North East Ohio

raysracing · « **Reply #100 on:** 6 Jan 2014, 03:19 pm »

Great time listening to music and meeting you all. I am typing this from my new music server which I hope to keep tweaking and show off at a future event. I believe everyone was excited to host the next event so lets set one up!

Thank you bbaxter and your wife for the hospitality and the (ouch my head) draft beer. There is still one room to audition at your house though.

raysracing · « **Reply #101 on:** 7 Jan 2014, 05:31 pm »

My daughter and I built a pair of new speaker cables this am. We started with 50' of outdoor 14g cold weather outdoor extension cord. I believe I voided the 3 year warranty when i cut them in two. She soldered two leads for the pos and left the one for neg. Big giant blue cables.

I'd love for one of the local guys to compare these to your cables for fun. They are long though at close to 25' with cheap banana plugs silver soldered to the ends. The bananas were such crap they were a pain to solder. I was just going to mechanically attach them after tinning, but I couldn't even do that. Thats what I get for buying banana plugs at Home Depot.

Ray

carusoracer · « **Reply #102 on:** 10 Jan 2014, 03:29 am »

Ted,

Anyway to hear some DSD set ups when you make it back from CES? Do you still make it down to Columbus?

Sorry I missed the gathering. Too much snow and I've been offline over the Holiday's.

When is the next one scheduled?

raysracing · « **Reply #103 on:** 12 Jan 2014, 01:08 am »

Quote from: carusoracer on 10 Jan 2014, 03:29 am

Ted,

Anyway to hear some DSD set ups when you make it back from CES? Do you still make it down to Columbus?

Sorry I missed the gathering. Too much snow and I've been offline over the Holiday's.

When is the next one scheduled?

We didn't set a date, but we determined we all want to do another! Anyone have bbaxter's contact info? I tried PM and email and nothing. I have something to return to him.

raysracing · « **Reply #104 on:** 16 Jan 2014, 10:33 pm »

Anyone local want to stop by this weekend? Here is what I have set up right now. Homemade computer running Jriver, Paul Pang USB, Dacmagic, virtue 1 amp (Bill's), Omega Super 3 speakers with new RS5 drivers (50 hours and counting on them), sub and HDD and Turntable.

To do a demo justice I need to borrow a USB DAC that does 24bit, and 96khz or higher. The Dacmagic tops out at 16/44.1 on USB. And it still Blows me away at that too.

The Paul Pang USB is the real deal. Wait till it burns in and I get the power supply for it and battery power for the SSD in it too.

Ray
I'm very close to bbaxters house.

Jonathan · « **Reply #105 on:** 16 Jan 2014, 10:39 pm »

I could be available on Sunday or Monday (I have the day off for MLK's birthday). I have a Parasound ZDAC I could bring along. Would be interesting to compare inexpensive DACs.

-Jon

raysracing · « **Reply #106 on:** 17 Jan 2014, 12:16 am »

Quote from: Jonathan on 16 Jan 2014, 10:39 pm

I could be available on Sunday or Monday (I have the day off for MLK's birthday). I have a Parasound ZDAC I could bring along. Would be interesting to compare inexpensive DACs.

-Jon

Sounds good. You may enjoy the Omega's. With a sub of course.

Spritz57 · « **Reply #107 on:** 17 Jan 2014, 12:53 am »

Greetings all! I missed all of this discussion though I follow a few topics. I'm in Delaware County in Central Ohio, who is an older tube type and would enjoy learning more about the latest DAC's and Music Servers as my CDP needs replacing. Of course, beyond comparing notes meeting other's with this hobby would be very cool.

kernelbob · « **Reply #108 on:** 17 Jan 2014, 02:40 am »

I could make it this weekend (1/18 or 1/19), but I have work on Monday. If we're going to be playing with DAC's, I could bring my PSAudio PWD-MkII, easy enough to grab and toss in the car. Please keep me posted on details. Thanks

Jonathan · « **Reply #109 on:** 18 Jan 2014, 06:23 pm »

Bob,

Ray and I talked about getting together on Sunday, later afternoon. We have yet to determine the time. I'd love to hear your PS Audio DAC compared to my more humble ZDAC.

raysracing · « **Reply #110 on:** 19 Jan 2014, 12:38 pm »

Word is I will be home by 3pm from Wattsburg, PA. Day XC ski trip. I may be half asleep when you get here, but...

How about 4:30pm to audition my Cheap and Cheerful system and test three DAC's (DacMagic, Zdac and PS Audio) and get just an intro to music servers with a Paul Pang USB card running Jriver and a few Hi-rez albums (one or two dsf files if others DAC's can play them at native resolution).

Feel free to bring a CD, vinyl (my needle is mint-have carbon cleaning brush), thumb drive or HDD (Fat 32 or MS compatible) and beer. I could even hook up my PS3 if you want to play SACD's.

2523 Canterbury Rd. 44118. Feel free to bring house slippers as my cave floor is kind of cold.

Ray

Speedskater · « **Reply #111 on:** 19 Jan 2014, 03:34 pm »

That's a little late for me. By the time everyone get's settled in, I would have to leave for the ice rink.

raysracing · « **Reply #112 on:** 19 Jan 2014, 07:12 pm »

On my home from an exhausting ski. Should have no problem being ready st 4:30. Sorry Speedskater.

raysracing · « **Reply #113 on:** 20 Jan 2014, 01:37 am »

Thanks guys, It was very revealing to hear the difference between my Dacmagic, Jonathan's ZDac and kernelbob's PSAudio MK.2. The Zdac and a Shinyata Python power cord and the PSAdio had a VS Master power cord with Delphi cabling.

The cool part is that my very cheap and cheerful system has enough resolution to detect the differences between all three. Thanks guys, it was a fun night. And I surprised them with a $10 amplifier! That was fun for me.

And for me I am happy you guys enjoyed my C&C system. It will only get better one tweak at a time.

Ray

raysracing · « **Reply #114 on:** 20 Jan 2014, 03:05 pm »

Quote from: Jonathan on 18 Jan 2014, 06:23 pm

Bob,

Ray and I talked about getting together on Sunday, later afternoon. We have yet to determine the time. I'd love to hear your PS Audio DAC compared to my more humble ZDAC.

I think it is only right that we are allowed our own opinions of product comparisons, but if I may say that I thought (and this after switching back to my system at end of the night) that the ZDAC with Shunyata Python power cord was laid back, mellow even. My DacMagic maybe had a tad bit more bass, but glary on top with the strings and piano. Made me want to turn the volume down a hair. The PSAudio DAC with VS Masterbuilt (plus?) power cord was every bit as awesome as one would expect. From timber on cymbals to the way it handled solo violin and piano as well as the ease with big loud complex orchestral passages. Realistic and detail, detail, detail. Im in love with a DAC (and power cord).

One thing I thought of was we should have hooked up the Python on my computer because my DAC would not accept any other power cords (has an odd SMPS config). Actually maybe better we didn't. My music server is a budget server. Would go against the C&C theme if the power cord was equal to the value of the entire computer.

Even though we did not A/B power cords I am pretty darn sure that they make a difference. Next meeting maybe we ought to try some power cord changes from stock black OEM computer cords all the way to the VS Masterbuilt. Maybe even do a blind test for fun with a curtain so no peaking.

raysracing · « **Reply #115 on:** 25 Jan 2014, 03:09 am »

bbaxter you've turned me into a huge Bruckner fan. I feel like I may not stop till I have all the works in all the versions. I just read your liner notes on the Bruckner Symphony 4, Jesus Lopez-Cobos Telarc recording. Im listening to the 8th right now (The DG Guilini-Vienna Orchestra recording), but may fit in the 4th before bedtime.

We need to get together soon so I can delve deeper into more of the Bruckner recordings.

Ray

kernelbob · « **Reply #116 on:** 25 Jan 2014, 04:11 am »

Hi Ray,
I subscribe to an emailed newsletter from http://www.abruckner.com/
It has lots of information on all things Bruckner. Hard to find Bruckner CDs are available from this site. The newsletter also provides info on performances around the world that you can stream.

You also may want to check out The Bruckner Journal at http://www.brucknerjournal.co.uk/

As you're exploring performances, check out the Furtwangler recordings. I'll bring some of my favorites to our next get together. Maybe I should have one at my place next. Maybe in a few weeks when the winter blasts ease up.

Enjoy,
Bob

raysracing · « **Reply #117 on:** 4 Feb 2014, 03:31 am »

Quote from: kernelbob on 25 Jan 2014, 04:11 am

Hi Ray,
I subscribe to an emailed newsletter from http://www.abruckner.com/
It has lots of information on all things Bruckner. Hard to find Bruckner CDs are available from this site. The newsletter also provides info on performances around the world that you can stream.

You also may want to check out The Bruckner Journal at http://www.brucknerjournal.co.uk/

As you're exploring performances, check out the Furtwangler recordings. I'll bring some of my favorites to our next get together. Maybe I should have one at my place next. Maybe in a few weeks when the winter blasts ease up.

Enjoy,
Bob

Bob,

with the new weather front coming in our get together may never happen! But you know I am happy. More time on the XC skis. Thanks for info on Bruckner.

to all: I just sold my Dacmagic. if I go with DSD capable then I may go with the iDSD. It is getting favorable reviews for only $189 and will play all of my files through USB at full resolution. The other option is to buy a small SET amplifier which is what these Omega's mate with really well they say. It is night and day in all respects. I can buy a new Miniwatt N3 for about $230 shipped on Amazon. Or spend another hundred for a Musical Paradise and get two inputs which is actually worth the extra $100 all by itself. A Niles input selector box is $90 by itself.

Of course I'll have to go without a DAC for awhile which will be nuts with the music server only ripping new music.

Ray

Speedskater · « **Reply #118 on:** 4 Feb 2014, 04:03 pm »

Ray, did you do that long XC race or is it still on the schedule?

raysracing · « **Reply #119 on:** 4 Feb 2014, 04:40 pm »

Quote from: Speedskater on 4 Feb 2014, 04:03 pm

Ray, did you do that long XC race or is it still on the schedule?

Still training for the Birkie. It is in February 21st.