[Bruceli]

What is it, exactly, that you find lacking with the 1200? I’ve had mine for several years and it continues to offer a great musical experience.

Never know if no comparation. It is why I ask.

 

[Cliffh93]

Heuer, Rolex, and multiple other Swiss for me.

I have a decent collection of IWC's, mostly vintage, about half of them pocket watches. My newest one was built in 2005, so maybe they're all vintage now.

IWC was once a really good company that let their marketing department get totally out of control.

 

[FLTWS]

Furman's equipment gets a thumbs up from me. It performed great with those spring and fall, multiple on/offs my power company is fond of performing where the power switches 4 or 5 times in less than a minute. That's in addition to the summer time lightening activities. It's protection and recovery processes are excellent and I think its saved a piece or two of my audio equipment and my plasma TV over the years. I have 2 x 15PFi's and will be taking both with me when I move. I'll use one on my flight simulator PC and peripherals and the other on my TV and the 4 pieces of audio gear I will hang onto. Highly recommended.

 

[hornytoad]

Wouldn't the adult toy market count as a live performance?

LOL . The adult toy market,like alcohol, is inflation and recession proof!

 

[Cliffh93]

Unless you are a collector, or just like showing off, I just don't see the point of fancy watches at this point. My phone or computer will always tell me the time more accurately and I don't really see the point of wearing a watch as jewelry. Maybe if out in the wilds I could see wearing a sturdy watch but otherwise it seems an anachronism to me.m

Many years ago a car salesman told me they looked at two things to evaluate a man walking in the door - his shoes and his watch.

The watch may not say as much as it used to since many younger men tell time with their phones, and I know several wealthy individuals that are quite comfortable with their Timex Ironmans. When the battery dies they just throw it in the trash and buy another.

 

[RCBinTN]

Like I stated in my post, I hate them.

Tubes to me is:
- unwanted colouration of sound (what most call warm)
- masses of distortion, most 2nd order, but still
- microphonic (the phenomenon where a tube transforms mechanical vibrations into an undesired signal (more noise or feedback)
- recurring (large) costs for replacing tubes and having to set bias correct every X time (in power amps) to be at least near the specs.
- heat dissipation in the cabinet/room
- deterioration starting at the moment you switch things on
- uncontrolled unbalance between channels by degrading/mismatching
- all the talk and fuss about it, the prehistoric myth talk
- space needed to let them breath and not burn your house down
- tube rolling blah blah like: This tube sounds waaay better than that tube. This tube is unobtainium hence sounds incredible.
- Sky high prices for NOS tubes from brand X
- etc. etc.

I've never owned a tube device, and always had this weird phobia about tubes ... that I didn't understand. Until now!
Finally somebody described my phobia in terms that I understand. Thanks

 

[Paladin79]

I've never owned a tube device, and always had this weird phobia about tubes ... that I didn't understand. Until now!
Finally somebody described my phobia in terms that I understand. Thanks

A lot of worst case scenarios were described. Folks drifted away from vinyl records and turntables for specific reasons as well. Now if you take the time to learn and work at a hobby tubes and vinyl might start to grow on you. I know which tubes to buy, I know to allow for proper air flow, I know how to clean tube pins and re-solder octal tube pins etc. Expense wise my audio hobby pays for itself but I do have to work longer hours to pay for tube gear that I do not design myself. The sound is worth it to me. If someone prefers solid state I just say enjoy, my likes are my own. I spent so much time with solid state audio it is just not enjoyable to me anymore. I have purchased most all of Schiit related tube products and kept a few.

Oh and tube amp manufacturers supply information with their products that should alleviate most fears. Schiit certainly does that, even so far as how to follow the tube key when plugging in a 6sn7 equivalent.

 

[Paladin79]

Many years ago a car salesman told me they looked at two things to evaluate a man walking in the door - his shoes and his watch.

The watch may not say as much as it used to since many younger men tell time with their phones, and I know several wealthy individuals that are quite comfortable with their Timex Ironmans. When the battery dies they just throw it in the trash and buy another.

There was a time where I paid more attention to watch, shoes, and even white shirt and ties but that was many years ago. I can recall finally being able to wear polo shirts on casual Fridays lol.
Now I enjoy the internal workings of mechanical Swiss watches and even learned to work on a few.

 

[Mark200]

Like I stated in my post, I hate them.

Tubes to me is:
- unwanted colouration of sound (what most call warm)
- masses of distortion, most 2nd order, but still
- microphonic (the phenomenon where a tube transforms mechanical vibrations into an undesired signal (more noise or feedback)
- recurring (large) costs for replacing tubes and having to set bias correct every X time (in power amps) to be at least near the specs.
- heat dissipation in the cabinet/room
- deterioration starting at the moment you switch things on
- uncontrolled unbalance between channels by degrading/mismatching
- all the talk and fuss about it, the prehistoric myth talk
- space needed to let them breath and not burn your house down
- tube rolling blah blah like: This tube sounds waaay better than that tube. This tube is unobtainium hence sounds incredible.
- Sky high prices for NOS tubes from brand X
- etc. etc.

I have never owned any tube equipment. But one exception I am thinking about making is the Schiit Lyr+ Hybrid Headphone Amp for the following reasons:

• The tube is only for the pre-amp stage. The power amp stage is solid state. So less colorization than a full tube amp
• There is only one tube, so no worry about tube mismatching, etc
• One tube for the pre-amp stage should not generate too much heat
• No bias adjustments needed for the one pre-amp tube
• Pre-amp stage tubes last longer than power stage tubes (not 100% sure about this).
• The amp can be switched to 100% solid state mode via remote control (or just removing the tube).
• Since this is a headphone amp, microphonic effect from a speaker playing in the room will not be a factor

 

[RCBinTN]

Love Brian Bromberg! A couple of other "let's see how much bass this baby's got" suggestions...

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones' 'Flight of the Cosmic Hippo'
Marcus Miller's 'Cousin John'

Well done ... my three favorite modern jazz bassists are Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten and Stanley Clarke. In no particular order.
On acoustic - it's tough to beat Christian McBride at the moment.

 

[RCBinTN]

But the LIM did a better job of catching the delicate tom work, with impressive dynamic contrast.

Great post. The SQ of a lightly struck tom (and cymbal) is a good measure of a DAC's ability, IMO.
Try some Brian Blade music - he's a great jazz drummer.

 

[RCBinTN]

A lot of worst case scenarios were described. Folks drifted away from vinyl records and turntables for specific reasons as well. Now if you take the time to learn and work at a hobby tubes and vinyl might start to grow on you. I know which tubes to buy, I know to allow for proper air flow, I know how to clean tube pins and re-solder octal tube pins etc. Expense wise my audio hobby pays for itself but I do have to work longer hours to pay for tube gear that I do not design myself. The sound is worth it to me. If someone prefers solid state I just say enjoy, my likes are my own. I spent so much time with solid state audio it is just not enjoyable to me anymore. I have purchased most all of Schiit related tube products and kept a few.

Oh and tube amp manufacturers supply information with their products that should alleviate most fears. Schiit certainly does that, even so far as how to follow the tube key when plugging in a 6sn7 equivalent.

I'm at the point in life where I listen to music, not gear. I'm happy with my gear ... I know there are better systems out there.
That said, I'm very impressed with the DAC designed experiments that you folks do, Tom.

 

[dwest1023]

Apple Watches ruined me for anything else.

Avid watch collector here.I own 43 watches of various brands and prices. All in a glass display case. Purchased a Apple Watch and I can no longer see my watches because of the dust

 

[highgrovemanor]

I have a decent collection of IWC's, mostly vintage, about half of them pocket watches. My newest one was built in 2005, so maybe they're all vintage now.

IWC was once a really good company that let their marketing department get totally out of control.

So I had two motivations to collect watches:
1. Something to do while the wife or GF shop for jewelry
2. Right tool for the right job: my (pre Covid) minimum viable collection:


dress watch - silver bracelet, or black and brown if leather. Longines minimalist for me here as hat as the only bracelet not pulling arm hair.

sport/chrono/dive watch - I had a nice Christopher ward that was race car themed

durable / yard day - casio gshock

daily - mechanical or solar for the zombi apocalypse. Had a paneri knock off.

post Covid and post house fire? 1 Fitbit to get insurance break with work.

Back to the Schiit: very tempted for Freya N on close out for being such a deal. I have a few random 6SN7s, but non matched for Freya + duty and market rates there are too crazy for this poor kid rebuilding a house. Actually had a precious red-base commit suicide by jumping out of its box while moving stuff around.

 

[Ripper2860]

If you can, go for the Freya N. It is one heck of a deal, and the tubes are relatively plentiful with most low-to-moderate in price. I kid you not -- I truly believe that you will be quite happy.

Unrelated:

I've been on an organ kick lately and have to share this one as well. The venue, deference to the room and decaying of notes makes this one a very good one.