Out of curiosity, why aren't more people using the ART DI/O if it provides quite substantial sonic bennefits over onboard DACs? Is it because nobody knows about them? Or is it just because there are better solutions other there?

Have you tried any CD-treatment or marking pens?

I agree with strohmie. It's always a good idea to takes mass-sold eBay items with a grain of salt. The price is huge indicator what the quality might be like. Most likely the seller is making a huge profit off these things. If it looks shotty, it probably is.

Just out of curiousity, do these measurements really mean anything besides providing an objective way of looking at sources? I don't think there's any program out there can can measure warmth or clarity on a scale from 1-100...

I still don't get how this is all portable if you need like a backpack to carry it.. lol

Quote: Originally Posted by yellafella321 I also wonder about your choice of cable in the silver dragon. Did you just get it because its the most expensive thing you could find? Or did you actually listen to it and compare? I absolutely LOVE a lot of the offereings from moon-audio but...

So to everyone who has the UE-10s... what would be the best amp to use... assuming I want it to fit "more or less" in my pocket.

Yea, turn the volume down, should be ok as long as you don't pass the point where the channels start to become unbalanced

Quote: Originally Posted by sidewinder Trying to get audio perfection does not give you that much reward after all eg when listening to a downgraded rig. But it's fun and exciting to get new material. But in the end, it's still just sound. I'm getting pretty tired of this hobby actually...

haha, thanks for all the replies... yea, it seems we have VERY different idea of what a portable rig should be. My thoughts are that a portable should be able to fit in your pocket. I can do that with mine... though the amp kinda pokes into my leg... lol. A super-mini would definitely be a...

5th Gen Ipod Pocketdock w/hardwired Silver Dragon RS Audio "Hornet" UE-10 Pro All music... Apple Lossless. The only thing I might considering upgrading after this are the internal iPod components. Besides that.. this IS the ultimate rig... It wasn't cheap though... Ipod: $400...

I've pretty much owned all of Ray's major headphone products at some time or another: - Emmeline II Stealth - HR-2 - SR-71 - Hornet Ray sells med/high-end products. I recommend the Hornet if you're gonna use some serious phones. Sennheiser HD650, ER-4s, UE-10 are a few of the phones that...

La la la... I've haven't posted here in a really long time.. and for good reason I've finally found my "ideal" setup and haven't felt like changing since... I've owned everything from the NAD C541i to the Meridian 588. Amps from the Meta42, PPA, Emmeline II Stealth, HR-2. DACs from ART...

Quote: Originally Posted by KenW My beginners rig: Beginner... ya right man.... If that's your beginner's rig, here is mine

Quote: Originally Posted by Mikey01 What are "reference recordings" and where can I buy them? A couple of examples please. Thanks Not all the recordings mastered by Reference Recordings are by great musicians/orchestras/bands. For examples, the Minnesota Symphony is no Chicago...

Quote: Originally Posted by yongenhui Ok thanks for all the posts. Do you guys think the A500 will reveal all the source flaws. eg hissing in the sound card? Are they truly studio headphones like the v6 that will show the true sound? The A500s will probably not reveal too much of...

Quote: Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN I would go for the A500s Ditto... a good set of phones for the $$$.

I just bought a whole boatload of Reference Recording CDs, some of which are recorded in HDCD. It says that the HDCD recordings are 24-bit. Since my player also plays 24-bits, does it play at the HDCD quality level? Is it only playing the CD layer? I'm so confused!!!

Bose Quiet Comfort ... $300 I win No explanation necessary...

Congratulations on your purchase! You have learned the first rule of headphone audio: Multiplying the price of an audio product does not multiply the performance of that product by the same factor. Oh, and a little bit of advice to you. IdealSound gets hundreds of orders a month. Once in...

Is this the successor to the R10? You apparently can buy it in EIFL... for $2900 http://www.eifl.co.jp/index/export/sony/q010-mdr1.html

Quote: Originally Posted by darkclouds The 650 is neither bloated or foggy when you're running the right equipment behind them. I did like the my stax setup, 404/007t (especially with female vocals, although the 2020, IMO, doesn't do the midrange as nicely), but as I've said, there's...

Quote: Originally Posted by theaudiohobby If you can get a Krell SACD Standard used, that is where I will start, what is your take on the musical presentation of the 588? I actually really like the Meridian 588. Though, I just want more of what the 588 has to offer: more detail...

Quote: Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer I'll give you that much, however you can still make basic comparisons, and nothing about the 588 sounded like it was in a different class from the EMU, the way the DP85 and ECD1 at that meet did. Those were clearly superior souces, as I feel the...

The title says it all. I'm itching to buy some SACDs and I want a player that will easily sound much better than what I have now without going over $2000.