Pinipig523
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2004
- Messages
- 1,742
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I have listened to the Ayre, but I have not yet listened to any of the Esoterics. The one thing I don't like about the Esoterics is their use of opamps, however, many swear by them and they are probably good.
I really do like the Ayre - I think one would be VERY hard pressed to beat out the Ayre C5xe for flat out redbook or SACD playing. There's good reason why many consider the Ayre C5xe the pinnacle of real-world source components! It's really that good if you have the right system (meaning your system has enough resolution). Mind you, I've owned some speakers where I could seriously NOT tell the difference between a DAC and the computer soundcard or going from Class AB on my Plinius to Class A... in those systems, the impact of an Ayre C5xe would not be as striking, for obvious reasons of lack of fidelity (I'm talking about >$2K speakers here).
I did not get the Ayre C5xe for 2 reasons -
1. It costs $6K new.... considerably more than I was willing to spend. Even used prices are high at about $4000 to $4500.
2. It has NO digital inputs, one cannot use the Ayre as a standalone DAC. This is a necessity for me because I have 250gb of music stored as FLAC and my CD collection is pitiful.
Bottomline, I spent $1800 on the Cary CDP (used). The PS Audio DAC can be sold for $800. The net outlay is $1000. When I listened to it, after having heard a good portion of what is offered in the market, I felt that I was getting a good return on that $1K. I blew my audio budget for the rest of the year... but it was worth it.
I'm thinking either top of the line Krell, with its transformer output stage, the Ayre previously mentioned, the all-in-one Emm Labbs or possibly the Esoteric X-05. The Emm labbs is way out of my price range, but I'm a patient man
That's an amazing set-up Pini! I've always lusted after Cary gear, especially the 306, but have never been able to justify purchasing such nice gear for my mediocre music collection. Your system has definitely been upgraded since I last talked to you!
Brought over a non-audiophile classmate from school over today. He has never heard a hifi set up before. Played one clip of a song, we switched from the PS Audio DAC to the Cary 306's DAC. Instantly, he told me he could hear a major difference in the way the music is presented.
He said, "It's blurry with the old thing, but with the new one, it's a lot clearer and denser."
My thoughts exactly. I wasn't hearing anything made up.
He said, "It's blurry with the old thing, but with the new one, it's a lot clearer and denser."
My thoughts exactly. I wasn't hearing anything made up.
There will always be those who will doubt, regardless of the protocols I take in getting to a particular conclusion with regards to my system. Even if I did a double blind control trial, there will still be a loophole that I may have forgotten to taken into account and those same doubters will expound on that. Perhaps the easiest way is for you to hear it for yourself and decide for yourself.Unequivocally saying that you weren't hearing anything made up because of one other persons sighted listening test is a little bit of a stretch. You say you approach it all logically/scientifically, get a few friends together and start doing some blind testing. Coming to a conclusion because of one person that agreed with you during a sighted test isn't particularly logical.
What I don't understand is why I don't tend to hear blurry sounds with my system that costs less than a fraction of yours.
I have absolutely nothing against your setup, Pini- it's just that comments like that lead me to believe that higher-end systems just hurt themselves.
What I don't understand is why I don't tend to hear blurry sounds with my system that costs less than a fraction of yours.
I have absolutely nothing against your setup, Pini- it's just that comments like that lead me to believe that higher-end systems just hurt themselves.
The problem I have is when people start talking about the subtleties in sound in regards to something like a CD player. There just isn't that much difference between even consumer level gear and audiophile gear to justify the difference in cost. If you want to argue the subtle differences between different tube receivers, sure, I'll buy it. But if you're going to try and tell me that your $5000 cd player is so much better as to justify the cost, well, you're pissing into the wind. It's cool if thats what you're into, and as I said, I can appreciate your hobby for what it is. But trying to justify the purchase to everyone else? Enjoy your purchase and save the justifications.
Great! I could probably learn a thing or two from you with regards to certain equipment. I'll be sure to keep you in mind when I have a question.Look, I'm not going to say I'm a sound professional with years of experience under my belt. I play a few instruments, I've been in a few studios, I've done a bit of recording myself. I know enough to know what muddy sound is and what crystal clear sound is. I can hear subtleties enough that I can tune an instrument by ear and be every bit as accurate as any digital tuner, if that says anything. I've also listened to audiophile gear, and to an extent some of it is worth the money.
And your new apartment is nice. My comment wasn't meant to disparage your living arrangement. I was just saying that your money would be better spent on other things. You will (and likely have, judging by your new place) heard a load of difference just by having a proper listening area to enjoy your gear. One of the things I do know from time spent in studios is how the acoustics of a room can affect the subtleties of sound. I apologize if you took my comment the wrong way, it was not intended as such.
You can't miss what you don't know is there. Read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_caveWhat I don't understand is why I don't tend to hear blurry sounds with my system that costs less than a fraction of yours.
You can't miss what you don't know is there. Read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_cave
I've heard plenty of live music, be it organized on stage or a matter of walking through the halls. If I didn't hear the details then, I'll never hear them.
Pini, your PM has a response.
I'm not here to dispute anybody, but I've played several musical instruments throughout my life, and can tune by ear. I had already been doing so by the time I got started in the world of high end/ high quality audio. Yet my ears have been trained a great deal since then. There is more to sound than the simple beating of notes in/out of tune. There is more than muddiness. There are so many more variables than that.
Few people, if any, who read this thread will ever own Martin Logan speakers. Thats just the way it is. I dont think anyone is trying to convince others that the Logans are the speaker they must have, and nothing else. I think it, and the spirit of the entire thread, are more like "hey everybody, just got some new speakers and I'm pleased...here is what I hear...".
I agree... completely. This is not an effort to make people buy what I own, it's a thread for showing "what's new and what's hopping". I just include a bit of what I thought about the particular item.
Well I appreciate you taking the time to take pictures and file reviews of your equipment for the [H] .
Well I appreciate you taking the time to take pictures and file reviews of your equipment for the [H] .
Thought I would post an update since I've changed a few things. New speakers (Madisound Cygnet Mk. II kit), got a sub (AV123 X-sub, in front left corner of room), and trimmed down my equipment rack by getting rid of a few items.
http://mit.edu/~alewine/www/photo_g...l Setup/2008-05-14/slides/DSC_0467_1280px.jpg
I was wondering the same thing.Where did u find this Equipment Rack? It's perfect for what i need.
My personal philosophy is that your system should have closely matched components. Cheap receiver with high end speakers: you probably aren't getting the most that you could out of those speakers. Vice versa with cheap speakers and a nice amp (been there) the speakers will sound better than with a cheap receiver, but you're still using cheap speakers.
Where am I going? My theory is that if you have the money to spend on nice speakers, a nice amp, a nice preamp, a power conditioner, etc... then there's no reason why not to have a high quality and nice source such as a CD or DVD or Blueray player. Why not? Why use 128 kbps MP3's playing from an iPod on your $20,000+ stereo? Because it really doesn't do its justice for your system. You should have a source that matches your other equipment. (unless you really cannot tell the difference, then you should not own a $20,000 stereo in the first place)
(Blueray battle)
In all honesty, everybody here in Seattle has been questioning why anybody would get a standalone Blueray player when you could get a Sony PS3 with a built in Blueray player for fairly close to the same price. My answer: quality. The quality of the movie or sound will not be good enough for people with high end equipment who have the transparency to hear and see the difference.
I respect everybody here at the forum, but the ones who just put out the stupid comments questioning what other people can hear are just oblivious to the world of hi-fi. Each day that goes by that I listen to music and play music (via guitar and piano), the more my ears open up to sounds. I can only imagine the people who have really developed their ears far more than mine.
For musical people, that's their priority. That's their money. Some take out loans to buy it, others can actually afford it after working for a week or two. My philosophy is buy what I can afford in conjunction with the rest of my life's spendings and when some component dies, goes out, or is simply too old, then I will replace it.
Don't question people's opinions, as the internet is the fullest book of them out there.
I respect everybody here at the forum, but the ones who just put out the stupid comments questioning what other people can hear are just oblivious to the world of hi-fi.
Where did u find this Equipment Rack? It's perfect for what i need.
I was wondering the same thing.
I was wondering the same thing.
Awesome setup Pinipig! I've seen some of your other posts/reviews in the past and you've always had pretty amazing gear. props. Lookin forward to seeing pics of everything set up in your new living arrangement. Pain in the arse to set up, I know how that goes!
If you believe everyone that says their 800 dollar power cord made an enormous night and day difference in their system then maybe you're making some stupid comments and are just oblivious to reality.
I remember when this thread was about pics, and not about flaming pini's rig
Now that's a nice rig... is that his or his parents?
Are those Diamonds?
@ magnetik,
That setup is fucking beautiful.
it would be prettier if it was mine. hehe