Warming up for best performance.

[kumakuma]

 

1 hour ago, KeenObserver said:

From what I understand, Benjamin D'Over recommends breaking in their USB cable for five years.

 

Missed the significance of the name at first read...

[kumakuma]

57 minutes ago, fas42 said:

You see, I've heard 100's of systems with "real equipment (especially speakers)" - and they all ... sound ...like ... shit - to me.

 

The fact that you are the only one I have ever met who has had this experience strongly suggests that your opinions have zero relevance to anyone but yourself, and your continuing attempts to proselytize are a waste of both your own time and the time of everyone else here.

[kumakuma]

5 minutes ago, fas42 said:

People who are interested in experiencing recordings as powerful, emotionally moving moments in music making and creativity might find relevance in what I talk about - if they are prepared to take it seriously ...

 

I'd be willing to bet that most people here are already experiencing this. I know I am.

[kumakuma]

16 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

"Afford to" is not the right term - tuning back in is more the go ... these days, I lose the momentum to do things very easily, and quickly - then I have to be 'inspired again', to go the next round ... it's a major bummer, actually ...😞.

 

 

I find that listening to music helps.

[kumakuma]

22 minutes ago, fas42 said:

Why it's worthwhile 'rescuing' such recordings is that they capture amazing energy - the drive, the pulse of the music is fabulous ... this is what makes going to the efforts so rewarding.

 

There are thousands of other albums with the same qualities that don't require herculean efforts to enjoy.

[kumakuma]

5 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

Of course! However, my interest is in pushing the boundaries - I enjoy the challenge of getting some rough and ready recording to come good ... because I know the better the system is in delivering that, the more I can put on absolutely any recording, no matter how old or decrepit, that I have never, ever heard before - and it will come alive, deliver listening satisfaction in spades.

 

The fact that you can't actually summon up the energy to create such a system is the universe sending you a message.

[kumakuma]

9 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

And I see, and hear the 'foolishness' of people chasing better sound by ignoring the basics, and fantasising how some piece of kit even more dressed up than the one they currently own, will "magically" bring them The Promised Land ... 😉.

 

Frank, read more. Post less. People may actually start listening to you.

[kumakuma]

9 hours ago, fas42 said:

 

Nope. Audiophiles like George are completely locked into a viewpoint which they will hang onto until the day they die - they were like this 35 years ago, and they have been the same each decade since. And every now and again I hear a system of one of these people, and it's full blown eye-rollin' time - I don't know where to start; so many cylinders misfiring ... and it would get mighty heated if I ventured some thoughts on the matter; they know they have a Good System - and that's that! 😜

 

You don't have the faintest idea what the George's viewpoint is because you don't really read his posts or the posts of anyone else here.

 

If you did, you would realize that going on and on about bling and expensive gear is completely out of step with the vast majority of folks who hang out here.

 

If you want people to listen to you, start listening to them!

[kumakuma]

10 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

Talking about listening to other people, how about this,

 

 

At the end he describes what the impact of the Rossini is, in terms of delivering "visceral sound" - that's the place where I live, what I'm after ... if I was listening to it, I would be nodding my head with approval. So why would I be bothered with anything of a lower standard, as something "to take notice of" ... hmmm?

 

So your definition of "listening to other people" means cherry picking posts that you agree with. Can't say that I'm surprised. 

[kumakuma]

1 hour ago, fas42 said:

 

Ah, so your definition of "listening to other people" is to keep soaking up POVs you disagree strongly with, and know are wrong - until you are brainwas ... err, persuaded that they have something special to offer. Something like, if you keep listening to what Trump says, over and over again, you will end up understanding that he is probably the great saviour of mankind, in these dark times 🙂.

 

???

[kumakuma]

20 minutes ago, fas42 said:

Let's say we are both confused ... 🙂.

 

I've been reading, and hearing the same stories, over and over again, for decades, about what makes for good listening ... and, it ... doesn't ... work. By contrast, I've established a certain approach which always works - provided one persists with the exercise ... so, whom I'm listening to, are my ears, 😉.

 

Whatever turns your crank, Frank.

 

Enjoy your laptop and YouTube videos!

[kumakuma]

1 minute ago, sandyk said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znodcpMzcnA

 

 

 

[kumakuma]

 

8 minutes ago, 4est said:

Seriously though, no one is hounding anyone out of the forum. They are simply asking him to put up or shut up. He doesn't seem capable of either.

 

Certain not the latter.

 

As Keith Richards commented about rap music:

 

Quote

So many words, so little said.

 

 

[kumakuma]

9 minutes ago, fas42 said:

Everyone is frustrated because I haven't a "magic formula"

 

That isn't why people are frustrated...

[kumakuma]

8 minutes ago, fas42 said:

You want the start of a "formula"? Right, go out and buy a dCS Rossini  ... all the reports I've read since the model came out tick the boxes which say the engineering has been done well enough, so that the normal digital 'nasties' have been eliminated - so, at least one component is now "good enough" in raw form that it doesn't have to be fiddled with.

 

So, it costs money? Well, that''s how it works, if you want solutions ...

 

Have you heard it? How does it compare to your current DAC?

[kumakuma]

5 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

I need to cajole and treat with lots of TLC the DACs I use, to get those qualities emerging

 

 

What DACs do you own?

 

Can you share with us the modifications you've made to them?

[kumakuma]

7 minutes ago, sandyk said:

https://naturecanada.ca/discover-nature/endangered-species/american-badger/

 

[kumakuma]

6 minutes ago, STC said:

The one brought the so called magic 35 years ago was a JBC box set with Sharp speakers. I have the same speakers. 
 

He showed no such evidence so far except one Nad picture of two tiny wires sticking from it. It could very well not connected to anything inside. 
 

I think I have to some weeding here too since Frank is not answering questions asked but hijack every thread with his ....

 

I think he's playing an elaborate prank on us. There are just too many things that don't add up in his posts.

[kumakuma]

3 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

There's the original Yamaha CDP; another Yamaha, a CD-1050, which was just a second pickup, to use "in an emergency" - which I have not done much to; the Philips HT all-in-one which probably doesn't count 😄- but it used a half decent Crystal Semiconductor chip; and the current NAD CDP.

 

I don't make mods to the area directly around the chips; what I concentrate on is ensuring that the power supplies within the units see as little noise as possible. So, I have done many, many experiments trying to completely shield the DAC proper from any possible interference which can find its way through the mains supply; this means improving the filtering of the supplies within the boxes, and adding filters to the mains coming in - I've tried all sorts of DIY methods that have been mentioned over the years, rather that trying commercial units - these all work to a fairly decent degree, but I've never been completely happy with anything so far as doing the job to 100% effectiveness. Which means part of the process of getting best sound includes switching off all electrical noise makers in the house - not the ideal solution, 😞.

 

A critical part, relevant to this thread, is that the DACs always have to be heavily conditioned - many people leave them on 24/7, and I totally agree; further to that, is that I exercise them vigorously, playing stuff like high energy rock, say, for a couple of hours - before listening seriously.

 

So, I don't do anything particularly unusual - but I have to do it thoroughly; if I compromise, then I won't get the SQ I'm after.

 

What is so important about units like the dCS is that they appear to taken the measures necessary to get the optimum conditions in place, without jumping through these hoops. Doing it the way I am is just annoying, because one can't just switch on, and get "the sound" just like that - but it shows what happens when you get it right.

 

This clears up the confusion.

 

When folks here talk about DACs, they are usually referring to stand alone units, not the DAC circuitry within an ancient CD player.

 

I'm sure the $25,000 dCS DAC does a fine job. I'm a little surprised you would mentioned it though after all your posts raging about expensive equipment and "bling".

 

[kumakuma]

3 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

Stand alone units introduce another set of problems, because of the necessary link from the transport - the Rossini is a CDP, which is going to help to get the best from CDs.

 

 

I thought you were referring to the Rossini DAC, not the Rossini CDP.

 

I keep forgetting that you are a CD-only guy.

 

[kumakuma]

12 hours ago, fas42 said:

 

A CD that packs a punch, on those most maligned Sharp speakers 😉, is this one - even though the quality of the rig is still not where it should be be,

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU209vIy0KI

 

The sense of everything in the mix is fabulous, the instruments are "there", with that intense, subjective impact that goes through your body ...

 

If this is the kind of music you like, here is an audiophile label that I would recommend:

 

https://store.acousticsounds.com/l/459/APO_Records

 

I also recommend Doug MacLeod.

 

His albums for Reference Recordings (another audiophile labels) are very well recorded:

 

https://referencerecordings.com/artist/doug-macleod/

 

 

There is, of course, also this classic:

 

 

[kumakuma]

6 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

what you call "thread destruction" is actually known as "reality"

 

It's also Fake News.

 

Subjectivists and "Subjective based threads" are not endangered species on this site despite Alex's tendency to Cry Dingo.

[kumakuma]

1 minute ago, mansr said:

Because otherwise he'd have to admit being guilty of the same offense.

 

But in all fairness to our Much Maligned Friend From Down Under, he has toned things down in recent months.

[kumakuma]

31 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

That is something that he is incapable of doing.

 

 

Just as you're incapable of ignoring his attempts to wind you up. 

 

Why don't you do us all a favor and add him to your IGNORE list?

[kumakuma]

41 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

ST, it's always been repeatable ... but it's fragile. There's a huge difference in those two words - as anyone who ventures into this area discovers, achieving and then maintaining the necessary standard is not easy. People like Blackmorec and Pano. And the reason for this being the situation is that the fundamental engineering of the components, and methods to connect those components, is not to a high enough standard.

 

It's not guesswork. It's experience; learning to listen, very, very carefully to the clues your system gives you when things are altered; and being prepared to do 'major surgery'.

 

 

There's never a single secret. Ever. What's required is compensating for the issues in the particular system, to the point where those anomalies are largely inaudible. And for any one system, there could be multiple ways to address the issues ... even, 8 cheap subwoofers 😉.

 

 

Yes, the 8 subs meant that the hardware was not pushed into areas it was obviously having problems. The clock may just have been enough of a quality increase which addressed an underlying weakness - and that's how all of this type of optimising works ... you see, "cheap stuff" will do the job if you understand and respect the limitations.

 

IMHO, your approach to this hobby doesn't seem like a lot of fun.

 

I'd rather spend my time listening to music than endless hours of futzing around with my equipment.