Scratched another gear itch with a B-stock Modi+. It freshens up my bedside rig of repurposed kit: Bluesound Node 2i streamer, feeding Cavalli Tube Hybrid amp, powering HD 6XX. The upgrade seems obvious. But I don’t dismiss the streamer’s onboard DAC for a secondary listening station, not to...

Tried out the PM preamp function on my studio monitors. Plenty of flexibility to tweak the monitor volume with the PM gain & volume. No stereo channel imbalance at low volume. Plenty of volume dial range with the middle gain setting around 9:00, with the monitor volumes set at 11:00 or so...

PM is an upgrade over my CTH. But the tube factor gave me pause. It sweetens up the more clinical nature of the 8XX. But the PM is no more fatiguing, does nothing obviously wrong or conspicuous, and complements the 8XX dynamics and separation. My negative assessment of percussion performance...

I briefly compared CTH to my new Pietus Maximus. CTH held its own, and provided a desirable dose of tube sweetness. PM was otherwise the superior amp. Fetching less than $100 on eBay with shipping, CTH remains a compelling value. For that price, I’m keeping it for a bedside secondary rig...

I had your posts in mind when I noted the volume knob removal. The scratch started to come back, so I applied another round of contact cleaner. This time I didn't dis-assemble the housing. I just pulled off the knob, removed the nut and washer, and sprayed downward into the stem housing best I...

I compared my new Pietus Maximus to Massdrop x Cavalli Tube Hybrid briefly. The CTH adds a bit of tube sweetness. This sounds nicer. But there’s nothing lacking, wrong, or conspicuous with PM. The PM dynamics, technicalities, and blackground seem superior, without inducing any obvious flaws...

I'm getting re-acquainted with my stock 8XX during the winter listening season. I use Lokius EQ, boost 2 kHz knob to 2:30, and fade adjacent 400 Hz & 6 kHz knobs to 11:00. The resolution is there, but the timbre is questionable. Sounds like a recording. Maybe even a retro rockabilly recording...

Early runs of CTH have a known issue with volume noise. Here's a story of one with a happy ending. My CTH started with a trace of volume pot scratchy noise when I bought it used four years ago. Made noise only when I turned the knob. It got worse over time, to where it was making nose in the...

I've had a little less than a month with 8XX now. Still love it. I've dialed in a modest 2 kHz boost and even milder adjacent attenuations at 400 Hz and 6 kHz on my Lokius equalizer. Incidentally, the setting also works well for low-rate streaming of NPR and work calls—maybe just a bit more of...

I should have noted percussion is also very distinct, like the bass. You could study drummers with these.

Got my $700 HD-8XX today. You be the judge on whether I finally crossed over mid fi to top of the line. I’d actually just bought a Schiit Lokius to scratch a gear itch when I heard about the 8XX discount. So I bought with some confidence that I could make adjustments. I read all the things...

Right after I got my first real-ish job in the mid 90s, I bought a stereo. The NAD 705 was pretty much the best receiver worth getting before jumping up to separates (the entry level Adcom components were nearly the same price each). The 705 was about $450, about the same as the Bifrost 2 in...

Mine took four days earlier this month. Best I can tell, they drove it across the country, switching trucks seven times. Worth the wait, though.

Price drop

Price drop