Recent content by batonwielder

Go used. Bluesound Node 2 can be had used for about $350. A Cambridge CXA60 should be around $400 (I wouldn't pay any more than that). Q Acoustics 3020 is $220 new. That's a perfectly enjoyable system for way under your budget.

This is exactly how my biwiring experiment went when I had the Proac D2's. I had tried Chord, Kimber, and Audioquest in separate runs as well as internal biwire. The results were the same, increased sibilance. At first, it could be perceived as more detail, but became unbearable. It did...

The Naim Nait 5si suggestion is a sound one, but that one in particular, I feel, is underpowered. Exposure 2010S2, to me, always sounds better than its Naim or Rega equivalent.

I'm always inclined to separate digital aspect from the rest of the package. It's not about sound, but the digital front end is constantly evolving. They are not necessarily getting better, but always changing according to lifestyle. The Hegel piece should be fine, as long as you plan to keep it...

Bluesound Node 2 is as cheap as it comes without sacrificing too much. Ironically, I have one and am thinking of getting the Cambridge CXN V2 for its superior sound quality. Sonically, it's not even close, but the Bluesound app is really good.

Classy! Enjoy.

Anyone notice how Arcam has quietly dropped DTS Play-fi from this one?

I'm curious if you are able to find a solution. I've always felt that my streaming via web or my own nas, with or without a dac, has never sounded as good as my previous cd players.

Go used. Any Nad will do.

Not at all. I could not play demanding classical works without burning out some tweeters when demoing the little 5i's back in the day. I didn't set the volume. The dealer did.

How can you tell if a speaker is wide dispersion or not? I thought because Proac in general recommends toeing in they would be pretty narrow. Brands such as Q Acoustics recommend firing straight ahead because they are wide dispersion. I wonder if there's a way to tell by looking at their...

Rega and B&W is an unusual mix, but why not? Sounds like you had fun.

I come back after 5 year hiatus and nothing has changed...nice to see some people have stayed on though.

Allow me to leave something more helpful. Marantz PM6005 is a nice piece of gear and sounded great on some of the Kef speakers that I've heard, and that includes the Q300, Q500, and Q700. It's not the most exciting sounding though, and the amp certainly didn't lit the Kef R Series on fire. I...

If you read carefully, my comments were limited to the Dali Zensor's that I've heard. If you read really carefully, I merely stated the names of the amps they were played with. You made a judgment before reading my comments, unless that was actually a question. And if it was, my answer wasn't an...