[Uncle Erik]

Two weaknesses:

1. I'd like to have more music.

2. I'd like more time to listen to music.

 

[Clarkmc2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Two weaknesses: 1. I'd like to have more music. 2. I'd like more time to listen to music.

X2. It is all about the music. While widely considered part of the entertainment industry/continuum, like sports and soap operas, I like to to think of myself as a music consumer that bundles it with spiritual and emotional matters.

Still, the hardware enables the whole thing and realism is a virtue. The more HiFi the better, with the caveat that "more real than real" is not real!

Clark

 

[gurubhai]

Head-Fi.org: Headphones, iPod earphones, portable audio, MP3 players, high-end audio

^^ This is my weakest link. My systems sounds great till I visit this link

 

[edstrelow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dinan /img/forum/go_quote.gif My amp. I have a tweaked SRM-717 and while it is remarkable and can resolve anything that I can feed it in terms of expensive sources and cables, I know that the T2, BHSE, or WES will beat it out. Hence I am on the prowl for the right amp.

I was thinking along the same lines when I was able to compare my own 717 based set-up with the BHSE and ES 1 at Canjam LA. However recently I upgraded my DAC (still not the highest level, but better) and was surprised how much benefit I gained at a fraction of the cost of a super-amp. In fact I was left wondering if a lot of what I had been hearing with the better amps was simply better digital processing.

My impression is that digital processing is getting better all the time and if your set-up is more than 5 years old it may be time for something newer.

You can spend a bundle on new DACs. I myself am not buying "state-of-the-art" but going for used near "state of the art" at half or less the price.

 

[omigawsh_lollercoaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean /img/forum/go_quote.gif Finding what component is holding your system back is no easy task, it can be anything from an interconnect to a complete source replacement. There's no easy formula and the higher you climb the ladder from mid-fi into high-end the harder these decisions become.

My CDP is 2% of my system cost, less than most of my cords and cables, I may get an iPod dock as well. My DAC is nice so a functioning CDP is sufficient since I think I'd have to go pretty high to even be interested in hearing an onboard DAC, my dream source is the XDS1 and it would be interesting to compare it's onboard DAC to my DAC now.

Your sig seems to indicate a similar attitude about the DAC, since you don't list a player, is that a reasonable assumption?:

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean /img/forum/go_quote.gif SOURCE Buffalo Sabre32-Bit DAC AMPLIFIER Balanced β22 HEADPHONE Sennheiser HD800

The only thing I'd like to upgrade are my balanced interconnects, they're DiMarzio and I don't think they're a weak link but I'd like to try others sometime.


Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean /img/forum/go_quote.gif The opportunity to hear any of these components in your own system or home is for some of us simply impossible. So how do your gauge a component up grade, reviews? Meets? Stab in the dark?

Reviews have a huge influence. I have never heard any of my components before they were mine.

 

[mofonyx]

DAC/Transport

A ModWright Transporter would solve everything.

 

[deltaspirit]

My ears, too much earwax

 

[mikeymad]

hmmm ....

source : Marantz SA7S1 (check)

interconnect:
- RCA - Audioquest Sky (check)
- XLR - Virtual Dynamics Master series (check)

amp:
- RCA - Woo Audio WA5 (pretty maxed) - (check)
- XLR - SinglePower ES-1 (maybe not a full check for some, but I will say check)

phones:
- SE - AT L3000 (check)
- ES - STAX O2 (check)
- other - AKG K1000 (check)

power : panamax 5400 (kind of check)

That must leave me... (the weak link)

I never really though of the Marantz as a weak link until I hooked up Woo's DAC to it... So it could maybe use a DAC at some point.. or maybe my system could use a power cleaner/generator... but man that seems to be getting to the edge... (oh like the rest of my stuff isn't...?? oh well)

Cheers,

 

[logwed]

My source is just a stock Sony Universal Player. I wonder when I'll get the balls to tell my dad that I'm buying yet another $400 box... (DACMagic)

 

[catscratch]

Definitely the amp. The 717 is technically good with the O2 but it's far too polite and laid-back. The SRD-7 Pro with a Dared VP-20 tube amp makes much more involving music, but it's not as technically accurate. I think a WES or BHSE is in the future.

 

[GuyDebord]

I want a Woo WES to replace my GES
I want a Weiss Minerva to replace my Audiocom Lv2 Benchmark DAC1

However I wouldnt consider them weakest links.

 

[Deadneddz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think a WES or BHSE is in the future.

Dew eet

 

[vcoheda]

a high-end tube stat amp would be nice. i would also be curious to experiment with other cables and power units. that's about it.

 

[Scooterboy]

For me it is my phone cartridge.

 

[El_Doug]

...nothing?

I suppose my weakest link is the fact that I don't have an R2R yet