Any GH Audiophiles with stereo setups?

[WRXChris]

Hi guys, I'm kinda new around here, figured I would see if there are any other music fiends with audiophile stereo setups, and if so, I'm curious to hear about your setup (particularly your DAC)!  

I have a pair of Monitor Audio RS6 speakers powered by a NAD C352, and supported on the low end by an Epik Empire sub. My source is FLAC and my DAC is a Sound Blaster Titanium HD (potentially the weak link, even though it has a high-end Burr-Brown DAC, it really isn't shielded from surrounding components' EMF...)  

I would appreciate any thoughts or critiques to my setup, don't be shy!  There's always room for improvement!

[rknize]

I like to build these:



So that I can bask in the glow of these:



While listening to these:

[rknize]

Hmmm...yeah somewhere....

[rknize]

I suspect that my piles of keyboards and key caps are significantly shorter than yours but touche.    I won't show you a picture of my garage.

Edit: struck that and reversed it.

[telepete]

I build guitar amplifier heads in my spare time. I'm building a jcm800 at the moment but its kinda on hold (poor ass student alert). Its nice to understand a topic for once. I like those jj's too but I have so many electro harmonix tubes around (I feel less bad when I break them). I haven't tried mounting led's in the tube sockets yet. Is this like a hot glue gun job or do we have a better way of mounting the diode?

Sent from my LT15a using Tapatalk

[rknize]

There are no LEDs there.  All tube glow.

[rknize]

In Russia they still fly with those.

Probably pretty EMI blast resistant against a Chinese attack.

The tubes in the bottom-left drawer are all Russian 6L6GC equivalents (6P3SE).  I have a few ST shaped radio tubes from my dad, too.  Built a very nice SE amp with 45s driven by MOSFETs.  Fun stuff.   Too many hobbies.  

[NamelessPFG]

Does it count if I'm using headphones instead of loudspeakers (in fact, there are no speakers connected to my desktop)? Not just any headphones, though, but Stax Lambdas. Audiophile-grade stuff.

My desktop also has an X-Fi Titanium HD in it. Can't be bothered to pay up for the really expensive DACs, and even if I could afford them, the X-Fi has to stay. I need the gaming DSP effects, especially CMSS-3D Headphone, but I also still play quite a few games with EAX 3 or 5.

Now, if my stepfather would just break out the Sansui 8080DB from storage already...he's so fond of it, yet keeps it boxed up. Meanwhile, the SP-2500X speakers he got with it are still being used in the living room as front left/right.

[WRXChris]

awesome, glad to see that my assumption was correct that GHers tend to have a strong appreciation for properly engineered gadgets (as opposed to heavily marketed crap)!  A tube amp is high on my list of much needed gadgets but considering nice ones start at $2k it may be a while, lol

[rknize]

If you build your own, you can save a lot of money.  However, like GH, you have to dive in and swim up.  Also like GH, you can end up not saving money by getting caught up in all the options.

http://www.diyaudio.com

[mkawa]

i'm pretty meh on tubes. for low-power, a tripath based chip-amp measures better than any tube amp, is cheaper, and is easier to work with since it runs on low voltage DC and is filled with components you probably have lying around for other reasons.

[rknize]

Of course it measures better.  How does it sound?

[mkawa]

for my application (some bookshelves on my desk), they sound like a wire with voltage gain (ie, perfect)

[mkawa]

scumbag audiophile brain: guitarist distorts living crap out of signal coming from instrument, audiophile spends life and savings attempting perfectly accurate reproduction of guitarist's recording (fails anyway)

[rknize]

Hipster.  LOL.  Which Cherry switch do you like?  Your answer is as valid as anyone else's.  Audio is no different.

Gainclones can sound pretty good, no doubt.  Tubes are much more fun, though...at least for me.

[dirge]

arcam alpha 9 + poweramp driving monitor audio silvers for a stereo system

arcam avr350 powering radius fronts and centre, in ceilings from their custom install range and a gold sub fb121 for the home theatre.

[WRXChris]

Thanks for your opinions on stereo tube amps.  I have a Blackstar HT5R tube amp for my guitar, which sounds awesome, and hearing it made me want to hear my stereo powered by tubes.  Glad to hear stereo tube amps are a waste of $$!

[rknize]

Space heaters, too.  Some even make good desk lamps:



845 FTW!

[emptyk]

My setup goes like this:  entire CD collection and then some ripped to flac and saved on a big ass hard drive; Foobar2000 for playback; USB output (using WASAPI mode); Peachtree Audio Decco2 DAC+Integrated Amp+Headphone Amp; psb subwoofer; Role Audio Kayak desktop speakers; Sennheiser HD-650 headphones.

I listen to music all day while working, and wanted a decent nearfield rig.  I used to have separate DAC, Integrated, and headphone amps, but prefer the all-in-one Decco2 platform.

[rknize]

Ditto on the FLACs.  I re-re-ripped my collection to FLAC (first MP3 then OGG) when it hit 1.0.  I listen to everything through Squeezeboxen.

[irondef]

Hi guys. First post, oddly about audio gear and not mechanical keyboards, which was what brought me here.

I have a modest stereo setup, but I think it sounds pretty good and is the result of trying lots of different gear over the years.  I actually am a record, as in vinyl, guy; but not a big arse about it.  I like my digital too, and have a pretty massive home theater/projector setup.  But the stereo I listen to music exclusively on consists of a thorens td-160 with a grado black head>adcom preamp>carver cube amp>vintage wharfdales.

And of course, I am clacking away on my first IBM model m, went from zero mechanical keyboards to three after a lucky find at a office furniture salvage shop.  Cheers!

[rknize]

Welcome to Geekhack!

Awesome find on the Model M's.  I've only been here for a month and have gone from a few Model M/Unicomps to an increasing pile of Cherry MX keyboards.  This place is driving me crazy!  Good luck!  

[feckn_eejit]

.

[roaduck]

I'm a bit of an audiophile, having been into stereos and electronics in general for nearly forty years.My stereo is mostly esoteric handmade British stuff.
My kit list is mostly old, but it'll have to do me for now.

Pure class "A" stereo transistor power amplifier - Krell KSA100
Pure class "A" dual mono valve preamplifier - Vacuum Tube Logic Ultimate
Pure class "A" stereo transistor integrated amplifier - Sugden A21a
Pure class "A" stereo output with Philips TDA1549 DAC - CD Player - Sugden CD21
3-way tri-wired Dipole Loudspeakers - SD Acoustics OBS
12" 3 cubic foot, 100 lbs  Subwoofer - BK Monolith FF+
2-way ported standmounted Loudspeakers - Mordaunt Short MS-902
2-way sealed standmounted Loudspeakers - Mordaunt Short MS-302
CD - AM/FM/DAB micro receiver - Onkyo CR-505DAB
DVD/DVD-A/SACD Player - Pioneer DV-600AV
Pro Cassette Walkman - Sony WM-D6C
Class "AA" Preamplifier 3-Head Cassette Deck - Technics RS-AZ7
Home Audio CD Recorder - Traxdata 900
Pure class "A" PSU Turntable - Linn Axis
Straight Line Tonearm - Linn Basik Plus
Metal Bodied Moving Magnet Cartridge - Linn K9
Pure class "A" Valve Headphone Amplifier - Musical Fidelity X-Cans
Semi-Open Headphones - Sennheiser HD-600
Equipment Stand - Apollo Aria 6-tier rack
6-Head Nicam Stereo VHS Video Cassette Recorder - Sharp VC-MH814
CRT Widescreen Dolby Pro Logic Television - Toshiba 28"
CRT Widescreen Dolby Pro Logic Television - Panasonic Quintrix 32"
Various pure silver leads and connects by QED, Linn and Cambridge Audio

My Computer is connected and integrated to the stereo and because it is so quiet, it is good for films and music.

PC

DELL Vostro 200MT
IBM - 102 key UK 1391406 keyboard
Dual CPU E2200@2.20GHz
Foxconn G-33M clone mb
HDD-160 GB-7200 RPM
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT - 256 MB GPU
4GB - DDR 667 MHz RAM
DVD-ROM Pioneer
DVD-RW Pioneer

Monitors

Dell - 24" 1920 x 1080
CRT Mitsubishi - 22" 2560 x 1600
O/S Tiny XP Pro & Knoppix dual boot

External Hard Drives and Servers

Edge10 8TB JBOD
Samsung 1TB
Hitachi 2TB
WD 2TB
WD 200GB
Toshiba 2TB
Toshiba 700GB
Maxtor 400GB

Separate PC Only Sound System

Acoustic Energy Aego M 3.1 & Tannoy SFX centre
Wireless USB 5.1 optical transmitter - Onkyo UWL1
Sennheiser HD-250 Headphones
Headphone Amplifier/Passive Preamplifier for PC - QED MB45
Switching Box for PC - Tandy audio selector.