Hello! GuddoggEli here. I am a retired Civil Engineer. I am a long time member of Antique Radio Forums. I have a basic understanding of circuits, some specialized tools and equipment, and a whole pile of antique radios in various stages of disrepair...but I'm distinctly lacking in a modern understanding of high fidelity equipment. The last item I hope to get a schooling from you guys. Yes, of course, i have a series of questions, which I plan to ask in future posts. As a warning, I'll list a few here:
1) I have an iPod Touch Gen 4 and a Sony NWZ-S544 for casual listening to mp3 music. They are fairly strong on functionality, but lack of ability to play lossless files seems to be a fatal flaw. Is there a cheap, small digital audio player that plays at least a couple lossless formats? What would you suggest?
2) And, I will be needing a new library. What is recommended for the format? What is a good cost-effective source for lossless files? (I would be willing to rip some files from physical sources, if that is a reasonable option.)
3) I have a need for a headphone amp. I found an older Little Dot MT from an audiophile who claims it was treated gently. Even so, the micro tubes may be exhibiting degradation. Does anyone have any experience rolling the 6N16B-Q? Just curious, how is that hybrid amp regarded?
4) The O2-ODAC in various forms seem highly regarded. Mayflower offers a kit with the option of rear-mounted power port. Any thoughts? Most of my experience is with point-to-point circuitry. Is this something I could comfortably do?
5) With a decent digital audio player, a decent DAC, a decent amp, and some software in lossless format, my next "need" is a decent set of IEMs. You can tell I'm cheap, so I'd like some suggestions as to a "decent" set of IEMs for...say...$150 or less. I will listen to arguments for higher priced ones, though"
So, "Howdy" and are you regretting letting me in yet?