thank you both, I will check them out tomorrow.

Hello Gentlemen, I am tuning up a McIntosh mc-2500 amplifier and would like to replace the rca connectors which haven't weathered so well. Is there a standard "best" for this sort of thing? I thought you guys might know? Thanks, Mike

Fight the power. Where are Computerpro1 and Computerpro2?

d5000 are in your price range used. For a bit more I can recommend the dx1000 and Grado gs-1000.

Benchmark DAC 1. I owned one with the hd650's sounded good together, sound good with a tube amp too, but an all around great dac in your price range.

Air Tight and Shindo have had a special place in my heart since first sight. I also find myself strangely attracted to the beautiful blue lights of McIntosh. Cary amps are quite nice too.

No, it's perfect. vive le Jean Chretien

If you have a macbook, get an iphone. Get the free apple remote app. It works through wi-fi, no sitting in front of your computer. Full access to all playlists, add delete, and works from another room in the house. I would think about a decent dac though.

Thanks krmathis, you sir are correct. Downloaded from hdtracks and had no problems converting. Thank you both for the reply. The 24/96 high resultion tag on the cd threw me. Mike

I think the spdif implementation is just that much better then the usb, I had read that the usb was the worst input to use, but at the time, it was my best choice. As far as the optical, my computer is 30ft away from the dac, and yes I did try both, a 30ft glass optical, and a 30 ft powered usb...

Quote: Originally Posted by spraggih I don't know -- but thinner and constricted at higher frequencies (I think) would sound harsh to me. Understood, some words have different meanings to different people, when I hear the word "harsh", I think bright, etch, glare, things that...

Hi, I am having problems importing a 24/96 chesky cd into itunes at 24/96. I have downloaded MAX ( I have a macbook pro) and tried all the options I can think of. I can get a 24 bit 44 khz version, but nothing I try will get me a 96khz version. And help would be greatly appreciated. My dac is...

Quote: Originally Posted by Aimless1 I wonder if the results will be the same with headphones? It has been my experience that even with top quality headphones and amplification, there are many audiophile traits in music that are far less noticeable compared to speakers. I don't...

I have decided to keep the usb link, actually I decided this in the first 10 mins, but I have been procrastinating this post because I am lazy and hate typing. I am going to keep this short. John Stronczer is right, everything sounds better, and mp3's are listenable now. I played my "test"...

Well I just ordered a usb link. I contacted Bel Canto inquiring about the usb link for my situation, which is lossless files from redbook cd's ( no Hi-def stuff) and the occasional mp3, from my macbook pro to a dac3 via usb. I asked if the implementation of the spdif input was that much better...

Quote: Originally Posted by shellylh Good idea, got any suggestions? Used or can you find a reasonably price new tube tester? I bought mine off ebay, about 100 bucks I think. Get one that measures Gm, not emissions.

yes Uncle, I was going to say it might be the fresh air on your brain, well I guess I just did. Must be the fresh air.

I thought the drivers in the 600/650 were the same? ya? no?

I'd try garage sales. My son and I check out garage sales every Saturday morning. I usually come home with at least 1 classical cd, sometimes many, for .50$ -1$. I don't know why, but it is the genre I see the most.

Quote: Originally Posted by twoears&oneheart u used it with what headphones, mike? gs 1000

I enjoyed mine with the woo audio wa6, kind of took off the edge and sounded very natural.

I use shure, it blocks mower noise allowing for lower listening levels, and they are light, and they stay in your ears even when doing the hedges.

Quote: Originally Posted by bigshot . If a cable changes the sound, it's a crummy cable, no matter how much it cost. See ya Steve Steve, How do you know it is not the cheap radioshack cable which has changed the sound? Why is the sound from these cables the reference of...

Quote: Originally Posted by bigshot You've listed a bunch of random things, some of which make big differences, and others that make very little difference. In general, acoustic things like the shape of the room and the placement of the speakers and the design of the speakers themselves...

Quote: Originally Posted by Uncle Erik Mike, all of the things you listed produce measurable differences. You can use a SPL meter to demonstrate the effects of speaker placement. You can test, measure, demonstrate, and repeat those for others. However, no one has ever tested a power...