I plan on purchasing a USB DAC and connecting it to a Nuforce Icon Amp. However, I'm wondering how I'd go about connecting the HE-5LE's cable to the Icon's 5-way posts. What sort of adapter would I need to do so? I could use either the 1/4 inch male TRS connector or the 4 pole XLR on the...

Honestly, you're allowed to have your own opinions on it. If you're able to notice the difference, then feel free not to. But I know that when I buy 5lb bags of Redbird (some of the best and most reasonably priced coffee, by the way) and portion it into smaller bags for freezing, unless I pull...

These (all from dedicated coffee websites) show no statistical difference and offer great advice on how to properly freeze.  http://coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/questions/575762#575762 http://www.home-barista.com/store-coffee-in-freezer-results.html

Hmm, that's odd. I think the general consensus towards freezing has changed within the last few years. Not that I know personally, but it seems like after everyone started looking into it and going against the whole "never freeze under any circumstances" mantra, they found that it wasn't...

  Quote:   That'd have to be in the realm of french roasts(or maybe full city+) though, wouldn't it? I've never heard of problems like that with beans from specialty roasters, even if they're roasted moderately dark. This is assuming proper precautions are taken like not allowing any...

I donno. I'm sure they're fine, but I'd probably like the peace of mind that a good E61/saturated group/lever group would offer if I was spending in that price range. Of course, you're going to have to spend more than 2x what the BDB costs for a dual boiler and completely PID controlled E61...

  Quote:   Although initial reports with the Breville have been pretty good, I'm just not sure about its long-term reliability knowing Breville's history. It seems like a lot of the parts on there aren't meant to be replaced, i.e. if it breaks, you'll have to buy a new machine. It's...

Machine- Le'Lit PL041, non PIDed. I'm considering upgrading to a Bezzera Strega in the future. Grinder- OE Pharos and Hario Skerton (I do like hand grinders in general, but I bought the Pharos because it easily beats most commercial grinders in terms of quality) I have a press, vacpot, and...

  Quote: I figured that only applied to dynamics and that stats/planar magnetics had a shorter lifespan. I hope it'll last that long!  

I was ordering from Moon because I have a 10% off coupon. The last post is good to hear, and alleviates one of my major concerns. I'm just really hoping everything works out alright, but even if it doesn't, it's nice to know I'll be able to get great customer service. Hopefully the failures in...

I think so, but apparently the customer service on the US side of things for HiFiman can pretty bad sometimes. 

I'm just about to pull the trigger on a HE-400 from Moon Audio, but I read some of the alarming and recent posts in the HE-400 thread. I know a lot of the issues were limited to 1st gen, but I still saw some reports of failures with the new models. Since I'm 16 and jobless, I'm expecting that my...

Well that's definitely encouraging. I'll probably wait to see how much the O2+ ODAC is, but if it's more than $250 I'll go with the Fiio. $400 is definitely stretching my amp/DAC budget, especially right now. I really wish the Fiio had a 6.35mm TRS out, though. 

I just looked up the O2 + ODAC and it certainly looks interesting. I'll be keeping my eyes open for reviews as soon as it ships. 

I plan on purchasing the HE-400 soon, and I'm wondering which DAC/Amp combination complements its sound well. This is going to be strictly for home use, so if it is possible to buy a separate DAC and amp at this price point it's fine to suggest that as well. I definitely don't want the quality...

I don't think it's going to be a matter of you hearing a noticeable difference or not; I think it's going to be a matter of you not hearing anything at all.