n_maher

I don't think that'd work all that well. What you really want/need is something with preamp outputs. And seriously, I'd think you could find what you're looking for used for less than that and get a whole lot more bang for your buck. Odds are that low-end new receivers are not going to have the preamp out option. Where in the world are you located?

I tracked down a copy of the users manual for these speakers online. The 5.1 inputs are designed to be used with a sound cards outputs so what you need to do is find out what the industry standard is for 5.1 output from a soundcard. My guess is that since they are line level signals that each 1/8 connector carries two channels and that it's probably L/R Front, L/R Rear, and C/Sub on the 3, but I'm guessing based on no information. I've never used a sound card's 5.1 output before. If it does work out to something like that I'm sure that you could find someone to build you 3 mini/RCA cables that you could run from your preamp outputs of your receiver to the sub. Then you'd be good to go.

So does it take a bunch of these to get the job done? I can't imagine the speakers/sub doing the surround processing but I could be wrong.

Uh, as far as I know I've built the only one currently in use by jp#'s on head-fi. Not that it's incredibly complex, any DIY'er worth a poo can build a sigma11 set to output 12VDC/1A. FWIW John likes the sigma11 powered mini-dac more than the transporter.

There's also just replacing the PS for the miniDAC, which has been known to improve the way it sounds as well...

Jebus, there's a lot to reply to here.. Yeah, it's mostly a familiarity thing for her. She's always used PC's except for one job she had that used Apple's and she hated them. It's not an aesthetic thing. Also, she uses a pocket pc at work so if I went Mac I'd be forced to run a windows OS anyway which negates some of the benefits IMO. General Mac Comment: I just can't help escaping the idea that I'm paying a premium for the Apple that doesn't really buy me anything since I won't be able to use their OS. The cheapest MacBook Pro that I could configure that I'd be happy buying was going to run ~$2700 w/o Applecare, add that to the mix and you're at $2,928 and I'm having a hard time swallowing that. I guess this is going to take more time than I've got right now. More thoughts later, I appreciate all the input!

What sucks is that pretty much regardless of which man'f you're talking about someone has a story like this. My brother has had a Dell for over 6 years now and it spent most of its travel time in a motorcycle saddle bag. The HP that he replaced it with (not his choice) has been nothing but trouble. Ian has a Gateway that's been a POS pretty much since the moment he bought it, etc, etc, insert man'f name here, etc., etc. So really, I think all you can hope for is that you're one of the lucky ones and if not that whoever you bought it from has decent CS. Unfortunately Lenovo is out from the start since they don't offer a 17" display size (that I can find). And with the 17" Yukonbook Pro running about a 33% premium in purchase price it's really hard not to look into other brands. Also, for her own twisted reasons, the WAF on the Yukon is very bad.

Well it looks like I'll be able to get a pretty decent discount (10 to 15%) off of any Dell that I want through work connection. I'm going to explore that and see how it goes, I'll post the proposed configuration for group mocking in a few days.

One word: Craigslist. Seriously, you can probably find a cheap old receiver that'll do the job just fine for under $100.

Ok, so as I sit here at my now 6 year old computer and listen to it randomly beep and squawk I'm forced to realize that I'm probably going to have to replace it sooner rather than later. I'm done with desktops for home computers so laptop land here I come. Requirements for the lappy: 1. Does not need to be portable, only transportable and fit on my lap. 2. Must be capable of running games like COD2 (and 4 when it comes out). 3. 17" screen for occasional movie watching. 4. Budget is ~$2500, tops. Clearly it wouldn't hurt my feelings to spend less. Dell seems to have some pretty decent deals on business class laptops right now (the Precision M6300 in particular) but I know this is Mac country so tell me how I'm going to sell that concept to my very anti-Mac wife. I haven't done much research yet, so any input is greatly appreciated.

Depends on what you're running for opamps and your power supply. 7 or 8W sounds about right though unless you really tweaked it for speaker use.

it is one of few albums that I've actually completely deleted from my collection. Turd is being kind.

Ewwwwwwwwwww JB has man boobies.

Maybe the record is better?

More than anything I like to think of it as a giant kick in trose's nutsack, I've never had an issue with Vinnie.

Oh SNAP!

Well, then I'll inefficiently reterminate the 340s this weekend if I have chance and send them to you, wise guy.

Do you have the stupid 4-pin jack on your amp?

Not currently but that's probably easily remedied.

Seriously, if we want to end this debate I'll send my K340s for Stephen to use for a couple weeks with the betas he's building. I don't expect to have the first of two betas I'm building done that quickly.

Yup, something like that along with better output coupling caps is exactly what we had in mind.

Actually a friend and I have been kicking this idea around for a year or so, sorta of an uber HA-2 with even more up-spec'd parts (Pete didn't exactly skimp) and more importantly a modified output to drive low-ohm cans better. The new HA-2 will do some of these things, although I'm sad to see the tube rectified PS go. Regardless I've set a plan in motion, one that doesn't involve the HE60 unfortunately but will be better in the long run.

My somewhat brief impression of the HE60 at the recent Boston meet was very positive, and it was fed by a pretty mediocre amp so I can only imagine what they'd sound like properly driven. I can see you, Jay, as not such a big fan of the Senn sound not being overly impressed. This morning's plan to sell it all in the name of a stat rig has quickly morphed into a "holy shit I've got a lot of coin tied up in my current rig" syndrome. Right now it's been boiled down to would I rather keep the Wheatfield and always drive the HF-1s with my uber Millett Hybrid or could I live with selling the Wheatfield and use the balanced beta22 to drive all my dynamic cans. I cold live with either setup and they'd both put about the same amount of $$ in my pocket but in the end the HF-1s sound a whole lot better out of the beta than the do any Millett Hybrid and it's not exactly a slouch at driving the HD650s either. It'll remain unknown how the beta will do with the K340s but that's a risk I'm sort of willing to take knowing my love of the other two cans. While I'm at it I'll get fitted for one of these this weekend. And thanks for the honest assessment of prices Hirsch, like the K1ks they seem to have gone through the roof lately.

Yeah, not really eligible for sympathy am I?

I've decided I'm either moving up or taking a step back, more than likely taking a step back. My stash has gotten a bit out of control over the last year and it's time to pull back a bit. I mean it's not like life would exactly suck if my rig consisted solely of the transport, DAC, balanced beta22 and balanced HD650s and HF-1s.