Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

Sorry for the quintuple post today, guys. Getting caught up after a month+ of not visiting!

Considering grabbing this as an upgrade for my Schiit Magni in my living room setup, as I do a fair amount of headphone listening there, and a line driver/preamp is really necessary with the low wattage Decware amp.
drop.com

Drop + xDuoo TA-84 OTL Tube Amp/DAC | Audiophile | DACs | Amp Combo DACs

Drop exclusive product, price and reviews: Drop + xDuoo TA-84 OTL Tube Amp/DAC | Ends 10/30/2023 | Take a look—or a listen—at the last ten years here at Drop...
drop.com drop.com

Any thoughts/experience with xDuoo? Drop have a great reputation, I know. Was thinking about plunking down on Decware's head amp and joining the waiting list, but with this at 1/3rd the price...
 
kvetcha said:
I agree that it seems incredibly unlikely all the caps would blow absent some sort of catastrophic surge, which the Panamax should have prevented. Did you have anything else plugged into the Panamax? Has it all been working as expected?
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Yeah everything else that's plugged into it is working completely fine, as is the unit itself.
 
So sorry to hear about the gear woes, gang!

@Joe Mac that is probably the most frustrating thing when that happens. Everybody does it once. It stings.

@DJSJ I'm not an amp tech, but I have a fair amount of experience both with hifi and guitar amp circuits, and every capacitor blowing indicates a big issue going on, probably voltage related. It's absolutely possible you had a power surge and that was just the unlucky unit to the take the hit. It's also possible that something could be wrong with a transformer. Is the repair shop you're taking it to an authorized shop for NAD?
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
So sorry to hear about the gear woes, gang!

@Joe Mac that is probably the most frustrating thing when that happens. Everybody does it once. It stings.

@DJSJ I'm not an amp tech, but I have a fair amount of experience both with hifi and guitar amp circuits, and every capacitor blowing indicates a big issue going on, probably voltage related. It's absolutely possible you had a power surge and that was just the unlucky unit to the take the hit. It's also possible that something could be wrong with a transformer. Is the repair shop you're taking it to an authorized shop for NAD?
Click to expand...

Thanks! Just wish I’d done it with a cartridge that cost me €200 and had a €150 user replaceable stylus, not the fancy new one that cost €830, has now gone up to €999, and that doesn’t have a user replaceable stylus. You live you learn but I’m still at the pure anger at myself stage lol!
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
So sorry to hear about the gear woes, gang!

@Joe Mac that is probably the most frustrating thing when that happens. Everybody does it once. It stings.

@DJSJ I'm not an amp tech, but I have a fair amount of experience both with hifi and guitar amp circuits, and every capacitor blowing indicates a big issue going on, probably voltage related. It's absolutely possible you had a power surge and that was just the unlucky unit to the take the hit. It's also possible that something could be wrong with a transformer. Is the repair shop you're taking it to an authorized shop for NAD?
Click to expand...

Yeah I once had an old amp die because the transformer went and it was just written off, no one was willing to repair that one!

Smelt like burnt toast in my apartment for a good while after it went too lol!
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
@DJSJ I'm not an amp tech, but I have a fair amount of experience both with hifi and guitar amp circuits, and every capacitor blowing indicates a big issue going on, probably voltage related. It's absolutely possible you had a power surge and that was just the unlucky unit to the take the hit. It's also possible that something could be wrong with a transformer. Is the repair shop you're taking it to an authorized shop for NAD?
Click to expand...
Yep, for reference the shop is George Meyer AV, a licensed NAD repair shop in LA.

When I get a chance today or tomorrow I'm gonna give em another call now that I have a clearer head, and see if I really did hear them correctly. Because it does sound ridiculous.
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah I once had an old amp die because the transformer went and it was just written off, no one was willing to repair that one!

Smelt like burnt toast in my apartment for a good while after it went too lol!
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Just the breaks of owning electrical equipment. You could take the best care of something in the world and still get unlucky enough for it to go caput where at the same time someone is using an amp as a back up dinner plate and it keeps working for ever.

Such is life.

Also, Joe, would now be a good time to say thanks again for the SAE 1000LT?
 
Rowan said:
Just the breaks of owning electrical equipment. You could take the best care of something in the world and still get unlucky enough for it to go caput where at the same time someone is using an amp as a back up dinner plate and it keeps working for ever.

Such is life.

Also, Joe, would now be a good time to say thanks again for the SAE 1000LT?
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Thanks!

And it’s totally fine. I sold it to you for the right reasons at the time at a fair price for both of us so you know no regrets there lol!

I’m glad the other one didn’t shift too though!
 
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Joe Mac said:
I’d heard sapphire cantilevers were much more fragile but i didn’t realise quite how much more! Didn’t clean the table any differently to how I ever did before!
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I’m so sorry about this. I’ve frankly been afraid of sapphire cantilevers for a while because of this. I also felt that way about boron before I got the Nag MP-300.

Occasionally, I mishandle my tonearm and I think aluminum cantilevers have saved me from more disasters. I did mysteriously bend the aluminum cantilever on a 2M Blue once, but I was able to get a replacement at a local record shop.

I think my current fleet all use aluminum, with exception of the Nagaoka. Probably will stay that way for a while.
 
Hi yall,

Have a weird request…
I have a toddler that goes to bed really early, and his room is so close that if he’s trying to nap or sleep, I’m practically without a system.
SO! I know there’s Bluetooth connectors for amp/receiver to stream your music. But, are there any Bluetooth connectors to attach where I can hook up my Bluetooth headphones?
 
Memo said:
Hi yall,

Have a weird request…
I have a toddler that goes to bed really early, and his room is so close that if he’s trying to nap or sleep, I’m practically without a system.
SO! I know there’s Bluetooth connectors for amp/receiver to stream your music. But, are there any Bluetooth connectors to attach where I can hook up my Bluetooth headphones?
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I think something like this will work:

Amazon product ASIN B09Y1TKBBZ
Fancier option:

www.arylic.com

B50 Bluetooth Stereo Amplifier With Audio Transmitter

B50 Bluetooth Stereo Amplifier with transmitter is a Bluetooth amplifier with latest Bluetooth aptx HD technology and rich interfaces that could meet all your needs.
www.arylic.com www.arylic.com
 
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Memo said:
Hi yall,

Have a weird request…
I have a toddler that goes to bed really early, and his room is so close that if he’s trying to nap or sleep, I’m practically without a system.
SO! I know there’s Bluetooth connectors for amp/receiver to stream your music. But, are there any Bluetooth connectors to attach where I can hook up my Bluetooth headphones?
Click to expand...
Just look up ‘Bluetooth Transmitter’ and you should be in business, though I’ve found pairing can be a crapshoot.
 
AnthonyI said:
I think I'm going to try and plan a trip to MD and hear these speakers, I'm really curios.
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I was thinking Sourcepoint 10s when I traded from the Lintons. My guy at MD said they were challenging to place and recommended the Fortes. Same money so that wasn’t a factor- new SP10s vs open box Fortes. Thinking about it, he likely made less money selling me Fortes at a discount.
 
HiFi Guy said:
I was thinking Sourcepoint 10s when I traded from the Lintons. My guy at MD said they were challenging to place and recommended the Fortes. Same money so that wasn’t a factor- new SP10s vs open box Fortes. Thinking about it, he likely made less money selling me Fortes at a discount.
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I guess he’d prefer to not sell a set of open box SP10’s!
 
That 2k Dark Side table is up for preorder. I'm still not a fan of what they did with this one. I'd love to see the designs they rejected before this one was picked.

www.audiolab.com

Pro-ject The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable

Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable. Pro-Ject Dark Side of the Moon Limited Edition Turntable boasts a unique triangular form factor, rainbow LED light, and rich sonics that pay tribute to Pink Floyd's legendary album. Pro-Ject Dark Side of the Moon Turntable, supplied Pick it PRO...
www.audiolab.com www.audiolab.com
 
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