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Post by dally on Dec 4, 2015 9:05:27 GMT -5
C'mon, the suspense is KILLIN us man !
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Post by garbulky on Dec 4, 2015 11:11:09 GMT -5
Okay here it is. In my living room sitting proud and hot is a set of brand new XPA-1 gen 2 amps!
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Post by garbulky on Jan 22, 2016 0:44:41 GMT -5
Exciting news!! I have an XSP-1 all hooked up in my house and listening to my third song. This is a crucial test for me. This will let me know whether the XSP-1 will be my end game preamp or will I have to forgo it and go for the much more expensive audio GD HE-1 series. This is the branch in the road. Option 1: Go with the Audio GD Pros: Excellent sound (assumed). Fully balanced. Regenerative power. 130db SNR (!!). Full Class A power. Dual mono power supplies (plus independent regnerative class A power supply). In fact dual mono everything. More than half the capacitance of an XPA-1 ...in a preamp. It's insanity in a box. Cons: No subwoofer management. It is end game stuff but no extra features. If I want subs I'll have to cross my fingers and hope I can cross them FULL RANGE in my small room. Oh dear... Option 2: Stick with XSP-1 Pros: Excellent sound. Subwoofer management! Fully balanced. Cons: Subwoofer mangement is NOT fully balanced. I have spent a lot of money making sure all my components are fully balanced. This will break the chain if I use subs. The sound quality may (possibly) not be as good as the Audio GD. Initial impressions are favorable for the XSP-1. It's very resolving! It's obvious why Emotiva has such a highly acclaimed pre amp. It's just darn good. P.S.: Its not a straight wire with gain. Its presentation is definitely "musical" more than just turning up the volume.
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novisnick
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Post by novisnick on Jan 22, 2016 2:41:02 GMT -5
Gar,
"Cons: Subwoofer mangement is NOT fully balanced. I have spent a lot of money making sure all my components are fully balanced. This will break the chain if I use subs. The sound quality may (possibly) not be as good as the Audio G"
Been here, done that! I personally DON't Think this hurts a proper system because once your dialed in I don't think it makes a difference at the price the XSP-1 costs. Would a fully balanced bass management be worth,,,,,,let's say,,,,,,another $800 to $1,000??? Would/could anyone hear the difference??
Hummmm??!!!
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 22, 2016 3:24:57 GMT -5
Not to mention the fact that most subwoofers lack a balanced input - and even if they do, the subwoofer plate amp itself is NOT fully balanced.
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Post by Axis on Jan 22, 2016 3:46:13 GMT -5
Garbulky, I was surprised that you had not already auditioned the XSP-1. Is this first time with XSP-1 or with your system? You have (assumed) on the Audio GD. I have read on there gear and yes it is dual everything class A. It gives you that warm fuzzy feeling when you look at the build on it and Class A has always been a favorite of mine. I used to have all Class A gear. The Fully Balanced has never seemed to matter to me all that much. I am wanting to try some new Fully Balanced headphone gear but powering home speakers that your not going to be sitting right in the center of the sweet spot in a chair that does not have a high back and not moving your head. You get the picture. With the Audio GD you would be using a full range signal from it to the subwoofer and then use the crossover on the subwoofer but your speakers would get full range. I actually like this. Since I have had the bass management on my USP-1 and tried cutting the low frequencies from my speakers and I would get more localization on the sub. I think Boom has said it muddies the low mids to run speakers full range with sub. I have only had bass management with the USP-1 and my current speakers so my small experience is all I can speak too, but I like it. Try running your speakers full range with sub with the XSP-1. See if it works and then it should be the same with the Audio GD. Garbulky I love my system. I put a CD in me ERC-1 and turn the knob up on my USP-1 and the sound coming from my speakers is crystal clear and when I stand in front of them the drummer is right in the middle of the speakers, It sounds perfect to me. I have had my system many years now and could have bought new gear anytime I wanted. I have never said to myself or thought that , "You know what I am not completely happy with this and let me try something else". I very serious about that. I have my end game for a solid state two channel stereo system that I use small tower speakers and sub to fill a 20 x 40 room with great sounding music. I am sure that Audio GD would sound awesome and get it if you think that will stop the chase. I bet you keep that XSP-1 !
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Post by garbulky on Jan 22, 2016 4:40:24 GMT -5
Axis : Good thoughts! I agree. Sometimes it's hard to know exactly when to stop. Since I have not auditioned the audio gd myself and I don't think they do returns, I fear it may be a costly experiment. I have tried both the USP-1 and the XSP-1 in my system before. But they were with slightly different configurations. The main reason I wanted to test it out is to see how it would do with my XPA-1 gen 2 amps. When I upgraded amps I got an unexpected bump in clarity going direct from the DC-1. So I wanted to see how it would "synergize". Wow you have a big room. My room is tiny in comparison. I am glad that you are satisfied. I think that's the most important thing. If you can sit back and have a great time with the music that you enjoy, what's better than that right? My curse is that I am tremendously picky!! But I too am tired of the constant want to upgrade to the next best thing. I want to do one big push with some high end gear and then call it a day. I know, I know famous last words! Right now after my XPA-1 amp upgrade I am actually thrilled with my system. It sounds pretty nice (for me). It's actually sounds so satisfying that I'm strongly considering forgoing subs and the footprint they take up.
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Post by Axis on Jan 22, 2016 5:18:01 GMT -5
Garbulky, you have seen my desktop system. 5" Airmotiv powered speakers and a DC-1. Run and get this. Find a place where you can set this up so the speakers are as wide apart as they are distance to your ears. Get some IsoAcoustics stands for the speakers. They separate the speakers from the surface you put them on. No surface vibrations making there own speaker sounds. The other way they work is cool. There is a bottom section and a top section. The connection between the two are a rod that sits inside rubber grommets. The rubber grommet openings are oval shaped in a way that allows the speaker to freely move for and aft but not allow the speakers to move sideways. The driver goes for and aft, the speaker cabinet momentum goes opposite that for and aft. This noticeably increased the Low end as soon as I put the speakers on the stands. With this type desktop system you should be right in the sweet spot all the time. The speakers are small but your so close to them that the 5" driver sounds like two 10" drivers. You add a small sub and you will think your listening to a huge speaker system. No difference period. Talk about imaging. These AMT tweeters are incredible. I have used this example before. Playing a FLAC file of Sade - No ordinary love from my PC to DC-1 XLR to Airmotivs. I turn the volume way up to where you would think the sound would start to distort. Where the lows over ride the highs or vice versa. No Way ! The balance of the frequencies that are there at lower volumes stay perfect at extreme volume. Her voice sounds picture perfect with those AMT's to volumes that can hurt your hearing. This is just one example. When Boom posted about the surround effects on the Madonna recordings I put some on the system and sound was all around me. The bookshelf sony's I was using before that did not do that. Sitting like you are to the small monitors the sound stage is beautiful both outside and inside. Can not recommend enough Garbulky. Not a system to replace your system. A different type system that you may find blows your other system away. Great lows and great vocals to test system. This will sound like your PC speakers.
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Post by monkumonku on Jan 22, 2016 10:20:59 GMT -5
Exciting news!! I have an XSP-1 all hooked up in my house and listening to my third song. This is a crucial test for me. This will let me know whether the XSP-1 will be my end game preamp or will I have to forgo it and go for the much more expensive audio GD HE-1 series. This is the branch in the road. Option 1: Go with the Audio GD Pros: Excellent sound (assumed). Fully balanced. Regenerative power. 130db SNR (!!). Full Class A power. Dual mono power supplies (plus independent regnerative class A power supply). In fact dual mono everything. More than half the capacitance of an XPA-1 ...in a preamp. It's insanity in a box. Cons: No subwoofer management. It is end game stuff but no extra features. If I want subs I'll have to cross my fingers and hope I can cross them FULL RANGE in my small room. Oh dear... Option 2: Stick with XSP-1 Pros: Excellent sound. Subwoofer management! Fully balanced. Cons: Subwoofer mangement is NOT fully balanced. I have spent a lot of money making sure all my components are fully balanced. This will break the chain if I use subs. The sound quality may (possibly) not be as good as the Audio GD. Initial impressions are favorable for the XSP-1. It's very resolving! It's obvious why Emotiva has such a highly acclaimed pre amp. It's just darn good. P.S.: Its not a straight wire with gain. Its presentation is definitely "musical" more than just turning up the volume. Couple of thoughts... well more than a couple.. I say stick with the XSP-1. Who cares if the sub management isn't fully balanced? Can you really hear a difference? I doubt it and the main "bad" thing for you if you keep the XSP-1 is that you won't have a fully balanced chain. That seems like just an academic issue. Also, you just got done telling Boom the importance of having subs, so I think you owe it to yourself to make the most of them and use the sub management that the XSP-1 offers. You just said yourself that the XSP-1 is "very resolving" and is "darn good." Also, "excellent sound." Are you really going to get anything measurably/audibly better by spending a whole lot more for that Audio GD? I really doubt you'd be able to hear any difference in a blind comparison. And one last thing - you said the XSP-1 is not a straight wire with a gain but its presentation is definitely musical. I have to say that makes no sense. Just how does the preamp know how to make a signal more musical? Is there some sort of formula to take a signal and then make it musical? (I have the same issue with people who keep finding that each successive gear they buy makes the soundstage even wider... how does gear know to make soundstage wider and what is so good about that, plus if each one makes it wider pretty soon you'll have to be sitting 50 feet back in order to appreciate the football stadium wide soundstage). I believe the musicality of the XSP-1 comes from being a straight wire with gain - which allows the true musicality of the recording to come through. Anything else corrupts it. Anyway, I would say don't mess with a good thing and you know you have a good thing. But on the other hand I know you're gonna keep buying stuff.
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jan 22, 2016 11:57:27 GMT -5
Agree with Rickie in full...
And a build for Garbulky...you CAN keep your sub out fully balanced if you don't use the XSP-1's crossovers. In my use of the XSP-1, I did not use them. I ran the outputs as full range, and in that mode - they remain fully balanced (it is only when you use the tone controls and/or the crossovers that they get out of being fully balanced). Then, for my sub, I used its built-in crossover to limit it's frequency range. For my FR/FL, I just ran them full range because that worked for me with my Maggies.
Mark
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Post by brutiarti on Jan 22, 2016 12:23:20 GMT -5
garbulky I would suggest go with audio-gd master 1 but if you have the extra coin go all the way with he-1. But the only thing that I don't like about the Master 1 is the volume control that has buttons and you hear a click every time you use the remote or front panel volume controls. The HE-1 doesn't have that issue. If you are looking for a highly resolving preamp the xsp-1 is a really good candidate but the audio gd goes the extra mile with a slightly more extended soundstage and blacker background.
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 22, 2016 12:25:28 GMT -5
Having heard garbulky's current system, I think that his new XPA-1 amplifiers have lit enough fire under his Axiom M-80s' woofers, that subwoofers are absolutely unnecessary. This comment pertains to his current listening room. Should he get a larger venue, then subs might be useful. But IMHO if he adds them to his current setup, it will only overload the room and not work well at all. His current setup is one of the best I've heard, and in many ways is better than mine, despite the fact that I've many times the $$$ invested. That elusive synergy is strongly at work in the gar's setup! That system is currently in "mighty clouds of joy" mode, and I wouldn't tamper with success.
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Post by garbulky on Jan 22, 2016 16:17:46 GMT -5
Garbulky, I was surprised that you had not already auditioned the XSP-1. Is this first time with XSP-1 or with your system? You have (assumed) on the Audio GD. I have read on there gear and yes it is dual everything class A. It gives you that warm fuzzy feeling when you look at the build on it and Class A has always been a favorite of mine. I used to have all Class A gear. The Fully Balanced has never seemed to matter to me all that much. I am wanting to try some new Fully Balanced headphone gear but powering home speakers that your not going to be sitting right in the center of the sweet spot in a chair that does not have a high back and not moving your head. You get the picture. With the Audio GD you would be using a full range signal from it to the subwoofer and then use the crossover on the subwoofer but your speakers would get full range. I actually like this. Since I have had the bass management on my USP-1 and tried cutting the low frequencies from my speakers and I would get more localization on the sub. I think Boom has said it muddies the low mids to run speakers full range with sub. I have only had bass management with the USP-1 and my current speakers so my small experience is all I can speak too, but I like it. Try running your speakers full range with sub with the XSP-1. See if it works and then it should be the same with the Audio GD. Garbulky I love my system. I put a CD in me ERC-1 and turn the knob up on my USP-1 and the sound coming from my speakers is crystal clear and when I stand in front of them the drummer is right in the middle of the speakers, It sounds perfect to me. I have had my system many years now and could have bought new gear anytime I wanted. I have never said to myself or thought that , "You know what I am not completely happy with this and let me try something else". I very serious about that. I have my end game for a solid state two channel stereo system that I use small tower speakers and sub to fill a 20 x 40 room with great sounding music. I am sure that Audio GD would sound awesome and get it if you think that will stop the chase. I bet you keep that XSP-1 ! Yeah I understand what you are saying! The feeling of having the center just float right in the middle of the speakers is a fantastic thing imo. I never actually had it until I took the dive with Emotiva and axiom. Before I was wasting money on incremental upgrades with PC speakers - you know the stuff you find at walmart that kind of thing. And the sound cards were never up to snuff. The only thing that I find to be really good in PC sound cards is the Asus Xonar Essence. I have tried the air motiv 4 standalone in my setup. I was very impressed especially for their price. The treble sounded very clear. There was depth, sound stage etc. All the good things. I can only imagine what the air motiv 5s do. Likely going to have better bass if I had to guess. Interestingly I have only one setup and it is both my living room and my PC setup! It is an all in one work and entertainement center. But with no surround sound. Just stereo speakers. Unfortunately I do not have subs. But if I did get subs I already know which ones I want. They are these. www.powersoundaudio.com/collections/new-subwoofers/products/15sWell they were going to be the older XS15 but it looks like they have been replaced with the 15s. I've heard the vented versions of these and they sound amazing. Everything you imagine dual subs can bring....well it brings more than that. A very nice 3d type of sound. However at this point I think I may be skipping it. The problem with dual subs other than dialing them in is that they take up room and require power. Right now I have limited power receptacles and they are all MAXED out. I think it would be dangerous to add more loads to it. I would have to pay an eelctrician to come down here. Not impossible but it would likely take about $500 or so as I would want to put in dedicated 15 or 20 A circuits while he was here.
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Post by garbulky on Jan 22, 2016 16:21:48 GMT -5
Gar, "Cons: Subwoofer mangement is NOT fully balanced. I have spent a lot of money making sure all my components are fully balanced. This will break the chain if I use subs. The sound quality may (possibly) not be as good as the Audio G" Been here, done that! I personally DON't Think this hurts a proper system because once your dialed in I don't think it makes a difference at the price the XSP-1 costs. Would a fully balanced bass management be worth,,,,,,let's say,,,,,,another $800 to $1,000??? Would/could anyone hear the difference?? Hummmm??!!! Yeah I would find $800 to 1k worth going fully balanced. Will I hear a difference? Honestly I don't know. I engaged the tone controls on and off which takes it out of fully balanced mode. I felt like I did hear MAYBE a little bit of difference. Though I was hard pressed to say if there was a good or bad difference. But I think it has a lot to do with my dream of fully balanced. If I didn't I would always go what if you know? Now the good news is I don't care about fully balanced for subwoofers. I think that's asking for too much. Just want it for the main speakers.
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Post by garbulky on Jan 22, 2016 16:33:43 GMT -5
Exciting news!! I have an XSP-1 all hooked up in my house and listening to my third song. ighly acclaimed pre amp. It's just darn good. P.S.: Its not a straight wire with gain. Its presentation is definitely "musical" more than just turning up the volume. Couple of thoughts... well more than a couple.. I say stick with the XSP-1. Who cares if the sub management isn't fully balanced? Can you really hear a difference? I doubt it and the main "bad" thing for you if you keep the XSP-1 is that you won't have a fully balanced chain. That seems like just an academic issue. Also, you just got done telling Boom the importance of having subs, so I think you owe it to yourself to make the most of them and use the sub management that the XSP-1 offers. You just said yourself that the XSP-1 is "very resolving" and is "darn good." Also, "excellent sound." Are you really going to get anything measurably/audibly better by spending a whole lot more for that Audio GD? I really doubt you'd be able to hear any difference in a blind comparison. And one last thing - you said the XSP-1 is not a straight wire with a gain but its presentation is definitely musical. I have to say that makes no sense. Just how does the preamp know how to make a signal more musical? Is there some sort of formula to take a signal and then make it musical? (I have the same issue with people who keep finding that each successive gear they buy makes the soundstage even wider... how does gear know to make soundstage wider and what is so good about that, plus if each one makes it wider pretty soon you'll have to be sitting 50 feet back in order to appreciate the football stadium wide soundstage). I believe the musicality of the XSP-1 comes from being a straight wire with gain - which allows the true musicality of the recording to come through. Anything else corrupts it. Anyway, I would say don't mess with a good thing and you know you have a good thing. But on the other hand I know you're gonna keep buying stuff. The differnce for me between straight wire with gain and ...not is this. I've hooked up stuff to the DC-1s analog input and used its volume control. Now I can't argue when I listen that THAT is a straight wire with gain type of sound. There is no big difference other than it's louder or softer. The XSP-1 I felt was just never that. It didn't sound like the same thing just louder or softer. At least the previous times I tried it it simply felt more musical at all volumes. There was more dynamics. Things went loud very fast and the stopped. You didn't hear the smear when it did so. It felt less like a recording, more lifelike. In my current setup, I found myself leaning towards DAC direct to amp. I do know that we had some weird negative results with it and the DC-1 at B'zilla's place which didn't happen with his very nice sounding oppo. So I can't rule some sort of mismatched synergy happening with the combination of the DC-1 and it. But I can only go with what I've got right now. So I'm going to have to think about it.
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Post by garbulky on Jan 22, 2016 16:40:08 GMT -5
Agree with Rickie in full... And a build for Garbulky...you CAN keep your sub out fully balanced if you don't use the XSP-1's crossovers. In my use of the XSP-1, I did not use them. I ran the outputs as full range, and in that mode - they remain fully balanced (it is only when you use the tone controls and/or the crossovers that they get out of being fully balanced). Then, for my sub, I used its built-in crossover to limit it's frequency range. For my FR/FL, I just ran them full range because that worked for me with my Maggies. Mark Yes I am aware of that (running the towers full range with subs crossing over underneath). If I went with the audio GD HE-1 this would have to be the way I would use the subs - if I had subs that is. I'm leaning away from them right at this moment. But I won't rule them out. garbulky I would suggest go with audio-gd master 1 but if you have the extra coin go all the way with he-1. But the only thing that I don't like about the Master 1 is the volume control that has buttons and you hear a click every time you use the remote or front panel volume controls. The HE-1 doesn't have that issue. If you are looking for a highly resolving preamp the xsp-1 is a really good candidate but the audio gd goes the extra mile with a slightly more extended soundstage and blacker background. Good to hear from you! Yes currently I am looking for something that can beat the XSP-1. If I have to spend the extra coin, I shall do it. But what sucks is that I'll have to wait a long time as the Schiiit Ygdrassil is on my list too! I just hope they don't sell out of Yggys or discontinue them or something stupid like that. The HE series especially. Something that worried me about the HE series. They mentioned that it was ONLY compatible with certain DACs because of their CAST technology. I'm not sure whether that means the Yggdrassil or any other fully balanced DAC would be out. The other bigger thing is that due to the class A heat, they mentioned that to prolong the life of the HE-1 I would need to power it down after ten hours of use for two hours. This is to get it past 100,000 hours operating life. Though that's not a deal breasker, I was sort of hoping that if I spent that much I wouldn't have to worry about the amp breaking. At continous running time which I was planning to do that's 11 years. It's already a custom order job. What happenns if and when it breaks? I don't know if the parts will still be around for repairs.
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jan 22, 2016 17:07:40 GMT -5
Yes I am aware of that (running the towers full range with subs crossing over underneath). If I went with the audio GD HE-1 this would have to be the way I would use the subs - if I had subs that is. I'm leaning away from them right at this moment. But I won't rule them out. I guess I missed that you didn't have a sub! With you being concerned the subs would not be balanced, I just assumed you had at least 1 and did not check your signature! Mark
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 22, 2016 18:10:18 GMT -5
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 22, 2016 19:54:49 GMT -5
One other thing, garbulky - If you haven't liked the Muse preamp or the XSP-1, I'm doubting that you're going to find ANY preamp that will sound good enough. There are a few others on the market that might be better (Audio Research tube models come to mind), but the main advantage of a preamp is not supposed to be "making the system sound better." It's supposed to allow source switching and more flexibility without HARMING the sound. There are good (very good) arguments that the best preamp is NO preamp. Since your Stealth DAC already has an analog volume control, and since you already know that it works well with the rest of your system, I'd say "save your money." Now keep in mind that if you DO go with the Schiit Yggdrasil, then you're going to HAVE to get a preamp. And whatever positives come from the better DAC may well be undone by having the preamp in the signal chain. In audio, more is NOT necessarily better. So you may end up spending thousands upon thousands of dollars for no better sound than what you already have. Sometimes we're our own worst enemies when it comes to knowing where to stop upgrading. The main problems left in your system are not source, amplification, or speakers. You've gone far beyond what I thought your room was capable of already. I think until you get more space, you'd do well to consider leaving well enough alone. The only thing I might consider were I in your shoes, would be to buy a few more acoustic panels & see what you could do with them. They needn't be obtrusive at all. Hang them on the ceiling or walls! MUCH cheaper (and probably much more effective) than a DAC or even a preamp. If you want to borrow some to experiment with, you know where to come...
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Post by garbulky on Jan 23, 2016 1:02:19 GMT -5
One other thing, garbulky - If you haven't liked the Muse preamp or the XSP-1, I'm doubting that you're going to find ANY preamp that will sound good enough. There are a few others on the market that might be better (Audio Research tube models come to mind), but the main advantage of a preamp is not supposed to be "making the system sound better." It's supposed to allow source switching and more flexibility without HARMING the sound. There are good (very good) arguments that the best preamp is NO preamp. Since your Stealth DAC already has an analog volume control, and since you already know that it works well with the rest of your system, I'd say "save your money." Now keep in mind that if you DO go with the Schiit Yggdrasil, then you're going to HAVE to get a preamp. And whatever positives come from the better DAC may well be undone by having the preamp in the signal chain. In audio, more is NOT necessarily better. So you may end up spending thousands upon thousands of dollars for no better sound than what you already have. Sometimes we're our own worst enemies when it comes to knowing where to stop upgrading. The main problems left in your system are not source, amplification, or speakers. You've gone far beyond what I thought your room was capable of already. I think until you get more space, you'd do well to consider leaving well enough alone. The only thing I might consider were I in your shoes, would be to buy a few more acoustic panels & see what you could do with them. They needn't be obtrusive at all. Hang them on the ceiling or walls! MUCH cheaper (and probably much more effective) than a DAC or even a preamp. If you want to borrow some to experiment with, you know where to come... BoomzillaThese are all good thoughts. As to the best preamp is no preamp well I don't think there is such a thing! It's just smaller and stuffed in to the same box UNLESS...it's a digital attenuator. Which in that case I've got to say no thanks to them. I never found them adequate whether they operate in their upper limits or not. But having said that I do find myself having the same thoughts you outlined. Am I happy with what I've got? Well the answer is yes - to a point. It gives me lots of musical satisfaction. The DC-1 as a preamp was always a problem for me because I didn''t think it sounded as good as the XSP-1. It sounded smeared on dyanmics and had a slightly muddy undefined quality to its bass. Now it did it less than other DAC direct to amps I've heard. But it still had it. Now note that with the XSP-1 I didn't hear this stuff. It mitigated a lot of these issues. When I shifted to the XPA-1 gen 2 and went fully balanced DC-1 direct for some reason I didn't find those same issues. It doesn't feel like things feel smeared. Or that the bass was muddied etc. Things felt very detailed and for the first time the soundstage dimensions of the hall and airiness and depth really started to make itself aparent. Now though the sound is good, I can't deny I've been waiting for a "revolution". All these DACS nowadays other than a select expensive few seem to use the same type of decoding and methods. And it looks like Schiit, the guys who INVENTED the DAC have finally come up with it. I also want to within the next few years get to my end game system. One where I can just stop decisively. Even though other things may come out that is better I would get to a point where I wouldn't want to continue to spend oodles of money on it. I don't think I would be satisfied stopping right here where I'm at though I've been entertaining the thought since the XPA-1 gen 2s. I think my system has a good bit more to offer despite the space limitations. I don't think it will ever be able to do it where the performers can walk up to you like it did in your larger room. But I think there can be more other elements to it. I've already heard better detail with the VIFA ring radiator tweeter on the LSA-1 signature. So I know it's possible. But I don't know if the entire top to bottom improvement in all areas where nothing sticks out in a bad way is possible. Hence my issue with the Schiit Ygdrassil. The preamp is going to have to be necessary...fully balanced...and very resolving to keep up with that unit. What I am hoping is that Schiit will (finally) release some sort of end game preamp that can keep up with it. But barring that I am going to have to think. For instance if my DC-1 is simply not condusive to being connected to a preamp I may end up spending lots of time saving for a preamp and then setting it aside waiting on the ygdrassil since the DC-1 may not like it. Or I could get an ygdrassil and grumpily hook it up single ended RCA to the DC-1 while I save up for a preamp. So long story short, yes I am wondering if I should just enjoy what I have a bit more instead of worrying about upgrades! But multibit DACS with amazing digital filters beckon me ever onward!
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