[Gwarmi]

 I reckon that a certain audition today, certainly brought me closer to what I would call 'end rig' :-
 
 Laptop --> Nordost Blue Heaven USB cable --> Audiophilleo 2 USB to SPDIF --> Audio-gd Reference 7.1 PCM1704UK
 via BNC Coax Audiophilleo end (Input #3) --> Van Den Hul 'The Hill' XLR cables -->
 Luxman P1-u Headphone Amplifier --> Grado PS1000.
 
 Jazz? Anything from Bach forward? Well mastered funk and rock included (making some exclusions
 here or there because the PS1000 is a picky thing) - Absolute dynamic can reference quality - open, natural, at ease,
 all the detail entering the ears with an effortless sense of presence. 
 
 Dream point? Knowing what I know now - add Nordost or Stealth Audio's better XLR's as an upgrade - either the
 Valhalla from Nordost or the Meta-Carbons from Stealth - and of course the new Pure Power upgrade from
 Audiophilleo - end game - a lot of $4000+ CD players would be left wanting that's for sure.

 

[our martin]

Quote:

 I reckon that a certain audition today, certainly brought me closer to what I would call 'end rig' :-
 
 Laptop --> Nordost Blue Heaven USB cable --> Audiophilleo 2 USB to SPDIF --> Audio-gd Reference 7.1 PCM1704UK
 via BNC Coax Audiophilleo end (Input #3) --> Van Den Hul 'The Hill' XLR cables -->
 Luxman P1-u Headphone Amplifier --> Grado PS1000.
 
 Jazz? Anything from Bach forward? Well mastered funk and rock included (making some exclusions
 here or there because the PS1000 is a picky thing) - Absolute dynamic can reference quality - open, natural, at ease,
 all the detail entering the ears with an effortless sense of presence. 
 
 Dream point? Knowing what I know now - add Nordost or Stealth Audio's better XLR's as an upgrade - either the
 Valhalla from Nordost or the Meta-Carbons from Stealth - and of course the new Pure Power upgrade from
 Audiophilleo - end game - a lot of $4000+ CD players would be left wanting that's for sure.

 I am thinking about doing my se535 ue18s jh16s es5s hd800s and ps1000s all with crystal piccolino cables to get better sound quality from them,i want the tips to be carbon fibre instead of the black, does anyone know were i can get the carbon fibre from?

 

[drez]

I think Furutech does the carbon fiber XLR type connectors but I havent seen any carbon fiber TRS (1/4" standard connector) connectors yet.  I don't know of any carbon fiber iem connectors (the ones that plug into the earphone shown in the right image) they tend to just be molded plastic as far as I know.  Piccolino wire definitely is the most expensive wire I know of, but I would be keen to find out how it compares to the gold injected OCC silver wire from toxic cables which is a fraction of the price of piccolino, but is not a coaxial cable like the piccolino.  It definitely counts as endgame wire (at least cost wise), unless you count some of the headphone cables from SAA which also are pretty damn nice but very costly (there is one on the FS forum at greatly reduced price, along with hand made ebony wood XLR plugs)  IF you are after pure silver XLR plugs Toxic cables has just developed some, Bochino on the other hand cost around $2600 US for a set of 4 and are only silver plated copper.  The pure silver XLR plugs only come with cables made by Toxic though, apparently.

 

[our martin]

Quote:

I think Furutech does the carbon fiber XLR type connectors but I havent seen any carbon fiber TRS (1/4" standard connector) connectors yet.  I don't know of any carbon fiber iem connectors (the ones that plug into the earphone shown in the right image) they tend to just be molded plastic as far as I know.  Piccolino wire definitely is the most expensive wire I know of, but I would be keen to find out how it compares to the gold injected OCC silver wire from toxic cables which is a fraction of the price of piccolino, but is not a coaxial cable like the piccolino.  It definitely counts as endgame wire (at least cost wise), unless you count some of the headphone cables from SAA which also are pretty damn nice but very costly (there is one on the FS forum at greatly reduced price, along with hand made ebony wood XLR plugs)  IF you are after pure silver XLR plugs Toxic cables has just developed some, Bochino on the other hand cost around $2600 US for a set of 4 and are only silver plated copper.  The pure silver XLR plugs only come with cables made by Toxic though, apparently.

I have a carbon fibre adl cruise portable dac/headphone amp that i got from furutech , i think they will be the best ones to get in touch with...it's just if you are paying a lot for cables you want them to look good!

 

[grokit]

Not a myth...yet.

 

[DefQon]

I already enjoy my HD800's balanced via v100 w/balanced adapter to my laptop immensely atm, my end game for my headphone setup as I've moved onto speakers almost entirely now will be when I receive my Piccolino cables and the MK V1+, so my end game for the HD800 will be HD800 w/Piccolino balanced > MK V1+ (upgraded tubes) balanced output > Ross Martin DAC (transit) > my desktop or laptop.
 
My end game for my LCD2 will be (internally Piccolino'd) w/balanced termination cables > V181 to V800 DAC via balanced to my desktop or laptop.
 
My end game for my vintage CD950's (same design as CD1k and CD3k) will be R10 imitation housing for it via headphile (if possible) w/balanced Piccolino to unknown amp (currently connected to a beefy JA-S10 20wpc integrated amp, soon to be sold) connected to my laptop or desktop
 
My current end game for portable is IE8/ES5> GS Voyager/custom moy > Toshiba Gigabeat rockboxed.
 
EDIT: Received my cables

 

[peregrinare]

It's a matter of disposable income, hobby and human condition of always wanting more.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

It's a matter of disposable income, hobby and human condition of always wanting more.

 
Agreed. I started this thread in response to repeated use of the term 'end-game' - I believe its an alluring fantasy nonetheless. As one wit remarked in another thread, there's always that elusive shower rig to consider .....  

 

[obzilla]

Quote:

 
Agreed. I started this thread in response to repeated use of the term 'end-game' - I believe its an alluring fantasy nonetheless. As one wit remarked in another thread, there's always that elusive shower rig to consider .....  

 

 
 
...what?

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

 

 
 
...what?

 
Are those speaker's? In the shower? What... lol

 

[obzilla]

Quote:

 
Are those speaker's? In the shower? What... lol

 
You're nobody if you don't have a reference system in the shower!
 
If you find them a little thin, you can always add a shower sub woofer 
 

 
(I'm joking, but these are indeed real products)

 

[our martin]

Quote:

 
You're nobody if you don't have a reference system in the shower!
 
If you find them a little thin, you can always add a shower sub woofer 
 

 
(I'm joking, but these are indeed real products)

I use one of these for the bathrooms

 

[obzilla]

Quote:

I use one of these for the bathrooms 

 
Odd, I use one of these.
 

 

[our martin]

Quote:

 
Odd, I use one of these.
 
 I use these

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

 
 

 

[sridhar3]

My end-game towels are from Restoration Hardware.  I haven't considered upgrading in a long time.