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  1. audiobomber

    LHY SW-8 Audiophile switch

    His Signature I2S ethernet cable is 1G. He also sells the Furutech LAN-8 NCF, which is 1G.
  2. audiobomber

    Direct Coupled Drivers Vs Crossover

    I messed around with crossover component changes quite a lot. Changing from iron core to air core was easily the biggest bump. I found ribbon type inductors were awful, bad PRaT. Solen Hepta-Litz are awesome. I used 14ga in the tweeter circuit. I special ordered 10ga for the woofer crossover...
  3. audiobomber

    Direct Coupled Drivers Vs Crossover

    I expect it's mostly about marketing, not engineering. I am very confident that Magico could make an outstanding active speaker system, as many other firms do. But audiophiles seem pretty resistant to active systems so far. Definitely one reason. In theory, but is there an amp with no voice...
  4. audiobomber

    Direct Coupled Drivers Vs Crossover

    Baffle step correction is a way of compensating for the way a sound wave bounces off of, and is reinforced by, the shape of the cabinet surrounding the driver. At lower frequencies, a loudspeaker cabinet is too narrow to reinforce the sound waves. Higher frequencies OTOH, launch off the cabinet...
  5. audiobomber

    Direct Coupled Drivers Vs Crossover

    In theory, direct connection from a power amp to a driver is superior. Damping factor is optimal, resulting in greater dynamics and faster transients. As you mention, power requirement drops significantly. A passive crossover has to drop the level of each driver to match the least sensitive...
  6. audiobomber

    How Good a CD Transport is Required to Sound Better than Streaming?

    Listen to it while you're awake, burn it in while you sleep.
  7. audiobomber

    Why does my TV sound more real?

    "Interestingly, emotional stimulation from live music extended beyond the amygdala, prompting a more active exchange of information throughout the whole brain. This indicates that live music doesn’t just intensify emotional reactions but also engages broader cognitive and affective networks...
  8. audiobomber

    The WBF humor and joke thread.

  9. audiobomber

    Building a system around ROON for local/ripped/downloaded files and making it better than CD playback...

    There's definitely that. For example you like and recommend Supra CAT8 and Melco C100. I find they both sound overly bright and musically uninvolving. Lots of people on WBF love the Sablon 2020, whereas I find it sounds too dark and lacking in microdetail. I agree that ethernet cable...
  10. audiobomber

    Building a system around ROON for local/ripped/downloaded files and making it better than CD playback...

    I don't use Roon, but as I understand it, the Roon system consists of a server and a client. I believe the variable sound quality is due to the client software. You can use Roon server with another controller, like Squeezelite, BubbleUPnP, Linn Kazoo and others. I have heard Roon server with...
  11. audiobomber

    Building a system around ROON for local/ripped/downloaded files and making it better than CD playback...

    I have a couple of friends who use a K50 with Roon server. They were surprised to find that adding a switch improved the sound, even when playing from the K50 hard drive, where the LAN connection is only needed for control. I believe this is due to ground-plane noise.
  12. audiobomber

    Building a system around ROON for local/ripped/downloaded files and making it better than CD playback...

    This needs clarification. The best CAT8 cables I've tried (Furutech, Audio Sensibility, Synergistic Research) sound significantly better than the CAT6 and CAT7 cables I've tried (BJC, Melco, Sablon). You just have to use them appropriately. My thoughts on this from another post...
  13. audiobomber

    The WBF humor and joke thread.

  14. audiobomber

    The WBF humor and joke thread.

  15. audiobomber

    Can a Linear Power Supply Inject Noise Into its AC Circuit?

    I forgot to mention one of my tests. I use a miniDSP digital crossover for my subwoofers only. Powering it with an iPower2 SMPS generated tighter bass than a Topping P50 LPS, which reinforces my belief that "it depends".
  16. audiobomber

    Can a Linear Power Supply Inject Noise Into its AC Circuit?

    I know Hans Beekhuyzen holds the same opinion, that pure digital gear like routers and switches are best used with a switch mode supply, but IMO it's not that simple. I own iPower 5v and 12V and an iPower X 9V. I have tried these with various renderers, DAC's and switches in my four network...
  17. audiobomber

    Bryston Cubed Amps in Bridge Mode

    They become 3-ohm Harbeths to a bridged amp, and even lower at some frequencies, and an extreme current demand. Also distortion increases when bridged. If you prefer to use two smaller amps, I suggest vertical biamping instead of bridging. It will sound significantly better.
  18. audiobomber

    Fiber vs. Ethernet sonic differences

    But unlike an SFP module, there is no optical fiber conversion. "DAC cables (Direct Attach Cable) are nothing more than two twin-axial copper cables (one for each direction) terminated to a near-empty circuit board that has SFP edge contacts. Since the signals connected to an SFP cage are just...
  19. audiobomber

    Network Acoustics - Tempus network switch

    Was that the original oMD? V-2 is supposedly a much improved version. I agree the power supply makes all the difference in the world. I use a Teddy Pardo MiniTeddy into an ER with Pardo 12/2 LPS, via single mode fiber. No doubt there are better, and the price delta between the Tempus and ER...
  20. audiobomber

    Network Acoustics - Tempus network switch

    John's explanation ignores that the great majority of SFP ports are embedded in a switch, which reclocks and reduces noise. The opticalModule is a great FMC, but also a switch
  21. audiobomber

    Network Acoustics - Tempus network switch

    I agree, except for the EtherRegen, which was purposely designed for audio, and has features not available elsewhere. Add your favourite power supply, it competes with anything on the market. I have compared the ER with Teddy Pardo PSU to a Silent Angel N16 and LHY SW-10, in my system and a...
  22. audiobomber

    Legendary Supex 900 Super: Koetsu before Koetsu

    The trouble with swapping the Supex in and out is that the pins are smaller diameter than any other body I've used. Squeezing the clips on an arm with integral headshell is no big deal but expanding them again is scary. I am emotionally attached to that cartridge Leif. I'll be interested to...
  23. audiobomber

    Benchmark ABH2 Mono Block Configuration

    The equation is correct, but your conclusion is not. Load increases as impedance decreases: "For a given output voltage swing, the lower the impedance the higher the amplifier load. Bridging is used to allow an amplifier to drive low loads into higher power, because power is inversely...
  24. audiobomber

    Legendary Supex 900 Super: Koetsu before Koetsu

    In case anyone wants to try a Supex, mine is listed on Canuck Audio. Note that the listed price is $400 Canadian, i.e. $300 US. https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/650078812-supex-sd900-mk-iv/
  25. audiobomber

    Benchmark ABH2 Mono Block Configuration

    I am not a fan of bridging amplifiers, which results in cutting both the impedance and damping factor in half. Sure, it will play louder, but looser. Loudness or voltage clipping is rarely the main problem in audiophile systems. Most are more likely to suffer from current clipping, which means...
  26. audiobomber

    Stack Audio SmoothLAN ethernet isolation filter

    Thanks, that was a very interesting review. Hans B has some good ones too. IMO Alpha Audio is still in learning mode and not definitive, but their measurements are welcome and unique. Most reviewers are still trying to get a handle on network audio.
  27. audiobomber

    Stack Audio SmoothLAN ethernet isolation filter

    I meant to say LAN iSilencer. I did buy one for one of my secondary systems. I sure wish someone would do a batch listening test with these LAN Isolator devices.
  28. audiobomber

    Are Ethernet tweaks/gimmicks turning out to be like the same in the USB space?

    Personal experiences with my system and a friend's show that changes in cables, switches and power supplies, upstream from the fiber conversion, have a profound effect on sound quality. I use USB with my exaSound streamer and DAC, he uses I2S with his K50 and Tambaqui. PS The only way I2S...
  29. audiobomber

    Stack Audio SmoothLAN ethernet isolation filter

    Kind of a lukewarm review. I have an iFi LAN iPurifier on loan from a friend. As I expected, it is a nice addition for my secondary systems but not suitable for my main system.
  30. audiobomber

    Good mid-price audiophile switches

    In post #470 of this thread, I reported on a shoot-out with the LHY SW-10. I have edited the post to remove the results of this test, as it has come to my attention that I may have tested the LHY with a 10GTek SFP instead of the Finisar. I apologize to anyone who read the post and to LHY for my...

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