How has your rig changed in 2008? And do you have any plans for 2009?

[n_maher]

I just looked through my paypal history, holy crud. I've bought and sold things I don't even remember.

Current Main Rig (not likely to change any time soon):

Arcam CD73 (transport only) -> Hertsens DAC -> The Menace -> HD650s/HF-1s

or

Arcam -> Hertsens -> SimpleSE -> AA CBM-170 (these might change at some point)

Current Office Rig (somewhat stable):

compy -> y1 DAC -> SSMH -> KSC35/75 hybrid

Stuff I'm not sure what to do with and some of which need finishing:

Thorens TCD-2000, Buffalo DAC, beta22, OG Millett Hybrid, Millett Mini, Millett Starving Student, MINT, IcePower Mono Blocks, plus more I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Edited December 18, 2008 by n_maher

[Sherwood]

All my progress in 2008 has been since July, which makes it all the more depressing.

I fully switched from dynamic to electrostatic when I sold my HD580s, SR125s, AKG K701s and Millett Hybrid to fund an SRM-T1 (on loan to ASR).

I bought Faust's SR-Lambda and fell deeply in love.

I sold my Fubar II and bought an E-MU 0404 and an Electrocompaniet ECD-1.

I pulled the TT out of storage and fitted three or four carts to it before settling on the 2m Blue.

I also Switched entirely to seperates, selling my NAD C320BEE for a Moscode 300 hybrid amp (wow!) and a Parasound P3 preamp.

Also bought and am now selling a pair of Magnepan MG12s.

For 2009? I'm pretty pleased right now (and very broke) so my only plans are either to get into Hi-Rez playback via a 3x pspdif-modded DV-980, or to try the DL-103. Other than that, it's all about the music.

[deepak]

EAR Acute CD player. I just bought one after having it on extended loan for almost a month, I think it's better than the Capitole. I might write up a quick review in the next week or two.

Does the digital input on the EAR work? I can't find any info saying if it is enabled or not.

[ingwe]

Got an Apogee Duet.

Got a Mac to keep the Duet company.

Made a couple Duet break-out cables.

Made a balanced Senheisser cable.

Using Bryston BP-25 balanced outputs to drive Senns.

Started Vinyl Project

Got custom tips for my e500s.

[aardvark baguette]

Does the digital input on the EAR work? I can't find any info saying if it is enabled or not.

I dont think it has one at all

[deepak]

I dont think it has one at all

From the photos, there is a digital input in the back.

[aardvark baguette]

I hope I'm wrong, but this is the only picture of the back I could find, and I believe it only has digital out.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/image.php?image=776571&is_user=0

[deepak]

I hope I'm wrong, but this is the only picture of the back I could find, and I believe it only has digital out.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/image.php?image=776571&is_user=0

Son of a bitch \

[aardvark baguette]

yeah.

I guess if it can handle CD-RW's.....

[JBLoudG20]

yeah.

I guess if it can handle CD-RW's.....

... weak

[deepak]

... weak

I agree with Daft Punk molestee

[aardvark baguette]

:'(

I'm kind of waiting to read some reviews about the new emm dac2 as well.

[postjack]

realistically, i can't even consider a digital source without a digital in. hard drive based music is simply too much a part of my rig.

[laxx]

I forgot I got a pair of Pk1's and Pk2's as well in Spring.

[Dusty Chalk]

I have two separate systems -- one for shiny disks, the other for the computer (and a third speaker system) -- just at my office.

"Systems" is such a transient word for me.

[aerius]

I hope I'm wrong, but this is the only picture of the back I could find, and I believe it only has digital out.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/image.php?image=776571&is_user=0

Confirmed. It ain't got a digital input. It does have digital outputs but that doesn't make much sense since if one can afford a DAC that's better than the Acute, then there's not much sense of using the Acute's CD transport which is the stock Arcam unit.

[aardvark baguette]

I'd be real interested in seeing the inside of the player, if you do get a chance to write a review. There's not much info on the player out there, that I've found. And definitely no internal gear porn.

[Sherwood]

I heard the acute briefly in a system that was totally unfamiliar to me, and really, really, really enjoyed the system. It was my favorite sound of RMAF.

That says pretty much nothing about the acute, except that it has good-sounding friends and will, in all likelihood, sound excellent itself.

[Aimless1]

Forgot the DT-880s, purchased sometime between the sale of the HD580s and the purchase of the DX1000.

So Sherwood, not even a thanks for the link to the ECD-1?

[Sherwood]

So Sherwood, not even a thanks for the link to the ECD-1?

The one I bought was actually the one Reks linked to in the "best DAC under $1000" thread, but your link helped reinforce my decision, so to you I am eternally grateful, oh wanderer.

It's certainly a fine-sounding piece of kit, though. I don't know if I go in for florid descriptions of how "analog" it sounds, or other such nonsense, but it gets the hell out of the way of my music, and looks great doing it. I couldn't be happier.

[aerius]

I'd be real interested in seeing the inside of the player, if you do get a chance to write a review. There's not much info on the player out there, that I've found. And definitely no internal gear porn.

I posted a couple pictures of the insides in the Casino. Super secret internal pics thread, can't remember which page though.

[Aimless1]

The one I bought was actually the one Reks linked to in the "best DAC under $1000" thread, but your link helped reinforce my decision, so to you I am eternally grateful, oh wanderer.

It's certainly a fine-sounding piece of kit, though. I don't know if I go in for florid descriptions of how "analog" it sounds, or other such nonsense, but it gets the hell out of the way of my music, and looks great doing it. I couldn't be happier.

I'm glad you're enjoying the ECD-1. Hope you like it as much as I'm enjoying the DAC3. As you said, "it gets the hell out of the way of my music".

[slwiser]

I don't remember exactly what I had at the beginning of the year but I have changed my system extensively and dramatically. Before I was only using dynamic headphones and now I have the electrostatic amp KGSS and a Stax SRM-T1S with the SR-007 MkII and SR-0404 headphones. I still have one Yamamoto HA-02 amp and the Ultrasone Edition 9 headphone for my dynamic setup. My portable/transportable setup has moved onto the the ESW10JPN and Mobile Icon with a Sansa Fuse. I also now have a netbook that I run my FLAC files out of the Dell Mini 9 using a out board hard drive, a Passport 320 gig unit. I still have my iMod and iBasso Boa that is use with the ESW9.

I sold a Xin Reference to get an iQube and then sold it. I got a UE Triple.Fi and sold it. I started my Stax march early in March with a Friz modified amp and SRX-001 and sold them. I also purchase a SRM-001 MkIII Pro and sold it as well as a SR-Gamma. During this period I purchase a Nuforce Icon and a Stax SRD-7 Pro and from this I learn that I enjoyed the sound of the direct amplification of the Stax headphone over the Stax transformer units. I also learned that the Stax system is very synergy orient in that some of the Stax headphones that I had performed better with the transformer than a Stax amp. The Gamma performed better with the SRM-001 and the SRX-001 to me did better with the SRD-7/Icon.

BTW, I still have my two Lavry DA10s that I really enjoy as having a very balanced/neutral presentation allowing the amp and headphones to provide the color that I may desire.

So my journey is continuing, hopefully at a slower pace this next year. All the changes that I have made this year may reflect my health changes since I had quadruple bypass surgery in Feb. I am so much better today than I was just a year ago. I did not suffer a heart attack but a year ago I could hardly walk 100 feet without getting out of air. Today I am back into an exercise program that I had at least 20 years ago, feeling much better and after having lost so far about 80 lbs with still more to go before I finish.

[jp11801]

ok where to begin this was to be the year of no new gear that resulted in a fabulous FAIL within 60 days (not sure of the exact date )

Well I dove into stats picking up the lambda pros X2, had sig for a short while, picked up Koss 950s, stax srx mksll, sigmas, an SRM 1 mkll amp and an srd mkll pro energizer. Only the 950s (currently at Koss), the SRX and the Pros remain powered by the SRD7 pro.

Sold the Eddie Current HD2, man that was a tough one but I can only have so much gear and the Stacker ll was on order and I have moved to mostly speakers.

Sold the HP-2s to Ken and the RS-1s (brown leather red mesh screen) to Ken and Al I will miss both of these but they did not get the listen time that I needed to justufy ownership.

I bought the AD2000s, these are my favorite full sized headphones. I also picked up a really nice pair of 2002s (thanks Gene). I also re-entered the domain of the 650 and will probably just keep my pair this time.

Sources were a wild ride this year, sold the wavelength cosecant,traded it for a VPI super scoutmaster then sold the VPI, had the Kora Hermes dac for a while (nice dac but not detailed enough), picked up a modded Sonic Frontiers Trans Dac (thanks Filburt) and it is now my go to dac and also picked up the duet (really nice and a no brainer for the price and the ADCs). I also picked up 2 sony direct drive turntables (ps-x7 and a ps-x500) and sold my CJ Walker turntable. Parted out the lonn but still have the plinth and may resurrect it in 09.

Traded Mike for the Berendsen IPA-80 nice intergrated amp that has served me well as a speaker amp, headphone amp, and powers the k1000s and SRD7 pro nicely.

Bought a McCormack DNA1 rev a power amp and am in heaven best tied for best buy with the trans dac.

Sold the JLTI phono pre and picked up the Mod Squad phono drive.

I am sure I left some stuff out

[tyrion]

Mostly from memory:

Sold:

2 pairs of Lambda Pros and 2 Stax SRM-1 mk2's

1 pair of Lambda Sigs and 2 SRD-7 Mk2's

Nottingham Hypersapce and Benz Micro Ruby

Berendsen integrated.

Apogee Duet

Pico with Dac

Shure 530

HD-650

Beta 22

MPX3

Omega Compact Hemp

Cary SLI-80

Quicksilver Preamp

Stax 007t

Stax O2

Moon Audio Blue Dragon K1000

HHF-1

Bought:

HD-650

Stax O2, Lambda Sig, Lambda Pro

Jade

Dynavector P-75

ASR Mini Basis

Quicksilver Preamp

Nottingham Hyperspace, Benz Micro Ruby

TAD -125 Hibachi

Berendsen Preamp

Galibier Serac (not arrived yet), Morch UP-4, ZYX Yatra

System Audio SA705

Cary SLI-80

2 SRD-7 mk2s

MPX3

Beta 22

Headamp Blue Hawaii

Headamp KGSS DX

Exemplar 2900

HHF-1

Quicksilver Preamp

Stax 007t

Nugget Audio Beta 22 (not arrived yet)

Odyssey Mono Extremes (not purchased yet but if I do, it will be in '08 )

I'm sure I've left some stuff off.