[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif My jealousy meter just broke....

So did mine!

 

[spritzer]

Congrats on the new setup and you are in a dire need of a source upgrade.

 

[Snacks]

Congratulations; very nice!
x4. A source upgrade is in order.

 

[nothingman]

BEE-utiful

 

[Fitz]

But does it go to eleven?

 

[Thelonious Monk]

my curiosity meter just broke... i guess i'm going to have to buy some Stax sooner or later, that setup is just so beautiful, and it post sound beautiful to boot.

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Zhaolus are hardly electrostatic-friendly no matter what you do to them.

Because...?

 

[NtD Gr3nade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif But does it go to eleven?

Quote:

Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and... Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten? Nigel Tufnel: Exactly. Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder? Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where? Marty DiBergi: I don't know. Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do? Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven. Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder. Marty DiBergi: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder? Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven.

 

[surfboardz26]

Ya, why is the zhaolu bad with electrostats? It doesnt seem too weak for this set up at all. Maybe b/c The Aristaeus pushes the headphone so much so it makes up for it? I duno, but all of this is making me want to look into a new source.

 

[hugz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by surfboardz26 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ya... and I've been thinking the same for a while now, and always thought it was much better than my $900.00 benchmark dac1 so I just never really thought about buying another dac. I like sound from it so I just never have really decided to buy a better dac. I guess in the back of my mind i think a 4,000 dollar dac or what ever higher price it is will only bring the music level to a different presentation...,but I duno really. I guess I will upgrade some time but right now I love this set up. Cant get enough!

So you have both the zhaolu and the benchmark and you prefer the zhaolu? Is it just the sound signature that you prefer, or is it also comparable in detail and soundstage etc?

I've never had a chance to hear the benchmark and I'd love to, but your opinion intrigues me.

thanks for posting the photos by the way. very beautiful gear

 

[surfboardz26]

Thanks hugz,

I sold the Benchmark, but i do remember how it compared to the zaholu. The Benchmark sounded too cold and edgy but detailed and good bass. The zhaolu is warmer and has all the detail and maybe more that the dac1 had to offer without that grainy coldness to it. The Benchmark dac one is non the less is great dac, but I just prefer the zhaolu, and im sure others could agree here who have heard both. The think this dac is hell of a deal and I have hardly ever thought about buying another source because of how much I'm currnetly enjoying this set up.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L /img/forum/go_quote.gif Because...?

It doesn't have the timbre and harmonic texture worthy of high-end electrostatics.

 

[Advil]

New source and an Omega II and you're set

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

But Surfboardz, are you going to drag it all to the national meet to prove once and for all that it is an Orpheus killer?

 

[cotdt]

surfboardz26, I have just agreed to listen to your system! how about a minimeet? you can hear my modified zhaolu, which is much better than the stock zhaolu. i've compared my zhaolu against the benchmark dac1 and the lavry da10 and it blew them out of the water.