I guess it has been a while since my last update, new house, new studio, new computer setups:     Main and mastering PC setup, recliner with wireless keyboard/mouse.  Lights usually dimmed much more, turned up for picture.  Audio chain is Sources: i7-4790K, 32G, 3 x 1TB Samsung Evo SSD...

I guess it is time to update my pic, there have been a lot of changes since my old one:   Current setup is:   Sources: Bluesound Node/WD NAS, JRiver/Cubase/Maschine Studio PC, Linux PC, Oppo DV-970HD, Audioquest Dragonfly 1.2 Preamp/Headphone Amps: Oppo HA-1, Schiit Vali Amp: Rotel...

I have not, it never really fit with my setup.

The Vali does, very much so. The Vali is in a setup with a dragonfly 1.2 though, so no clue on the Modi.

I used the K240 for about 10 years exclusively, and another 3 after I had my K701s.  When my son destroyed the cable on the K240, I replaced it with a Q701, so now I just have Q and K 701s. The difference is very noticeable.  While the K240 is a great set of headphones, the 701s improve almost...

Headphones and speakers both have their place.  I wouldn't dare get rid of either pair of my 701s, but I listen on speakers much more frequently when just listening to music for pleasure. It is more engaging, you can feel the air move.  It also helps that I don't feel that I am losing much...

If you are looking for something cheaper, try using the dragonfly to feed a vali.  That combination is great with the Q701 without breaking the bank.

Bass traps in the corners, acoustical foam panels at the places of first reflection, those are the typical bits. Auralex is good, but Next Acoustics is also quality and cheaper on ebay. Or there is the DIY route, plenty of plans on line for bass traps.

I am not familiar with those particular speakers, but good quality passives make great nearfiled monitors.I am not much further away from my B&W 805s, I would still recommend a bit of room treatment to tame the bass and early reflections.  Then again, 1.8k can be a pretty good budget for actives too

Not familiar with the particular speakers, but yes, size does matter even in nearfield. Last time I used a speaker with 4" woofers, They sounded fantastic at typical volumes, but on occasion when I would turn them up, they would compress and not sound so great. My current nearfields are B&W 805...

There might be consensus that the 1.0 is a better deal than the 1.2, but I don't think there really is a consensus on the quality of either one.  Some prefer 1.0, some prefer 1.2

Now you are talking about a whole different beast.  I never said converters couldn't get better than what you find in a fairly basic pro interface.  There are many reasons people run RME, their DACs aren't usually one of them (certainly not the reason I bought mine).  Their DAC isn't bad, but it...

I think you would be hard pressed to find many people who agree with you on the D/A side of things with audio interfaces.  This doesn't mean that higher end interfaces are a waste of money, in fact they are a great investment to the musician.  Higher end interfaces often provide drastic...

RME is an incredible interface, but you are spending a lot of money for upgraded input preamps and the lowest latency drivers you can get. Important when making music, a waste when just listening to it. I have a dragonfly 1.2 that I use for checking samples, audio bits with a different app when...

And per channel, so to adjust the volume you have to reach behind 2 speakers and make sure they stay matched.

One thing to consider, most audio interfaces have a nice volume control for studio monitors.  If you just use a DAC, you will need a preamp or a monitor control.  They don't have to be terribly expensive, but it is something to keep in mind.

The Presonus or Focusrite (2i2) interfaces should be fine, the quality is good.  More expensive interfaces really only give you more I/O, better quality preamps for input, and reduced latency.

I just picked up a dragonfly 1.2 + jriver to replace my squeezebox. Generally speaking, I am impressed.It doesn't have the warmth of my Peachtree decco, but the decco always felt like artificial warmth to me. This is a good thing for longer listening sessions, but it is most certainly something...

This is not exactly true, while I spend a lot of time on my monitors for studio work, I also spend a lot of time on headphones. Particularly in tracking and composing. Mixing I stay on monitors and double check on headphones.

Audioengine A5+ also fall into that range, they are aimed a bit more at hifi, but have a decent sound.

In that price range, I would probably skip the receiver + bookshelf and go for Studio Monitors. The Equator D5 would probably be the first place I looked.

It really depends on what you are wanting to spend. Studio monitors can be a good deal at the lowest end, in the middle, bookshelf speakers become fairly competitive, at the higher end ($2500), studio monitors generally take it.

At these price points, it is difficult to get a good studio monitor to compete. the Adam and the KH120 are about it. As you move up a bit, Studio monitors get much better. The Focal Solo 6 was a very close contender to my B&W 805s, it was literally a toss up. My next step up, if I ever make it...

It doesn't quite work that way. It has only been the last couple of years that receivers started moving the preamp outs upmarket.  While you used to be able to get an Onkyo 5xx with preamp outs, now you have to go to the 8xx series. Yamaha did the same thing, and I am guessing most others. The...

I don't think it would be a problem at all, provided you could get the tweeters at ear level (or tilt the speakers so the tweeters are pointed at the ear). I know very little about those speakers, but most 3 way designs like that have one of the drivers as a mid and one as a woofer, vs both...