magnets
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Thank you everybody for your replies so far! I've been reading and digesting the info you all have written.
I am now more convinced that I want to go with the ZMA. Deep inside I’m pretty sure it’s actually the sexiness of the big caps and the analogue gauges that my decision is truly based on, but I feel more comfortable with the other concerns I had. I think I would rather have the extra headroom for now and the flexibility to make changes to other parts of the setup in the future without coming up short on power. In that vein, I’m more convinced that I want to go with the XLR inputs on it too. I like the options it provides for better connections with more gear and future flexibility.
The extra money is certainly stretching the budget, but I’m trying to do this right. My wife agrees. “If we’re going to spend ten thousand f@$%ing dollars on a stereo, it’s probably best not to start being cheap now to save a few hundred dollars and regret it later.” - Her words, approximately.
One question that I still am hoping will be answered better is whether or not the stock balanced outs on the Tascom CD240 (that the Decware ZCD240 is built on) are approximately equal in signal quality to the “Decware Designed Output Stage” RCA outs on the ZCD240? It would be easier to swallow the XLR upgrade on the ZMA if I could save money by buying a significantly lower priced source without creating a weak link.
Based on @Ilance and @Pineman’s experience and testimony, I also feel better about the combination of the ZMA with the ERRx for my situation. I’m glad to hear that they will sound great in a living room. The description of the sound being different from normal speakers hasn’t really dissuaded me from thinking I will like them…I’m looking for a non-standard type of listening experience. I will certainly have to decide what I like with my own ears, but the descriptions of the laid back sound and expansive soundstage almost seem magical to me. Maybe that’s just Steve’s colorful writing inspiring my imagination, but I like the thought enough to want to try it. If anybody is near San Diego with this type of set up, I would be glad to have a listen.
After looking around, thinking about it, and discussing it with my wife, I think I might actually be able to introduce some room treatments in time. I have an out-of-the-way corner where a bass trap might fit - I don’t know if it will be ideal, but I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt. I also was looking at prime diffusor builds online, and the nice looking ones are a work of art in their own right! Well, it just so happens that I need a large and good looking piece of art for the plain wall above the back of my sofa… If I could build a ~3’x~8’ prime diffusor in a weekend it would fit about perfectly above the sofa, have a nice abstract art look to it, and be much cheaper than similar sized art. I might even be able to squeeze in some sound absorption in hidden/out of the way places.
Maybe something like these are what I’m thinking: oliverprime.com/prd/images/diffuser_miguelbanos.jpg images.blu-ray.com/htgallery/63546.jpg
I’m still also hoping for an opinion/experience on if the Tascam CD240 with a good RCA preamp is about equivalent to Decware ZCD240 RCA outs?
Does the ZMA come with a stock power cable? I read that it did in the Tone review, but I don’t see mention of it on the product page.
The final questions I would still like some more feedback on are regarding what cables you would recommend? I’m looking to spend the money on the parts that really matter. I can make some minor upgrades later, but don’t want to change the big stuff out very much. I’m asking about all cables: speaker cables, IC’s, XLR, and power cables. What would be appropriate for this system without buying into the industry hype and marketing department voodoo science but also not compromising true sound quality? Are the Decware speaker cables a good value or are even they overkill/comparable to some $20 cables? I don’t mean to be insulting, I just really don’t know and don’t want to waste money. This is where I feel the most unsure about the value of the Decware components. @Lon, you said you notice a difference for sure. Can you elaborate on where you see value in cables?
@Palomino - I hate losing my work when I press publish! I’ve developed some tricks to prevent that sinking feeling. I compose most posts in a text editor and copy-paste into the browser when I want to publish. If I don’t do that, I at least highlight all of my post and copy it before pressing publish. That way I can hit paste and recover what I wrote if it get’s lost. Thanks for being committed to getting it published! I appreciated reading what you wrote.
@Dave1210 - You asked what type of music I like. The music that rubs me the right way seems to vary depending on my mood, the season, and the year. But I tend to most regularly listen to alternative, folk-rock, indi-rock, and singer-songwriter type stuff. Some favorite bands (in alphabetical order as I scan my library) are: Anthony D’Amato, The Avett Brothers, Bright Eyes (but my wife hates them for some reason), Blitzen Trapper, The Cerny Brothers, Fun, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Head and the Heart, The Lumineers, Mumford and Sons, Of Monsters and Men, Passenger, Pink Floyd, and The Tallest Man on Earth. I also have a large place in my heart for classic rock, chamber/ensemble/symphony music, world, and every once in a while pop and electronic/EDM. I’m sure there is more I’m forgetting, but that’s an outline.
I’d appreciate it if you could update me on how the XLR test goes. That sounds like just the real world situation and application I would want them on the ZMA for.
@Syd - I’ve been a fan of Decware and Steve’s writings since I was in High school in the early 2000’s. I don’t remember how I found the website but I’m glad I did. I’ve been waiting since then for the day I could actually justify some Decware gear. I remember having my imagination captured as a young teenage boy reading about sub horns that would cause mice to stumble out of the walls and die… I wanted one sooo bad. My parent’s weren’t impressed. Planning is definitely a buzz. I do have to catch myself sometimes and force myself to take a step back and stop thinking about it, or stop talking about it, or to get some actual work done.
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