Happy Cake Dayđ·
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Happy Cake Day!
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Thanks, but I donât know why the cake, my anniversary in the forum is in Feb. and my birthday is in Nov. But Iâll take the cake anyway. 
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Five and a half hours completed, nine and a half to go. Iâm bored so I bought a new travel briefcase.
I am going to use the larger compartment to store my T+A Solitaire Tâs.
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My next upgrade will be another ADC - Abubis Premium DSD/DXD 384kHz DAW Converter Preamp from Merging Technologies.
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I just need to buy one more pair of bass traps, tidy up my music room after all the projects Iâve completed this past year, and then I AM DONE !
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My next upgrade is arriving Monday, a used Decware CSP3 preamp that has all the Anniversary mods using Miflex caps, and has actually been totally cryo treated by Wathen/Cryotone, something that is purported to make a real difference by several who have had this done.
I have the same un-cryoâd preamp with Jupiter caps before Decware moved to Miflex in my audio/visual system. It has fantastic sound and is the best headphone amplifier I have ever owned. I havenât wanted to move it from there as the ZTPRE in my main system offers great sound as well, though without the Anniversary mods, and does not have a headphone amplifier included.
I want to see if this one will take the place of my ZTPRE in the main system, if the Anniversary mods will make a difference, and would enjoy having a headphone amplifier there, and whether cryoâing the whole component will make an audible difference. Also coming with this preamp are a set of Cryotone tubes for the preamplifier. Iâve had a âmehâ reaction to a few Cryotone tubes Iâve bought, and afficianados of them tell me I need to hear a full complement, so I will be able to. If this will replace my ZTPRE I know I can sell that for the price I paid for this, or I can sell this new one if itâs not up to snuff.
Some fun on the horizon.
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Sounds like fun LonâŠ
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I wonder if the age of the standalone DAC is dead. Thereâs so many awesome streamer/DAC/Pre combos out and more almost every day.
I know I wonât consider a standalone again.
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Question, not a comment: Can a chip based DAC perform as well as a custom-written FPGA based DAC or even a Ladder DAC?
I firmly believe the answer is yes, absolutely!
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I find the NAD interesting because it also has a room correction. I have a Cambridge edge NQ and I am very happy with it.
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We make a big deal about isolating this and isolating that⊠but letâs face it, a lot of these streaming DACâs sound fantastic, are bristling with features, require very little effort to configure, and have some sort of app or web interface.
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With your device of choice, I believe you have the best of both worlds. 
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Such a streaming/DAC/preamplifier has the advantage and disadvantage that significantly fewer expensive power cables and connection cables are required.
And only one master fuse.
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It is common knowledge that all these streamers are listening for commands.
They know when youâve been sleeping, they know when youâre awake.
This is not true with vinyl.
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But do they know whether youâve been naughty or nice? Thatâs what counts come Christmastime.
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I am going to try a couple of Stealth Black Magic Ethernet/LAN V21 Cat Ultra 8 cables. And a Stealth Octava-T SPDIF cable. George has the four inch diameter wire bundle speaker cables in on trade. He is going to make me an offer I canât refuse. They are silly huge, will survive any calamity that may come. And best, ungodly expansive. I am not certain he can come down enough where Iâll bite. No more than $500 (and shipping costs) is in my future. No.
I suppose it would end cord envy for a few weeks.
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Maybe a few minutes. 
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Funny, my speaker cables are roughly 0.375" diameter. I think they sound ok.
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