Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

HiFi Guy said:
Being “anti cable” I don’t have dream interconnects thankfully.
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I'm fairly "anti-cable", too. Planning to try out a pair of 2 foot, balanced "World's Best Cables" off Amazon for my next pair. I've loved BJC, but they have become pricey and I believe other cables can perform equally well. I'm of the school that only RLC, shielding, and construction quality matter with cables.
 
HiFi Guy said:
The switching power supply is noisy. But unlike a conventional power supply (also noisy) one doesn’t need a huge transformer and a bunch of filter capacitors to filter the noise. The noise generated by switching power supplies are far above the range of human hearing. Now, the C298 still has a bank of filter capacitors, because they never hurt. But, no big transformer. And switching power supplies can run on any voltage from 100-250 volts- the C298 comes with both USA and Euro style power cords. Sutherland phono stages come with switching power supplies standard.
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Switching power supplies have come a long way, baby! [insert anachronism here] The older computer-type supplies were very noisy; newer ones can be lower in noise than linear supplies. Benchmark uses a switching power supply in the AHB2 power amp, one of the lowest noise power amplifiers available today. It's all about how the designer has handled the specifications and usage.
 
Angsty said:
I'm fairly "anti-cable", too. Planning to try out a pair of 2 foot, balanced "World's Best Cables" off Amazon for my next pair. I've loved BJC, but they have become pricey and I believe other cables can perform equally well. I'm of the school that only RLC, shielding, and construction quality matter with cables.
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So wait... what you guys are telling me is... buying cables that cost 3 times the price of my record player was a BAD decision?

WHAT THE HELL MAN
 
I bought some new 2 ft. interconnects off eBay a couple of weeks ago which use REAN RCA plugs and Belden double braid shielded cable. Cost me about $25 and perform just fine. But I must confess that I do like the connector style of the BJC LC-1 more, but I’d have to pay twice as much. Like I said, aesthetics are not very high on my list; I mostly liked the type of Belden cable used for this price.

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Mather said:
So wait... what you guys are telling me is... buying cables that cost 3 times the price of my record player was a BAD decision?

WHAT THE HELL MAN
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Trust your ears. What other choice do you have? The return window closed long ago, and no way you could sell those for anywhere near what you paid. So, put on Electric Warrior, trust your ears and let confirmation bias soothe your jangled psyche.
 
dansomeone said:
Trust your ears. What other choice do you have? The return window closed long ago, and no way you could sell those for anywhere near what you paid. So, put on Electric Warrior, trust your ears and let confirmation bias soothe your jangled psyche.
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actually I paid less than half price, so I could likely entirely recoup my costs

But let's not let reality get in the way of a good self deprecating internet story!
 
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Like Dansome says, trust your ears. If you have the cables you replaced swap them back in and listen. I’m a big believer of cables being very important to the total sound as my personal experience has proven, to me, that they all do different things. Just like an ultrasonic cleaner allows you to hear further into the sound because it exposes more minute details cables can, and do, the same.
 
OMC said:
Like Dansome says, trust your ears. If you have the cables you replaced swap them back in and listen. I’m a big believer of cables being very important to the total sound as my personal experience has proven, to me, that they all do different things. Just like an ultrasonic cleaner allows you to hear further into the sound because it exposes more minute details cables can, and do, the same.
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Oh I'm just kidding. I love my cables.
Deeply, likely inappropriately. I want to marry them. They absolutely crush my previous ones and opened up all sorts of wonderful things about my systems sound. Now... could cables that are a fraction of what these cost perform equally? Possibly. But I haven't heard those cables, I went from Radio Shack to the heights of Mount Olympus in one fell swoop. And now, as a result, I will continue to make fun of myself for easily the most impulsive purchase I've ever made...
 
Mather said:
Oh I'm just kidding. I love my cables.
Deeply, likely inappropriately. I want to marry them. They absolutely crush my previous ones and opened up all sorts of wonderful things about my systems sound. Now... could cables that are a fraction of what these cost perform equally? Possibly. But I haven't heard those cables, I went from Radio Shack to the heights of Mount Olympus in one fell swoop. And now, as a result, I will continue to make fun of myself for easily the most impulsive purchase I've ever made...
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How ya gonna keep em down on the farm/after they've seen Paree'
 
As I have mentioned in other threads there are two schools of thought:
1) Good, well made, affordable, mostly neutral, low capacitance cables. Getting a little harder these days as the ever popular Blue Jeans LC-1 interconnect goes for $50 3M now ( I think I remember when they were 25 and 30)
2) Demo/loan out several boutique interconnect from your local stores or thecableco.com if you don't hear what you like return them.
 
Hollywood said:
I have to now include this unit on my short list of phono stages since this is a glowing endorsement by our resident hi-fi consultant @Ed Selley
www.avforums.com

iFi Audio Zen Phono Stage Review

Review of the iFi Audio Zen Phono
www.avforums.com www.avforums.com
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It’s probably a level or two below what you were looking at but at its price range it’s a definite contender with the Darlington MM6 and MF LS2-LPS around the €200-300 mark! That review is so glowing that I’d love to hear a side by side comparison of the three!
 
Joe Mac said:
It’s probably a level or two below what you were looking at but at its price range it’s a definite contender with the Darlington MM6 and MF LS2-LPS around the €200-300 mark! That review is so glowing that I’d love to hear a side by side comparison of the three!
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I'm certainly not comparing it to the likes of the MX-VYNL but the price ($250 CAD) is definitely attrative 😍 and this could be a good entry point.
 
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