bstspkr1 said:
Hats-Off to the individuals and companies that provide such products.
Let me add NOT only hats off to the individual designers and companies that provide the outstanding products we enjoy; but to you bstspkr1 and everyone who shares their experiences in such a cogent and open manner.
As I previously stated in this post, while maintaining an open mind, I’ve been pleasantly surprised countless times with products unknown to me and of configurations different than the norm. As such, over the years, I’ve bought several pieces from little known boutique designers, always with outstanding results. In the process, one or two of these designers/manufacturers have become friends, with one visiting my home for an audition of his equipment from 1,500 miles away, while he was on a road trip elsewhere.
bstskr1: you have, and have had access to many high-end audio products at the pinnacle of the audio heap. Different, but none outshining the other, is the clarion call for the level of products you own.
While reading your comparisons, I found myself shaking my head with an understanding of how you must feel when switching out components. It’s good that you don’t make a science of it. Our desires to recreate a musical performance in our homes, is an emotional, subjective one. Attempting to categorize that listening, musical experience with a priority connected to the scientific method is, to me, a misguided one, but one the internet with its far reaching access, has popularized.
Since you mentioned your components, I will do mine. Before disabilities precluded me from spinning vinyl, I owned a Galibier Quattro turntable with a Tri-Planar arm. My tube pre-amplifier was a Michael Elliott (formerly of Counterpoint) direct-sale design. It was an Aria Audio WVXL, with phono. Both pieces are now at my son’s house, being enjoyed by him. I jumped into computer audio almost at its inception with DAC’s from Wavelength Audio (a Brick and then Crimson). Later, those were replaced in my main room with a Lampizator Big7 and then Lampi’s Golden Gate. Presently, I’m using Roon on a DIY Windows HTPC connected via Ethernet to a dCS Rossini DAC. Not needing switching, the Rossini is directly connected to the Atma-sphere MA-1’s.
Cabling is in a large state of flux. When I received my new S/L Majestic 845’s last year, I found one of my speaker cables shorting. For a quick and very inexpensive stop gap, I bought Signal Audio’s top-of-the-line Silver Resolution cable. Astronomical pricing per pair, begins at $289.00!! The Covid Shyte storm halted trying other cables. But that will change shortly. Along the same lines my Atma-sphere to Rossini XLR IC’s were procured from Atma-sphere’s Ralph Karsten. Like the Signal speaker cables these IC’s were very inexpensive and were bought as a tentative beginning point for future cable auditions. Hopefully in the case of each cable type, because of their cost, I will be pleasantly surprised when the comparisons begin.