[Meyvn]

So it's come to my attention that for one reason or another, I'm not totally satisfied with my source situation. I don't know if it's simple upgradeitis, some sinister hole in my pocket telling me to blow my money, or what, but I've been looking into all kinds of upgrade paths, all CD-centric, and many Rega-centric specifically, as I think a top loading design seems to be a really solid transport method to me. Here are the options I'm considering:

Sell my mega changer, sell my Zhaolu, get a Rega Apollo and another headamp/preamp, deal with changing out discs and having a crappy DVD-A source.

Sell only my mega changer, and buy a Rega Planet 2000 or a Rega Jupiter (transport version). Deal with changing out discs.

Sell everything except my DVD-A source, deal with the low-fi DVD-A player, and get an SCD-1 or something along those lines. Deal with changing out discs, get a new headamp/preamp. This would be the most expensive route for sure, and the least likely, probably.

Stick with what I have and just try and concentrate on something else. Like that Omega II I may still be getting once I hear it side by side with the Sig. And just try and be happy with what I've already got source-wise.

 

[Uncle Erik]

The Rega players are something special. I picked up an original Planet last July and am quite taken with it. It has a terrific, warm sound and I'm crazy about the top-loader. You can find them in the $300-$350 range and I think it's a great deal.

I use mine as a transport, which I also recommend. You could pick up a nice DAC to go with it and also run your computer into it, for extra convenience.

If you're looking for a cure to upgraditis, go out and buy more music. You'll hear how good your setup is all over again (and you do NOT have a bad setup, by the way) and be happy with what you have.

 

[humanflyz]

Why don't you look into CD players that also have preamp capabilities, a couple off the top of my head are the Wadia CD players and the Resolution Audio Opus 21. IIRC, the Opus 21 also has a digital in so you can connect a computer-based source or whatever other digital transport you have. Also, the Wadia players can be upgraded modularly to include a digital input.

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Rega players are something special. I picked up an original Planet last July and am quite taken with it. It has a terrific, warm sound and I'm crazy about the top-loader. You can find them in the $300-$350 range and I think it's a great deal. I use mine as a transport, which I also recommend. You could pick up a nice DAC to go with it and also run your computer into it, for extra convenience. If you're looking for a cure to upgraditis, go out and buy more music. You'll hear how good your setup is all over again (and you do NOT have a bad setup, by the way) and be happy with what you have.

I have actually of late been doing just that with regards to music; I have recently discovered several great female vocalists, and classical music in general (beofre I only had one or two pieces I ever listened to), which is a LOT of music to explore. Unfortunately this hasn't cured my paranoia about the possibility of my transport being high jitter, or the fact that it only supports optical having a possible negative effect on the sound, et cetera. Not to mention it's HUGE. But on the other hand, having a 400-CD changer is really a great convenience.

 

[DigiPete]

Get something like a SACDmods Denon 3910 or Sony9100ES and have it all, DVD-A, HDCD, Redbook and SACD

 

[jandl100]

I'd look at the amp situation. I had a Pass Aleph 3 on trial a few years back, and to be honest, at least thru the very high sensitivity Avantgarde Unos I had then, it wasn't a very exciting or even a particularly interesting amp. I know it lost lots of detail compared to others I listened to. There was a lot of good words spilled about the Pass at the time and I was really looking forward to trying it out and expecting Class A+ sound. But I didn't hear that - not at all.

Try a decent valve (tube) amp - that'll add real "pizzaz" & interest to your system IMO (I have a Ming Da 34-A). Selling off the Pass should easily pay for it, with $$$ to spare. The Meixing/Ming Da tubes amps coming out of China are excellent, and wonderful value for money, IMO. Lots of others to choose from too. And, hell, tubes are such fun!

And if you're into female vocalists - if you'll pardon the expression

- have you tried Loreena McKennitt ? - Superb if you can tolerate music of a Folk-ish persuasion. I first heard her on "The Visit" and became instantly addicted. I now have all her albums - her latest, "An Ancient Muse", is quite superb too.

 

[Meyvn]

I do like female vocalists, so she might be worth a shot where new music is concerned. The Pass, I'm afraid, is here to stay; I've done a lot of comparisons between it and other amps, including a $6500 McIntosh integrated. I really haven't heard much out of tubes amps I'm terribly fond of with the K1000. This particular combo just synergizes really well for me. As far as SS goes, I found it to be a very smooth combo; the only thing in my signal chain I've found to introduce any brightness seems to be in the area of the source. Ordinarily I reallly like the detail aspect of that, but when I fired up my turntable last night it occurred to me that it was easier than ever before to listen to some of the hard rock I'd had, where that extra bit of brightness had before just hurt my enjoyment a tad. That's why I've been considering getting both a better transport and/or DAC, and I may even try out a used tube buffer, one of those MF things, just to see what the fuss has been about lately. Typically, though, tube is more my thing with guitar kit than hi-fi.

 

[jandl100]

Well, you could try the Beresford DAC ... but, no, let's not corrupt this thread with that discussion!

 

[jandl100]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I may even try out a used tube buffer, one of those MF things, just to see what the fuss has been about lately.

I tried the original MF X10D tube buffer and found it took away more than it gave. YMMV of course.

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jandl100 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I tried the original MF X10D tube buffer and found it took away more than it gave. YMMV of course.

What did it take away? Just a lot of detail?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jandl100 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, you could try the Beresford DAC ... but, no, let's not corrupt this thread with that discussion!

I was actually kind of halfway expecting that, ironically. I might consider it at some point; however, there are still several things in question about it, and I do have fairly limited funds with which to experiment, and even just the shipping cost between here and the UK is fairly hefty. for now I'll probably be sticking with the tried and trues.

 

[humanflyz]

@Mevyn:

If you want tubes in your K1000 setup, the best place to do it is probably in the pre-amp, something like: source (transport/DAC or just a standalone CDP) --> a tube headamp that can double as a pre-amp --> Aleph 3 --> K1000s. This would you the most flexibility, since you are not just restricted to using the K1000s and could use a regular headphone if you like.

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by humanflyz /img/forum/go_quote.gif @Mevyn: If you want tubes in your K1000 setup, the best place to do it is probably in the pre-amp, something like: source (transport/DAC or just a standalone CDP) --> a tube headamp that can double as a pre-amp --> Aleph 3 --> K1000s. This would you the most flexibility, since you are not just restricted to using the K1000s and could use a regular headphone if you like.

Yeah. I'm definitely with you on the latter sentiment; I don't think unless it just got RAVE reviews at an incredible price, that I would ever buy a regular preamp again, just because it's nice to have both functionality. I've often thought, though, about looking into modding regular preamps to run headphones. It should be pretty easy. Heck, I might even be able to just reterminate headphones to RCA and see how that works out. At any rate, what does everybody think of the Rega as transport thing? Think it'd make a better one than the mega changer? I'm still worried this thing has a lot of jitter, and that the transport isn't stable, et cetera.

 

[jandl100]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn /img/forum/go_quote.gif What did it take away? Just a lot of detail?

Re: MF Tube Buffer ...

Well, it didn't really take away a lot of anything. It did diminish a little, but significantly enough (i.e. too much) for me, some detail, dynamics and vitality. What you "gained" was a smoother, perhaps more 3D sound - it may well, in fact, do the kind of thing you are looking for with a somewhat upfront treble to be tamed. But there are losses that may/may not be tolerable for you.

Also, I'd expect the Rega as transport to be substantially better than a mega-CD changer. Some (most?) of them can be quite fierce and, well, scrawny. But it might also upset the hard-won balance of the rest of the system's sound that you are clearly happy with. In fact, it may well be the key to your liking for the (IMO) somewhat laidback Pass sound. Any chance you can get a demo unit for trial? That must be the best way.

 

[jandl100]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've often thought, though, about looking into modding regular preamps to run headphones.

I've tried that. You can get a little widget/adaptor that converts from 2 RCA phonos to a headphone jack. But at least with the pre I tried (the pre-amp output on my Ming Da integrated) the output signal level was just too low for anything except background music. That was into my 32 Ohm (quite hi-sensitivity) Sony dynamic 'phones.

 

[Meyvn]

oh, great. now I'm looking into one of those Monarchy DIPs, or DIP upsamplers too. more possible spending down the drain.