3 zeros
I wanted to make @elk feel better by making a mistake while correcting him! 
Thank you!
No taxes on tips ….. just saying.
Haven’t posted much lately. Want to evangelize a bit: Lumin streamers are awesome! Bought a U2. Seriously great hardware and software. Replaced a Sonore Optical Rendu delux. Loved it…the Lumin is much better.
I use JRiver for my own, extensive, library and Roon for streaming Qobuz and Tidal (spend much more time on Roon these days). Works perfectly for both, and other systems per Lumin (minim, Audivarna, Qobuz connect, Tidal connect, etc), if I ever need it.
And, they have a representative, posting on various sites, Peter Lie, who is just amazing with the customers that post. He does his best to resolve any issues (zero for me, it wants to work correctly). Wow!!
Mark at Verafi Audio told me his Labor Day Sale has led to a lot of orders, good news for a company I respect and an owner who frankly I think the world of. With tariffs in place these items will not be any cheaper in the long near future. I just ordered another Snub Station Zero and may eliminate my Decware Zen Line Conditioner from the system, powering my six components with the two Line Noise Black Holes and the then two Snub Station Zeros. Each Zero powers three components and I have six–I can put the three digital in one, the three analog in the other, which should be a nice separation. Interesting to see if I can get as good or better sound without the Zen Line Conditioner.
Could use one of these in my office system…
Please keep me in mind if you decide to part with it.
Cheers.
I agree, Peter is the best company rep in the business. I have owned streamers from Lumin and Teac, which is also Lumin based, and Peter has personally addressed any concern I had with either product.
Sure, will do.
Just saw this, playing catch-up as summer and related activities are more or less behind me. Your description of the cj gear suggests a tube replacement and/or upgrade may be in order. Just a thought.
The tubes sound fantastic, but tubes aren’t perfect for all music. For jazz, classical & some female vocals, tubes rule. For rock music, electronic music and some female vocals, good solid state still rules.
My solid state system has improved quite a bit with better interconnect and now again with the Infinity control box gone from the system. The sound has really opened up and has a level of clarity that I didn’t have before. The ultra-clean MU2/523/534/REL sounds just wonderful together. But jazz tones & textures are still better with tubes.
So to summarize, solid state sounds better than ever, and tubes sound better than ever. However, the way I recently set up my system it is not easy to change to a tube preamp in the system because of difficulty in reaching areas to disconnect & reconnect, but can easily switch a tube amp into the system.
Are you upgrading from the mk1 kit or going in fresh?
@flowcharts I have Standard HFTs on my speakers, but not the full Mk I Speaker Kit, so it will be interesting to see what I hear with these…
Also arriving here tomorrow is a Synergistic Atmosphere SX Reference Ethernet cable to replace the excellent Foundation XL Ethernet now sits between my Innuos PhoenixNET switch and the MU2.
The Foundation XL Ethernet will go between my Nucleus+ and the PhoenixNET, displacing the current Wireworld Platinum Starlight 8 Ethernet…
So far today I have installed the Mk II Synergistic HFT Speaker Kits on my Fyne F703s and the SuperTrax supertweeters, and they definitely affect the sonic presentation.
In my system and room, the Speaker Kits enhanced clarity, detail and dynamics, removing a slight sense of smearing that I thought I had pretty much banished but, to me, the biggest impact was in the bass, where they added texture, detail and a sense of greater speed and slam. Transients seem to start and stop much more quickly.
The soundstage was further enhanced in size, depth and organization. Instrumental and vocal “images” offered added body and clearer locations within the stage. Definition and clarity in the far corners of the were deepened and enhanced as well.
I should add that I have had HFTs on my speakers for some time in the locations SR recommends, but not the “Speaker Kits” per se. I thought that they did something positive but relatively minor in the overall scheme of things. Again, the impact of the MK II Kits was easily apparent. I might also mention that I did some listening before dragging my ladder out of the shed to install the MK II HFTs that go on the ceiling above the speakers and aim vertically down toward the HFTs I placed on the top of the SuperTrax diffuser. Again, the effect on the stage was anything but subtle.
I have spent $895 on dumber things in my life, that’s for sure!!!
Interesting:
QNET7 NETWORK SWITCH NOW AVAILABLE - The Absolute Sound https://share.google/vBmefgOAO0OTfDSYZ
Ever since I upgraded my Dac to the Playback designs MPD 8, I’ve been rediscovering my musical collection. A lot of reviewers like Darko, say Dac’s don’t sound that much different from one to another, well they’re wrong. They can make all the difference in the world. I’ve also upgraded the 2 fuses in the Dac to Audio Magic M2’s. These are also the best fuses I’ve ever heard in my system. They open up the sound even more and made it even more live sounding, if that’s possible. I’m listening to Octave Record’s (Louisa Amend Quartet Live) and am blown away how real she sounds singing, and with her live band playing in my room! You don’t just hear a voice, you also hear a personality behind the voice. As a matter of fact every recording, especially DSD256 recordings including Octave Records I’ve played brings out so much more emotions with the upgrades. Now I am on a binge listening to digital because I have so much music on excellent files that I don’t have in vinyl. And yes, The best DSD256 files are the most true to live sounding and emotional I’ve experience to all the other digital formats.
The Playback Designs MPD-8 has made a lasting impression on me. Now if it was only at Grimm MU-2 pricing. All said it is a most wonderful DAC.
A sentence that has rarely been uttered in the wild!