[Daniel Johnston]

Having just seen an add for another piece of gear that is touted as made with a CNC machined case, I am staggered by how many companies promote it and how many reviewers get excited about it. If that is all that you can say about your product, then you really haven't designed something very special.

CNC is not some artisan method of manufacturing, it is automated production. This isn't some ancient and wise Japanese blacksmith making a sword by hammering hundreds of layers of steel together. Making a box out of solid aluminum is dumb and wasteful. Designing it that way and selling it as something special is lazy. CNC is not premium, it is actually a bloody stupid way to make an enclosure.

Thank you, Jason, for good industrial design that still looks premium whilst still being sensible. Even if your vendors probably use CNC in the folding and in the pick and place to make the boards. In the right place, CNC can make sense.

For large audio items (Yggy sized for example), CNC machine made seems to be horrifically wasteful.

 

[JamminVMI]

Except for when your Gravity Racing !! which I do !!
Me in the Gravity racer and I have been going rapidly downhill ever since !!

So much for your “uphill both ways” argument to the kids…

 

[sixergixer]

As much as I love my Zu Speakers combined with Aegir, I would think the DWX would be too big for a desktop set-up. Each is 42 pounds and is 12" x 12" x 23" in size. I bet they sound great though!

Apparently, they can work extremely well in this scenario but not on the desk itself.

Six Moons reviewer Srajan Ebaen really enjoyed these speakers in a nearfield setup. Here's the link to his considerably verbose review.

 

[artur9]

...

CNC is not some artisan method of manufacturing, it is automated production. This isn't some ancient and wise Japanese blacksmith making a sword by hammering hundreds of layers of steel together. Making a box out of solid aluminum is dumb and wasteful. ...

Can I get one of those Japanese-blacksmith-made boxes? That would be cool. The patterning on that would make the "grain" on Schiit's silver cry salty salty tears!

There is one manufacturer, can't remember which, that uses CNC to make little compartments for each of the boards in the product. I thought that was interesting. OTOH, is aluminum a good "faraday cage" material?

 

[cschock]

Apparently, they can work extremely well in this scenario but not on the desk itself.



Six Moons reviewer Srajan Ebaen really enjoyed these speakers in a nearfield setup. Here's the link to his considerably verbose review.

As a studio monitor, which is really what this setup is, I could see them being amazing!

 

[artur9]

Apparently, they can work extremely well in this scenario but not on the desk itself.



Six Moons reviewer Srajan Ebaen really enjoyed these speakers in a nearfield setup. Here's the link to his considerably verbose review.

For that monitor, I'd consider the no-longer-manufactured Artison Sketch/Profile. Seemed convenient. Saw some on eBay for very low prices (like < $200)

P.S. Those sixmoon reviews are completely ridiculous. 10 images on each page with like 2 sentences between each to pad the reviews out to 10 pages. Sheesh!
I prefer @ArmchairPhilosopher 's brand of verbose: solid wall of text....

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Can I get one of those Japanese-blacksmith-made boxes? That would be cool. The patterning on that would make the "grain" on Schiit's silver cry salty salty tears!

There is one manufacturer, can't remember which, that uses CNC to make little compartments for each of the boards in the product. I thought that was interesting. OTOH, is aluminum a good "faraday cage" material?

I can't think aluminum is a good RFI isolating material. Maybe the experts will weigh in.

 

[JamminVMI]

And like burning down the house is *not* an acceptable risk in the pursuit of audio perfection? Are you OK?

Of course it is! By the Talking Heads, right?

 

[JamminVMI]

Have you tried the hybrid pads that Drop offers? Not only way more comfortable, but a nice step up sonically (IMO).

Second that motion!

 

[earnmyturns]

My previous experience is that surge protectors stifle the sound

I use surge protectors designed for labs and studios. They are not cheap (~$400) but they have no audible impact. My two main locations have "interesting" weather-related power risks (such as trees falling on power lines) that are not friendly to delicate electronics.

 

[earnmyturns]

random thoughts on unused irons. MQ S240a PP nickel pinstripe.
not tube collector, but too many irons.

Ooh, being a 2A3 fan... What's you take on those TJs?

 

[jonathan c]

I prefer @ArmchairPhilosopher's brand of verbose: solid wall of text....

.... It all makes sense: Phil Spector = wall of sound; Phil osopher = wall of text.

 

[bcowen]

.... It all makes sense: Phil Spector = wall of sound; Phil osopher = wall of text.

Does that mean Phil harmonic = wall of music?

(sorry....)

 

[jonathan c]

Let's not overlook:

Phil ips ECG 5814 =

 

[decooney]

Kara - sound character, what?

As a former Schiit product owner, I was considering a new Kara preamp - possibly buying / trying / evaluating and comparing to other higher $ preamps on my own dime.
If it worked out to be a "keeper", the plan was to put Kara in rotation to pair up with my Class A 50w solid state amplifier -or- with my two KT120/KT150 mono block tube amplifiers.

I've read posts by members reportedly hearing a difference and improvement after 1.5 to 2 weeks of playing time with the new Kara. I still cannot discern from comments if the character of the Kara is mostly a neutral, clear, more analytical sound -or- if Kara has any character that makes it smooth, or lush, or resist to say, "musical" in a memorable way.

I sent some email questions in to the Schiit house, and no response. I'll probably go a different direction, yet still enjoy reading posts by members who feel comfortable sharing thoughts and impressions about how it sounds -or hearing from anyone actively comparing to other (industry known) Class A preamps, and which ones.

ASK:
Are there any Head-Fi members here running home audio systems who care to comment -or- help to raise the fog a little bit more for me, what am I missing about Kara?

Thanks in advance for any replies.