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Audio Science Review = Rebuttal and Further Thoughts

@crymeanaudioriver @amir_asr You are sitting there worrying if this or that other useless tweak like a cable makes a sonic difference.

I don’t worry about my equipment unless it fails. I never worry about tweaks or cables. The last time I had to choose a cable was after I purchased my first DAC and transport in 2019.  I auditioned six and chose one, the Synergistic Research Atmosphere X Euphoria. Why would someone with as fulfilling a life as me worry about cables or tweaks and it is in YOUR mind that they are USELESS.

@prof "would it be safe to say you are not an electrical designer or electrical engineer? If so, under what authority do you make the following comment" - concerning creating a high end DAC out of a mediocre DAC.

Well, I have such a DAC, built by a manufacturer of equipment and cables for his and my use. It beat out a $9,000 COS Engineering D1v and $5,000 D2v by a longshot. It is comparable to an $23,000 Meridian Ultradac. Because I tried all the latter three in comparison I say this with some authority, the authority of a recording engineer (me), a manufacturer (friend) and many audiophiles who have heard the same and came to the same conclusion.

Another DAC with excellent design engineer and inferior execution is the Emotiva XDA-2. No new audio board but 7! audiophile quality regulators instead of the computer grade junk inside, similar high end power and filter caps, resistors, etc. to make this into a high end DAC on the very cheap ($400 new plus about the same in added parts).

@russ69 We must be neighbors. I frequented Woodland Hills Audio Center back in the 70s and 80s. I heard several of Arnie’s speakers including a the large Infinity speakers in a home.

fleschler
fleschler OP
2,008 posts
 

@laoman I have a lower cost (about $80K), high end system at the lower end because of my speakers, which although wonderful to listen to, do not reflect the full quality of the system (basically ambiance retrieval and listening area width). My wife and I went bonkers using my LPs and a CD at local audio shows when we heard the Von Schweikert Ultra 11 and 9. But it was with $1+ million support system. I wouldn’t want either of those for my smaller room. I would prefer the Ultra 7 which is efficient, smaller and passive. I will not pay $170K for those speakers unless my investments pay off big time ($millions) as I’m already 66 similar in price as your Borresen wish. Hopefully, I will acquire the VS VR9 SE mkII speakers somewhere between $35K and $50K fully updated in the near (2-3 year) future.

I heard a smaller 02 or 03 Borresen speaker this year in much too large a room (conference size) and it sounded small. The 05 would have been a better choice.

I found it a waste of money to use high end audio gear as furnishings.  One system had only McIntosh gear, some of it unconnected, sad.  

fleschler OP
2,008 posts
 

@holmz My speaker cable risers consist of old Audio Technica rubber footers on 106 oz. plush carpeting. Not as pretty but it does the job (now that’s more of a subtle not major difference with or without similar to turning off the lights on my transport when listening).

laoman's avatar
laoman
439 posts
 

Blue VU meters -McIntosh,  the Harley Davidson of the Hi Fi world.

fleschler OP
2,008 posts
 

The McIntosh house was located in Bradbury, an equestrian city where an old Budweiser commercial was made in a barn that looked from the outside like a gigantic mansion.    

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

The McIntosh house was located in Bradbury, an equestrian city where an old Budweiser commercial was made in a barn that looked from the outside like a gigantic mansion

Maybe that town was not named after Ray Bradbury…

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