[aklein55]

I own a big rig - but never get to play it a normal listening volume (in an office).  [Musical Fidelity KW 25 Transport/DAC connected to Jeff Rowland Pre Amp/Model 12 feeding Wilson Watt/Puppy 7s with Transparent cabling.]  
 
So I just purchased a Stax 009 with a maxed out Woo WES, W4S DAC2 SE and Transparent Reference Balanced MM1 interconnect.  Does anyone use this setup - Thoughts?
 
Thanks

 

[manbear]

Why would you have such expensive speakers in your office if you never play them at a normal volume? Seems like a waste.

 

[aklein55]

They will come home when my last kid heads to college.  

 

[wuwhere]

Nice, those WATT & Puppies.

 

[aklein55]

Wilson Audio is absolutely wonderful.  It pains me that I can't crank them - but they will be coming home soon.  

 

[Miracles]

I don't own any of that setup, but I'm sure its going to sound absolutely amazing. Congrats on the setup. You should check out innerfidelity's review on the 009's with a variety of end game amps here if you haven't already.

 

[El_Doug]

That's a HUGE amount of money to just plop down without listening to any of it :/  Sounds more like youre seeking validation for your expenditure, more than anything else. 
 
That being said, the WES sounds pretty good with the 009s, at lot better than it does with the 007s. 
 
 
All in all:  Nice transparent DAC, best headphones ever, rather weak and overpriced amp (and I would know, I owned serial #1), and $2k pieces of $20 wire.  Don't really know what else you want us to say? 

 

[aklein55]

ouch.

 

[wavoman]

Now you know why we kicked Doug out of New Jersey.
 
Actually he left for a better job and we miss him (and his opinions) terribly.
 
Doug -- you doing OK in ChiTown?
 
Doug's 009's are the best HP's I have ever heard.  So, aklein55, your new rig will sound fantastic.

 

[aklein55]

Last (silly) question - does anyone really buy expensive USB cables - seems crazy to me.

 

[manbear]

You can certainly find people who buy them and say that it makes a difference, but it sounds like malarkey to me. 

 

[wavoman]

A well-covered topic here.  See, for example,
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/565791/on-usb-cables-and-controller-transfer-modes-a-series-of-questions-to-replies-from-usb-org
 
Conclusion: any USB-IF certified cable will do.  Amazon has plenty of them at reasonable prices.

 

[Currawong]

Belkin Gold for the win! Save such money though for an Audiophilleo or OffRamp if you want to go crazy with USB upgrades IMO. 

 

[aklein55]

Thanks - some of the audiophile USB cables go for $600 or more. The Transparent USB cable is pretty - but sounds like a waste of money. I use audiophile cabling for my interconnects and speakers - and do hear a difference (primarily in reducing the noise floor and overall transparency). Nice to see that I don't need to plunk down big money for a USB cable.