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My demo set-up
My demo set-up. A Mac mini streaming audio over the Ethernet using SlimServer. The music itself is encoded with the Apple lossless codec and stored on an external hard drive connected via a WiebeTech Firewire DriveDock. The Squeezebox 2 receives the stream and transfers it over on optical digital connection to a Headroom Overture DAC connected to a Headroom Coda amplifier, to which Sennheiser HD650 headphones are hooked up (with the stock cable, I don’t believe in cable snake oil).
My demo set-up
My demo set-up. A Mac mini streaming audio over the Ethernet using SlimServer. The music itself is encoded with the Apple lossless codec and stored on an external hard drive connected via a WiebeTech Firewire DriveDock. The Squeezebox 2 receives the stream and transfers it over on optical digital connection to a Headroom Overture DAC connected to a Headroom Coda amplifier, to which Sennheiser HD650 headphones are hooked up (with the stock cable, I don’t believe in cable snake oil).
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Ray Samuels
Ray Samuels, making an emphatic point.
Ray Samuels
Ray Samuels, making an emphatic point.
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Paolo’s Channel Islands DAC and a Woo Audio tube amplifier
Paolo’s Channel Islands DAC and a Woo Audio tube amplifier
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Dan Gardner’s homebrew Gilmore amps. Dan is now wondering how to take his home-built ethos to the next level.
Dan Gardner’s homebrew Gilmore amps. Dan is now wondering how to take his home-built ethos to the next level.
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Paolo, a.k.a. calaf, with the smaller of his two Woo Audio tube amps.
Paolo, a.k.a. calaf, with the smaller of his two Woo Audio tube amps.
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For a change, I connected the Squeezebox 2 to Daniel Gardner’s Benchmark DAC1. A very impressive piece of gear, with an excellent headphone amplifier section in its own right but shown here with Daniel’s DIY amps based on Kevin Gilmore’s designs. Left: Dynahi. Right: Dynalo.
For a change, I connected the Squeezebox 2 to Daniel Gardner’s Benchmark DAC1. A very impressive piece of gear, with an excellent headphone amplifier section in its own right but shown here with Daniel’s DIY amps based on Kevin Gilmore’s designs. Left: Dynahi. Right: Dynalo.
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Clarke reflecting deeply while performing A/B testing of the Benchmark DAC1 against the new Headroom Portable Desktop DAC+amp combo.
Next to those two amps are a Channel Islands VDA-1 DAC, VHP-1 amp and VAC-1power supply (only one, though, it’s like Sophie’s choice whether to power the DAC or the amp). Next is a Musical Fidelity X-DAC V3, X-CAN V3 and X-PSU V3. In the foreground, a Singlepower Maestro ZR. The consensus of A/B testers was that the Channel Islands stack is nearly undistinguishable from the Musical Fidelity, and thus offers better value. The Benchmark DAC1 was higher rated than the VDA-1 when used as a pure DAC. When comparing the DAC1’s built-in amplifier against the CI stack, the results were more mixed.
Clarke reflecting deeply while performing A/B testing of the Benchmark DAC1 against the new Headroom Portable Desktop DAC+amp combo.
Next to those two amps are a Channel Islands VDA-1 DAC, VHP-1 amp and VAC-1power supply (only one, though, it’s like Sophie’s choice whether to power the DAC or the amp). Next is a Musical Fidelity X-DAC V3, X-CAN V3 and X-PSU V3. In the foreground, a Singlepower Maestro ZR. The consensus of A/B testers was that the Channel Islands stack is nearly undistinguishable from the Musical Fidelity, and thus offers better value. The Benchmark DAC1 was higher rated than the VDA-1 when used as a pure DAC. When comparing the DAC1’s built-in amplifier against the CI stack, the results were more mixed.
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Karsten, a.k.a bubbagump, sitting behind a Headroom Max balanced amp.
Karsten, a.k.a bubbagump, sitting behind a Headroom Max balanced amp.
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Leeav, a.k.a. NeilPeart, relaxing in the high-end room
Leeav, a.k.a. NeilPeart, relaxing in the high-end room