WB2016
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2016
- Posts
- 291
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- 62
Hi G,
well if you really go TOTL tapes, 1" there is nothing better. At the moment the United Home Audio Tape Decks such as their Phase 12 is currently and also in the future the non-plus-ultra. Digital will not match that no matter what you do for the simple reason that you can listen to the "actual" (improved copies) master tapes. It is considered the top source component in existance. The tapes are what is recorded on then you need to transfer it to digital meaning digitalize and something always gets lost. The amount of information on a good master tape is just mindboggling and it is all analog. They are truely magical.
However a big caveat emtor as you mentioned it is a lot of work and the tapes are really expensinve. Not something to do with friends or when you have had a few drinks... But the tapes are what are turned into digital or even vinyl or cds or SACDs it is worth it to go to a highend show and hear it. Own it is a matter of having the funds and I would always have a digital setup and some vinyl at home.
Again IMO it comes down to how to enjoy your music and not loosing that childlike abandon when listening to music. I like longer listening sessions so continuously getting up and interupting is not ideal. Hey I like having a remote on my office setup should tell you something If you can loose yourself in music that is quite something priceless.
Yeah analog is much more involving, but that is also what gives the music value. The haptic of holding the record and the buying and owning give it a different value and makes you listen to a whole album that is easily lost on digital if not careful. However knowing that I will also go for a HP setup in the office due to space, coworkers, clients, convenience and not being able to interupt what I am doing every song
Closing this argument I am really pleased that in digital for midfi prices we are beginning to encroach on highend while maintaining the convenience of digital. We do most of this to be able to value and experience the music so whatever works for you to experience it the most go for it.
There used to be a rule of thumb for installers, to get the same sound quality on speaker setup compared to a HP setup you will often spend about TEN times as much! This includes room treatment, measurement, pleasing wives, power provision and conditioning, long runs of cables, sufficiently big amps to fill a room, equalizing, installer payments, resonance and EM control, etc. Of course especially today there are plenty of exceptions but if you want 20hz-45khz perfect in a speaker setup sometimes building a custom room is the least expensive option. Or as the evil joke goes getting rid of the wife/GF/partner is the most cost effective
So for anyone on a budget HPs and digital is the way to go, add some tubes if you like the analog feeling and you will be 95% satisfied. Spend the rest on what makes you happy, e.g. more music or other hobbies or your partner. Noone will be 100% satisfied for long. You will always chase the dragon, so enjoy the path not the goal
To end this, from what I am hearing on other boards, such as the Elise the Gustard X20 when properly burned in (>300h) will give you most of the benefits of a highend sabre dac, which includes a minimization of trebble and diggity sound issues, while giving you the benefits of the 9018 chip in detail and soundstage. Also seems to work well with tubes and on SE, which was essential for my Feliks Elise that is about to come So it is looking more and more as if I will take the plunge next month. Gives the R2R Dacs a run for their money unless you are looking for that sound and with good tubes you want the detail in the source and the coloration later IMO.
Cheers
WB
well if you really go TOTL tapes, 1" there is nothing better. At the moment the United Home Audio Tape Decks such as their Phase 12 is currently and also in the future the non-plus-ultra. Digital will not match that no matter what you do for the simple reason that you can listen to the "actual" (improved copies) master tapes. It is considered the top source component in existance. The tapes are what is recorded on then you need to transfer it to digital meaning digitalize and something always gets lost. The amount of information on a good master tape is just mindboggling and it is all analog. They are truely magical.
However a big caveat emtor as you mentioned it is a lot of work and the tapes are really expensinve. Not something to do with friends or when you have had a few drinks... But the tapes are what are turned into digital or even vinyl or cds or SACDs it is worth it to go to a highend show and hear it. Own it is a matter of having the funds and I would always have a digital setup and some vinyl at home.
Again IMO it comes down to how to enjoy your music and not loosing that childlike abandon when listening to music. I like longer listening sessions so continuously getting up and interupting is not ideal. Hey I like having a remote on my office setup should tell you something If you can loose yourself in music that is quite something priceless.
Yeah analog is much more involving, but that is also what gives the music value. The haptic of holding the record and the buying and owning give it a different value and makes you listen to a whole album that is easily lost on digital if not careful. However knowing that I will also go for a HP setup in the office due to space, coworkers, clients, convenience and not being able to interupt what I am doing every song
Closing this argument I am really pleased that in digital for midfi prices we are beginning to encroach on highend while maintaining the convenience of digital. We do most of this to be able to value and experience the music so whatever works for you to experience it the most go for it.
There used to be a rule of thumb for installers, to get the same sound quality on speaker setup compared to a HP setup you will often spend about TEN times as much! This includes room treatment, measurement, pleasing wives, power provision and conditioning, long runs of cables, sufficiently big amps to fill a room, equalizing, installer payments, resonance and EM control, etc. Of course especially today there are plenty of exceptions but if you want 20hz-45khz perfect in a speaker setup sometimes building a custom room is the least expensive option. Or as the evil joke goes getting rid of the wife/GF/partner is the most cost effective
So for anyone on a budget HPs and digital is the way to go, add some tubes if you like the analog feeling and you will be 95% satisfied. Spend the rest on what makes you happy, e.g. more music or other hobbies or your partner. Noone will be 100% satisfied for long. You will always chase the dragon, so enjoy the path not the goal
To end this, from what I am hearing on other boards, such as the Elise the Gustard X20 when properly burned in (>300h) will give you most of the benefits of a highend sabre dac, which includes a minimization of trebble and diggity sound issues, while giving you the benefits of the 9018 chip in detail and soundstage. Also seems to work well with tubes and on SE, which was essential for my Feliks Elise that is about to come So it is looking more and more as if I will take the plunge next month. Gives the R2R Dacs a run for their money unless you are looking for that sound and with good tubes you want the detail in the source and the coloration later IMO.
Cheers
WB