I was on the LIM list, but when pressed they said that the OG was more detailed. I don't like backtracking. I am looking for something that has more, not less. That said, audio is subjective, it's all a matter of personal taste.

I wouldn't, especially if you haven't A/B'd them yet. I have heard that the PS Audio DAC sounds better by someone who's gear I am reasonably familiar with, it's neutral enough that if he says it's better, it almost certainly is. I haven't read one thing about it, I haven't heard it, but I do...

The Yggdrasil is Pretty fussy about power and music, IME. I left mine, which was one of the first with the first revision of the analog board, I initially didn't even know that it was the newer type, but I left it runing 24 x 7 for the entire first 14 days. I didn't even like it for most of...

You are mistaken about cables. It is nearly impossible to beat Deulund cables, and they are VERY inexpensive. You can get a set from ebay, lots of people are making them, or if you can solder you can make your own. AQ completely unimpresses me, Cardas high end is nice, but I prefer Duelund ICs...

I think that you may have noisey tubes. I'll check my Freya when I get home. I have about 94db efficient speakers so I ought to be able to tell you something reasonably definitive. I don't really use the Freya anymore or I would probably have an immediate response for you. Best Regards, Lou

I haven't tried my Freya with my AN15 speakers, but with lower efficiency non full range drivers I had no hum. The Freya is on loan as Scott Winders talked me into a Don Sachs DS2 preamp, and there is no looking back. When it's returned I'll try it out, though mine is the US 120VAC version, and...

Not to screw with the truth argument, but I have something that I found pretty interesting to share. I have done quite a lot of upgrading of late. The ONE thing that just keeps getting better as my system improves is the Yggdrasil. I certainly can't say that there is nothing better out there...

Since I don't believe in ghosts, I have to believe in physics, as ICs, balanced or not, seem to be the issue, you have something in the area inducing noise into the cables. I obviously don't know if the shielded cable were made by someone who knew about ground loops or not, but well shielded...

Sounds to me like you are having RF interference issues and ought to be using shielded interconnects. There is some guy touting that his Duelund ICs are terminated, or perhaps he said grounded, on "both" ends. You DON'T do that, the shield should only connect to one end, generally the source...

If it is an issue with the Gungnir, you can get Don to make you an XLR to RCA conversion cable for a nominal sum, or pay for the Cine Mag inputs, I personally made a conversion cable, I couldn't justify the cost of the transformers.

I don't see any of the professional reviewers saying anything negative about the SE input. That's obviously anecdotal, but that to me seems telling.

TAS didn't note an issue with the SE input; "Is there anything the Liquid Gold can’t do or are there any drawbacks we need to know about? I can think of two. First, note that the Liquid Gold is designed to power dynamic-type headphones, but not electrostatic ’phones. Those who have fallen in...

Well, it MAY be. Generally speaking unless you are running longer runs of cable, balanced matters not. That said, some designs have more attention paid to one of the other. The Yggdrasil has a far better sounding balanced output than the SE output. So it's possible that the same is true for the...

Doesn't your amp have SE inputs? Balanced circuits were designed for long cable runs which can pick up noise to help minimize noise that otherwise could be inducted into the sound from the cables, hence the output. 1 Meter cables are pretty much a non issue.

I figured that if Cinemag made one, they would make the other. Sorry, but check out the master designer, Roy, he may have a circuit in his back pocket....

One more point, the A-Team o/p caps supposedly take 100 hours to fully break in, but I ought to have an idea pretty quickly.

If you want to go hogg wild, and have efficent speakers, or want to go efficient, Don has tweaked an amp Roy designed, but it's only 60WPC I believe. It's KT88 based.

It would be fully balanced compatible. The amplification would be single ended, but the input and output circuits would/could be balanced. Don't put too much emphasis on balanced circuitry, what is important is how well designed and executed the circuit is. A well designed SE circuit which is...

I used them in studio applications as well, if you use Duelund wire for the ICs I don't think that you can hear a difference in most applications. There is always the possibility of an exception, but if you are going to use teansformers to address it, I think that would likely null those...

With transformers they can be, though I personally would just use Duelund cable and go from XLR to RCA by soldering pins 1 & 3 together, pin 2 being the signal, 1 & 3 being the return, it's a lot less expensive than transformers, and if you think balanced is truly superior, it's only real...

You need to talk to Roy about his SP14. You want some upgrades, but his preamp is supposed to be a step up, and he may be able to hit your price point. If you go with the metal case, you really ought to be able to get everything but the tone controls. High end doesn't normally have tone...

The Duelunds are hardly expensive, I am paying retail, and a set of XLR's would cost me just over $50. I have a BJC digital IC, so I really can't speak to them. AKG, I always thought was supposed to be pretty good sounding, though I don't believe that I have ever heard them. You have little to...

I'd say that that was well stated.

I don't know, mine have been exposed to guns, missiles, small arms, and various machinery for decades as well, though I have attempted to wear hearing protection as much as possible. I still test well, but I do suffer from tinnitus, though Lipo-Flavonoid usually keeps it under control. I have...

The point, at least my point, is that due to your associated equipment I doubt that you will ever hear that improvement. I can't say if it's due to the quality of your equipment or due to the fact that you shut it down when done. My amp and preamp are fine after a quick warm up, the Yggdrasil...