RankStranger

Mate of mine always went for Unforgiven off the black album

Yeah, I double-checked and even with shipping that grand is halved. Not even close to worth it.

Haven’t used it for a couple of years but the Naim streaming app was actually really good. Far better than any of the other proprietary apps I’ve used. Worth a look, even if you’re a bit of a "Roon snob"

For anyone still playing along at home, I took my speakers out today to have a listen to a few different things. Pretty much accepted now that I’m going to have to spend over $2k to get what I want. Such is life Vincent SV237MK - I didn’t like it. The top end was quite lovely but not spectacular and the lower mids were a bit veiled and I didn’t like the look. At least I tried NAD C388 - Fantastic clear midrange and tight, solid bass but the top end was glarey and cymbals sounded artificial. I was reminded after I listened that it was class D (Hypex, I think) so maybe that’s not my groove. I won’t write off the whole technology but not a good start. May have just been a bad match with the speakers Creek 100A - very well balanced throughout the range but a bit sweet-sounding for my personal taste. I think I’m after a bit more air Musical Fidelity M3si - I quite liked this. More air than the Creek, probably could use a bit more refinement which, I suspect, would be present further up the range. Bear in mind, this is primarily in comparison to... Rega Elicit R - Ho boy. I rather liked this one. At minimum $800 more than anything else I listened to, I would hope it would be best (by no means a given in this wacky world) but it was obviously more open and balanced than anything else I listened to and seemed to be a really good match for my speakers (open and revealing but not hard). This would probably have to be a 2nd hand pick up, unless I can find one on super special or I hold off for longer on upgrading my source. Maybe a lot longer So, at the moment the Elicit is the one to beat. I’m planning to also listen to the Naim Nait 5si (out of stock) and the Roksan Kandy 3 (out of stock). I’d love to consider a Schiit Ragnarok 2 (the original has no remote capability) but I doubt I’m going to get one 2nd hand, being only released last year or something. Talk me out of importing one myself. Even with the gross exchange rate it should land $1000 less than the local RRP. ‘Course I haven’t heard it yet. I’m going to try, though. EDIT just checked and shipping is wild - between $300-$400 USD so that kind of sinks that idea Also I spoke with Geoff at Hey Now and he was helpful and super friendly but I think all he as to offer in my prince range is the Creek. If you have real money to spend, go spend it with him. He’s good people

I have no idea if mine are authentic or not

Yikes

Thanks, I’ll ask.

Ooh, good spot! Thanks That’s what you get for stuffing PCBs at 130am instead of sleeping. I’ll double check everything for sure. one thing I did notice is the there are spots for 2 x 15R resistors on the board but I didn’t get any in the kit. The only ones I have left over anywhere near that is a couple of 8R ones. I know there can be variations but that seems too far off. Do I go pick up some 15R ones or should I try to find out if they were deliberately subbed in?

That’s a bloody good buy

@bob_m_54Thanks for the info, Bob I’m ok good at soldering. I’ve done plenty of it before, though mostly just Jaycar kits a long time ago and recapping an amp more recently. I’m not super worried about that, it’s just the electrical engineering side of it that I’m pretty clueless on. I’ll check out the links though. Partly to give myself a refresher and partly because 90s NASA! Cheers, Simon

Dual-output Studer 900-based power supply kit that I ordered from China at the start of lockdown and arrived yesterday and I literally couldn’t wait to get a start on it. The transformer is still stuck in transit but I’m pretty sure it’s at least in Australia. They are going to drive my Raspberry Pi and Allo Boss DAC, probably all in the one chassis, although I’m still working out the logistics of that I planned to have a bit more knowledge under my belt before it arrived but, you know how these things go, so I’m putting it together like LEGO without instructions and crossing my fingers that it’s all the right stuff.