Hi, I'm just bought Stealth 8 monitors and I'm very pleased with them!  sound great! and they also look even better than they do in photos. Now I need a DAC.   I'm considering the Emotiva DC-1.    You mention you need to switch between headphones and line level.  Can't you use the jacks on the...

Thanks for the suggestion.  Audio-gd was off my radar screen but very well may be a great choice. I'll read some reviews.   I wonder if there are a portable products that I should consider that also work well for the desktop.  as I said, the Mojo form factor doesn't feel that great to me, but...

Hi,  I want to "hi-fi" my home office.    For now, plan to use this primarily for my iMac as the source of digital files.   Was looking for desktop DAC/pre so I would have a volume control for powered speakers (Focal Alpha 80's,  or Emotiva Stealth 8's).   Was considering products like...

I'll be there.  Really looking forward to it - both for head and room-based summit-fi

Anyone know if there will be a can jam at RMAF in October ?     [update 8/10 ]:  I decided to go and made reservations (hotels are filling fast).  Hope to meet some other Head-Fi'ers there.

Max134 --  wow!!   great work !

I primarily want the best audio quality I can afford for audiophile listening, rather for recording, but I want to learn to do some home audio recording with bass guitar and soft synths.  Will I need two independent systems?   one for audiophile listening in my home office,  and one for home...

Hi Zorin,   the Woodham amps are really impressive looking.  Have you heard them?  Didn't see info about dealers, or prices on their website. 

Here's an interesting review http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1214/Quad_Pa_One_Headphone_Amplifier.htm

What a great, real world, and also COMPLETELY SCIENTIFIC, review by Ogodei !   and I can appreciate it, because "I have a masters degree... in Science ! "   ;-)

reserved  !

or an espresso shop  ;-)   pretty cool

Here is a nice review that addresses the questions in the original post    http://www.custom-cable.co.uk/blog/chord-hugo-versus-astell-kern-ak240/

I've seen references to using a Hugo with an AK240.  Why would you want to spend the money on the AK240 and then bypass its DAC/amp ?? - especially for so much additional money??

This gets a bit philosophical, bear with me.   I find myself at an interesting decision point in the midst of great change in the music playback technology.   I've been a lifelong audiophile, but had to sell all my 2channel gear 20yrs ago. With some luck, and good karma, I hope to dive back in...

  I believe that I copied some music files from my iMac to my Note 2, via the Android File Transfer app.to the SD card. Then launched the Neutron trial app. 

I tried Android File Transfer on my iMac (Yosemite) to copy music to my Note 2.  I can only get it make the connection intermittantly.  Both Neutron and Poweramp (trial versions) automatically scanned and put any/all audio into their libraries - including ringtones and audio clips from Google...

Thanks for the tips!

OK,  I get the general sentiment that for a mobile player, which I'll be using in a lot of ambient noise (car, plane) a modest player and good earphones is a good approach.  but since my ipod died, I need to replace it with some kind of player, that is easy to use, in $100 range, $200 max.    ...

My old ipod gen. 5 that I've been using as a player into the Aux input in my car,  and occasionally with $100 Etymotic ear phones on planes or at home, just died.    I thought about replacing it with an affordable player ($100-200 range).  But many say these players aren't much better sounding...

glad I asked about these players.  I've never had the chance to actually try one.   I was kind of hoping that the SQ would be noticeable even with 'good' but not 'great' ear phones. , or in the car.  especially with hi-res files that won't play on the ipod.       I need a replacement soon,  and...

Ah.. good suggestion.   But in my current situation, I have been using my ipod thru my car stereo about 90% of the time and with earphones on planes or  other about 10% of the time. Since the iPod no longer works,  I need to replace it.   I'm a bit surprised to hear that the X3 would not sound...