Recent content by manicm

I think the ESS chips may be too neutral - with additional neutrality added by Eversolo.

The general message is OK, but again, sprinkled generously with gems (sic). 'If your room is bad get headphones instead of speakers'. Oooooooooooooooooook. Well instead of headphones why not get small desktop speakers like Ruark? Also, what's interesting - and not necessarily bad, is the piece...

With the latest off the shelf DAC chips you actually may want some colouring.

I see...

Stereonet gave this battery powered (also DC in) 'portable' CDP high praise. It uses a R2R Dac. With only digital out, so you can't use its dac for hifi duty. Idiots. Especially since it's a very classy looking aluminium clad piece of kit. And cheap it ain't. So, everyone, this is the world's...

This re-release is one that would have made a great Atmos mix. View: https://youtu.be/DKkruF8hRdQ?si=e8Tk8qLsC09UBqyk

AI Ears, even with MM cartirdges, the phono stage in an amp like the Model 50 will not get the best out of a fairly mid to high-end turntable like the Planar 6. About DACs - you've consistently made comments that you will never buy any integrated amps with built-in DACs - should I dig these up...

Any all-in=one system is a risk, repair-wise. Once you've come to terms with that, this may be one of hi-fi's best kept secrets, budget allowing, And it does represent great value, considering the power on hand, Some will scoff at its lack of deep level room correction though, although middling...

One, you're a great proponent of external DACs, yet here you are 🙂 Two, a deck like the Planar 6 is an upper mid deck that most definitely will deserve a better phono stage that the one in the Model 50, as capable as it may be to a point. And one may be tempted to dabble in MC cartridges too.

And of-course WHF's lukewarm review, which is not surprising - this is no powerhouse.

There are many excellent all-in-ones to match your budget. Why not seek out a Paris Audio model used/demo?

There should not be any problem with the Model 50. But I would assume/strongly suggest you add an external phono stage to live up to the Planar 6. Phono stages in integrated amps are fine for turntables up to around 500 quid.

This is just nonsense, and the argument is that of an 8th grader, I'm sorry to say. Play vinyl as much as you stream and the environmental cost will be just as deleterious. I questioned the relevance of observing an Environmental Week here on WHF but accepted it as worthwhile. But this piece...

Teens will discover things themselves, younger ones like my 8 year old enjoy through exposure. I'd play Beach Boys in the car. At 5 he loved the Beach Boys, later got into the Beatles and Michael Jackson. He now discovers new music on his own through streaming. Later on (I'm divorced now), he...

I'll never buy a Sony, because in earlier models you had to manually switch to Dolby Vision and/or Atmos where relevant. No thank you. And now they have players with no display. Sony have always had usability problems with their products I'm still lucky in my market where they're selling a...