The All Purpose Advice Thread

Looking for some advice about a DAC to match with a DNA Starlett and ZMF Auteur. I currently have a Sonnet Morpheus but feel it may be too laid back. Would like to have preamp functionality as well for active monitors if possible. Planning to use a Pi2AES as source.

Budget is around $4500 to $5000 AUD (but would be happy to spend less!)

 

Rockna Wavelight, Bricasti M3 and Holo Spring 3 with Preamp option.

 

Thanks - unfortunately Wavelight and Bricasti are a little out of the price range (and haven’t seen any come up used here). Have been thinking about the Holo but don’t love the aesthetics and wasn’t sure if it would be too different from the Morpheus. Not many impressions yet I guess.

Was also thinking about an Yggdrasil or Gungnir with Freya as the preamp, which some people in the Starlett thread seem to like.

 

Q: Any recommendations out there for a generally available/in-stock SS amp to pair with a Soekris DAC 2541 in the $800 or under range? Preferably with balanced in....less important on balanced out.

From my intro post, new to this hobby and have been sampling different $1K or less components.....DACS, Amps, headphones....just learning sounds and my ears. I've enjoyed the Geshelli J2 and Modius in the entry range a lot...and am keeping for home/work office duties...but will be going with the 2541 and Bifrost 2 in my den "relaxed listening" spot. I really am loving the sound signature of the B2, that's my go to for metal/electronic/funk right now. DAC 2541 brings...to my very novice ears...a different flavor of front-staged, detailed magic with jazz/classical/opera/acoustic.

I'll be picking up a DNA Starlett; as a starter/right-now option I grabbed a Valhalla 2 for the SE-out on the 2541. I had ordered a FA-22 from Fluxlab Accoustics a couple weeks ago looking to give that shot in the balanced out.....some love for the FA-12/FA-10 going around and thought to try/review this new model.....but I'm getting a sinking feeling as it's a week past the shipping ETA and contact with the maker has gone dead. No stranger to boutique vendors....a ship-confirm could land next week and on with the show.....but would like to target another SS amp.

With the Valhalla 2 and DNA Starlett upcoming I feel good on the tube side, but a little more in the dark on a good SS option in the $800 or under category. Kicking myself for not ordering a Jot 2 when they were in stock or I'd go with that (and I'll get when it's back in stock). I do have an Erish that I think sounds very good with the two R2R DACS....but I'm more digging it with the Bifrost 2 + Elex as opposed to the 2541 + LCD-X 21' (I run a Lyr 3 out the Bifrost's SE out).

Headphones are LCD-X (21'), Elex, DT 880/600 ohm, Grado Hemp/Grado 325x. Really have appreciated lurking and learning over the last few months...thanks for any suggestions.

Edit: I ordered a Lake People G111 on a recommendation of pairing well with Soekris dacs. I didn't see a thread in here on it, can try my hand at sharing impressions off the 2541 and BF2 when I get it. If the FA-22 ever shows up, I'll do the same.

 

My Dac/Amp (DacPort LX) died and I'm looking for a replacement that I can use for my Fostex TH-X00, HD650, and HE560. I have a Liquid Platinum so I could just get a DAC but the LP is too loud for my TH-X00. What should I get for under $500 (flexible)? It can't be too large. I'm in the US.

 

The modi multibit is my favorite budget DAC, I've never heard the HE 560 but I used it with the purple heart version of the TH-X00 and the HD 6XX. I found the MCTH to be a good budget amp for both, especially the HD 6XX. I also liked the MCTH with the HE 4XX, I would hope it has good synergy on the 560 as well but couldn't say from personal experience.

 

I want to buy a digital recorder with a programmable timer. This is for two reasons. I would like to record radio broadcasts at night when asleep. I also have several live shows recorded via Minidisc from about 20 years ago that I’d like to archive.

So this recorder needs to accept analog inputs, have a timer, be able to record 2-8 hrs in duration, analog outputs, and a headphone output would be nice. I’ll probably have this set up in a second office system potentially connected to a Windows or Mac at some point.

The first thing I found in my Search was a Sangean DAR-101 which is around $100, and also a Roland AR-3000SD which is about $1500 and more than I want to spend. The Sangean might be ok but it only records in MP3, and I think it’s only 192k. 320k would probably be sufficient. Maybe @Psalmanazar knows a cheaper pro audio solution that isn’t garbage. Do you guys have any other suggestions?

 

Does the radio station offer a web streaming live feed? If so you might be able to figure out a software solution rather than a hardware solution.

 

Thanks. It looks like it streams through iHeart Radio, I was hoping to not make this computer based initially. And I’m imagining I’d have to code an app to work out the timer and connection to iHeart radio, which is not in my coding skills toolbox.

 

Assuming you have a computer as source. HQPlayer will add more to the Morpheus. Free trial. You could also just upsample with whatever software you are using. HQPlayer just does it better.

 

Thanks for that. I might give HQPlayer a go.

I'm happy to stick with the Morpheus if it's a fine option - don't want to gear cycle for no reason. Something did sound off to me in my previous system (Morpheus -> Pendant -> Verite Open) - like a combination of too laid back and too fatiguing at times - but that might have just been me not getting on so well with the Verite (hence switching back to the Auteur, which I prefer).

I notice you have a Spring 3 and Morpheus - do you still find theml fairly comparable? I had been thinking about the Spring 3 as mentioned but not sure it would be much of an upgrade or change from the Morpheus.

 

It is very difficult to tell them apart. The Spring 3 does DSD and allows better filters and modulators from HQPlayer so I am likely to sell the Morpheus. The pcm filters and ditherers went to good advantage but I only need one dac.

 

Anybody know of a $50 IEM with emphasized bass and lower mids, no pinna gain and smooth treble?

 

The vsonic gr07

 

Most people say it’s sibilant.. Do you know another smoother IEM?

 

I have one and it doesn't sound that way to me, but it's the original version so maybe they are different now.

 

Any word on the Schiit spinner release? I'm still holding off but hard lockdown here is getting my trigger finger itching. I've gone the Sherlock Holmes but can't find anything on a release date and Schiit are schtum about it.

 

What is your "Go To" Banana Plug? I have not used them ever, but recent musical chairs with amps and using bare wire is a pain in the ...

Wow, this is deja vu, I swear I asked this once before....too lazy to search my brains out if I did... and it may have been years ago.

Needs to accommodate 12 gauge and work with most connectors on speakers and amps. Lower mass better and solder is fine. Prefer under $3.00 ea. Ones that caught my eye were Pomona and DH Labs.

thanks

 

Slight emphasis in bass that sounds good on the go, mids sound right not bloated, no clue wtf pinna gain is, and treble is clean and not hyped. Trade out the stock silicones for Comply and all is even better including bass.

Sony MH755.

Most phones will be inadequate to power them. Use sony extension cable to trick LG phones with dac/amps to high power mode and you are good to go. Or fiddle with a dongle or ext dac amp. You should be able to still find non fakes for under $20.

 

Not a banana plug recommendation, but the real magic is to go bare wire into Speakon connectors. Terminate the speaker wires into NLT4FXX and dangle an adapter off the amps with NLT4MXX. One easy twist-click and you can swap amps within seconds. Usually people would use one connector for each channel, but the barrel can handle 4 wires so in theory you could do it all with a single pair of connectors.