for me, listening on the go with a portable device, sound quality isn't THAT important. if i'm at the gym, running, on a plane, other places with lots of people/noise, i'm not going to notice little nuances with the sound quality. so much noise leaks in unless i want to go deaf and have the...

Quote: Originally Posted by boomy3555 When you plug in the USB from the EF2 to the computer it will recognize it as a seperate sound card and will list it as USB sound device in the "Sound Devices" file of the computer (PC).and will bypass the onboard soundcard in favor of the EF-2 so...

I'm a noob. I've never owned a USB DAC / AMP, don't quite understand it all. I've read this entire thread. I've got a pair of Denon AHD2000's coming today. I used to own a pair of Grado SR225's, but they've been sold a long time ago. The D2000's are my only headphones for home use. I want...

Quote: Originally Posted by jagorev Any good soundcard (E-MU 1212, 0404, Chaintech AV710, X-Fi Extreme Music, M-Audio Audiophile, etc.) has a good stereo output. 2.1 is basically stereo. are there any that are known for being particularly great for stereo though? i don't need a...

ordered. thanks for the recommendation!

i recently invested in a nice pair of 2.1 speakers for my computer. i've got a couple of cheap 5.1 sound cards laying around that sound OK. i'm thinking about investing in a better card, but i'm wondering -- are there any "audiophile" grade sound cards that are strictly for 2.1? it seems like...

I recently picked up the Klipsch iFi speaker set for cheap (I don't have an ipod) with the intention of using them as computer speakers. I want to get a decent cable to connect them to my computer with. Can anyone recommend a decent quality 1/8" male -> 1/8" male cable (about 4' or 6' long)...

I know this is sortof off topic... I use a headset at my job every day.. This is the one: http://www.ahernstore.com/h51.html Comfortable, sounds great, people can hear me.. unlike all the cheap cell phone headsets I've tried. I can't stand in-ear or over-the-ear headsets. I want to buy...

Quote: Originally Posted by Natsuiro If sound of the transport is the only thing bugging you, you could dynamat your toshiba 4960. Mine is very quiet now and if you put your hand on the top you can't feel it spinning. Unfortunately it's not dead silent and I ran out of dynamat. I used...

Quote: Originally Posted by JMS The $150 Sony SCD-CE595 is dead silent. Quieter than everything else I've tried, by far. Not even transformer hum. Yeah, I had one for a short time.. then returned it to get a universal cd/dvda/sacd player (my receiver only has 1 set of 6-channel...

sneaker pimps - splinter

Nobody has mentioned Billie Holiday? others... fiona apple hope sandoval beth gibbons

I've got lots of cheap sources.. Sony CDP-311, Pioneer PD-F958, Pioneer DV-656A, and most recently a Toshiba 4960. The Toshiba has got the loudest of them all by far. I've given up on budget sources, and I'm getting ready to shell out a little bit of coin to get a nicer deck. I listen to my...

Quote: Originally Posted by Natsuiro I have a 4960 as well but haven't really tried any DVD-A. I think maybe you would need to hook it up to a tv to see what you are doing. I'm not sure though.. this is just a guess. it's hooked up to my tv.. and the on-screen interface isn't very...

I can play SACD's in 5.1 surround. I can play DVD-A discs that have only 1 audio track (5.1), in 5.1 surround. But, for example, I have some DVD-A discs that have more than 1 audio track. Beach Boys - Pet Sounds for example. The DVD-A side of the disc defaults to the 2ch mix, and I can't...

Quote: Originally Posted by null I'd say the Philips DV-563A. From what I've heard, this thing delivers incredible sound at it's price point. You mean the Pioneer? that unit isn't in production anymore.. it's been replaced with the dv-578a, which most people seem to think isn't...

Quote: Originally Posted by Jose Garcia I read somewhere that this Yamaha SD-1500 was a rebagged Phillips. Not sure about the model. I received a call this week from the Yamaha Distributor in PR and he told me they arrived, after a 2 month delay. I will listen to it in a few weeks...

I live in the boonies but work in Minneapolis... I'd be interested

Quote: Originally Posted by soundboy Looking on the J&R website, I noticed a Yamaha DVS5750 universal player for $140.00. Maybe an alternative to the above players. Hmm.. sounds interesting. J&R doesn't really give any details or pictures, and I wasn't able to find any...

Quote: Originally Posted by Natsuiro I have the toshiba 4960 and I think that in stock form the SACD sounds great (but it's the only sacd player i've heard), but I don't think that the redbook playback is very good. Really? All the reviews I've read said that redbook playback was...

Quote: Originally Posted by Alexx BTW, there's a single disk player CP502, which seems to be completely indentical to 802 in all other respects. Doesn't know how it sounds, though. I've started a thread on this player (and Yamaha S1500), but no one answered. Can you link me to...

Quote: Originally Posted by Gundam Jeff Buckley of course. Bingo.

I just bought Elvis - 30 #1 Hits. The sound quality is awesome, but What, the disc OPENS with a dance remixed "bonus track". Sounds completely out of place. Otherwise the disc is great, but that first track ruins it.

I just picked up a Pioneer DV-578A-S at best buy for $99 to try it out. I've only had it hooked up for 20 minutes, but here are my first impressions: - I have the same complaint with my DV-656A, it is really noisy. If you have the music on even remotely quiet, you can hear the disc...

Quote: Originally Posted by duff138 do the toshiba play SACD? I think at least one of the toshiba only plays 2 channel DVD-A, are you looking for 5 channel sourround. Pioneer 563a seems to do all fairly good. Yes, both the ones I listed play SACD. The 3590 (which is the one...