Leaderboard

That's all there is to say really. I've been listening to so many cd's and I've just put on a few records and they relax me so much. I just love the sound......

In all my years here on SNA I don't believe I have ever commented on a thread which was created to celebrate the life of a recently departed artist. I really don't see the point (but do understand why so many of you feel the need). I much prefer to celebrate the artists while they are alive and kicking. As an example, before this no week no one was raving about Lemmie and how great he was, or Stevie Wright. No doubt many felt these guys were artists worthy of their adoration, but I always find it strange that these feelings are not shared until their death. If I were an artist I think I would to be acknowledged before I cark it. Anyway, having just watched the video doing the rounds on spewtube of Aretha Franklin singing at the Kennedy Centre yesterday... http://youtu.be/5RIgeu-6Jcs I would like to take this opportunity to say how wonderful I think she is. Before she dies. No doubt when she does cark it the forums will go mad celebrating her life, the music vendors will go crazy putting out Aretha compilations etc. and the radios will have a solid week of Aretha madness, but why can't we celebrate her now? Naturally, the list of living legends worthy of our outpourings is rather large, and a death is a great way to remind us of them, but really, we can do better. Happy New Year!

Glad you are enjoying the thread. Schadenfreude if you ask me. Hmm, not sure how HQ Player plays - I can't imagine from RAM, way too much cpu use. And with the server I have, I'm unsure of the benefit of RAM play in any event. Think of HQ player as the antithesis of Vortexbox. My server & Nadac is on loan for a few weeks so will have a look when it comes back. Set up is the main PITA with the Nadac, and the lack of a physical remote, but once you have that worked through, it is very good. You have to think in terms of network and ASIO locks, rather than connections ie the ASIO driver and the Nadac have to be on the same ethernet connection, which isn't as straight forward as it sounds. Particularly on windows, which can be a nuisance to configure - especially if you run headless ie via remote desktop. One thing about the Nadac, when it locks onto its ASIO driver over the ethernet, there is no letting go. So conversely getting it to release its ASIO driver and pick up another is a nuisance. By way of example to move the ASIO driver from eg Roon to eg HQ Player involves closing the Roon server software, starting HQ Player, playing something in HQ Player, stopping HQ Player, adjust the settings to allow for DSD (sdm) conversion as you want, clear the playlist, start Roon, select HQ Player as your local host, play something in Roon and fingers crossed you have DSD 256 coming out through the Nadac. Similar process to play direct from Roon from HQ Player. It may sound simple, but everytime you close the sw locking the ASIO driver you lose the "lock" in the Nadac, and it doesn't acquire a new lock UNTIL you start using it again. But you get native DSD 256, which sounds considerably better than DoP 128 on OSX (or I imagine) linux to my ears. It isn't as simple as ticking the box in the "Audio Station" in Roon. Took me a while to nut all that out. The accompanying manual isn't especially helpful. Currently I am enjoying the Mytek Manhattan very much straight from my MBA (via FW). The Mytek is an extraordinary converter in its own right. Again as with the Nadac, more so with DSD than PCM, but then again, that is what I play these days either natively or converted via HQ Player. The short comings of the Nadac ( and cf to the Mytek) are, in my opinion, these: Low output (gain) even via balanced. The Mytek puts out pro levels in XLR. It has a volume control (digital I expect) but you can't use it as a pre straight to your power amps. Well you can, but it doesn't sound very good. The Mytek has an excellent pre stage with either analogue volume control or digital. I am happy using it straight to my power amp. It is not remotely plug and play. Neither is the Mytek, but compared to the Nadac it is. Edit: It is called the NADAC as in "Network Attached Device And Control" except it isn't: you can't control diddly squat over the network. To access any of its menu's outside of source and volume control you have to piss about in what is probably the world's worst 2 inch OLED screen: OLED, 160x128 pixels, 16 bit colors. I mean that is just embarrassing, and really hard to read even when you are right next to it. So for instance to know what firmware you have on board, I think, what you have to do is go into the "maintenance" sub menu and then, again I think - I haven't been game to do it - update via a downloaded file connected to via the ethernet. Why you can't do this via a network control i.e. the web page it loads is beyond me. Or have I missed something Merging? The Nadac's literature is misleading at best - it gives you the impression you can plug it into your router and stream music from anywhere. Bollocks you can. There are two ways you can use it - either a direct connection to your server via ethernet or via your LAN, which requires a managed switch (they support Dell managed switches). It should be supplied with a (pre configured) Dell switch. You can't use the remote App unless it is on your LAN, which means manual volume control /mute (if you are not using a pre) and change of source (or via its web interface - but you can't change volume control by its web interface only its App). Call me old fashioned, but at this level I'd expect a half decent remote control - eg the Mytek ships with an Apple Remote and I love using that - I can change source, volume, mute etc etc. Being aimed at the obsessive audiophile, who want "the best" connection possible, I don't understand why they didn't allow for a fiber ethernet connection: it's easy to build a server with a fiber card. It kind of defeats the purpose of noise isolation via fiber to then have to run noisy SMPS FMC's to the Nadac. And networking FMC's isn't plug and play either. Why of why they fitted a 3.5mm and a 6.5mm headphone out, I have no idea. Sheer stupidity. I can see a single 6.5 mm but better still why not one or two XLR connections for headphones. If its aimed at high end audiophiles, not iPod users. The headphone amplification is weak. Actually its a disgrace - like an iPhone. The Mytek has (two) exceptional headphone outs in comparison, and provides RCA-XLR converters for balanced rigs. Again if you are going to do it, do it properly or don't do it. I'd rather it was just a converter with no volume control, and no headphone out, no "App" a remote and several thousand dollars cheaper. The Mytek nails its brief. The Nadac is in my view clearly the first audiophile attempt by a company, which doesn't really know what audiophiles want, beyond great sound quality. That is of course what they really are offering. But why they didn't sit down with some seasoned hi-end audiophiles and get their wish list sorted before making something, I have no idea. My view is most audiophiles who will be looking at a USD 11k + converter will have either a pre/power combination or an integrated amp. They need a converter, not a converter that is a pre as well. Or a converter that is a headphone amp. That is a different market. Know your market and meet it. The people that can afford this quality of converter are unlikely to have the skill set to implement its IT. They may, but most audiophile buying USD 10k+ converters are a little older, and want a solution not a problem. Part of the greatness of the Nadac is it's ethernet (non DLNA) transfer protocol, but setting it up isn't as straight forward as they would lead you to believe. Far from it. And really to get the most out of it you are limited to a windows box; Merging should have spent more R & D time writing OSX/Linux drivers that allow for DSD 256 transfer natively (thank you eg ExaSound) and less time writing code for a useless App. Ditto the Mytek - which promises firmware by 4th Qtr 2015 and has failed to deliver. For example Mytek's USB drivers on OSX are incompatible with El Capitan, and you can't obtain DSD 256 except via windows. Annoying. With Roon & HQ Player you are limited to DSD 64 with OSX anyway. So its back to A+ for DSD 128, which is fine, but annoying. Seriously - can no one get their act together? Both converters shine with DSD, the higher the bit rate the better. Neither are great PCM converters, and I wouldn't buy either solely for red book. But that comment applies to all really good DSD converters. Both converters benefit greatly from DSD dsp via HQ Player. Now why you buy this thing - and the Mytek for that matter: DSD Sound quality is, from the Nadac, the best I have ever heard with DSD - the higher the bit rate the better. Either native DSD or via HQ Player. Well recorded native quad DSD (256) is sublime. File sizes are huge - like 9 GB - but boy it is good. Like really really good. Final caveats The Nadac, as mentioned needs a pre. For my money it would have tubes, to flesh out the notes somewhat. Mind you this applies to PCM & vinyl for me as well. I like tubes somewhere in the chain - preferably at converter/pre stage. The Mytek doesn't necessarily need a Pre, its got a really good (SS) one on board. But it would be further improved by a great (tube) pre. On the fly converted (via HQ Player) well recorded pcm to DSD (the higher the bit rate the better) is really, really good. To me the math in HQ player is the biggest bang for your buck in audio atm, and its integration with Roon gives its weakest aspect - its UI - a massive boost up. In my opinion, compared to spending eg 15- 17k on a Nadac, you will get a bigger bang for your buck spending $400 or something on Roon + HQ Player and play dsp'ed DSD 256 through a mid range sabre converter natively over USB. Without the headaches. Of course if you are shopping for a Nadac, you won't care about spending $400 or so on Roon + HQ Player. You are in a different market share entirely. If all you play is PCM redbook, and you have no interest in DSD, then I wouldn't be buying either the Mytek or the Nadac. There are much better converters out there for red book than either of these (or any sabre dac for that matter). TD 1541 and R2R come instantly to mind. If you want a relaxing experience, buy a CD player. If you like banging your head against a wall, or disappearing down rabbit holes, get into computer audio. If you really like sticking pins into yourself be an early adopter. And for maximum masochism marks, try a new tech (eg the Ravenna protocol) without the IT skills to implement it easily. That would be me btw. And I'm not exactly a novice with computer audio. Is DSD 256 "better" than red book? I think so, yes. But, and it is a but, you can't say all things being equal, because they never are, and I have heard some amazing CD players/dacs (eg the Plinius CDP, the Pathos Endorphin, the Killer Dac via i2s, various Audio Note's, 47 Labs etc etc). If I had a large CD collection, I'd be buying the best CD player I could find and enjoy the music. - provided all I wanted to do was pop on a CD and listen to it. If you want to browse libraries, stream music etc etc then you start the computer audio quest. If all you want is to do so in 16/44, get a CDP with usb or spdif in, and live happily every after with a simple OSX solution or some such. Or get a USB to spdif converter and use a spdif in. Easy and effective. If you want to experience high bit rate PCM or DSD then the game changes completely, and so must your expectations for ease of use and integration. Its a rapidly developing area, so you can expect some lumps and bumps along the way. The close to the bleeding edge, the more you bleed. Summary There are many paths to getting the sound you want. Many audiophiles (myself included) regard vinyl as the ultimate replay experience, albeit one that is problematic and difficult, both from a sw and hardware POV. It is time consuming and bloody expensive. Really really expensive. Anyone that says different just hasn't heard a good enough system yet. The differences ain't subtle. Many audiophiles want a digital experience that gets them"as close to vinyl" as they can get but with the convenience and ease of use (once set up) of computer audio. People like me, that live in a large city in a small apartment, and one with a wife attached, don't necessarily have the space for thousands of records. Whereas I have 1200 odd albums mainly in DSD on my 2TB SSD, with room left over. It all lives in my entertainment unit. I control it via a Lappie or an Ipad. I can listen to an album without changing the record over. Important if you listen to classical works, as I do. CD is a mature tech. It can, if you have the right equipment, sound amazing. It can also sound pretty ordinary. The sw is cheap, and the tech straight forward. Streaming audio esp at 16/44 quality has changed the game. You don't need a large library of CD anymore. You can stream the bits. All you need is a transport (computer) and converter. But so the computer audio game starts. Bits ain't bits, at least when you have a copper connection of any description between your computer and your dac. Like vinyl, it all matters and mplemntation is everything. DSD is a new frontier, and despite what people say, is here to stay. It really does have an ease when played back which I associate only with vinyl, and which is thoroughly enjoyable. To get the best from DSD takes a fair amount of work. The Nadac represents, perhaps with the Lampi Golden Gate (which I have never heard btw so am speculating here), the best playback you can get from DSD atm. Its sound quality is superlative. Transparent but thoroughly engaging. But, and it is a but, you have to work to get it, and none of it is easy - unlike the Lampi, which is I understand plug and play from an appropriate server. Support Good luck getting a Lampi here, let alone one for audition. I couldn't even get a coherent email stream out of Lukasz Finkus, the owner of Lampi, let alone a price for his products shipped to me. And forget about Richard Tan of Audio Salon, the official "distributor". He doesn't even answer emails. Completely unimpressed by both. The Nadac on the other hand is distributed by Frank Hinton, of ATT Audio Controls, a long established pro audio company specialising in Merging products, and who also owns Grover Notting, so is actually a bricks and mortar store that employs people and runs a business here in Oz. Not someone who is a distributor out of his bedroom. If there is a problem you have someone to call, with a direct line to Merging, and so a direct line to getting it rectified. That said, the tech is bullet proof, once you get your head around the IT. Horses for courses, is my summary, then. Cheers

Arrived home today to find a package on the doorstep. It had to be a NOS pair of RCA 2A3's that I'd been waiting for Thought I'd better get a new pair since my current ones have been in use for nearly two years and were used when I got them. So after checking the system over, as I've been away for 2 weeks, and popping the new 2A3's in the sockets I fired it all up. After the usual ten minute warm up period (yes I have become a crazy valve lover with 13 in the system now) I lowered the arm on the first LP. Damn, I can't believe how much muscle I had lost with using, in hindsight, what were worn out power valves. When you only have 4 watts it's important to have healthy valves

You've helped me select my next vinyl spin for the day. I can heartily recommend this version; http://www.discogs.com/Miles-Davis-Round-About-Midnight/release/4493899

I see nothing wrong with celebrating the life of a great artist when they die. Whenever this happens, invariably I will play lots of their music on the day. Of course it is great to acknowledge them while they are still alive. I have always been a fan of Aretha and that was a great performance at the Kennedy Centre but I prefer this

Miles Davis: Miles Smiles CBS 85561 - 1982 Holland pressing: http://www.discogs.com/Miles-Davis-Quintet-Miles-Smiles/release/3143184 I'm not sure there is a Miles Davis "studio" album post Kind Of Blue that I enjoy more than this magnificent album by Miles and his second quintet. Every member is at the absolute top of their game, listen for example to Herbie Hancock on this album, has he ever played better? To me, Herbie's best work was when he played with Miles. I could say the same for Ron Carter and Tony Williams too. And what's mind blowing about this album is that every tune is a first take. It was the 2nd Quintet's second album together, and IMO, their best. This review sums it up perfectly: With their second album, Miles Smiles, the second Miles Davis Quintet really began to hit their stride, delving deeper into the more adventurous, exploratory side of their signature sound. This is clear as soon as "Orbits" comes crashing out the gate, but it's not just the fast, manic material that has an edge -- slower, quieter numbers are mercurial, not just in how they shift melodies and chords, but how the voicing and phrasing never settles into a comfortable groove. This is music that demands attention, never taking predictable paths or easy choices. Its greatest triumph is that it masks this adventurousness within music that is warm and accessible -- it just never acts that way. No matter how accessible this is, what's so utterly brilliant about it is that the group never brings it forth to the audience. They're playing for each other, pushing and prodding each other in an effort to discover new territory. As such, this crackles with vitality, sounding fresh decades after its release. And, like its predecessor, ESP, this freshness informs the writing as well, as the originals are memorable, yet open-ended and nervy, setting (and creating) standards for modern bop that were emulated well into the new century. Arguably, this quintet was never better than they are here, when all their strengths are in full bloom.

Firstly I would like to give massive thanks to the guys at the cnc place for spending new years eve listening to his machine screaming away for hours on end. Secondly, This should be enough (for now) to show that these aren't the pipe dream of some deranged engineer. This is the only picture we have, as supplied by the gents at the cnc, of the only front panel in existence. Looks like it will require a light wipe with sand paper just to clean off the 'furrys'. But when you look at the amount of detail on the panel, I don't think thats beyond the scope of acceptability. Yes I could've rotated the image, but it makes more sense this way. EDIT. Hmm, site is shrinking pixels and file size. oh well, you'll have to live with this small pic, sorry.

no need to shout, Lucas. people are only trying to help. The amp isn't exactly ancient crap - but it is ancient and it never would have been much good with those speakers even when new - even if it does go loud. B&Ws need plenty of power - the nad, sadly, ain't up to it. (Even if Pete thinks all amps are the same) I have 2 sets of suggestions for your $6k. This might sound radical but are pretty obvious strategies. Excuse the plan speaking - no offence meant to your audiophile credentials. 1: sell the b&ws ( to me if you like) and buy some more efficient and cheap speakers - say $500 - commensurate with your other entry level kit. Stop worrying about audiophilia and have a nice holiday on the savings. 2 : replace the old cheap kit with something at the level of the b&ws and which has half a chance of getting something reasonable out of them. Dump the Rega RP1 - it's entry level only - and pick up something decent used for $1000 Buy a mid range cart or better - say an ortofon blue or bronze - if you need one. Dump the nad - it's really hopeless in the current context - buy something decent used for around $3k Dump the cdp - it might be convenient but really it's not much cop - buy a decent used cdp for $1k Forget the DAC - you said your computer skills are poor so keep it simple ( $200 for a DAC in this system is just plain crazy) Spend around $500 on reasonable interconnects & cables. Start listening to good sounds - even Farnham if you must - and, with all due respect, stop listening to Pete.

Not sure I agree with that statement.

I know this speakers Kaiser KAWERO Classic with upgraded Fono Acustica internal wire and fully gloss RRP 125,000 AUD . MR HENRY if you really want the Lamm and Kaiser for 40k , I can help you get them .... but you have to wait for another 20 years.

Somehow we have decided to do a bit of a Mexican theme here tonight. All started when Margaritas were suggested as the cocktail of the night. Well we will start with some Aperol Spritz's as per usual. So I have knocked up a couple of marinades for prawns and fish plus some sauces to serve on some soft tacos. Everyone has headed to the pub and left me to the cooking. So I thought I'd put something on that would drive them crazy if they were here and I can enjoy it in peace as I juice the limes. Only problem is I just planted myself on the lounge for a listen instead. Limes can wait. It's cooking in the lounge room at the moment. Miles Davis. B!tches Brew.

Why is this absurd? If anything it's overpowered for my speakers. There's no way any clipping is happening and volume is unlimited for all practical purposes. BTW, I've also regularly used a class D 150 wpc TacTaudio amp with 103 dB sensitive Klipsch Belle speakers - now that pairing had headroom, if not finesse. The TacT is currently driving NS1000M's in the family room TV setup and is a surprisingly nice sounding combination. Edit: If I did the maths, I expect I could show the 30 wpc amp with 107 dB sensitive speakers has considerably more headroom than your set up. But there's no way I'd regard your choice of relatively inefficient speakers or high powered amp "absurd".

That's one of my favourites too! Right now for me is Nitin Sawhney- Migration. Gorgeous through a borrowed Geek Pulse X Fi dac....

This is what I use for my Clearaudio Concept. There's an inflated inner tube from a kids bike under the stone slab. Eliminates most, but not all, of footfall issues, unless my 5 y.o makes a concerted effort to jump and dance right next to the TT... Cheers

Hey fellas, happy new year to all. Christmas Day was 7 months off the grog. Ticking along just nicely, not really missing it. Spent last night having dinner in Northbridge, got out of there fairly early, chilled at home with a movie. I sure don't miss the hangovers of years gone by. The plan for this year is to get down to around 80kg, I want to do 2 marathons this year. Just trying to decide which ones. Will probably do one in Perth and one away. Would like to do an overseas marathon but not sure the finances would have recovered to do that. Maybe the Melbourne or Sydney and come for a bit of a visit and put some faces to the names on sna. Cheers Dave.

Could keep them on their best behavior, though.

[moderator post] @@Cogburn, am closing this thread as it doesnt seem to getting you the help you need. if there is a reason you can think of why it should be re opened please be in touch[end moderator post]

XA 30.5

Imo, for the price, the Delos is hard to beat at double the price. Superb cartridge.

Sigur Ros-Takk.

and it can takes weeks of listening to extract the juice and absorb the goodness from a single album. I need a couple more lifetimes.

Happy New Year,soundfan and everyone else.It's been a good year for great music.

Just looking at your system again, I think the main thing you need to do is get Pete Mk II. Your current model of Pete seems to be letting you down

Just for purposes of clarification @@Cogburn, by 'prick' did you mean I was sharp, incisive and to the point?

Item: Marten Heritage Miles 5 Floorstanding speaker in Matte Walnut Finish Location: Melbourne Price: $12000 Item Condition: Perfect Reason for selling: Too many speakers Payment Method: Pickup - Cash, Direct deposit or COD Only Extra Info: I have the original box, floor saver/lifter and manual. The speakers is barely use due to work. Pictures: The pictures are taken online which looks exactly like mine. Extra Info: These are current model and in as new condition, plenty of info online. Pictures:

Item: Record Collector Magazines 30 odd Location: Warnbro W.A Price: Free - but you MUST make a donation to SNA Item Condition: varies . all read once. Reason for selling: new year clear out Payment Method: Pick up only Extra Info: Having a clear out, so this collection from the past couple of years is going free or to the recycling bin. please note not postage on this and only members with a minimum of 100 posts. Some issues have 2 pages removed if there were features on the bands that RC released their limited vinyl on. PM for address if interested Pictures:

Just gave it a clean, sounds much better than when I first bought it (probably hasn't been cleaned for the last 43 years... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So easily fixed. Get rid of the couch and buy some bar stools. Sorted.

Hi Astro I had the same problem. After months of trying bits and pieces to insulate my TT I finally came up with putting it on a piece of slate Then under the slate I put Agora Acoustics Magishex from Decibel Hifi http://www.decibelhifi.com.au/agora-acoustics-magichexa-each/ Worked a treat

Hi Andrew, The domestic situation is a lot better, still not perfect but it's on it's way. Broken trust is very hard to mend. The gambling has been all good, a lot easier to get over than the grog. The cost of the marathons aren't that bad, $150-200. It's just the travel and accommodation expenses. It would be great to do the New York or Paris marathon and have a holiday as well. Might start saving for next year. I have my long service sitting there so will try to use some. The other thing I really want to do while I can is the Kokoda trail on Anzac Day, which is around my birthday. So many plans, so many things to do. Cheers Dave.

Pete's right. Listen to Pete. He obviously "gets it". Agreed with decision to close this thread which by all accounts smells to me as a pisstake.

When you buy a car these days, you can usually choose the engine size/power that suits your needs and the way you drive. In some models the range can be from a sub- 2 litre diesel to a big petrol V8. Each option can be a valid choice for any individual. The analogy with amplifier power is obvious to the point of being a bit trite. Why pay for more than you need or more than you will ever use? Clearly, the smart thing is to sample the options and determine the best fit. As a generalization, too much power is usually preferable to too little, but requires a degree of sensible restraint and may compromise other aspects. Striking the ideal balance for you is a good feeling.

Some Necks on vinyl to kick the new year off. Also they'll be in Perth 24/02/2016

I think Edgar is going to write on the sound quality, and how it fits into his experience of converters. But, and it is a but, the Nadac in my view represents the paradigm shift which is happening from pcm to dsd, especially since the advent after this Xmas of the integration of HQ player & Roon. And so, with the greatest of respect to Edgar, and having meet him I have no doubt he will be all over this, I am not sure that comparing DSD from the Nadac to PCM from a CDP isn't like comparing apples and oranges. How exactly it possible to compare pcm 16/44 with a manipulated signal via tubes in a SOTA cdp like Ed's AMR 77, to dsd 256 with a manipulated signal via the dsp in HQ Player in my server, I don't know. I don't think it is. Both manipulate the signal. Both do so for pleasing effect. the dsp in HQ Player is hugely configurable, and you can literally tune the sound you want to your system. I suggest what is valid is to recognise the different beasts for what they are, and that they all have their strengths and weaknesses, and fitting in eg a Nadac into your system, may by necessity involve a different choice of ancillary gear than eg a tubed CDP. Maybe. Dunno. Anyway that is Ed's headache, not mine. It's a big bite to chew. We shall see. No pressure Ed! I would have thought the better comparison would be to see what happens in the studio interface ie what people mastering using the Horus and Hapi are hearing; perhaps as part of his review Ed may visit one of the Merging workstations and hear what they are doing. But really - as I have said many many times - it all comes down to the care taken with the recording in the first place. Give me well recorded and performed PCM over crap DSD anytime. better still that pcm > dsp 256 dsd via HQP. @ a.dent - Andrew I have been speaking with Mike Davies (Blizzard on WBF) in the USA - he reports stable pcm - dsd 128 on a NUC with 4GB Ram with the latest release (24.12.2015) Roon + HQ Player running windows 10 pro 64. Anything above that stutters. The thread is here: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?19241-Nadac/page18 There is alot of discussion about running fiber to the Nadac, and my own failed attempts at so doing. Mike is a VERY smart man, but struggles a little with his interpersonal skills, but I have learned to appreciate his insight and honesty. I have been trying to integrate him a little into the mainstream: to his credit he is rapidly becoming a very valued team member on project Ravenna. That is, he is helping us poor luddites out (ie the ones that can afford a Nadac and so doing perhaps are established older audiophile types), being as patient as his undoubted intelligence allows. Edit: as an aside - a $500 noisy Dell running a decent i5 with 8 GB of ram will do the math. It doesn't matter a damn if you have it in another room or how audiophile it isn't so long as it is isolated from your dac via fiber (which brings me back to the Merging - why haven't Merging allowed fiber ethernet in?). You don't need what I specced - the i7 cpu i have atm runs at most 20% cpu and the Ram at 15%. The only reason I specced as I did was because it had to live in the living room, it had to be dead quiet, so required passive cooling which meant low cpu relative to use, and SSD's because I hate the noise of HDD, although in point of fact the small noise a 2.5 HDD makes these days wouldn't be noticeable, I suggest. Ditto the mSata 240Gb drive. I could have put in a 80GB SSD drive just fine as well, and saved around $1500. It is just a vanity I spent what I did. There is zero need to do so with an ethernet dac. For my money you have small reason to buy a new dac. If you like what your Vitus does, why change? Unless you want fiber isolation or long ethernet runs from a server. ANd even then why not run fiber and have a FMC to usb just before the dac? There is every reason however to get a new server, or upgrade the one that you have, if you want to dsp pcm to dsd 256. You need windows pro 64 and preferably Windows 10 and HQ Player. When I was looking at speccing mine, I followed what Miksa (the developer of HQ Player) was recommending on computer audiophile. Thread is here: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f11-software/design-pc-server-roon-and-hq-player-25796/#post495051 Also bear in mind when I got my server, the HQ Player version I was using was beta and running 30-45% - two weeks later and the stable release is no more than 20%. Who knows - maybe in a year your iPad will run it. Incidentally you will recognise my avatar from my earlier days on SNA, perhaps. Recommended Server Building Service in Sydney Now, when I came to build my server, I was really short of time, so looked around for a builder and came across this company in Sydney: https://www.lifefx.com.au/ Absolutely 100% has my highest recommendation. Which is not something I lightly say. It cost me maybe 10% more than doing it myself (maybe - the postage costs of sourcing different items soon overtakes any savings) and having done a few of these, that 10% was nothing compared to the time I would take away from my work / leisure. I spoke to Andy, the owner, discussed options, and he built it within a few days. Andy did a first rate job, fast and efficient and couriered it to my door. Worked out of the box without issue. Andy operates a really professional building service. I would never build another computer again. I'll just talk to Andy and ask him to do it. I'll be sending in my Windows work computer for an upgrade in mid January. Leave it to the experts with stock on hand. Andy knows bugger all about computer audio but alot about computers. He is keen to learn about computer audio. I'll be sitting down for a coffee with him and give him the skinny, as I see it. No affiliation etc etc. Just impressed by a decent bloke who knows his oats and is as far from gouging as I can see: in fact I struggle to see how he makes more than 15% on any build - if that. Email is andy@lifefx.com.au

Well that's all over and time to detox. Have managed to stay under 95kg over the festive season, not sure how, I think it's from making the effort to still do the three runs each week. Now, time to dry out. Going to try for 92 kg this time. Happy New Year all. Doesn't feel like 16 years since the Millennium bug.

These guys are closer to the end than the beginning. Spin some of their music over the next few weeks and enjoy Chuck Berry is 89. Fats Domino is 87 Little Richard is 83. Leonard Cohen is 82. Willie Nelson is 82 Jerry Lee Lewis is 80

Reviewing the year past, and listening to this early '15 release by CB. She's a great talent IMO, and I look forward to any further releases from her. I note she has a few fans on the Steve Hoffman forums too.

Go on Daz, its only money

Nitin Sawhney. London Undersound. Such a stunning album. The lyrics to Days of Fire are just so evocative. His story of the London bombings. Some great artist feature on this album as well. Natty, Imogen Heap, Anoushka Shankar plus others. The Paul McCartney track My Soul is beautiful. Beautiful artwork by one of my fav artists, Antony Gormley. And a little reminder to me of living in Mumbai for a while, I have an Indian version of the CD. All up a beautiful album from a very talented musician.

Thanks to Mark, this is one of the best looking (and it sounds great too) Crack OTL Headphone amps on the net...