My 2019 Update Thread - My final system I think.

[Ali Tait]

Densen pre?

[Gazjam]

Densen pre?

A new pre to replace the Topping yeah,

but the Holo Audio Serene KTE, to match the Dac.
Long lead time on it, but will be worth the wait.

It can be used as a headphone amp from one set of its balanced XLR outputs, and night time listening on cans is something I miss.

The old friend is Meze headphones,
had the 99 Classics which were great, but picked up their bigger brother the 109 Pros
Good looking things..

[Ali Tait]

Nice mate, should be worth the wait.

[Gazjam]

Update on the vinyl front?

Due to a "mishap" the record players been out of action for a while now, but decided to get it back up n running, and call it done.
Two things?
Getting Jony at Audio Origami to rewire my tonearm with some of his "secret sauce" and upgrading the stock cart that came with my Project X8 balanced turntable.

One of these incoming, a Hana ML Moving Coil cartridge.


From reviews and forum opinion, this seems to be (like how I try to plan most of my gear) the Sweet Spot diminishing returns wise, and for me nowadays I just need vinyl to be "good enough", so not a rabbit hole I need to go down again.
Been there done that?
The "Dream combo" Michell Gorbe/SME V with top end Dynavector cart didn't get me to where my digital is now, so not chasing the "Vinyl Dream" like you might read about.

Where I am vinyl wise is where Im staying.

Just wanted to stick a fork in it and call it done with making the most of the platform I've got.
A fully balanced turntable and phonostage, make the most of the great arm I've got with a rewire, and get a "call it done" cartridge.

More a digital guy nowadays but have a substantial bunch of records,
every single one of them I remember where I was when THAT track hit hard, or where and when I bought them...

And thats never a bad thing, the smiles you get when you remember makes it worth it!
Sometimes its not always about chasing absolute sound quality, theres other stuff too

So did my research as always and getting a "one and done" MC Cartridge and an arm rewire.
Happy days.

[hornucopia]

I wonder how many folk use night-time headphone listening as their main usage?
I bought my Ether2s from Ali,I recall, after years of Wharfedale planar-magnetics.
The Wharfedale are excellent even though over 60 years old, though you do have
To run them from speaker outlets to get a reasonable volume.i
Use a Peachtree iDecco amp which has a built-in iPod socket.


Like Ali, I have a 686 amp, but remember the CADBURY 286!

[Barry]

The only time I use headphones is when using the computer. Despite having two sets of Koss headphones (ESP6 electrostatics and a PRO4AA), I dislike listening to headphones for more than about a quarter of an hour

To me they are unnatural: with the sound appearing to be inside your head, and when you move your head the limited stereo image moves with it, unlike listening to speakers.

[Barry]

Good to hear you have found a tonearm/cartridge combination that you are happy with and one which will probably see you out. I rarely buy vinyl these days; and when I do it is used rather than new as in general I'm not impressed with the quality of new pressings.

For vinyl replay I have settled with using an Ikeda 'cantileverless' moving coil cartridge in a Ikeda-modified 12" Ortofon arm on a Thorens 124/II turntable, or a Breuer 4A arm with a Van Den Hul 'One' cartridge.

Hana cartridges are very well regarded, so I expect you will be delighted with yours.

[Macca]

I also hate headphones. On the odd occasion I do listen at night I use the much smaller speakers on the TV system at fairly low volume.

[Pigmy Pony]

My budget-ish headphones (AKG K550) are falling apart, even though like Barry they get occasional use on the laptop. They do what they do quite well though.

Used to have some of these in the 70s, I remember them being quite good, though my Wharfedale Denton speakers weren't setting the bar very high.

[vinylspinner]

Update on the vinyl front?

Due to a "mishap" the record players been out of action for a while now, but decided to get it back up n running, and call it done.
Two things?
Getting Jony at Audio Origami to rewire my tonearm with some of his "secret sauce" and upgrading the stock cart that came with my Project X8 balanced turntable.

One of these incoming, a Hana ML Moving Coil cartridge.


From reviews and forum opinion, this seems to be (like how I try to plan most of my gear) the Sweet Spot diminishing returns wise, and for me nowadays I just need vinyl to be "good enough", so not a rabbit hole I need to go down again.
Been there done that?
The "Dream combo" Michell Gorbe/SME V with top end Dynavector cart didn't get me to where my digital is now, so not chasing the "Vinyl Dream" like you might read about.

Where I am vinyl wise is where Im staying.

Just wanted to stick a fork in it and call it done with making the most of the platform I've got.
A fully balanced turntable and phonostage, make the most of the great arm I've got with a rewire, and get a "call it done" cartridge.

More a digital guy nowadays but have a substantial bunch of records,
every single one of them I remember where I was when THAT track hit hard, or where and when I bought them...

And thats never a bad thing, the smiles you get when you remember makes it worth it!
Sometimes its not always about chasing absolute sound quality, theres other stuff too

So did my research as always and getting a "one and done" MC Cartridge and an arm rewire.
Happy days.

I use the Hana ML in my vinyl system, on an Audiotechnica AT1503 mk3 arm fitted to a Denon DP-80. More than happy with it.