I'm sorry I should have been more clear. You are definitely right. New does not equal good at all. the New mass market stuff is still crap regardless of the innovations in DAC technology. If given the choice between a vintage objets d'art cd player and a new mas market cd player I would pick the...

Unlike Amps cd player don't age well. The DAC's have improved light years from early cd players. They are really only suitable for at best transports or more likely objets d'art, IMO. :)

The Tube Headphone/ Pre-amp is the Mapletree Audio Design Ear 4 and would be nice to come in under $300 for something reliable and ready to play. A big jump from the $35 I paid for the Pioneer. ;)   Thanks for the response. Regards Jeff

I love my Pioneer SX-650 for sonic and sentimental reasons, but I would love to find a reasonably priced power amp (with heaphone jack obviously) or Receiver with Main-Out/ Pre-Ins to use my Tube Headphone/Preamp with. Any recommendations on a good sounding budget-minded vintage piece that would...

I recently picked one of these up and the quality was HORRIBLE. It fell apart Taking it out of the bag. Just saying... :)   regards jeff  

I recently picked one of these up and the quality was HORRIBLE. It fell apart Taking it out of the bag. Just saying... :)   regards jeff

When I look at the Sennheiser MOMENTUM I see a glimpse of the world of audio as I wish it would always be. A world without aesthetic compromise where function and style coalesce. It possesses an aesthetic beauty that draws you in to explore its function. I cannot see a pair of Momentum and not...

Colorfly C4 DAP => Centrance Reserve Series RCA to Stereo 1/4" => Mapletree Audio Designs Ear 4 Headphone Amp-Preamp => Nordost Blue Heaven Interconnects => Pioneer SX-650 => Zu Mobius II Headphone Cable => AKG Q701   regards jeff

Is there a better Portable Non-IEM Traveling/Commuter Headphone than the Martin Logan Mikros 90 for $150 or less? I got to thinking about this since I was looking for a pair of non-IEM's to go with my RE-272's for riding the train to and from work in the morning. Most reviews seem to say mostly...

Sorry if this is a stupid idea but should I try going in through the mic jack or will that have disastrous SQ results?  

First, Thanks very much for your reply. :) Only using the Pioneer volume control was my starting strategy so I began with the CFC4 and EAR as low as I could since I figured I might overload the preamp in the Pioneer but I still got the distortion from the Pioneer even at very low levels. I...

Having read the great posts here I went and fetched my Pioneer SX-650 previously languishing in the back room and tried it out with my AKG Q701's. The SX-650 is fantastic! The pairing with my Q701 is incredibly detailed and the power adds amazing dynamics. It is Very analytic though, which I...

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Boy some real winners there. Used to have a rega planar 2 (with a nice wood trim) and a Sumiko Premier MMT tonearm that I found in a pawn shop in Austin, TX. Would have loved to get a Hold of that Nick Drake. I only have all his stuff on cd. I used to collect Bobby Hutcherson back then. I had...

I was thinking of occasionally outputting Analog from my Colorfly C4 to my amp and I happen to have a pair of Nordost Blue Heaven RCA Interconnects not in use (If I can find them in the boxes from our last move) and I thought a High Quality 1/4" plug to Female RCA Splitter Source might let me...