[filthy mechanical]

And, if we go this way, it opens up new opportunities for light pipes (and other internal parts) with more flexibility in size and spacing...that don't have to be engineered to pop out of molds! I have to un-learn whole categories of stuff again, just like CNC vs stamping. You have no idea what kind of amazeballs it is when you don't have to consider mold limitations.

Agreed, not on the consumer goods side of it but I've run into mold limitations industrially. There is this neat High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) ceramic coating one of the 3 main machine OEMs makes that was amazing at my first shop taking a 500 heat mold to 2000 heats overnight, no mold powder change, no grade changes just the coating from nickel-chrome to this ceramic with all sorts of OEM special sauce. Go to the next job, since it is now a tube mold instead of 4 independent sheets of copper we can't get the machine head into the mold to apply the coating and have to stick to the nickel-chrome and the lower life. Had we been casting 1 inch larger in each direction billets the machine head would have fit. Never considered having 4 plates like below instead of a tube was such a limitation, but back with plate molds so we can do all sorts of fun stuff.

Caster mold for reference, the copper mold has a coating on it with varying thickness based on machine, grades cast, operating practice, CAPEX vs OPEX price breaks, etc:

 

[Paladin79]

Thank you both for the ideas ... I am always looking for new (to me) jazz drummers. May I propose a guy who's still alive - Brian Blade. Check him out in Chick Corea's Trio (sadly, RIP) along with Christian McBride on bass.

With the Gungnir MB technology and Sennheiser HD800, I can hear everything the drummer is doing - and that's very important to me. I want to hear the mistakes, too. Poorly recorded music need not apply. And, IMO, the best drummers are the most emotional - the capability of a light touch is imperative. I never got into rock drumming as much ... although I have much respect for Neal Peart's work. YMMV as always

I really like the HD800's and use some in comparisons. Friends have not set it up yet but there is a good chance we will use those headphones for DAC comparisons. For home use the Gungnir MB and Focal Utopias are something I have used for a long time.

I have a Bifrost 2 that should be going to my son as he upgrades his system. He helped me load and haul a bunch of audio gear so that may have helped him on the course to upgrading his own gear.

 

[Bonehead7171]

Very cool. What are your impressions of Geffen Hall?

My seats were amazing and the orchestra sounded great! Very fun and easy experience - no neighbors with body odor or halitosis @ArmchairPhilosopher! HAHAHA!!!

 

[RCBinTN]

One thing about the HD800 are their large size ... they don't contact my ears at all. How do the Utopias compare as for size? I hate on-ear HPs. YMMV as always

 

[rfernand]

OMG please NO.

Isn’t choice great?

That would kill the ideas and skills of the Schitt specialists

Schiit’s value proposition is a lot stronger than that.

And if MQA gets folks interested in music as something more than background noise, more people will try more devices and they will vote with their ears.

 

[Erratic Gravy]

Thank you both for the ideas ... I am always looking for new (to me) jazz drummers. May I propose a guy who's still alive - Brian Blade. Check him out in Chick Corea's Trio (sadly, RIP) along with Christian McBride on bass.

With the Gungnir MB technology and Sennheiser HD800, I can hear everything the drummer is doing - and that's very important to me. I want to hear the mistakes, too. Poorly recorded music need not apply. And, IMO, the best drummers are the most emotional - the capability of a light touch is imperative. I never got into rock drumming as much ... although I have much respect for Neal Peart's work. YMMV as always

Multibit DACs do seem to handle percussion exceptionally well IMHO ! (taking cover for the comebacks !!)

 

[Erratic Gravy]

Thank you, thank you. I thought I was the only one who understood.
Subs with Quad electrostatic speakers is a nightmare. But I'm always having a hard time to convince people.
Big boom (not bass), is making big impression among your friends apparently.
Peter Walker once said it very nice in an interview many years back. If you have a sub in your playback system and play a pieces with cello(s), better turn it off if you don't want the cello to sound like an upright bass. (or something of those words) I could not agree more.


OMG please NO. That would kill the ideas and skills of the Schitt specialists Mike, Dave, Ivana and Gerald (if I recall correct from the last Jason and Dave video) to come up with new magic. Leave all the "standard" to the others, I will take Schiit sauce every day and twice in the weekend.

I went to a Quad music evening presented by Peter Walker himself way back in the mists of time- the stacked ESL57 and 22/202 valve set up I think an early Pink Triangle deck - absolutely spellbinding , I dont get most Opera TBH but the last movement of Tosca was a revelation through this setup

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

And if MQA gets folks interested in music as something more than background noise, more people will try more devices and they will vote with their ears.

I believe that the people are here because they listen with their ears. That's also why MQA is trashed.

Of course, YMMV.

JC

 

[Erratic Gravy]

Reminds me of a little jazz club I went to every once in a while back when I still lived in Cologne: Papa Joe's.

I miss that place — and the free peanuts.

These venues were visceral ,hot and almost otherworldly and I'm yet to find anywhere that comes even close now -

 

[Les Strat]

These venues were visceral ,hot and almost otherworldly and I'm yet to find anywhere that comes even close now -

I went to The Half Moon in Putney for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

A legendary venue where The Who, and Stones, amongst others, have played.
https://www.halfmoon.co.uk/about-us/

I live 200 miles north of London now, so it meant an overnight stay in a hotel, but it was well worth it.

Fantastic, intimate venue.

The band was 'Kossoff: The Band Plays On'.
https://www.kossoffthebandplayson.com/about.html

They were stunningly good!

I have been to hundreds, if not thousands, of gigs over the years and this one was right up there with the best I've ever attended.
I was very fortunate to see Paul Kossoff, in 1975, the year before he died.
He remains one of my all-time favourite guitarists.
John Buckton is the only other guitarist I have seen who can play like the great man himself.
Absolutely brilliant!

A special night where we had the opportunity to chat to all of the band members at the bar afterwards.

 

[corndog71]

Did someone say rock drummer?

 

[Erratic Gravy]

I went to The Half Moon in Putney for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

A legendary venue where The Who, and Stones, amongst others, have played.
https://www.halfmoon.co.uk/about-us/

I live 200 miles north of London now, so it meant an overnight stay in a hotel, but it was well worth it.

Fantastic, intimate venue.

The band was 'Kossoff: The Band Plays On'.
https://www.kossoffthebandplayson.com/about.html

They were stunningly good!

I have been to hundreds, if not thousands, of gigs over the years and this one was right up there with the best I've ever attended.
I was very fortunate to see Paul Kossoff, in 1975, the year before he died.
He remains one of my all-time favourite guitarists.
John Buckton is the only other guitarist I have seen who can play like the great man himself.
Absolutely brilliant!

A special night where we had the opportunity to chat to all of the band members at the bar afterwards.

Yep - similar background - I would often jump on the train to London, loads of good Music venue pubs n clubs - plus locally too , NB my late father was an acoustic engineer specialising in noise control ( helmholtz stuff and isolation doowads ) and worked on many studio setups - inc Abbey rd and BBC Maida Vale - I would tag along in the school hols ' to help' saw some amazing performances -- Happy days

 

[Paladin79]

One thing about the HD800 are their large size ... they don't contact my ears at all. How do the Utopias compare as for size? I hate on-ear HPs. YMMV as always

They are more of an oval shape but they do not contact my ears but then ear size varies. Roughly 2.5 x 2 inch oval at the widest and tallest parts of the oval.

I have heard some who say the Utopia high range can be a bit intense but not for me since I only run tube gear and can roll tubes as I wish, they are perfect for my application. Four of the hd800's are still in use with headphone amps friends and I use for comparisons because most folks had them and their sound reproduction is quite accurate IMHO. To use the Utopias would have been a cost of around $17,000, they do open up the top end on my amps a slight bit more but not $10,000 more. Those four amps were my first iteration and since then I made a few changes that are geared more to the capabilities of the Utopias.

Has anyone felt there was a ceiling in place when listening to headphones and headphone amps? I am not very good at describing things but with the Utopias the sound just drifts higher and higher and fades away. It helps with artists like Diana Damrau IMHO.

 

[GumbyDammit223]

One thing about the HD800 are their large size ... they don't contact my ears at all. How do the Utopias compare as for size? I hate on-ear HPs. YMMV as always

That's the ONE thing I strongly dislike about the Utopias. They touch the edges of my ears and I'm CONSTANTLY fiddling with them to get rid of that feeling. One of the reasons I quit using my Drop HE4xx quite a while ago. My can wear my Ether 2's all day long because they don't do that. I just picked up a set of ZMF Atrium that don't touch either. I was surprised by how heavy the Atrium is but once it's on my head, the weight disappears.

 

[RCBinTN]

Multibit DACs do seem to handle percussion exceptionally well IMHO ! (taking cover for the comebacks !!)

Going from Gungnir D/S to Gungnir MB was the game-changer for me. Like flipping "ON" the great sound switch.