Merrick

Just when you start to feel things in a track are sounding bass lite, hit that 4x Nexus switch. Always did the trick with HD600 & LS3/5A for me

Well, as you want to hear about my Vali experience, I want to hear about this one.

Nexus 4x for life! (assuming your chain isn't too bassy).

Also, I like vinyl because I have to commit to listening to something. Rather than being able to click away to another song.

@scapeinator1 I know what you mean! Although I tend to listen to whole albums digitally anyway, but the temptation is always there.

My Gen1 AT-120 is still kicking (it’s a tank) with a cartridge upgrade from a few years back. I keep thinking about upgrading, but I think I’m too vested in digital now to justify the cost just for the sake of upgrading as long as this is still working.

Know how you feel! Was planning to pick up some new gear when I head back to the UK next month, but just got hit with a £4k vets bill... in hindsight pet insurance would have been money well spent

@shambles I’m so sorry! Take it from someone who’s worked in the pet industry, pet insurance is a total scam. Instead better to put aside a small amount each paycheck into a savings account you can dip into for pet emergencies.

@Merrick Thanks! Also good to know re pet insurance. We were lucky that we could cover it using cash from our house fund - not the end of the world to have to rent for an extra few months to save her. Problem will be if it reoccurs (quite likely) it will be surgery and then it's gonna be twice as much again...

Mine shipped

@Fullalover Did you order yours right when they were announced?

@Qildail Let us know what you think! And it is worth trying out a few different tubes with it, the sound does change.

@Merrick Will do! I remember seeing a forum post for it here along the way. With only one tube to deal with, I imagine it's probably easier to waddle in for tube-noobs like me.

Yes, and because the amp is so cheap don't bother with ridiculously expensive tubes for it. You can get them, and they'll probably sound good, but keep the original price of the amp in perspective when buying tubes for it. Plus it's a hybrid so the sound will only change so much.

I was fortunate to see him live. One of the best performances I've seen.

damn. :(

Supposedly buried tapes so he could hear the resulting degradation/audio after a long time. Tbh I gotta respect that.

The other side of that coin of not having or never auditioning higher-end gear is I don't know what I'm missing. Literally. So the budget gear that is good is good enough for me.

That's not to say "woe is poor me" or other such nonsense. I'm just on the slower gear train. I'll budget my upgrades over a longer time; and until then live vicariously through other's adventures.

I love eating at fry-up caffs. Doesn't mean I can't go for a five-star bash if I get the chance!

Listening to different sounds is fun. Listening to really good (expensive or not) sound is a great experience, like the five-star food. Don't miss those chances. But don't be sad to go home to the system that you've put the time and money that you can afford into, and don't stop loving it.

... Everyone knows that but some people need an occasional reminder.

Thanks @zonto! So the only way to tell which version a Rag would be is to open it up and look at the board?

@Merrick You can just shine a flashlight in and look through the top vents at the correct angle and see if it looks like the picture in @Galm's post linked above, or the v.1 picture that Schiit used to have up on the website for Rag 1 (maybe available still via web archive?). If you do have v.1 and plan to keep the Rag, I'd definitely recommend having it upgraded if you can.

Mj1 hypetrain evolves into Rag hypetrain. Mj1 is really good, let's see where this goes. 2016 Rag was too surgical for me, but maybe just bad synergy.

@Azimuth I think the Vali 2+ is one of Schiit’s all time best amps.

Vali 2 is quite amazing, esp. when you consider the price.

Leaving it on overnight and setting it to low gain did help with the sound, this is more of what I was expecting.

The problem is obviously that you aren't using JPlay!

For the more objectively minded, if you'd like to see what it's doing. http://archimago.blogspot.com/2019/02/measurements-look-at-hqplayer-325.html

haha @Azteca Ive thought about the idea of using like 100-300 watts of computer power, continuously, just to oversample your music in real time a lot over the past couple weeks, as I read a bit more about hqplayer and the holo may

https://www.rubellanremasters.com/boingobundle

Tempting though I have most on cd already. @YMO I see your favorite song is on here. (Only a Lad, track 1)

@insidious meme you are going to pre-order it and sing that song you love so much. You know you wanna get it.

Oooh, and Missing Persons, Ric Ocasek….(reaches for credit card)

No, just bad.

Thankfully I have dogs that demand this at least three times a day. I hope you feel better.

I’m fine, just have to remind myself things are fine once in a while. :)

You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run. You never count your money,
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done.

Looks like the 4 disc vinyl version will be available from Amazon, saving $20 shipping in the US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XZBHG6V

I just went for the digital. Sounds great!

Purchased Vinyl from amazon, got the 'free' download immediately and realized how many downloads I've forgotten from there :0

Gotcha. Was just curious because I have been trying to do a Unison USB vs Rockna's USB input in a meaningful way. Also, in case you are referring to the Gungnir A1 here, a couple of folks have told me that the Gungnir A1 is more natural sounding than the Bf2 even when both are fed via SPDIF.

@EagleWings It is an A1. I have had both DACs simultaneously and fed with SPDIF via Pi2AES they sound very close.

Ah, thanks for this input. I was actually considering replacing my Bf2 with a Gung A1. I guess I’ll just stick with Bf2 for the time being.

Amen. Wrought incalculable damage.

Rummy?

[Deleted.]

I own the Leetoo PAW SW1 and I can confirm it *does not* have a line out.

I've had moments thinking I'd just take a Bifrost2 and SW51+ with a few of my favorite headphones and call it good. They ARE good.

On the other hand, unlike 40 years ago, I rarely hear gear that sounds outright bad anymore. Much of it is uninspiring though.

All entry level DACs sound the same through a Vali2. So Vali2 + Chromecast Audio.