[rkw]

Really hope Qobuz Connect makes it easier to stream directly on the pi in full hi res quality

It will depend on what will be available for RPi. For Spotify Connect, nothing is officially sanctioned by Spotify and it was backward engineered by independent developers. For Tidal Connect, I only know it to be available as part of streamer products — Volumio Premium (paid subscription) or under license built into streamer devices. There was a beta version of Tidal Connect for RPi leaked on GitHub but it was proprietary not open source.

Volumio has said that they will add Qobuz Connect to Volumio Premium once it becomes available. It isn't clear whether Qobuz Connect client will be open source.

All I've heard about it was from the admin of the Qobuz Club forum who stated some time ago that the feature was definitely in the works. Haven't been on there in a little while so I'm not aware of any updates on that end.

Last month a Qobuz product manager posted this on the Qobuz issues thread regarding Qobuz Connect:

The project is progressing well but is taking time. I don't want to give any deadlines because it's hard to meet them. The project is complex with few resources (Qobuz being a small company).​

But it's going really well and I'm confident of a launch this year.​

 

[sixergixer]

Depends on the age of the missile. It could be on Facebook or TikTok instead.

And if it was Cold War old, it'd be sending out typed missives to its newsletter subscribers, maybe with a sticker in the envelope.

 

[bassvirtuoso]

@NoBodyNoWhere @Roy G. Biv @Moondog55 @mystaiced thank you! I'm mostly looking at a Bifrost at this point, but there are a few used Gumbys that have caught my eye.

 

[Balthazar B]

I have heard that it might be Kens, but----.

Could be both. Paladin Sandwich, anyone?

 

[Zachik]

Still waiting for photos...maybe today, maybe tomorrow.

That is a REALLY long exposure for those photos!!!

 

[sam6550a]

1x GHorn vs 1x Rekkr

OK. Since Aegir 2 has replaced my 2x GHorns in my speaker rig, I thought it might be time some provide MY thoughts on 1x GHorn vs 1x Rekkr on my desktop rig.

I’ll try to be to the point. The Rekkr is a very good amp. GHorn is a very, very good amp. I’ll focus on the commonalities and then the differences that I experienced in my desktop rig, with my gear, using my ears, and my music. (Spoiler: The GHorn probably wins).

Things in common:

• Both amps are BLACK.
• Both have power switches on the back.
• Both produce sound when fed an analog signal and connected to speakers.
• Both produce adequate output to drive my desktop speakers.
• Both have inaudible levels of distortion when driven within their design limits.

Where the GHorn wins (possibly):

• It's a tad louder when turning the volume knob farther to the right.
  • Had to switch to low gain in order to get better use of the volume pot.
• It's more expensive, so it's gotta be better.
• It's bigger, so it's definitely gotta be better.
• It's got more power so it's absolutely gotta be better.

Summary:

Well, the summary is not going to be Earth shattering. The GHorn is probably better. Does it deliver notable improvements over Rekkr? Surely it must. Moar $$ + Moar Bigger + Moar Power = Moar Louder so after applying the transitive law of audio, Moar Louder = Moar Better sound.

My Desktop Speaker Rig:

OG Piety HP amplifier
Schiit Bifrost 2/64
1 pair of Tom's Radial Speakers (4 Ohm)
Acoustic Audio PSW-8 subwoofer

Listened to: Beck 'Sea Change' -- Pono remaster

Disclaimer:

YMMV.

Seriously: I like it better and may very well pull this remaining GHorn off the Classifieds section and post-up the Rekkr. Or I may not.

Or start a third system in your garage/shop/workplace or schiiter.

 

[adydula]

These cans are waiting patiently for the Vali 3!!

Been a loooooooog road to here....such a wonderful journey!

 

[JamminVMI]

Is the house covered by fire insurance?

Hell, is the FUSE covered?!?!?

 

[sam6550a]

@NoBodyNoWhere @Roy G. Biv @Moondog55 @mystaiced thank you! I'm mostly looking at a Bifrost at this point, but there are a few used Gumbys that have caught my eye.

I have used Gumby on Sony and Samsung TVs with no problem [once you figure out how to set the TV].

 

[Bonehead7171]

I’ll know a lot more once I get something like an Yggy, Bifrost/64. Question: how does Gumby or other, earlier Schiit multi-bits compare to those two (available new). Money’s not exactly flowing like spring water, and I would definitely consider used.

I have the last version of the Gumby and I love it. I think they are pretty reasonable if you can find them used. Also, not to piss anyone off, but I had the BF/64 in house when I got this Gumby, and there is a BIG jump up in naturalness and tone color between the 2. Best of luck!

 

[JamminVMI]

Whiskey pricing is a dark art, and by dark I mean I assume much nefarity* from the marketing gurus. Obviously, a distillery needs to at least break even on a barrel of whiskey that has sat for years, and if they can make a profit even better...

[Which reminds me of that lovely Julian P. "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr. quote that, "We make fine bourbon at a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon."]

...but ultimately it seems that distilleries, especially the big boys, decide where they want a particular product to exist in the market -- higher up for a prestige luxury release like Kentucky Owl at $400, or a mid-shelf bottle at $75, or an entry level bottle at $35, for example -- and that does not always equate to the actual quality of the juice inside. To my mind, Kentucky Owl being a blend of 4-year and 7 to 14-year bourbons simply cannot justify commanding four hundred dollars when Utah's High West does similarly aged blends for $hundreds less, which is why I've never bought a bottle of the Owl; they just never made any damned sense to me as a brand. But then, Jack Daniel's sells an uncommonly good Single Barrel Select Tenn. Whiskey for under $50. It's usually just marketing decisions and they rarely make sense to enthusiasts. One of my recent favorites, Russels's Reserve 13-Year Bourbon, doubled in price in its second year, and doubled again from that in its third year. It is no longer a favorite of mine.

*I had to look up my use of nefarity because my phone flagged it as incorrect. Oh, the English language is a quirky one. Nefariousness is stupid.

So does Kentucky Owl follow the solera method, or is it just the blending committee (or single palate) that decides? There's one bourbon that uses the solera method, I'm just wracking my brain (such that it is) to remember whom. Hillrock (yeah, I googled). Speaking of that style, there's a Dominican rum that I LOVE that uses the solera method, Ron Zacapa. They put 23yo on the bottle, but with a solera method, doing the maths is rather fraught.

And all this should come at no surprise, there being marketing folks at ALL levels, including retail. I prefer to let my palate be my guide, but to each their own. And you're bang on with favourites being determined by palate - and by price. Some stuff (bourbon and scotch included), gets priced right out of my favourites list!

And thank s for the nefarity. I might not have used it in that way, but will now. All I can see in my head is Snidely Whiplash rubbing his hands with glee (for all you old-ish folks out there!).

 

[Rattle]

Yep, SACD was my “final” attempt 15-20 years ago to get digital that sounded GOOD. Of those 4 you posted, I have the Scheherazade (quite possible the best classical recording ever, IMHO), and the Mussorgsky as well. I also have LSC’s for both of them (both original pressings in relatively low stamper numbers, and reissues from places like Acoustic Sounds, etc.)

In fact SACD was the reason I got the Cambridge Audio Azur… my CAL Delta wouldn’t play em!

And, those SACDs do sound wonderful, but, the LPs (for now) are better. (I.e. for that Reiner/Chicago Scheherazade, etc.). Now, for non-acoustic, non-classical, non-minimally-miked/mixed music, SACD in particular, can really blow one away. I prefer the SACD version of Pink Floyd’s Wish you were here to its LP counterpart (whether original pressing, or more recent “audiophile” repressing on heavy vinyl, etc.). To earlier posts, it’s because there is no “real” soundstage to be chased/had, let alone KNOWN and experienced! In those cases, one must go on: does it sound GUUD 2 ME? But with classical, i can objectively distinguish enough to improve when/where needed.

This isn’t a religion for me (although the first 10 years I was on the *all digital sucks” bandwagon - much like Mike Moffat (sounds like ass)… but, I’m “coming around” (that said my hearing today is almost certainly not what it was 30+ years ago).

I’ll know a lot more once I get something like an Yggy, Bifrost/64. Question: how does Gumby or other, earlier Schiit multi-bits compare to those two (available new). Money’s not exactly flowing like spring water, and I would definitely consider used.

Affordable schiit multi bit dacs cured the "digital sucks" for me. Before that first DAC I was 90 % vinyl spinage. It's been maybe 6 years, got BF2 OG for headphone rigs and gungnir A2 for the stereo and now I'm 90% digital on speakers and 100% on headphones.

 

[golfbravobravo]

Depends on the age of the missile. It could be on Facebook or TikTok instead.

Well, one of my groups - for a frigate I served on - talks regularly about the main armament (and its mishaps), Ikara.

 

[Ableza]

Ableza would say that each output should be fed to an individual DAC so you will need to buy three separate Yggies for them. I kid, I kid.

Nah, I would not dictate to someone else how to set up their personal system, only describe how mine is set up and express my opinion on proper usage.
Each digital source -> separate DAC -> analog preamp for switching.
Unless the DAC is also designed as a digital preamp, then it would be different. But do whatever floats your boat, it's no skin off my nose.

 

[Slackaveli]

my God what a stack lol. #outofroom