Recent content by myrrhman

For £300 the obvious choice of a Bluenode is over budget by £200. A computer-based solution like a second hand Mac Mini would work, but the 6006 doesn't have a USB input, so you'd need a separate DAC - Ifi Zen dac seems universally liked, £129, leaving £170 to cover streaming functions...its...

I'm not convinced by the 'tweeter at ear level' requirement - the stands I have my old Spendors on are a bit taller than ideal, meaning I'm at mid / bass driver level, but I don't hear a big difference if I sit up so I'm level with the tweeter. I guess PMCs could be more sensitive to vertical...

I've never owned a Rega turntable so can't answer question 2), but did use a Cambridge 551p phono stage for many years, which the Alva models have now replaced. I'm not a massive fan of Cambridge products, but I have to say this was excellent - very quiet background, good detail, nice midrange...

Have you done anything to change the routing of your wiring from your equipment? I was recently on a multi-person Teams call for work, getting exasperated with a poor WiFi connection I unplugged the ethernet cable from my satellite receiver in one corner of my room and plugged it into my...

The advantage of a Mac Mini is you can in theory run in 'headless', and select tracks on Tidal using an iPhone or iPad using Audirvana. I haven't quite got that solution totally figured though, and have it connected to the TV to boot up and close down. You can also set Audirvana to maximise...

I tried a while back using a cheap Art Accessories ADC and Audacity software on a Windows laptop. Results weren't great, and would've demanded a lot more effort on my part to improve things (and I did have some prior experience with Audacity). What stopped me persevering was the feeling that I...

I'd also say buying more vinyl is a better option! You can spend a lot of money on streaming options, I'm not convinced MQA is always better than hearing the same files Tidal Masters files streamed through a non-MQA DAC - results seem very variable to my ears (comparing Mac mini running...

If you want speakers optimised for near-field listening at your desk, wouldn't some studio monitors suit you better? Perhaps active speakers, then you could replace the amp with a DAC / preamp, although this I believe would preclude use of the SMSL as it doesn't appear to have variable output...

I agree with daytona600's comments - if you're not already using a manual method, I would recommend using a Disco Antistat while you save up for a Degritter. Perhaps check out different cleaning solutions and procedures though (see The Audiophile Man website, for example) as the proprietary...

My son's NAD D3020i apparently having no problem driving less sensitive 84.5dB (2.83v@1m) Dali Spektor 2 speakers, also recommended for minimum 25W amp. So Wharfedales should have no problems.

Can thoroughly recommend Dali Spektor 2s, obviously a lot depends on the synergy with your amp, but I tested a pair in my system recently and they didn't disgrace themselves - my impression was lots of detail but not a massively wide soundstage., maybe best for a relatively small room.

Does the Sonos have a line level RCA input? I know my partner's Canton soundbase does, as she's considering plugging in my old turntable. In her case she'll need my old phono stage too, but as your Sony has one built in its just a question of connecting it up. Should sound better than a...

Maybe it still needs more running in time? I would've said perhaps the Nagaoka sound just isn't for you, but as you're familiar with the brand that obviously doesn't apply. I finally got enough time to set up a new turntable and cartridge (a Hana EL) a couple of weeks ago - I've probably...

You'll get a lot of Rega fans on here, but I love Pro-jects, having recently replaced my Debut III which gave me years of trouble-free pleasure with an Xtension 9. You are correct that VTA / azimuth adjustment is a major plus point for the Project - cartridge bodies vary in size, and you'd...

If you can afford it, go with the Uniti Star now and upgrade speakers later. I recently tried a pair of Dali Spektor 2s in my system, which I'd bought open-box as a birthday gift for my son. They didn't sound anywhere near as good as my old Spendor SA2s (phew!) but sounded fine with higher...