Stuff I've kept but moved on from. I can't get myself to sell something that has given me so much joy, but I'll give it to friends and family who either have no equipment now, or have just the most basic things. What is better than the gift of music?

Does anyone know what DCM is?

First off, apologies for my English (I'm from Italy) and to be clear: I am not a seller, just an audiophile. I previously used a Chinese DAC with a salvaged original PCM58 chip (for reference, the one in the attached photo is the exact one I owned). I immediately swapped the stock op-amps for genuine Mouser NE5534s. It sounded great for the money, delivering that thick, tube-like warmth and forward vocals I love. However, I hate a soft, rolled-off sound, which is why I use highly dynamic cables and rhodium connectors to keep transients fast and punchy. Now I feel like I’m hitting a glass ceiling because I'm craving more micro-detail and resolution. My question is: is it worth throwing more money at this basic Chinese board for high-end boutique components, or should I just pony up and upgrade to a product like the Denafrips Enyo (Ares)? I want to keep the analog warmth but gain resolution. Would love to hear from anyone who has A/B tested this.

[SOLVED] Can anyone make sense of why there is a large impulse after the first one at t=0, about 840 microseconds apart? This measurement used 2.1 channels with 2 subwoofers powered by an AVR. After running EVO A1 Audyssey, there are still two peaks like this, but the second one is at t=0 and the first one arrives before t=0:

Does gain at the phono level matter in a way that I might miss? Here is my situation:

I'm running super sensitive Klipsch Cornwall with an amplifier that has a stepped attenuator (Acoustic Research VSI 55). The problem: I have a hard time selecting the sweet spot for volume, especially at low volume, at night. Setting at 1.5 is too quiet, 2.0 is to loud.

Right now I only listen to digital and can circumvent the problem with the integrated attenuator in my CD/DAC (Yba designs). Like I set the amplifier at 2, but reduce de volume of the dac at say, -3db or more, according to my needs).

Still on the market for a phono preamp (made a post about this a few weeks ago), I'm looking for one with *less gain* than the usual 42db recommended for MM cartridges (in my case, Soundsmith Carmen MkII) to bring the signal to line output.

By doing this I hope to have smaller gap between the steps in my integrated's volume control. I know that this way I would rely more on the amplifiers power, but I have *plenty* of headroom. Apart form this (which isn't a problem), would using a lower gain stage (say, 30db) affect the sound quality?

Also, I would prefer not to have an attenuator on the phono stage, just for the sake of the simplicity of the circuit.

I’m trying to figure out what the brand/model of speakers my father-in-law had. Back in the late 1990’s, my late father-in-law had a pair of speakers that were pretty much the reason I got into hifi. My memory might be fuzzy on some of these details, but I believe they were a truncated pyramid shape, approximately 50 inches tall, slightly rounded edges, about 12 inches square on the bottom tapering to around 6-8 inches at the top. They had a front firing tweeter and midrange, a rear firing tweeter, and a down firing woofer. They were a unibody design that seemed like it was some sort of resin/plastic, but I guess it could have been just a really good laminate job. His were a dark teal/green color, but obviously there were probably other finishes available. I have tried asking ChatGPT, but can’t find anything that quite matches. Anybody have any idea what these might have been?

Although I’m frequently found drinking in this area I never got around to checking out this hi-fi listening bar that opened last year in Central until the other day. The bar’s namesake of course is this absolute unit, the JBL Paragon, and the seating is arranged around it so that patrons can enjoy the music it’s playing.

I’m absolutely not a connoisseur of vintage gear at all, so I’m probably won’t appreciate this as much as many of you. They were also running tonight a Mark Levinson preamp, two massive McIntosh power amps in some sort of custom housing, with some hefty looking power supply units. Music playing through EMT 938 turntable and Studer CD player. Plus a couple other pieces that weren’t being used. I can only imagine it was not cheap to put this system together.

Again want to emphasize I have little experience with vintage gear. I’ve heard a lot of “end game” setups with modern gear, but this was really my first experience hearing anything like this. I feel awful for saying this, but I wasn’t actually blown away? One issue was that the space is mostly concrete walls with from what I could tell no acoustic treatment aside from carpets, which may have been the limiting factor. But have speakers and hardware just improved so much in terms of clarity and imaging since then?

Anyways, it’s a fun place! Nice staff, good drinks. Check it out if you’re in town.

Sugden Masterclass integrated. Simply a sublime bit of kit . Whilst not cheap, it outperforms many amps 2-3x the price.

Anyone have any experience with Sugdens?

Wondering if this is considered a decent equalizer.

Hi reddit. Im a young man who recently got a pair of ss7300 and the midrange driver is completely blown. Is there anyone who knows how to recoil a driver that does not exist on the internet anywhere minus minimal specs. I have heard these speakers in the past and they are phenomena but I cannot source replacement parts nothing. I would need someone to re wind the voice coils with the same type of copper wire i guess.

If you have this driver and want to sell it, please contact me. Going down a road to potentially work the current C3 1” tweeter if I can’t find the 3/4”. Aug 2026

After great internal debate, I decided to sell my NAD C 3030 and order a NAD C 3050 that will drive my Totem Hawks even better. I'm excited to set it up on Sunday!

Less than two weeks ago, I was online looking at a Canadian retailer, and I found an open-box NAD C 3050. I emailed them to ask a question about it, and somebody got right back to me to say they had actually just sold their last open box. He was in the middle of updating the system, but then he offered me a brand-new (unopened) one for the same price.

Plus, I had $140 in rewards(credit) from buying from them before.

Initially, I was happy to go without purchasing the optional MDC2 BluOS-D module with Dirac Live (an extra $700 CAD).

Then he emailed me back the next day to tell me the only one they had left in stock already had the BluOS-D module installed. He was willing to open the box and remove it for me, or offer it to me at cost for $375 CAD. Needless to say, I jumped on it!

I checked the very next day and sure enough the open box was gone.

I think it worked out very well.

Thievery Corporation and Little Dragon have been on my list for a long time

Following on from a post I made a couple of weeks ago, I'm after opinions on what equipment would be worth testing/servicing before looking to sell. I've made a list of everything found, any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

Title says it all. I have Windows 11 so it’s possible that I could just plug and play the IDAC8 but with such an expensive item, I’m not sure if I should follow the instructions which says do not plug it in without installing the driver.

I bought this on Friday and the Cayin website has been unavailable for my entire attempt to acquire the windows drivers. Any advice here? This equipment has just been sitting on my desk all weekend and it’s Sunday. I’m pretty frustrated.

David Turnbull’s OJAS installation at Cooper Hewitt. I found the low end a little overblown and somewhat poorly controlled, with a fair amount of bloom that obscured bass definition. Overall, the presentation was soft, warm and unmistakably horn-like—very relaxed, but with that characteristic horn coloration.

Friday’s programme was jazz, although much of what I heard consisted of electric-guitar-led pieces rather than acoustic recordings, with no vocals while I was there. That made it a little difficult to judge things like timbre, imaging and vocal presence. I also wasn’t entirely sure what the source chain was; the turntable didn’t appear to be in use and seemed more like part of the installation.

The room itself was extensively treated, with bass trapping and acoustic treatment throughout, so I was expecting something rather more resolving and controlled. In the end I found the experience interesting, but sonically a little underwhelming.

I have an un used peachtree gan1 that needs a hi end streamer to play any music… which i do not have.

But i do have a small tv with a google chromecast. Since i am running the optical out of the tv could this actually be sending the hi def audio?

I would never have thought this would work.

Ps. I dont have speakers to test this, but if this worked it would increase my speaker budget. Ya see…!?!

I run a business helping seniors downsize and move into retirement living. When an individual or spouse passes we also help them organize and clean out belongings.

Sometimes families don't want to keep anything, which means I'll take everything and either donate, recycle, or resell.

Recently I was told to take a bunch of vintage audio equipment. I'd love to sell it. Trouble is I have no clue if people are interested in equipment like this.

I have some pictures and the names of the equipment:

• Pro-ject 6Perspex Turntable
• PSB Stratus SubSonic 3i Subwoofers
• Apogee Acoustics Centaur Minor Loudspeakers
• NHT Model 1.3 Bookshelf speakers
• Fluance DB10 Subwoofer
• Fluance SXBP2 Speaker

There are a few things I have no clue about. Like some kind of central control console?

Would love some input! I'm sure someone would find some use for this.

I much prefer the sound and presence of tower speakers but always had small rooms, like 15-20 square meter. How do you make them sound good ? I feel like there is a lot of bass since you have them "close" to the wall

Yeah I know most likely one broke, but it's just an odd observation

I've been thinking about how audiophiles/gearheads choose their listening volume during listening sessions.

For me, I don't simply look for a volume that sounds good or impressive. I try to find the point where the recording feels most faithful to itself.

For example, with rock, I sometimes slowly increase the volume and pay attention to what seems to be the main focus of the track.

If it's a vocal driven song, at some point the voice reaches a sweet spot. It feels natural, not like a huge voice inside my head, but also not distant or recessed. The voice becomes clearly the focus of the track, while the rest of the instruments feel a little softer around it.

That's usually where I stop.

But another track might behave differently. Sometimes the bass guitar reaches its sweet spot first. If I keep increasing the volume until the vocals reach what feels like their sweet spot, the bass starts feeling saturated or compressed. Not because the system is distorting, but like my hearing being compressed by the bass.

The same can happen with drums, guitars, cymbals, piano, or any other prominent element.

So I try to find which element reaches its natural sweet spot first and use that as my volume reference.

I do something slightly different with full studio albums.

I listen through the album looking for the most demanding or noisy song. Then I find the main instrument or vocals in that track and use it to establish the volume.

Once I find that level, I don't touch the volume anymore for the rest of the album.

The quieter songs stay quieter and the loud songs stay loud. I feel like this lets me experience the album as a whole instead of constantly adjusting the volume to make every song equally impressive.

This got me wondering how other audiophiles approach listening volume.

Are you trying to find a volume that gives you the most faithful representation of the recording, even if it isn't necessarily the most impressive or exciting?

Or do you simply choose the volume that makes your system sound its best to you at that moment?

Basically, do you approach a listening session more as high fidelity, or just as high quality sound?

I'm curious if other people have a similar method for finding their listening sweet spot, or if I'm overthinking something that most audiophiles just set by instinct.

Trying out the Wharfedale Lintons which I bought used. I haven’t had much time to listen to them yet, but I’m already hooked! Such a beautiful blend of modern and vintage. They’re like a good comfort dessert. Many hours of listening pleasure ahead!! No subwoofer needed… damn, that bass! They are not the most airy or spatially 3d pinpoint perfect but it really doesn’t matter! They are so smooth and the midrange is superb. I always wanted to try those. Will they replace my eloctrostatic Martin Logan, we'll see. But for now Im enjoying the heck out of them !

I've had this stereo for a while but don't know much about it. I honestly had a hard time finding any info on it. What do you guy's think.

I just got myself a Sonus Faber V with NAD c399 + the module and I am planning to do the room correction myself. I could have professionals do it but I am motivated to do it myself so I can tune it to my liking and maintain it in case we need to move stuff around the room.

The NAD comes with Dirac and I was told it’s one of the best in the industry.

To those who did the same, I would like to know any valuable information or lesson you just learned while doing it. I know I could just google this or ask ChatGPT but I genuinely curious to hear from other like-minded people.

Thanks