Thread: Top brands that have no respect

Originally Posted by Randy Myers

Next thing you know someone is going to say McIntosh... that is when I know for sure that this thread went completely off the rails.

Welcome to the forum, thank you for joining.

Originally Posted by emabrwn

Kondo
Yamaha
Blumenhofer
Pureaudio

More from Japan deserving of some chatter:

47 Laboratory: (their Midnight Blue series is incredible).

Sparkler Audio, the S301B diva: these speakers sound belie their size, specs, and visuals...
Both companies products are handmade and exude the craftsmanship and simplicity.


European goodies:

Piega SA: their speakers, especially the TMicro series are incredible bargains...

ASW out of Germany: their “budget” speaker line (Genius) is/was a super bargain.

Canada:

Reference 3A, specifically the Dulcet, another gem of quality and sound.

Thanks for checking this out.
Cheers.





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Originally Posted by LostnAmerica

Canada:

Reference 3A, specifically the Dulcet, another gem of quality and sound.

Thanks for checking this out.
Cheers.

I have the top monitor from Reference 3A, the Reflector, and am super happy with it. My dream speaker for my mid-sized room (24 x 12 x 8.5 ft), in combination with my dual JL Audio subs. I think I'm done with speaker searches, this one is it.

Nice...

ProAc Speakers, especially the D48Rs and K6 Signatures.
Kubala-Sosna Inter Connect, Spealer and Power Cables.

Polk. I have heard the L800's and they are killer speakers for the price.

Top brands that get no respect on the used market are the only way many of us will get to experience those products. T&A, Chord, Tidal, Kharma, etc beautiful products even dealers struggle to invest in are really difficult for any non 1% income bracket to justify. I recently Listened to a pair of $65k estilon's driven by an MSB amp and after talking to the shop owner awhile he inferred (correctly) it wouldn't help his pitch to tell me how much the MSB amp cost.

There's a pretty strong online movement seemingly trying to convince the world a pair of f208 or R11's paired with a benchmark amp is as good as it gets and everything else is snake oil, speaking of no respect.

Originally Posted by Al M.

I have the top monitor from Reference 3A, the Reflector, and am super happy with it. My dream speaker for my mid-sized room (24 x 12 x 8.5 ft), in combination with my dual JL Audio subs. I think I'm done with speaker searches, this one is it.

That was so 2019.

HiDiamond - incredibly built to excessive specs and best-sounding cables I’ve had in every position I’ve tried them in, except, oddly, speaker

Zu (cables and power) - best speaker cables I’ve had, and solid PCs, good people to deal with

Aerial - the 7Bs were made like a tank and sounded fantastic. they looked dated and I simply couldn’t move them around anymore, or I might still have them

Audio Note - most natural-sounding, incredibly musical DAC I’ve heard. Individual instruments and vocals sound as I know them to be for real, soundstage is excellent. I don’t use mine anymore b/c the DAC chip of the one I bought years ago is limited to redbook, and sadly it sits on a shelf b/c somehow I’m loathe to part with it. But imo the SQ of this DAC has been unbeatable. I put this on the same level as my Boulder amp, as the 2 best components I’ve owned.

Originally Posted by jmusica

Audio Note - most natural-sounding, incredibly musical DAC I’ve heard. Individual instruments and vocals sound as I know them to be for real, soundstage is excellent. I don’t use mine anymore b/c the DAC chip of the one I bought years ago is limited to redbook, and sadly it sits on a shelf b/c somehow I’m loathe to part with it. But imo the SQ of this DAC has been unbeatable. I put this on the same level as my Boulder amp, as the 2 best components I’ve owned.

We have some users with Audio Note DAC. You can use it with Lumin even for Hi-Res streaming or DSD files.

With X1, connect a 1.5m BNC to RCA coaxial cable from X1 to the DAC.

In X1 settings, change output to SPDIF. Set SPDIF Re-sampling setting as follows:
DSD / 352.8 / 176.4k / 88.2kHz - > 44.1kHz
384 / 192 -> 96kHz

(The X1 SPDIF resampling settings are distinct from X1 Analog output resampling settings, so don't worry about it affecting X1 analog output.)

If you do not use a preamp, be careful with volume adjustment before playing anything, and power off the amp before you make any connection change.

Kubala Sosna Interconnect and Speaker Cables

Originally Posted by jmusica

HiDiamond - incredibly built to excessive specs and best-sounding cables I’ve had in every position I’ve tried them in, except, oddly, speaker

Zu (cables and power) - best speaker cables I’ve had, and solid PCs, good people to deal with

Aerial - the 7Bs were made like a tank and sounded fantastic. they looked dated and I simply couldn’t move them around anymore, or I might still have them

Audio Note - most natural-sounding, incredibly musical DAC I’ve heard. Individual instruments and vocals sound as I know them to be for real, soundstage is excellent. I don’t use mine anymore b/c the DAC chip of the one I bought years ago is limited to redbook, and sadly it sits on a shelf b/c somehow I’m loathe to part with it. But imo the SQ of this DAC has been unbeatable. I put this on the same level as my Boulder amp, as the 2 best components I’ve owned.

I owned some 7B's back in the day. Very good (and heavy) speakers indeed.

Originally Posted by jmusica

HiDiamond - incredibly built to excessive specs and best-sounding cables I’ve had in every position I’ve tried them in, except, oddly, speaker

Zu (cables and power) - best speaker cables I’ve had, and solid PCs, good people to deal with

Aerial - the 7Bs were made like a tank and sounded fantastic. they looked dated and I simply couldn’t move them around anymore, or I might still have them

Audio Note - most natural-sounding, incredibly musical DAC I’ve heard. Individual instruments and vocals sound as I know them to be for real, soundstage is excellent. I don’t use mine anymore b/c the DAC chip of the one I bought years ago is limited to redbook, and sadly it sits on a shelf b/c somehow I’m loathe to part with it. But imo the SQ of this DAC has been unbeatable. I put this on the same level as my Boulder amp, as the 2 best components I’ve owned.

You should listen to your inner self and try putting your beloved Audio Note DAC back in your system and give it another listen. Are you really hearing 'better' sound with your 'hi-rez' DAC over your Audio Note? The implicit bias is that hi-rez files must sound better than 16/44.1 RBCD.

I find that 99% of my streaming is listening to 16/44.1 files because I simply find them better sounding than the majority of hi-rez files. Far too many hi-rez files sound like they have had the life sucked out of them compared to the 16/44.1 files. If one automatically assumes hi-rez files have to sound better than 16/44.1 without comparing back-to-back, you will never know.

Originally Posted by mep

Far too many hi-rez files sound like they have had the life sucked out of them compared to the 16/44.1 files. If one automatically assumes hi-rez files have to sound better than 16/44.1 without comparing back-to-back, you will never know.

I read claims elsewhere that some newer Hi-Res or remastered releases applied more compression than their older 16/44.1 releases, so this may be a possible reason.

Originally Posted by wklie

I read claims elsewhere that some newer Hi-Res or remastered releases applied more compression than their older 16/44.1 releases, so this may be a possible reason.

You would like to think that can't be true because it inherently doesn't make sense they would apply more compression, but something is clearly going on.

Burmester is a brand that you dont see a lot of owners of, IMO it some of the best out there

Originally Posted by wklie

I read claims elsewhere that some newer Hi-Res or remastered releases applied more compression than their older 16/44.1 releases, so this may be a possible reason.

I watched it happen with my own eyes. Indeed it’s true.


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Originally Posted by mep

You would like to think that can't be true because it inherently doesn't make sense they would apply more compression, but something is clearly going on.

Online downloadable/purchasable music sites were a driving force. Take the 16/44 file, upsample it with compression.

Again, saw it with my own eyes.

That being said, the 24/96 file was most commonly the “master” and that was upsampled to 24/192 and subsequently charged out at a higher price.


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If memory serves me, I also read from a prominent audio site that claimed that some vinyl releases applied distinctly less compression than the equivalent digital version released at the same time, because the latter is meant for listening with your phone.

Originally Posted by wklie

If memory serves me, I also read from a prominent audio site that claimed that some vinyl releases applied distinctly less compression than the equivalent digital version released at the same time, because the latter is meant for listening with your phone.

Magic Vinyl vs Digital – What is the best edition of an album, vinyl, cassette, digital (CD, SACD, Streaming), in stereo, 5.1, Dolby Atmos or Sony 360 RA? Who has never asked this question?


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Originally Posted by NewAlkyogre

Does upsampling of audiophiles makes sense in all cases, and let improve sound quality?

Whether upsampling improves sound quality depends on the DAC and user preferences, but this should be a choice of the user. You don't need the experts to agree on that in the same sense that you don't need the world to agree on the best cable. You just pick what sounds good to you.

Note that upsampling as a user choice from your hardware or software player is a different issue from getting a fake upsampled version of an album, which again is different from getting a real Hi-Res recording (or conversion from analog master tape) of an album, which again is a different issue from discussing whether real Hi-Res necessarily sounds better than ripped or streamed CD. These are also separate issues from whether you prefer the SQ from a CD player or from a streaming setup - you can have different SQ from the CD vs streaming the same CD due to the different hardware setup even if the CD and streaming have the same bits.

lol, nice way to take over a thread

Ayon i can agree , but VTL ? They are well known and respected ...


Regards

Why worry about it? Listen to what you like...that is all that matters.

Here's some helpful quotes from our good buddy and advocate of the philosophy of Stoicism, Marcus Aurelius:

"It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people but care more about their opinion than our own."

and....

“Tranquility…comes when you stop caring what others say. Or think, or do. Only what you do.”

Life's to short to be worrying about all this, or trying to count the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. IMHO, it's much more important to make EVERY day...COUNT.

So, with that mind, do something that provides you with...fulfillment.

I'm a big fan of Marcus. I also like the quote from Hans Beekhuizen: "Enjoy the music."

Hans and Marcus have their priorities right...👍