[yonson]

I've stopped my PC component obsession, now it's audio gear.



I like bigger screens.

I've moved along to audio gear as well...

I totally understand the bigger screen thing. When I was doing reverse engineering etc... I used 4 24" monitors. Now that I mainly do calibration work I've "downgraded" to the laptop screen and dual 22's on 1 laptop and a 24" screen hooked up to the other laptop (both for work) at home I just drag around my old 14" Dell which is perfect for browsing, research etc... around the house (for me at least)...

 

[yonson]

Oppo UDP 205 -- ooh, I want that gear!

We use an Oppo BDP-103 but not for ripping CDs.
It's for watching BluRay DVDs and listening together on our dual HD800. Usually live music shows.
The rig is: Oppo - toslink - GMB - BHA-1 - HD800 x2.
The video and audio quality is excellent. And, the Oppo's transport is rock solid.

I would still be using my BDP-105D if I didn't need 4k, I actually pre-ordered the 205 and other than the GUI I've been QUITE happy with it. I run HDMI and Balanced to an Emotiva XMC-1 for video (maybe 10% of the time) or 2 channel use at all other times...

 

[FalM]

Salks were the listening setup in the Schiitr when we visited, and I did really like them. Jody was entranced with the whole setup, having listened to music mainly as mp3 on poor devices. I did, briefly, consider the Salks but I have lusted for the DIs for a while now. Also the Salk web site made it so hard to determine what was what that I probably wouldn't have had the patience to stick with it!

I have the vision of my father rotating in his grave saying "You spent HOW MUCH on speakers". )

Yes, the Salk site can be a bit overwhelming but Jim Salk answers emails very promptly. Great to work with. I got mine used so the financial blow was a bit less.

 

[yonson]

I buy CDs from secondspin.com and rip them to flac on my server. Their packing is terrible, but through the CDs are claimed to be used, I've only ever had one that was unreadable. If you are prepared to rip (I use EAC) it is a very cost effective way to get high quality sources - the CDs are oten as low as $1.99 (though some are more costly), and then if anyone uses the Honey coupon system, I often get 20-25% additional discount.

Cheers

Thanks, i'll give them a look.

 

[yonson]

Salks were the listening setup in the Schiitr when we visited, and I did really like them. Jody was entranced with the whole setup, having listened to music mainly as mp3 on poor devices. I did, briefly, consider the Salks but I have lusted for the DIs for a while now. Also the Salk web site made it so hard to determine what was what that I probably wouldn't have had the patience to stick with it!

I have the vision of my father rotating in his grave saying "You spent HOW MUCH on speakers". )

I heard them at Axpona 2 years ago with one of the first Vidar/Freya combos was enough to sell me on Vidar!

 

[RCBinTN]

Thatnks for the thoughts! We just moved (a month yesterday, in that time we have arrived to a dining room celing on the floor due to a flooded bath/bed upstairs, the drying out jets, the remediation and then a collapse on the way to the ER - it has been a rocky start!). On the upside, I implemented Roon on the ROCK and have been converted form a skeptic to a believer. I had run Roon server on an iMac and when that went missing in the move, on a Dell server and neither were entirely satisfactory. The ROCK is the best investment so far!

So, to answer your question, I have a Roon playlist called SoundCheck that has been assembled for that very event! I will probably set it to random play, but the leading contender is "Layla, Wynton Marsalis / Eric Clapton form the Play the Blues: Live at Lincoln Center". If you haven't heard that album it is sublime! Turn up the volume.

If anyone does happen to be in the Research Triangle area, you would be most welcome to come by and listen!

Cheers

Graham

Wow, what a moving tale! Hope things settle down soon, Graham!
After viewing your playlist, I just ordered the Play the Blues: Live at Lincoln Center - looks to be fantastic music - thanks for the tip!!

 

[Ripper2860]

I can't confirm or correct.

That is not something I had considered. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, and maybe someone can help us out.

Someone posted previously that they received confirmation from Schiit that MB extended warm-up times only truly apply to Yggy due to its unique design and implementation. (It may extend to Gumby, given the similarities between it and Yggy, but that just me saying that.)

So the word is that according to Schiit, the MB extended warm-up concerns do not apply to the Bifrost MB, Modi 2 MB, or the MB DAC option card, as they reach optimum operational temp shortly after power-on.

** I would personally go an external DAC due to greater input flexibility, isolated power supply, and the additional shielding provided by having its own case/enclosure.

 

[artur9]

They will be hooked up to Tekton DoubleImpacts (that arrived yesterday) in due course.

Reichert @ Stereophile did a review of the bookshelf version of those. At least, I assume that the 100lbs version you have isn't the bookshelf version.

 

[artur9]

Yes, the Salk site can be a bit overwhelming but Jim Salk answers emails very promptly. Great tot work with. I got mine used so the financial blow was a bit less.

I'ld like to reiterate this. Jim Salk is very approachable via email.

The Salk site also lists used speakers that can be quite a bargain if it's what you're looking for. Some of the customizations are a bit out there, if you ask me.

 

[Paladin79]

Someone posted previously that they received confirmation from Schiit that MB extended warm-up times only truly apply to Yggy due to its unique design and implementation. (It may extend to Gumby, given the similarities between it and Yggy, but that just me saying that.)

So the word is that according to Schiit, the MB extended warm-up concerns do not apply to the Bifrost MB, Modi 2 MB, or the MB DAC option card, as they reach optimum operational temp within minutes of power on.

** I would personally go an external DAC due to greater input flexibility, isolated power supply, and the additional shielding provided by having its own case/enclosure.

I have read the Gumby can take four days, the Yggy 300 hours, I noticed the Gumby settling in a bit after a few hours but I need to spend more time with it when time allows.

 

[Ripper2860]

My comment is related to warm-up time after power-on. I think you're talking about burn-in time, which while valid is not what I was referring to. I'd hate to think that after a power outage I'd have to wait 300 hours before an Yggy started to sounding good again.

 

[Paladin79]

yes that is burn in time. It was about the only info I could find.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

I think that's burn-in time not warm-up after power-on. I'd hate to think that after a power outage I'd have to wait 300 hours before it started to sound good again.

They're both real and easy to hear.

 

[Ableza]

Mike Moffat said in his blog thread that in his opinion, just leave DACs powered on all the time for best performance. He went so far as to say he resisted putting a power switch in them at all but did so because it he thought people would freak out without one. Me, I leave my DACs on all the time.

 

[Ripper2860]

For the record -- I never power mine off and if one has an external, I would recommend leaving it on at all times. One the other hand, and for those considering the MB DAC Option card, I would imagine and hope that Mike (and Jason) would not have signed off on a MB DAC Option card for Lyr 3 if there was a significant and extended audible performance hit that required one to leave their tube amp on in order to keep the DAC powered on and toasty.