[gopanthersgo1]

I used the same old cd/dac for 5 of the 7 years I have been serious about this hobby. All the while I upgraded all the equipment around it...

It was the Adcom GCD-750 circa 1999-2000, I bought it used in 2007, about a year into putting together my 1st system

specs:

Adcom GCD-750:    balanced design, 4x BB 1702 dac, 6v out balanced and 3v out rca, and had, rare for its time, coaxial digital input!!!...oddly no digital out

anyway, it also had HDCD, the pmd100 converter, and I have a large collection of HDCD from the Grateful Dead (audiophile cred and music tastes are questionable right there!!:confused_face: )
It was neutral, had a great analog output stage, flexible, strong 3v single-ended output was great for direct to Decware Taboo tube amp....a bargain to me, and did nothing to mess-up the music, and worked with my Squeezbox Touch and Duet


Finally, after years of saving, I bought the Berkeley Audio Alpha Dac II.... arguably the best DAC with HDCD out there, flexibility, and good reviews,
and right at the limit of sanity for what I will pay for a single piece of audio gear, roughly $4500

And low and behold I had a complete overhaul of what I thought was possible for my audio system and most importantly my enjoyment of music,
most all of which is in digital format and not available on viny......the digital blues were gone, hurrah!
,
Moral of the story, spending a bunch on a state of the art dac, has renewed my faith in this hobby, and what is possible for all my music stored digitally...spending more greatly increased my enjoyment of the music...sad but true :wink_face:

You can still save up for the Diamond DAC...

 

[DefQon]

That MSB Diamond Dac measures worse than it's less expensive competition.

 

[warrenpchi]

Thread Hi-Jack Status Check.................... COMPLETE.

 

[yifu]

Well that's all the better for you, most people just have to find that magical rig that works for them and in the year 2011 after much experimenting i was lucky enough to find that rig in the form of an AMB Mini3 and a HD650(which i was lucky enough to get for free in the only HD650 lottery on headfi) and an RE0 for my portable. I've since changed over to a TripleFi (which i lost) and i am happy with both the RE0 and DBA02. 
 
Since i've found that rig i've had like 20 posts? To me at least nothing is better than my current setup, all 'upgrades' to the HD650 are either heavier or hotter to the ear so i cannot enjoy them comfortably or offer very little extra in terms of sound quality. I've heard many amps and i think the differences between amps is overstated by most, for that i am very happy with the Mini3. And after fit issues with customs, i've not heard anything better than the DBA02. So i guess that's the end of my journey for now, i can spend more on 'sidegrades' but whats the point? I really pity those who have 10,000+ posts and thousands of dollars spent and yet have not found what worked for them.

 

[krismusic]

I

I used the same old cd/dac for 5 of the 7 years I have been serious about this hobby. All the while I upgraded all the equipment around it...

It was the Adcom GCD-750 circa 1999-2000, I bought it used in 2007, about a year into putting together my 1st system

specs:

Adcom GCD-750:    balanced design, 4x BB 1702 dac, 6v out balanced and 3v out rca, and had, rare for its time, coaxial digital input!!!...oddly no digital out

anyway, it also had HDCD, the pmd100 converter, and I have a large collection of HDCD from the Grateful Dead (audiophile cred and music tastes are questionable right there!!:confused_face: )
It was neutral, had a great analog output stage, flexible, strong 3v single-ended output was great for direct to Decware Taboo tube amp....a bargain to me, and did nothing to mess-up the music, and worked with my Squeezbox Touch and Duet


Finally, after years of saving, I bought the Berkeley Audio Alpha Dac II.... arguably the best DAC with HDCD out there, flexibility, and good reviews,
and right at the limit of sanity for what I will pay for a single piece of audio gear, roughly $4500

And low and behold I had a complete overhaul of what I thought was possible for my audio system and most importantly my enjoyment of music,
most all of which is in digital format and not available on viny......the digital blues were gone, hurrah!
,
Moral of the story, spending a bunch on a state of the art dac, has renewed my faith in this hobby, and what is possible for all my music stored digitally...spending more greatly increased my enjoyment of the music...sad but true :wink_face:

I think the fundamental truth I have learned is that awesome sound is possible for serious money. The snake oil merchants thrive in the middle ground IMO. I think that it is a myth that is very lucrative for the industry that high end performance is possible from the "right" combination of mid price gear.

 

[Tilpo]

Thread Hi-Jack Status Check.................... COMPLETE.

I'm debating unsubscribing my own thread.

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

I'm debating unsubscribing my own thread.

 
Lol,

  Although, lemme know if you do, I'll bail too.

 

[krismusic]

I'm debating unsubscribing my own thread.

I don't understand why. People's responses have been relevant to your original post. Haven't they?

 

[Tilpo]

I don't understand why. People's responses have been relevant to your original post. Haven't they?

Yes, approximately 10% is. The other 90% isn't.

Furthermore, I think some people have lost the very essence of my OP, but that doesn't matter. People like posting here apparently, and I'm honored to have them stay here.

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

Hey, respects graphs and data will you!
As a physics and math undergrad and person who will potentially end up working as a statistician or data analyst, I am deeply offended by your lack of faith in science.

 
You know, many moons ago I also wanted to study physics and maths and, to this day, I'm certainly not averse to science. Eventually, I studied something else where science is key in the proper understanding of this particular discipline. HOWEVER, science, as I'm sure you're aware (hopefully!) has its limitations — though, by the same token, there are certain areas in life where people should try to be a little more scientific / objective.
 
Quote:

I'm debating unsubscribing my own from this thread.

 
Same here.

 

[krismusic]

I think that is because what you said touched a nerve.

 

[Tilpo]

I think that is because what you said touched a nerve.

Perhaps it did. But controversy brings progress.

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

Quote:

I don't understand why. People's responses have been relevant to your original post. Haven't they?

Yes, approximately 10% is. The other 90% isn't.

 
I was guilty of some of that myself, but I've stopped that. 

 

[Tilpo]

You know, many moons ago I also wanted to study physics and maths and, to this day, I'm certainly not averse to science. Eventually, I studied something else where science is key in the proper understanding of this particular discipline. HOWEVER, science, as I'm sure you're aware (hopefully!) has its limitations — though, by the same token, there are certain areas in life where people should try to be a little more scientific / objective.

I am fully well aware of that. For example, the other day I learned that it's mathematically impossible to describe the Newtonian interaction between three gravitational bodies without using numerical approximations. Kinda shows that even in simple situations math doesn't even does what one might expect out of it.
In the end it's nothing more than a tool we use to analyse things.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Quote:

I am fully well aware of that. For example, the other day I learned that it's mathematically impossible to describe the Newtonian interaction between three gravitational bodies without using numerical approximations. Kinda shows that even in simple situations math doesn't even does what one might expect out of it.
In the end it's nothing more than a tool we use to analyse things.

but arent newtonian interactions just an aproximation, albet a very good one, too?