Cost VS Performance

speakerman1 · Jul 19, 2012

We buy alot of used equipment in here. I understand buying things cheaper. At some point you have to pay some money if you want to play. You can buy a 10,000.00 amp and 20,000.00 speakers. If you are running a source from Walmart then what you get is a source from Walmart.

As far as wires go. There comes a time where you have to just start experimenting. There are used wire sites. Hooking a zip cord to Macs to me is just crazy.

Chasing your tail for a better sound and keeping the same source. Doesn't make sense to me. If you want to upgrade your system try the least expensive source and start working your way up. I'm listening to a system right now that I have less than 600.00 in it. To me it sounds very good. Of coarse I may be just stupid. LOL I am half deaf. I can tell you what kind of jet engine is flying over head. LOL

All you Onix boys. My CD-1 is sitting idle at the moment. I have better CDPs. I tried to tell you. The Oppo is better. A new one went for 169.00. Haven't tried the DACs yet.

I'm not being arrogant. Really I am very humble. I weighed what I heard about the Oppo and who said it and I went for it. I am very happy I did. More of a sound I like. The SS sound is gone.

I want to thank Joe and Scott for the Oppo advice. I appreciate it. On a rational thought mode. I agree with Joe on digital. There is a but in this. I do have some older CDPs and DACs that do sound very good.

Larry

laatsch55 · Jul 19, 2012

For 400 something I thought that was good for a new Onix. I will get an Oppo myself though, and see what the fuss is all about. I respect your opinion on it, just like you respected Joe's and Scott';s.

speakerman1 · Jul 19, 2012

laatsch55 said:

Not trying to tell anyone what to do. I do again I'll say it. I do a lot of research. It took 2 or 3 days of reading opinions. Not reviews. Listening to the Cary system this AM. About to hook up the TT. And see what happens. Going through the Bellari so I can control the output thus no preamp. That is all I'm saying. Once you get an amp setup you think you like start experimenting with sources.

Larry

laatsch55 · Jul 19, 2012

Amen!

speakerman1 · Jul 19, 2012

Sources can be bought for a small amount of money. If you know what I mean.

Larry

dingus · Jul 19, 2012

re: the Oppo. keep in mind that my recommendation was based on its ability as a universal player, ie; sacd, dvd-a, ntsc and pal dvd, and blu-ray formats. i havent even tried it for cd playback, much less compared it to other cd players....

glad you are enjoying yours Larry.

speakerman1 · Jul 19, 2012

It had a better sound than my Onix to me.

Your mileage may vary.

Larry

Fairchild · Jul 19, 2012

I bought an Opp0 83, it is supposed to arrive tomorrow, I started out looking for a Blue-Ray but with all of the recommendations I will try it as other sources.

A 93 can be bought on Amazon for a price, if you don't need 3D the the 83 for Blue_Ray or the one Larry is refering to for mormal playback. Upgrades are available.

Jim

speakerman1 · Jul 20, 2012

Been reading about DACs alot. During my research it was said that the Burr Browns were good but to try the Cirrus DACs. It was said the BB were like a work horse and the Cirrus was a Race horse. It wasn't a put down as it was an observation. Being able to not have to use a preamp is a plus for me. So I am looking a if the phonoamp or a DVDP or CDP has a variable output.

Larry

Pure_Brew · Jul 20, 2012

It's not always about parts cost it's how it's used. The comparable and a bit more expensive NAD to my Marantz has a better DAC, but you can hear the transport spinning from across the room on the NAD. That's not much of a trade off and the Marantz is a decent cheap player in its own right.

speakerman1 · Jul 20, 2012

LOL I never met a Marantz that I liked. LOL Just not my cup of tea. I just didn't like the sound.

On another note. In picking sources I agree with you. If they short changed on one aspect then they have done it in other places. I am glad people like different things. Would be a boring life if they didn't. LOL

My Dad always said whatever floats you boat. LOL I have to agree. I just think the source is one of the biggest influences on the sound. We all know pretty much what sound we want to achieve. I know I do. I do like my tubes. The Bellari is a pretty good phonoamp. The LPS tube helps.

Larry

Fairchild · Jul 20, 2012

I like my Marantz 2235b and my 2230, to me they are good receivers, they have their place.

To borrow from my IT buddy, same with computers as amps, garbage in, garbage out, you need good information in order for the amp to do a good job.

Jim

speakerman1 · Jul 20, 2012

I have sold a lot of Marantz over the years. I'm glad people like them. I made some change buying and selling.

OK I spend more time testing sources than I do amps or speakers. People say pick speakers first. Some say amps. With a source I can change the tonal aspect of the speakers. Depending where you want to go with the sound your budget. A CDP is my 1st consideration. The TT next. That is how I test.

Larry

Fairchild · Jul 20, 2012

A Marantz 1060 was my first amp. As with all amps they do have there own sound, Sansui also has a sound of its own. I like them all in their own respect. My G-8000 can out crank most amps, party amp with party speakers, makes it Loud. lol

The price was right for the G, I got it with a Yamaha YP-B4 TT for $25, sold the turntable for $35, keep the receiver. lol

jim

speakerman1 · Jul 20, 2012

Not a Sansui sound fan. I like the Yamaha sound a lot. My first amp was a Rotel. Had some Omega Z 7000 speakers. LOL I was always getting in trouble in the barracks. Would turn on the music and go take a shower down the hall. I could still hear it over the water. LOL I worked 2nd shift. So it was in the afternoon. The barracks monitor was a dumb guy who got kicked off the flt. line. He turned it down once. I came unglued. Told him to stay out of my room and to never touch my stuff again. LOL

Larry

Fairchild · Jul 20, 2012

The Sansui sounds is definately a different sound. A little to treble and mid for me, but I still enjoy the reciever at times..

I had a Sansui CA-3000 preamp, I didn't keep it long. I then got my GAS Thoebe and have not changed the preamp since. I like James Borgiano sound.

Jim

Pure_Brew · Jul 20, 2012

speakerman1 said:

It's a decent player for the money, have you ever heard a CD5004? I doubt you have but I bet a few A/B blinded would easily fool you like most people. But you wouldn't be fooled by noise or a Noisey transport.

speakerman1 · Jul 20, 2012

It isn't so much sounding good. Now days I am looking for a certain sound. I do my little tweaks to try and achieve that sound. There are probably alot of players I would like out there. Just some more than others. I am not very big on the SS sound at all any more. I tried the tube buffer Jim has. It did nothing to my systems. I have grown very fond of the tube sound. The Onix sounded good with the outboard DAC. I'll have to look and see which DAC is in it. To me that little Bellari is worth its weight in gold. I cranked it with no preamp and it was dead quiet. It is 1950s circuitry. For what it does it is very reasonable. The Perpetual Technology DACs and clock are pretty good. I haven't used an Acoustic Alchemy in a long time.

I try to do good with the components I have. I haven't listened to a tuner in a long time. Haven't had one in the rack for over a year. I still am thinking hard about the MH USB DAC. I live in the country so I don't get to shop. I do the best with what I have or I spend days reading. It is sort of like this DVD I'm listening to. There is very little low end in it. I know my speakers and I know they are capable of going lower or having a deeper presence if you know what I mean. It still sounds good. I'm running the Norman Labs at the moment.

If I ever build a new rack. I think I would go with a Yamaha one. Except speakers.

Larry

Pure_Brew · Jul 21, 2012

I want everything, and I want it better. My wife has been wondering if I plan on trading her in for a new one, god bless her. My attention to audio right now she can live with and sometimes she listens with me. It's been a good mid-life distraction that keeps me home lol.

speakerman1 · Aug 1, 2012

Cost? I hate noise. I hate a deck that has hiss and it is hard for me to listen to a LP with pops. I read in here this sounds great and it can't get any better. With your CDPs. Cost wise if you like a transport in a CDP you have. Think a novel thought and buy a DAC and see what it does for sound. It is up to you though it is your money. I am lucky that I don't go with the flow. I'm not smarter than anyone else. I just have different rules. Words of advice. Don't buy any heavy LPs. The originals are better. I have some originals setting here that are mastered so bad. I bought the LP because I like the band. Then I can't listen to it. To put it mildly they suck. These are my opinions so take them or leave them. I'll still sleep at night.

Lee till you joined here. Did you ever think of owning anything but Pioneer? I'll get back to you. I'm rapidly approaching cruising alt. Above the weather. LMBO Stick That in your pipe and smoke it. LMBO.

Larry

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