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What was the the last audio-related item you purchased?

I have my Node X (the cool silver one) in the bedroom system using its internal DAC which doesn't sound as good the the white N132 in the office using a Schiit Mimir DAC. The Icon is in the living room using its internal dual DACs and XLR cables into a Schiit Freya+ preamp and it sounds just like the N132/ Schiit DAC combo.
 
The above in my last post mentioned new to me 2nd Philips N5748 of mine now uploaded on my YouTube channel PrairieSeb.

I forgot to make photos while powering it on and first trouble shoot. So for those who want a link to the video on my YouTube channel.

For what it is worth. Don't worry my YouTube channel is and will not be monetized. This YouTube channel - like my vintage (Philips) Hi-Fi gear - is just a hobby of mine. My Hi-Fi gear is thus NOT for sale.

Hope you don't mind my ugly face in the beginning of the video ;-)

 
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I should probably try it out. Or send it back. It has been here a week.
Watched too many videos.
I guess sort of a grief buy since my downstairs listening area had some accidental
destruction. Restoration ongoing.
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A Schiit Freya 2 preamp: they updated the old Freya+ with a new case so you don't have to use socket savers with larger diameter 6SN7 tubes (they spaced the tubes farther apart too). They changed the size of the output coupling caps from 2.2uF to 10uF, and got rid of 70 parts from the circuit board (about 30 were electrolytic caps). They also tweaked the volume control to make it easier to go up/down one step at a time.... damn thing sounds AMAZING
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elcoholic said:
You should definitely try it out.
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You are right. Need to try it this week.
I keep having "YouTube" voice in my head:
"Will this DAC beat the DAC from a twenty-year old DVD player?":)

justin_r_23 said:
If the matching PL 200T. is

If the matching SMSL PL200T is any indication, that’ll be a nice piece of kit.
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I came very close to getting this one too. And researched their amplifiers.
 
peet_pete said:
You are right. Need to try it this week.
I keep having "YouTube" voice in my head:
"Will this DAC beat the DAC from a twenty-year old DVD player?":)


I came very close to getting this one too. And researched their amplifiers.
Click to expand...
I keep coming back to the fact that the DACs in my 36 year-old Pioneer LD player and the over 20 year-old AIWA DVD player I have stack up nicely against the Modi 5 (to my 50+ year-old) ears. That is: I can't hear a difference. The only reason why I want digital outputs is because of some itch about "purity of signal" that likely makes little sense from an engineering perspective.

The thing I like about the PL200T is: it's simple to operate and it plays discs through the Modi 5 that the DVD player couldn't. It does what it needs to and gets out of the way.

Also: A/B-ing the DVD player's coaxial out with my Panasonic 4K Blu-ray player's HDMI connection into my Marantz Cinema 70s -- I liked the Blu-Ray through HDMI better.

It's not a big margin, though. It all sounds good.
 
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N2552 said:
I had to search the web to understand what they are and where for. Oepsie :dunno::oops::dunno: No surprise I suppose cuz, although I'm bald and grey; I originally started out as a blonde...
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Some times a spacer is needed to get the tracking angle right, depnding on the cartridge height, the arm, and the armboard.
 
I recently bought this Apos R2R ladder DAC and Gremlin hybrid tube/SS amp and they are sounding fantastic. I like the ‘Science Faire’ aesthetic. The Druid R2R DAC sounds lively and has beautiful timbre repro, even for cymbals. The Gremlin HPA uses a tube gain stage with a class A SS driver. Plenty of grunt for my Audeze LCD-4’s.

Unlike a lot of recent designs that come right out of chip manufacturer’s data sheets this one is original and clever. Sounds fantastic. Under three Benjamin’s for the combo with a plastic stacker.

This is the first piece of inexpensive Asian-sourced audio gear that hasn’t been a sonic disappointment for me. IMG_0841.jpeg

A couple of caveats. This is USB only, no other serial digital inputs. It is also fully balanced throughout so you’ll need balanced headphone cables.
 
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