Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

AnthonyI said:
I really feel I need to post a one month update on the Otello.................this cartridge is brilliant.

Full disclosure, I did swap my Manley gains with a couple of Gold Lions, but there is nothing that sounds bad, to me, with this cart and the current rig setup.

<---- Happy Vinyl Camper :)
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What kind were the tubes you removed?
 
Splunders said:
They wear out? Just tube rolling? Much audible difference?
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They were out, but I was hoping for a little more warmth and smoothness to the sound and the GLs delivered, I think they match up well with the Otello sound characteristics, everything has the full lush sound, without any muddiness, great bass and vocals. Just a small tweak, but very happy with the results :)
 
AnthonyI said:
They were out, but I was hoping for a little more warmth and smoothness to the sound and the GLs delivered, I think they match up well with the Otello sound characteristics, everything has the full lush sound, without any muddiness, great bass and vocals. Just a small tweak, but very happy with the results :)
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Good to know!
 
Angsty said:
I just purchased a new Integra CD changer with Wolfson DAC chip and I still found my $99 external desktop DAC to sound better. YMMV.
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I hear somebody is looking to buy a “fancy” new CD player. I have to retract my earlier statement about my Integra changer and the $99 Schiit DAC. The Schiit was louder, not better.

When I was able to level match the outputs, I found that I could not tell the Schiit output from the Integra/Wolfson output. Output comparisons will almost always favor the louder component. I knew that and should have been more careful in my initial comments.

After almost a year living with the Integra, I’m very happy with its performance and features.
 
Angsty said:
I hear somebody is looking to buy a “fancy” new CD player. I have to retract my earlier statement about my Integra changer and the $99 Schiit DAC. The Schiit was louder, not better.

When I was able to level match the outputs, I found that I could not tell the Schiit output from the Integra/Wolfson output. Output comparisons will almost always favor the louder component. I knew that and should have been more careful in my initial comments.

After almost a year living with the Integra, I’m very happy with its performance and features.
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Hahaha! Well because I have the PS Audio DAC I’m more looking at a transport but at the minute going back and forth between the Jays Audio CDT2-Mk3 and NuPrime CDT-10.

Had also been looking at the Denafrips Avatar which I’d get it if hadn’t been discontinued. Can get NOS online from eBay but not sure it’s worth the risk. Would love the PS Audio SACD but it’s too rich.

It’s more than likely going to be the Jays as things are currently standing…
 
Angsty said:
The Jays Audio transports are very solid looking affairs. The tank-like build may very well be worth a premium over something more pedestrian like a Cambridge Audio CXC or an Audiolab 6000CDT.
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I bought a new CA CXC a few months ago. Certain discs a Tascam CD200 tracked without problem are unplayable on the Cambridge. Discs it does play sound great but…
The Jays looks very desirable and it’s reviews are uniformly very good.
 
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OMC said:
I bought a new CA CXC a few months ago. Certain discs a Teac CD200 tracked without problem are unplayable on the Cambridge. Discs it does play sound great but…
The Jays looks very desirable and it’s reviews are uniformly very good.
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Yeah, I don’t know what’s up with the CXC. I have an old Azur 540C (used as a transport) that never gives me a problem.
 
Angsty said:
The Jays Audio transports are very solid looking affairs. The tank-like build may very well be worth a premium over something more pedestrian like a Cambridge Audio CXC or an Audiolab 6000CDT.
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A good friend of mine has the Jay’s. I have the CXC.
If you have a supporting system and DAC, the Jay’s is absolutely better. It also costs 8x more.

Having said that, I’ve never had an issue with my CXC.
 
displayname said:
A good friend of mine has the Jay’s. I have the CXC.
If you have a supporting system and DAC, the Jay’s is absolutely better. It also costs 8x more.

Having said that, I’ve never had an issue with my CXC.
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5x. I’m going for the cheaper jays…

The more expensive one is actually nearer 12x.

I suppose I’m going end game here and 3 things appeal to me.

1. It’s a tank.
2. It uses a nos CDM4/19 laser. The laser is the most likely to fail component. Especially in a top loader that has no gears to shoot out a tray or a disc. A 6 year old could swap out a CDM4/19 and jays bought the entire nos supply as spares. Me being able to order and swap it out myself is a definite positive.
3. It supposedly plays very nice with my DAC and I want to buy something that excites me enough that it gets me out of the routine of vinyl only and gets me back spinning the CDs that are either too expensive or not worth it to me on vinyl. I’m running out space and kinda spending fortunes on vinyl so it’s badly needed!
 
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Joe Mac said:
5x. I’m going for the cheaper jays…

The more expensive one is actually nearer 12x.

I suppose I’m going end game here and 3 things appeal to me.

1. It’s a tank.
2. It uses a nos CDM4/19 laser. The laser is the most likely to fail component. Especially in a top loader that has no gears to shoot out a tray or a disc. A 6 year old could swap out a CDM4/19 and jays bought the entire nos supply as spares. Me being able to order and swap it out myself is a definite positive.
3. It supposedly plays very nice with my DAC and I want to buy something that excites me enough that it gets me out of the routine of vinyl only and gets me back spinning the CDs that are either too expensive or not worth it to me on vinyl. I’m running out space and kinda spending fortunes on vinyl so it’s badly needed!
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Forgot they have multiple options right now. I think you'll be happy with it! My friend would likely replace everything else in his system before he replaced his Jay's. He doesn't even look at spinners anymore.

Honestly the biggest thing that kept me away from the Jay's was the price compared to my use cases. I've got a CXN streamer right now, and while it is a great piece for the price, I don't think that DAC is going to bring the best out of a Jay's spinner. If money wasn't a factor, I'd probably go with a Jay's CD transport, a Lumin streamer, and I'd probably run through DACs for a bit until I fell in love with one in the $2-5K range. But I've got plenty of other dragons to chase before I dive down that rabbit hole. My digital end feels fairly safe. (for now, lol)
 
displayname said:
Forgot they have multiple options right now. I think you'll be happy with it! My friend would likely replace everything else in his system before he replaced his Jay's. He doesn't even look at spinners anymore.

Honestly the biggest thing that kept me away from the Jay's was the price compared to my use cases. I've got a CXN streamer right now, and while it is a great piece for the price, I don't think that DAC is going to bring the best out of a Jay's spinner. If money wasn't a factor, I'd probably go with a Jay's CD transport, a Lumin streamer, and I'd probably run through DACs for a bit until I fell in love with one in the $2-5K range. But I've got plenty of other dragons to chase before I dive down that rabbit hole. My digital end feels fairly safe. (for now, lol)
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Yeah whereas I’m kinda the opposite. I’m really happy with my analogue side (I could upgrade the table but I have a sentimental attachment to it) and amplification/speakers but my old SACD player and little pi streamer both crapped out. With having a really nice DAC on the preamp I’m kinda in the process of figuring out a CD player and a streamer. The streamer is the less important of the two because I very rarely stream or play files over physical media in the house.
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah whereas I’m kinda the opposite. I’m really happy with my analogue side (I could upgrade the table but I have a sentimental attachment to it) and amplification/speakers but my old SACD player and little pi streamer both crapped out. With having a really nice DAC on the preamp I’m kinda in the process of figuring out a CD player and a streamer. The streamer is the less important of the two because I very rarely stream or play files over physical media in the house.
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What DAC would you go up to with the Jay's? Or would you stay with the PS Audio?
 
displayname said:
What DAC would you go up to with the Jay's? Or would you stay with the PS Audio?
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I’d stay with the PS Audio. I like it, I can connect them with I2S over hdmi and tbh it’s also my preamp and I’m really stretching way beyond what I’d want to be spending if I’m looking at both a preamp and a DAC that were upgrades to it on top of CD and streaming transports.
 
Hollywood said:
Looking for recs for a good pair of noise cancelling headphones 🎧 to listen to vinyl and streaming music 🎶 via the Bluesound NODE please and thanks 😊
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I have the Sony M-4's and they are excellent. I would assume the M-5's would be even better...
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Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones | WH1000XM5/B

Explore Sony's WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones with noise cancellation, superior sound and call quality. Learn more now!. (WH-1000XM5/B)
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Hollywood said:
Looking for recs for a good pair of noise cancelling headphones 🎧 to listen to vinyl and streaming music 🎶 via the Bluesound NODE please and thanks 😊
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I’d be very tempted by these for home listening if I needed headphones!

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Massdrop x Meze 99 Noir Closed-Back Headphones | Audiophile Headphones | Drop

A fixture on InnerFidelity’s Wall of Fame, PC Magazine’s Editors’ Choice section, and award lists around the world, the 99 Classics get new look in the 99 Noir.
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