Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
Decware Audio Forums
03/29/24 at 14:14:35 




Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
A newbie's questions.. (Read 2806 times)
Littlebit72
Verified Member
**




Posts: 11
A newbie's questions..
02/18/23 at 00:44:47
 
Hi everyone!

I'm just starting to learn all of this audiophile stuff and I have a few questions.. but first a little bit about where I am coming from and going. I'm hoping I can snag a few helpful comments from the more expreienced.

I recently had the opportunity to listen to a tube setup and instantly fell in love with the sound. (I have always had just regular, run of the mill, cheap speakers to listen to music.) I have decided that I want to jump in and treat my aging ears to something nice for a change. We only live once, no do overs.
I have decided I want a Decware amp and will pick up a pair of Omega/Zu speakers later on. That is a whole different animal to chew on lol.

The room that it is currently going into is my Office room where I do my charting (I'm a nurse), listening to music, watch movies that I stream on the computer, etc. The room is more or less a standard 10x10 square room with 9 or 10 foot ceilings. Have a huge butcherblock desk along one wall (Desk space is not a problem) and on the opposite wall from the desk I have a love seat where my husband and I watch movies from. (Have a huge monitor lol)
We listens to all different kinds of music from country to rock to classical. (We just love music and can get lost listening to it when it moves us) And I have a bunch of old CD's and cassette tapes of older Latino music. (I'm from Colombia and we love our music lol)

Now that that is out of the way..

I have my eye on either a Mini Torii or the SE34I.6.
When I listened to the tube amp it was like listening to warm, velvety, sweet honey. For lack of a better description. Not good at these words everyone uses to describe things.
Which one of these do you guys think would best fit my room and speakers (when I get them).
I would also like to connect a subwoofer up to it in the future for movies, if needed... maybe.. and my husband like some bass on occasion when listening to some music.
I know my husband would most likely end up buying a small fortune in tubes to try out on it too jaja.  ::)

So what would you guys buy in my shoes? Do I need to add more information? I'm not really sure what to put on here. I'm just adding stuff I have seen people asking other about when they ask these questions.

If it didn't take so long to get the amp I would just buy one or two or three and try them out. It takes a loooong time to get it now I have heard so I don't want to buy one and find out later that I can't put a subwoofer on it, or whatever lol. It's a long wait. Buy once and hopefully it is the perfect fit kind of thing.

Any advise would be welcome.
Thank you for reading in any case!

Erica


P.S. Getting excited and not sure if I can wait any longer in ordering it. Maybe I just buy all of them and the big Torii for the living room lol. Use the one I don't keep as a gift lol
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Geno
Seasoned Member
****


Without music, life
would be a mistake.

Posts: 1988
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #1 - 02/18/23 at 01:31:18
 
Hi Erica, and welcome!

I get excited when I see that a woman wants to get into audio at this level. Just not enough females involved in this hobby.

In a room the size you described, an SE84UFO should be fine. And to include a subwoofer, you would need a separate subwoofer amp. Dayton Audio makes several that would be perfect.

Omegas are a great match with Decware amps, so good choice there.

I’m sure others will weigh in with opinions too, so you will have lots of advice.

Best, and good luck!

Geno
Back to top
 
 

(2)SE84UFO(Balanced Monoblocs) OR Sansui AU-222
Crown sub amp
Cambridge Audio CXN(ModWright) • ZBIT
SL-1210MK5(KAB Mods) Soundsmith Aida MKll cart • Darlington Labs MP-7
Otari MX5050-Bll2 R2R
ZLC Power Cond.
Lii Audio PT-10/W-15 in open baffles
  IP Logged
Mannytheseacow
Ex Member



Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #2 - 02/18/23 at 01:42:45
 
Welcome, Erica! I would recommend that you just order something asap to get your spot on the waitlist. Over the next three years you can experiment, learn, change your mind, change your order, etc. but the list is only going to get longer.
Cheers!
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Lon
Seasoned Member
****


"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23312
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #3 - 02/18/23 at 01:52:45
 
Welcome Erica. If you really want a warm, romantic sound that seems to be what you heard and described, I'd recommend either the "Rachel" amp or the "Sarah" amp. Those are the two that I think will most resemble that sonic nature.
Back to top
 
 

HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
  IP Logged
Littlebit72
Verified Member
**




Posts: 11
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #4 - 02/18/23 at 08:13:07
 
Thank you for the replies!

Good idea on ordering now and researching more while i wait. It's a long list indeed. I like the looks of the Rachel amp and it will fit very well on the desk so i will order that one tomorrow.

Im going to go ahead and order the Omegas as soon as they are back in stock.
I will need a small amp for them while i wait though. Any suggestions? Dont want to spend a lot since it will be a filler untill i get the Decware. Im currently using some crappy logitec surround speakers in the office and after hearing the tube amp im ruined lol. I  never realized.. so im junking them as sion as i can.

I was also looking at youtube videos and came accross cheapaudioman's videos. He like the Geshelli DAC (and made in USA will get points with my other half lol), Would that be a good match with the Decware? Or can i just plug the amp into the computer?

Sorry for all the questions.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Rivieraranch
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 2126
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #5 - 02/18/23 at 13:12:45
 
Check your PM for some answers.
Back to top
 
 

MINI TORII & ZROCK2 both anniversaried; 'Lil Audio F-15; TECHNICS SL1200MK2 KAB MODDED TT; ONKYO 6 DISC CD; MARANTZ 2226B; SCHIIT MULTIBIT DAC; SENNHEISER HD-580s
55   IP Logged
BlackBess
Seasoned Member
****


TURN IT DOWN,I have
children sleeping
here

Posts: 155
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #6 - 02/18/23 at 13:54:48
 
While I’m not able to offer a valid opinion on these, I sure wish someone would give the Wathen Herman/ Reference.5 combo a spin. Herman is a little push/pull EL84 amp with Wathen Cryotone tubes. It comes with 2 different types of preamp tubes to roll in for a different feel. The small 2-way speakers boast a frequency response of 24 Hz - 22 kHz with an SPL of 89 dB & feature a unique tension/rib construction. I have no idea of the wait time on this $3850 package, but Don cheerfully returns calls & is happy to shoot the breeze & answer all your questions. Personally I think a Cryotone Tellie with a B- string bender might be in my future. But that’s a tale for another day. I would like to attend the ax-a-pony show to see if that rig is demonstrated along with the Decware Sarah & Torri jr. in the Wathen room.

Back to top
 
 

KEF LS50 wireless 2 w/KC62 sub
Analog Ethos select series 2a3>Klipsch Forte IV
Dennis Had Inspire 6FLV-v>Decware T6
Shanling STP10>JBL N26
Dennis Had 300PSE>Decware DNA 2
IPad mini>Audio Quest Dragonfly cobalt>Focal Clear
Willsenton R300>Bose 601 series I
  IP Logged
Mannytheseacow
Ex Member



Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #7 - 02/18/23 at 15:40:37
 
The nice thing about better audio gear is that it tends to hold its value. You may consider buying something used on a reputable marketplace like usaudiomart and then sell for a similar price when your new gear comes or as you hone in your preferences. If you like the tube sound you could pick up a Dynaco ST70 or Boyuurange A50 mkiii amp with a pair of Klipsch RP600M speakers for under $1k and sell again at the same price, being worlds ahead of your current stereo.
Regarding the DAC, do you stream music on your computer or listed to your own files? If you stream you may consider a dedicated DAC/streamer, otherwise you can easily connect your computer to your amp. If you are still upgrading your amp/speaker combo and getting an idea of what you like I would personally just stick with your computer so you get an idea of what improves with each change of components.
All just my personal experience. You’ll likely get different input from all the different members here.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
cmdc
Senior Member
***




Posts: 52
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #8 - 02/18/23 at 16:20:01
 
Hi, Erica,

Welcome to the forum. By a stroke of luck, someone just listed a Mini Torii in the Decware classifieds section today.  You might consider starting with that since it’s available now at a reasonably low cost. If you’re thrilled with it, great. Otherwise, you can get on the list for a Rachel or (much more expensive) Sarah, and use the Mini Torii while you’re waiting.  I have Zus and can definitely recommend them with Decware gear, but given the relatively small size of your office, you might also want to have a look at the open baffle F15s  Randy sells at Caintuck Audio. Many of us on this forum have them. In addition to fitting easily and beautifully into more modest spaces, their high sensitivity makes them a perfect match for lower power amps. And depending on which Zus or Omegas you were considering, the F15 OBs would likely be considerably less expensive. Whichever route you choose, all of the speakers and amps being discussed here would comfortably put you in a whole different world than the Logitechs you’re currently running, so you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

Best,

Carroll
Back to top
 
 

Main:[[TD124 [Koetsu RWS>SME 3009S2Imp][Aidas Durawood>Moerch DP6]][TD124 [Ortofon A90>Kuzma 4Pt9]]>Ned Clayton Cinemag SUT>Dodd Audio Phono Stage>ZRock2][SonicTransporter i7>Mytek Brooklyn Bridge]>ZSB>ZMA>[Zu Druid Mk V][Caintuck Lii 15 OBs/Bass Baffle]
  IP Logged
JBzen
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 1344
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #9 - 02/18/23 at 16:59:11
 
Hi Erica and welcome.

You might want to consider this offering to use during the wait:

https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1676052593

I have no connecting with this offering but the member that is selling the amp has been here for a while.

The Mini Tori sports 2 inputs and a dedicated preamp output that can be used to drive a sub. It also uses VR tubes that will help with the AC power supply furter refining the output sound of the amp.

Steve's design notes are here:  https://www.decware.com/paper96.htm

Current owners manual is here:  https://www.decware.com/newsite/MINITORIIMANUAL2018.pdf

Current add flyer is here: https://www.decware.com/newsite/minitoriise.htm


Also, using this amp during the wait will give you an opportunity to upgrade with Decware gear such as interconnects and speaker wire that normally don't have a wait time.

Feeding music with a computer in the office while working can be a pain in the butt. A streamer such as the Cambridge CXNv2 with Roon can be a hands off experience providing a day long music stream geared to your liking. The CXNv2 is an all in one source with many options including a decent DAC. It is literally all that an office will require in a very convenient package. Even for streaming videos from a phone or computer.

The CXNv2 can be viewed here: https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/hi-fi/cx-series-2/cxn
The price actually dropped by $200.

Add a set of speakers and your good to go.

HTH

John
Back to top
 
 

AMC CD8b>XO3>Cambridge CXN2>ZDAC>ZBOX>braided silver/occ> Zrock2>CSP2+>SE84 milflex copper 25th>9AWG silver/copper braid>lii Crystal 10 in Huijgen cabinets. Ortofon 2M Black>JVC QL-F4/Otari MX5050B2>ZP3. Isolation. AC filtering. Room treatment.
  IP Logged
Tony
Seasoned Member
****


"Life without
..music is
inconceivable"
A.Einsteln

Posts: 608
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #10 - 02/18/23 at 17:12:01
 
John,

Excellent review and recommendations.  I'm sure Erica or anyone else would find it helpful.

I can lend support to your CXNv2 recommendation.  I consider it one of my best buys.

Back to top
 
 

SE84UFO25 | Ic0n4 Passive Preamp | ZBIT | Cambr. CXNv2 | Denafrips Pontus II | Denafrips Gaia | Media Converter | Decware I/Cs | Decware Pwr Cbls | ZWIRE Speaker Cbls | Omega SAHOM & KEF KC62 | Furman Cond l GIK Room Trmt
  IP Logged
will
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 2914
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #11 - 02/18/23 at 18:18:23
 
Lot's of good ideas here. Thinking of Manny's thought about keeping your computer for a reference front end sound as you expand the rest makes some sense to me. But on the other hand, this idea led me to want to say everything matters, as JBZen suggested. And a great amp and speakers are important, but we can easily hobble them with a less than optimal room setup, dirty unstable power, cables.... and first in line, a less than stellar front end. Afterall, the best amps and speakers can be amazing, but if the revelation is not there in the front end, in this case a computer and DAC setup, the speakers and amp can only convey what they receive.... Leading also to the efficacy of decent power and cables.

The Geshelli DAC looks intersting. Not familiar with it or reviews, I have no idea how it sounds, and the price is low but that may not be a problem. I wonder if it is assembled in the US rather than "made" here at that price though...not that this matters to sound either necessarily. And Caintuck open baffle speakers are notably inexpensive for what they do, so I would not rule out that DAC because of lack of high cost. Where I am trying to point though, is that if it is not there in the front end, and the cables take away from and/or color the sound, we really don't know what the rest is capable of.

And I know from long experience that buying something because someone else likes it, or likes the specs, is only part of the story... it is how it all goes together (parts, design and system/room) than makes the sound, and good specs only reflect part of that. Also, clearly how good something sounds is relative to where we started as well as personal tastes. Some folks will like slightly colored, less resolving DACs thinking they are more "musical," in part in how they artfully mask resolution as a means to reduce parts and design costs. And some of us need a clean representation of all that is there on a recording, a front end also artfully designed with good parts and parts synergy so that the DAC is musical because of higher resolution and high quality naturally musical parts causing this. This can get wildly costly, or be done within relative value, but is part of why higher end "value" front ends sell.

In my case, the latter has been my goal... smooth, balanced, and fully resolving representation of all that is there on the recording. The subtle harmonic information and finest detail and space that come with this imply the "final frontier" for ultimate sound as far as I can tell. All that nuanced information can't show if the front end is masked, and if the nuanced stuff is masked, everything else very likely is too.

So in my experiments, balanced in all areas, musically portrayed subtle information is what makes it "real" sounding, while revealing that the more difficult information to retrieve probably still exists throughout. No doubt, with all the choices and audio heads out there, a server/DAC can seem/sound great without that, but with it, I find the possibility for a truer deep musical experience is higher.

Just changing the old Mac OS on my highly tuned up Mac Mini that I use for my hard drive server, to a stripped down version, tuned by sound only for audio and by folks with really good listening skills, made a pretty profound difference here. Another example, I did some testing with a friend of many relatively low cost HDMI cables for the I2S connection between my modded Singxer SU-1 digital to digital convertor and DAC (the Singxer is between computer and DAC and refines the computer "signal'), and they all sounded different, with some notably more balanced and resolving.

I agree with others here that it will be amazing to step up your sound in the ways you have researched, that it will be revelatory, especially once you get it all tuned in your room. Just offering more things to consider as you go forward. There are always good values out there. But also, as most of us have found, we can waste a lot of money trying to save money in this vast audio realm, and I think it pays to consider everything as part of a whole, and look for value with as little compromise in each area as possible.
Back to top
 
 

All Modified: Balanced Transformer-DIY Strip/Shunyata Defender-RevolutionMacMini/Amarra-KTE Singxer/Gustardx20pro-ZBIT-CSP3-OldChen 300B/845, Torii IV, Simple Wave 300B-HR1/SVS Micro3000sub-Pi PCs-DIY PCs, ICs, USB, I2S, Speaker-SR and aluminum w ball bearing feet
  IP Logged
Littlebit72
Verified Member
**




Posts: 11
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #12 - 02/18/23 at 19:40:56
 
Wow.. ok now i have a TON more questions for when i get off work tonight.. lol.
Lots of good info from you guys!

Will post more later tonight.

Thank you!
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Kamran
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 919
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #13 - 02/18/23 at 19:44:13
 
Welcome Erica! First, I’d echo Gino’s sentiments. It’s very heartwarming to have a female audiophile in the group (and maybe 2, based on Carrol’s response!).

Secondly, I loved your description of your current setup. I felt like I was in the room with you and your husband (and absolutely not in a creepy way!).

Ok, now let’s get down to business.  My more experienced and learned members have givens load of excellent advice.  I’d read their advice very carefully and then read it again.  Between them, they have decades of combined experience.  You won’t get a much more welcoming and experienced group anywhere else.

Here are my two cents, but take it with a grain of salt, because I am comparatively still a rookie in a land of audio giants.

At 10 x 10, you’re room is on the smaller side.  You’re going to be fighting the room as much as anything else.  It is my observation (from excessive reading) that square rooms are not ideal sonically.  Well, I guess no room is necessary ideal, until you take steps to make it so.  Where I am going with this is two fold:

1) You need to Defeat the Room: If there was ever one artistic quotation I’d hang up in my listening room, it would be this.  You could have the best gear in the world and if your room isn’t properly treated, it won’t reveal the true potential of your gear.  What I would suggest is to get a free consult with GIK Acoustics, give them your starter budget, and they will build an optimal solution for ya.  And then over time, you can make additions.  That’s what I did.

2) As others have mentioned, Zu/Omega are deservedly popular with Decware owners. I don’t think you can go wrong.  But…what I’ve learned in my short journey is that speaker positioning matters A LOT.  With most speakers, a great soundstage is achieved when they are a couple of feet away from the front wall.  That is when the magic happens.  I used Klipsch tower speakers for the first two years but didn’t have the luxury to pull them further in to the room.  My space is not too much bigger then yours at 13x17.  My wife would have handed me the divorce papers on Day 1, had I even attempted to put two towers out in the middle of the room—so they had to stay put, a feet away from the front wall and while they sounded fantastic, I didn’t realize what I was missing until I bought the smaller Caintuck Audio open baffles with Lii Audio drivers.  That ma’am, was a game changer.  Infinitely, easier to move around compared to the Klipsch towers, and easily placed 5-6 feet away from the front wall.  Due to their size, they don’t overwhelm the room out in the middle and my wife (while not totally happy) is at least tolerant of these new puppies.  As other members also mentioned, these speakers are super efficient and a great match for fleawatt amps.  I don’t have a Decware amp yet (in line), but I do have a respectable competitor tube amp from Dennis Had and these speakers have just about blown everyone away in my household with a mere 6-10 watts depending on the tube.  In other words, I’m just trying to say that you could similar (if not better) output from a smaller open baffle concept, which will allow you to extend the speakers further in the room and you’ll be rewarded with a magnificent sound stage.

Amps: While Rachael seems to be a fantastic choice, as Mannytheseacow said, I’d get in line pronto.  It’s a long wait and you can always change your order later, once you learn more and or change your mind.  Decware amp will be at AXPONA in April, and we all expect the waiting list to exponentially increase after that.  So, get in your order now and don’t let analysis paralysis get in the way.

Source Gear:

DAC: I love Randy (Cheapaudioman) but his range is also limited to gear at a budget and may not reveal the true sonic potential of more upstream gear.  That said, his recommendations are a fantastic place to start and I know he’s very in to Geshelli Lab’s gear.  They were also at Capital Audio Fest last year and they seem like a very down to earth family passionate about audio just like the Deckerts.  I am personally not a fan of their aesthetic but I do respect them as a small American business doing right by their customers.  If the goal is to stick with American brands, then besides Geshelli Labs, I’d also look at Schiit Audio.  That’s another fantastic American company that makes great entry level to high end DACs and one of their co-founders (Mike Moffat) is a well known industry veteran, with a lot of experience in this space.  If the originating country isn’t the primary driver, then I’d also encourage you to look at Denafrips, which is a Chinese brand and a deserved darling of the current Hifi circuit.  Their cheapest DAC is around $800 new and can be had in the used market for around $500-$600.  Even CheapAudioman was in love with it and you can search for his review.  I had chosen that over Schiit’s comparable Bifrost 2 and was really happy with it—so much so that I decided to stick with the R2R topology as I upgraded (DAC topologies is another discussion altogether).

Streamer: I’d highly recommend a dedicated streamer over a computer, but that’s just me.  You can have one for as low as a couple of hundred bucks but a few options are:

1) iFi Zen
2) Wim or Wim pro
3) Bluesound (that’s what I had).  It has a decent DAC inside, so you could potentially start from here while you save up for a seperate.

This is becoming too long of a post, but I’ll end it with another advice that served me well.  Do your best to come out to Decware’s annual gathering of audiophiles known as Decfest held in October year ear.  I had such a lovely time there last October that included trying out various Decware amps and speaker combos, and speaking with (and learning from) likeminded audiophiles, and discovering new music! Highly recommended if you’re going to go down the Decware path.

Cheers and have a great long weekend!

Kamran

Back to top
 
 

Innuos Pulse-Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE R2R-Ic0n4 Autoformer Passive Pre-Sarah 300B SET Amp-ZBIT-Project Carbon Debut TT-Schiit Mani Phono-GIK Room Treatment-Caintuck Audio Magnum Baffles—Li Audio Fast 15 Drivers-P.I. Audio MajikBuss & Puritan PSM 156 Conditioners
  IP Logged
M_P
Verified Member
**




Posts: 24
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #14 - 02/18/23 at 21:54:40
 
Erica,

First I'll say that all the guys who responded so far know more than I do. But my situation is so similar to yours I thought I'd weigh in.

I have a big desk in my 9x11' office with a 1 1/2" thick maple top. On that is a large monitor for photo editing/writing and movies. Here's the system making music and movie sound:
Mac mini runs into an SMSL SU9-N DAC and from there to a Decware Zen SE84UFO2 and then to a pair of Omega Compact Alnico Monitors.

It all works and sounds wonderful. I've never turned the volume up over 25%, ever. I think the UFO in a room that size with the Omegas is more than sufficient. I upgraded the DAC from a Schiit Modi and it made a significant positive difference. If I were to upgrade this system further it would be to try an even better DAC. All the other equipment suits the purpose and my taste perfectly.

Hope that all helps a little.

Michael
Back to top
 
 

Home office: Mac mini => SMSL SU-9 => SE84UFO2 => Omega CAMS or Bottlehead Crack => Sennheiser HD-6XX
Studio: Mac Pro/Roon => Bluesound Node => Elekit TU8200DX => DIY Lii F-15 Big Betsy's
  IP Logged
Littlebit72
Verified Member
**




Posts: 11
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #15 - 02/19/23 at 06:06:30
 
"Erica,

First I'll say that all the guys who responded so far know more than I do. But my situation is so similar to yours I thought I'd weigh in.

I have a big desk in my 9x11' office with a 1 1/2" thick maple top. On that is a large monitor for photo editing/writing and movies. Here's the system making music and movie sound:
Mac mini runs into an SMSL SU9-N DAC and from there to a Decware Zen SE84UFO2 and then to a pair of Omega Compact Alnico Monitors.

It all works and sounds wonderful. I've never turned the volume up over 25%, ever. I think the UFO in a room that size with the Omegas is more than sufficient. I upgraded the DAC from a Schiit Modi and it made a significant positive difference. If I were to upgrade this system further it would be to try an even better DAC. All the other equipment suits the purpose and my taste perfectly.

Hope that all helps a little.

Michael"


The Compact Alnico is one of the ones I was looking at adding to my desk. Would fit perfect. How was the bass? With movies for example.
Why did you upgrade from the Schiit DAC? I read they are pretty popular and good? I know nothing about DACs btw sigh.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Littlebit72
Verified Member
**




Posts: 11
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #16 - 02/19/23 at 07:21:42
 
Thank you Kamran, for the response.

I may have to put those sound panels on the walls you think? Not a problem if need be. I bookmarked that GIK web site and will give them a shot if needed.

My desk if about 36-40 inches deep and pushed up against the wall. So that is the limit of how far my speakers can go away from the wall. Tower speakers are definitely out. I don't think I have room on either side of the desk for them. It's too big.
I thought I read somewhere, or heard on a video, that open speakers needed to be pulled out away from the wall really far to sound good? Even more so than regular speakers? If this is not true then I may go with the Caintuck speakers. I like how they look and it would add to the room looks. Depending on how big they are though. I don't want tiny tiny ones but not too huge either and to look ridiculous sitting on my desk. lol
I looked at the website and its very confusing though. So many speakers to choose from, I wouldn't know where to start. And building them may be a problem lol.
I could put them to either end of the desk when I am working and have volmue turned down low and put them on stands or something, farther from the wall (off of the desk and closer to center of room), when we watch movies? Sigh, my room is too small.. grr
Lots to think about.
What is AXPONA? A speaker/amp kinda show? That would be awesome if so, maybe I will see some of you guys there some day.
Or Decfest. I will definitely have to try to go there this year.

As far as DACs, I have no idea. I'm totally lost in that department and only going on what most people seems to push me toward. Geshelli looked ok and being USA made, my husband will agree with. It has no remote though. I hate having to get up  and lower or raise the volume when we watch movies. cordless mouse didn't work too good, I tried lol. Shiit looks and sounds good, I see a remote in some of the pictures. They have soo many to choose from though and it just makes me more lost. 5 or 6 different DACs alone.. I just closed the page lol.
The Cambridge that was recommended looks good and I can stream music on it from the puter or phone and it has a remote. Smiley

Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Littlebit72
Verified Member
**




Posts: 11
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #17 - 02/19/23 at 07:33:03
 
"Lot's of good ideas here. Thinking of Manny's thought about keeping your computer for a reference front end sound as you expand the rest makes some sense to me. But on the other hand, this idea led me to want to say everything matters, as JBZen suggested. And a great amp and speakers are important, but we can easily hobble them with a less than optimal room setup, dirty unstable power, cables.... and first in line, a less than stellar front end. Afterall, the best amps and speakers can be amazing, but if the revelation is not there in the front end, in this case a computer and DAC setup, the speakers and amp can only convey what they receive.... Leading also to the efficacy of decent power and cables.

And I know from long experience that buying something because someone else likes it, or likes the specs, is only part of the story... it is how it all goes together (parts, design and system/room) than makes the sound, and good specs only reflect part of that. Also, clearly how good something sounds is relative to where we started as well as personal tastes. Some folks will like slightly colored, less resolving DACs thinking they are more "musical," in part in how they artfully mask resolution as a means to reduce parts and design costs. And some of us need a clean representation of all that is there on a recording, a front end also artfully designed with good parts and parts synergy so that the DAC is musical because of higher resolution and high quality naturally musical parts causing this. This can get wildly costly, or be done within relative value, but is part of why higher end "value" front ends sell."


Will, I never thought about cables. ahhhh! I guess the amps and speakers don't actually come with cables huh lol. *Pulls hair out* lol

Anybody live in the Houston area want to come help me. lol

Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
M_P
Verified Member
**




Posts: 24
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #18 - 02/19/23 at 13:20:06
 
Schiit Modi 3+ was good. Building a second system presented an opportunity to try the SMSL. The new dac brought an immediate and noticeable improvement to instrument separation and soundstage I just bought another SU-9N for the studio. I think I could do even better, but at this point am loathe to spend more than I did.

The CAMs are wonderful on the big desk They are raised up 3" on diy wood stands and sit on Herbie's "fat dots." I don't feel any resonance in the desktop when playing. The CAMs are the largest speakers I'd use in my desktop situation.

Our movie tastes are like my taste in music. That is, richly rendered but generally quiet. I'm not the best one to comment on movie bass, but for my music the CAMs are great.
Back to top
 
 

Home office: Mac mini => SMSL SU-9 => SE84UFO2 => Omega CAMS or Bottlehead Crack => Sennheiser HD-6XX
Studio: Mac Pro/Roon => Bluesound Node => Elekit TU8200DX => DIY Lii F-15 Big Betsy's
  IP Logged
Mannytheseacow
Ex Member



Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #19 - 02/19/23 at 23:14:25
 
Erica,
It sounds like you already have a vision for your space. I think you’ll be happy with the omegas and there’s a mini Tori available here on the used market. You likely won’t be disappointed. The Cambridge cxnv2 has a remote and is a great option, too.
Will room treatment make your system sound better? Sure, but it’s not necessary immediately to get closer to the sound you are after.
Will better cables sound better? Sure, but not as much as a good amp and speakers will improve your day to day happiness.
You may even find that the tightness and detail of the omegas gives you all the bass you need for movies.
All these extras are like icing on the cake. You can always add room treatment, high end cables, subs, etc. to whatever degree you want to take your audio addiction. But you’ll get the biggest noticeable improvement changing your speakers first, then amp, then front end (streamer/DAC).
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Kamran
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 919
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #20 - 02/20/23 at 01:42:14
 
I’m with Mannytheseacow here.  Based on re-reading the original post and your responses, I an thinking that at least initially, you’ll be better off with a Streamer/DAC combo like either the CXN or Bluesound Node vs. seperates, and focus on the speakers/amp you want.  You will not go wrong with the Omega’s though I am wondering whether Steve’s new T6 might be called for.  They are no slouch with respect to bass, sound really musical, and will take minimal space.  Just thinking out loud….

And yea, no need to worry about cables at this point.  I’d actually treat the room first before going deep on cables.
Back to top
 
 

Innuos Pulse-Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE R2R-Ic0n4 Autoformer Passive Pre-Sarah 300B SET Amp-ZBIT-Project Carbon Debut TT-Schiit Mani Phono-GIK Room Treatment-Caintuck Audio Magnum Baffles—Li Audio Fast 15 Drivers-P.I. Audio MajikBuss & Puritan PSM 156 Conditioners
  IP Logged
Littlebit72
Verified Member
**




Posts: 11
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #21 - 02/20/23 at 05:45:45
 
Yes, I like that CXN very much and will most likely get that.
Thank you for the advice everyone!

Ordering the amp tonight to get on the waiting list (The Rachel) and maybe buy that used amp (if still available in a couple days) or just a cheap amp off amazon to tide me over for a bit. The more I save the more I can buy for treating my room though. (We just skimmed the entire room and painted it.. walls are bare)
Then I will research the speakers a bit. The open baffel speakers look promising, as my husband can make the baffels himself, if he will get off his butt and do it LOL.

Again thank you!

Erica

P.S. Is this the speakers you are talking about Kamran? https://www.decwareproducts.com/t6
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Kamran
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 919
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #22 - 02/20/23 at 06:33:07
 
Yes—a bunch of us heard this speaker for the first time at Decfest last year and were collectively blown away.
Back to top
 
 

Innuos Pulse-Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE R2R-Ic0n4 Autoformer Passive Pre-Sarah 300B SET Amp-ZBIT-Project Carbon Debut TT-Schiit Mani Phono-GIK Room Treatment-Caintuck Audio Magnum Baffles—Li Audio Fast 15 Drivers-P.I. Audio MajikBuss & Puritan PSM 156 Conditioners
  IP Logged
JBzen
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 1344
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #23 - 02/20/23 at 12:17:31
 
From the info given so far, the open baffles might be a poor fit for the room. Randy's baffles set on the desktop will seriously limit bass sound pressure levels(spl). Randy's design uses the floor as a springboard for bass production. In other words the open baffle speakers play best on the floor set out a couple of feet from the rear and side walls.

I would think a radial design might be best in a 10×10 room set ontop a desk. Steve's tiny radials with a choke set at 80 hertz might work well in your space with a tuned sub. Using radials will lead to minimal room treatment. Likely a good carpet with padding and some softening on the back wall of the loveseat is all that might be needed.

I also heard the T6's at Decfest. T6's was a show stopper! The T6's at the Decfest were placed on pedestals and out from the walls around 4'. Not sure if the same wow factor would apply in an office configuration setting ontop a desk.

More to think about.

John

Back to top
 
 

AMC CD8b>XO3>Cambridge CXN2>ZDAC>ZBOX>braided silver/occ> Zrock2>CSP2+>SE84 milflex copper 25th>9AWG silver/copper braid>lii Crystal 10 in Huijgen cabinets. Ortofon 2M Black>JVC QL-F4/Otari MX5050B2>ZP3. Isolation. AC filtering. Room treatment.
  IP Logged
Rivieraranch
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 2126
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #24 - 02/20/23 at 12:56:04
 
Yes indeed. Nobody puts open baffle speakers on top of a desk. I still think that the Trapeziums would go well for this setup.
Back to top
 
 

MINI TORII & ZROCK2 both anniversaried; 'Lil Audio F-15; TECHNICS SL1200MK2 KAB MODDED TT; ONKYO 6 DISC CD; MARANTZ 2226B; SCHIIT MULTIBIT DAC; SENNHEISER HD-580s
55   IP Logged
Tony
Seasoned Member
****


"Life without
..music is
inconceivable"
A.Einsteln

Posts: 608
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #25 - 02/20/23 at 14:27:17
 
Hi Erica,

A couple of weeks ago, I heard the T6 compared to an upper-end pair of Omega speakers. There was a difference in favor of the Omegas, but the T6 is the real deal. If budget is no issue, I recommend going with the Omega. If it is, then the T6 speakers will deliver.
Back to top
 
 

SE84UFO25 | Ic0n4 Passive Preamp | ZBIT | Cambr. CXNv2 | Denafrips Pontus II | Denafrips Gaia | Media Converter | Decware I/Cs | Decware Pwr Cbls | ZWIRE Speaker Cbls | Omega SAHOM & KEF KC62 | Furman Cond l GIK Room Trmt
  IP Logged
Littlebit72
Verified Member
**




Posts: 11
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #26 - 02/22/23 at 00:48:25
 
Amp is ordered! Husband ordered it but said he didn't see anything about a deposit, so no idea that works. Just ordered it on website but no matter. Now the wait...
I don't think I am going to make it jaja.

Now on to the speakers. Going to try to find someone with the three speakers I have in my sights so I can listen to them. Omegas, the T6 and the Trapeziums (I like these a lot because they will fit nicely on my desk and in my small room).

Thank you for all the help!
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Earthbound
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 210
Re: A newbie's questions..
Reply #27 - 02/22/23 at 01:37:13
 
Welcome Erica. I’ve just past the beginning of the audiophile, tube world world and had the same questions. Im a couple amps in and a couple of speakers in and a couple of dacs in now. The reason I bring this up is that I agree with the “getting started with a used amp while you wait” group. Will give you experience with different sounds and tubes. Mine sound quite different. Sticking with the well regarded brand amps, resale should be quite good. I’ve had no problems selling off equipment through audiomart. Good luck and enjoy the journey.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print