Chicago area HP meet - November 17th - ChiUniFi 6.5 - Page 5  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithpgdrb 

any comments on what we'd like to set up in the speaker room?  if not, I say lets bring in the paradigm set up this time.  

 

Maybe we can feature one persons speaker set up each meet?  that would keep the set up and tear down minimal.  just an idea.. 

 

what say you peeps???

Sounds reasonable.  Easier to swap out amps and preamps than whole speaker setups.  Change too many things makes it difficult to get impressions of individual gear. 

Hey,

We could all bring different pieces and put the system together at the meet and hope for some amazing, lucky synergy...!  (Really, I'd just like to try out Skylab's Leben, and the vintage Sansui sounds like a charmer too.)

I figured I could volunteer my speakers since they are fairly easy to transport, being of the smaller bookshelf variety.

Others may step forward who want to bring their setups and allow the whole community to benefit from sampling other equipment, and I would encourage them!

So, this will be my plan for the time being, pending input from others:

Bring my rig (laptop-->Cambridge DACMagic-->modded Music Hall Integrated-->both cans and speakers)

If someone brings another pre/integrated/amp, we'll put theirs in instead.  My integrated is RCA-only.  If someone brings other speakers, we'll put those in instead, and I'll just set up whatever pieces are left over as a headphone rig for the rest of the meet.

Disclosures:

--NB 1: as noted above, I've been having occasional channel failure somewhere between the amp and the speakers (the cables are still quite new so I'm discounting them).  I mean this as A) total disclosure to avoid any flame attacks/tearful disappointment among attendees, and B) a ploy to motivate others to bring one or two alternatives.  The system works, and sounds wonderful (in my humble opinion) - all you have to do is fiddle the volume control a bit, when the failure kicks in, which is only sporadically.

--NB 2: my speaker cables are shotgun bi-wire cables, banana connectors on all 12 ends, so if you bring your own speakers and want to maximize fidelity and your speakers won't work with this termination, you could bring your own cables (although the bi-wire cables should work just fine anyways).  They're Morrow Audio SP3 and fairly musical and extended.

--NB 3: sadly (or, expectedly) my laptop is a crappy "enterprise" laptop from work that only has a USB output, which means the Cambridge DACMagic--which comes from days of earlier, simpler USB implementations--will only output 16/44.1.  My desktop at home has an S/PDIF output that manages 24/192, and I do find that on my PCs S/PDIF high-res music sounds better (if mastered that way originally).  Unfortunately, I politely decline to bring my entire desktop, which is a mini tower with 24-inch monitor and quite unwieldy for transport, so we'll be stuck with low-res USB only.

Again, if anyone else wants to offer their speaker rig, or only wants to insert one of their pieces anywhere in the chain, I'd encourage them and probably enjoy the results myself.

The new Cardas Clear Light cables arrived today. 

Much different than the standard model, smaller & lighter by far. 

I'll bring them with me next week. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio Addict 


Thanks. He just got in silver litz and I broke down and ordered his symbiote made with along with and adapter csble made of the same wire. His website suggests it will be 4 to 5 weeks so it is my xmas present to myself.

Very nice.  He was teasing me with pictures last night.  It looks beautiful.  I am sure it will sound great, too.

Im staying Saturday night in Lincoln Park. If anyone wants to go clubbing that night or meet up with me at Intelligentsia Sunday morning on N. Broadway let me know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScuderiaHeadFi 

Hey,

 

We could all bring different pieces and put the system together at the meet and hope for some amazing, lucky synergy...!  (Really, I'd just like to try out Skylab's Leben, and the vintage Sansui sounds like a charmer too.)

 

I figured I could volunteer my speakers since they are fairly easy to transport, being of the smaller bookshelf variety.

Others may step forward who want to bring their setups and allow the whole community to benefit from sampling other equipment, and I would encourage them!

 

 

So, this will be my plan for the time being, pending input from others:

Bring my rig (laptop-->Cambridge DACMagic-->modded Music Hall Integrated-->both cans and speakers)

If someone brings another pre/integrated/amp, we'll put theirs in instead.  My integrated is RCA-only.  If someone brings other speakers, we'll put those in instead, and I'll just set up whatever pieces are left over as a headphone rig for the rest of the meet.

 

Disclosures:

--NB 1: as noted above, I've been having occasional channel failure somewhere between the amp and the speakers (the cables are still quite new so I'm discounting them).  I mean this as A) total disclosure to avoid any flame attacks/tearful disappointment among attendees, and B) a ploy to motivate others to bring one or two alternatives.  The system works, and sounds wonderful (in my humble opinion) - all you have to do is fiddle the volume control a bit, when the failure kicks in, which is only sporadically.

--NB 2: my speaker cables are shotgun bi-wire cables, banana connectors on all 12 ends, so if you bring your own speakers and want to maximize fidelity and your speakers won't work with this termination, you could bring your own cables (although the bi-wire cables should work just fine anyways).  They're Morrow Audio SP3 and fairly musical and extended.

--NB 3: sadly (or, expectedly) my laptop is a crappy "enterprise" laptop from work that only has a USB output, which means the Cambridge DACMagic--which comes from days of earlier, simpler USB implementations--will only output 16/44.1.  My desktop at home has an S/PDIF output that manages 24/192, and I do find that on my PCs S/PDIF high-res music sounds better (if mastered that way originally).  Unfortunately, I politely decline to bring my entire desktop, which is a mini tower with 24-inch monitor and quite unwieldy for transport, so we'll be stuck with low-res USB only.

 

Again, if anyone else wants to offer their speaker rig, or only wants to insert one of their pieces anywhere in the chain, I'd encourage them and probably enjoy the results myself.

We can use my MacBook Pro and run the USB 2.0 from that, I also have FiireWire out, so I can run that into my Firewire DAC, would make easy to switch between the Cambridge and the fire wire DAC. Can run both DACs into the Leben assuming it has more than one input, which it probably does. 

Man, wish I could join you all! I'll be n Boston till Sat. evening.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab 

I will bring the Leben for sure.

Sweetness

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Disc 

We can use my MacBook Pro and run the USB 2.0 from that, I also have FiireWire out, so I can run that into my Firewire DAC, would make easy to switch between the Cambridge and the fire wire DAC. Can run both DACs into the Leben assuming it has more than one input, which it probably does. 

It probably does indeed.  Let's rock.

Looks like I'm out, my daughter's high school's football team made it to the semi-finals, and it's clear out by the Quad Cities on Saturday arternoon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beancounter0 

Looks like I'm out, my daughter's high school's football team made it to the semi-finals, and it's clear out by the Quad Cities on Saturday arternoon.

That's where I'm coming from. :) Where is the team playing at?

Quote:

Originally Posted by slytown 

That's where I'm coming from. :) Where is the team playing at?

Sterling, @ Newman Catholic.  Daughter's school is Aurora Christian, defending 3A champs.  Should be a good game, looks like Newman is run oriented, ACS is pass oriented but ran all over Winnebago last week in a 2nd-half blowout. 

Davenport - I picked up a beat up Pilot console out there last summer at an antique shop, pulled out an SA-232 amp with SP-210 pre (excellent late '50's tube gear).  Need to hang out there more often :)