

I am ok with my modded Belles, my limitations are room and house based tbh so I would have to move before I spent seriously on hifi again.

If I were you knowing your fussy I would do one of two things
1. Get a custom build by some one you trust.
2. Get your head round the electronics and build your own, times on your side as your young Ish.

You sound like your stuck in critical listening hell lol. The music you seem to like is hard to get right in the home, you need the space. I don't know what your situation is but a search for the right room might be fruitful rather than just gear obsession. I don't envy you with the massive change of gear your doing, I hate having upheaval in my system. I hated searching for speakers last year, i really don't like most hifi.

Good luck with it.

Oh davec has some interesting things going on speaker wise, might be worth taking a trip over the pond.

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

I felt the same as you before trying HQplayer. As all other resampling software sucks IMO. This is exactly why Roon chose to integrate HQplayer, rather than making their own filters/modulators internally like Jriver.

That is more or less why I have shifted almost entirely to native hi rez recordings (most in Mch) for the past 8 years or so. I have not tried HQPlayer for further upsampling or conversion to DSD. I do not see or hear the urgent need. Also, I consider DSP Room EQ and bass management plus speaker distance compensation, all relying on PCM, absolutely indispensable. Stereo CD, while still huge in the marketplace, is just not something I am still interested in. I have plenty of enjoyable recordings - thousands - natively recorded in hi Rez Mch. So, fine tuning stereo CD audio performance is something I shrug my shoulders about. I doubt HQ player or similar tools would have as much useful effect on hi Rez source material.

Also, I am quite happy with JRiver as a library manager and player. It, unlike many other tools, helps greatly in the very difficult task of maintaining a classical music library. Actually, its rich features have also enabled me to also eliminate my Mch prepro, my disc player and my TV cable box from my system, which is now PC plus NAS feeding my DAC, amps and speakers, plus TV monitor, too. The result is simplified, but I would be lying if I said it was easy to do, first time, though it is manageable for even a senior dude like me. But, compared to many pricey stereo setups before that, I am sonically happier than I ever dreamed I would be.

 

[bonzo75]

I am ok with my modded Belles, my limitations are room and house based tbh so I would have to move before I spent seriously on hifi again.

If I were you knowing your fussy I would do one of two things
1. Get a custom build by some one you trust.
2. Get your head round the electronics and build your own, times on your side as your young Ish.

You sound like your stuck in critical listening hell lol. The music you seem to like is hard to get right in the home, you need the space. I don't know what your situation is but a search for the right room might be fruitful rather than just gear obsession. I don't envy you with the massive change of gear your doing, I hate having upheaval in my system. I hated searching for speakers last year, i really don't like most hifi.

Good luck with it.

Oh davec has some interesting things going on speaker wise, might be worth taking a trip over the pond.

In hifi I am interested in the gear. Like I said my music comes from concert halls. One is a wife, another a mistress. They have some things in common, but I keep them separate.

 

[spazmatron]

In hifi I am interested in the gear. Like I said my music comes from concert halls. One is a wife, another a mistress. They have some things in common, but I keep them separate.

Go down the rabbit hole then and get building, I just want music in my home. I could not give a dam about the kit other than the musical merrit. It's a means to a musical end. Not very audiophile lol in my mind that's a good thing for me but each to thier own.

As long as your enjoying yourself, it's what ever is right for you.