Relaxing of an afternoon, listening to Mark Knopfler's splendid "Sailing to Philadelphia" and reflecting on the fact that I'm pretty darn satisfied with most aspects of my current rig, and that's a nice place to be.
At this point in time (I hate that phrase but it's apt) I feel no nagging compulsion to add or subtract anything.
Of course, this may well change, but it's an affirmation that I've managed to build something that delivers the kind of sound quality I aspire to and prefer.
And all it took was about 2 years of committed research, buying, selling, listening, comparing, frustration and confusion. Not to mention cost, but not so much, which was a big part of the plan - world class sound for beer money! Trading up goes a long way.
Thankfully the wonderful world of Head-Fi is tailor made for my needs - I have no desire to go down the analog/vinyl/speakers/room treatment rabbit hole again: if it can't fit on my desk, I ain't interested.
Now this may be preaching to the choir, but a big lesson for me has been the realisation that it's synergy (and not cost) that is largely responsible for that magical X-factor that separates the great from the merely good.
This epiphany can only be achieved through experience and the desire to gain a reasonable understanding of how these things that produce sound actually work, and the science behind it all. And just as importantly, knowing when to discount the science and just listen, because not everything that matters can be measured. Hence synergy...
Today I'm playing Hi-Res files from my ageing but bulletproof Windows 7 PC via JRiver MC24 to a Resonessence Labs Concero DAC and Kingrex HQ-1 headphone amp and thence to my waiting ears via Sennheiser's finest accomplishment, the HD600. Each of these is not the latest technology by any means, none is particularly expensive, and each was purchased pre-owned.
The Concero is a joy to listen to and deserves a review on its own (note to self), but amongst other attributes it outputs a relatively low 1.2Vrms single ended, compared to the 2V plus of most other units. This is advantageous when used with a low inputZ amplifier like the Kingrex since it allows one to dig deeper into the volume pot's range (worth a discussion on its own as well. How many of us never get the gain past 10 on the pot)?
The 24-bit 48000Hz version of Sailing to Philadelphia has a high dynamic range (DR12) and low ReplayGain (-0.47dB or -5.5LU R128) which means that it requires considerable gain to get loud (duh)...I listen with the knob between 11 and 1 on the Kingrex. If I swop the Concero for my Benchmark DAC 1 I can't go past 10 and I can hear the difference!
As good as the Benchmark is, the Concero just sounds better with the HQ-1. Synergy.
"It does not matter a jot how much money you have spent on your home audio equipment - it could be millions; if the voltage output of one piece of equipment along the audio chain exceeds the input expectations and capabilities of subsequent equipment further along the chain, truly high fidelity sound is not achievable in that system." [Alan Shaw, Boss Man, Harbeth Speakers. Knows a bit about sound.]
Now, this is not synergy, this is simply good engineering practice. The combination of Concero/HQ-1 transcends the sum of its parts for other reasons that I am still exploring, but bottom line is they sound magnificent together and the only way I discovered this was by listening to them extensively. The specs alone could not predict this. The Concero is a vividly detailed and smooth sounding ES9023 based DAC that absolutely belies its small size and shatters the myth that Sabre DACs sound digital and harsh.
The Kingrex was designed and engineered to sound as good as possible with the HD600, according to Johnson Chou, President of Kingrex Technologies and the nicest chap to chat to over a long phone call to Taipei...seriously, I called and he answered. Only later did I discover he ran the company...
And I reckon they succeeded, because I've not heard the HD600 sound better. Synergy.
So the take away is this: listen to as many gears in as many combinations as you can whilst in your formative years and maintain an open mind. Do not prejudge and do not assume anything.
The biggest revelation of all for a committed Objectivist like myself was finally being able to appreciate the contribution made by clean power and good quality (not snake oil) cables.
I use an entry level Furman power conditioner and custom-made Sommer and Mogami single ended and balanced interconnects that don't cost the earth. I use Wireworld Ultraviolet and AQ Pearl USB cables. I use a Lindy Gold 75-ohm cable for S/PDIF duties.
All of these seem to pull in the same direction for very reasonable money, and I'm a happy camper.
For the time being anyway?
At this point in time (I hate that phrase but it's apt) I feel no nagging compulsion to add or subtract anything.
Of course, this may well change, but it's an affirmation that I've managed to build something that delivers the kind of sound quality I aspire to and prefer.
And all it took was about 2 years of committed research, buying, selling, listening, comparing, frustration and confusion. Not to mention cost, but not so much, which was a big part of the plan - world class sound for beer money! Trading up goes a long way.
Thankfully the wonderful world of Head-Fi is tailor made for my needs - I have no desire to go down the analog/vinyl/speakers/room treatment rabbit hole again: if it can't fit on my desk, I ain't interested.
Now this may be preaching to the choir, but a big lesson for me has been the realisation that it's synergy (and not cost) that is largely responsible for that magical X-factor that separates the great from the merely good.
This epiphany can only be achieved through experience and the desire to gain a reasonable understanding of how these things that produce sound actually work, and the science behind it all. And just as importantly, knowing when to discount the science and just listen, because not everything that matters can be measured. Hence synergy...
Today I'm playing Hi-Res files from my ageing but bulletproof Windows 7 PC via JRiver MC24 to a Resonessence Labs Concero DAC and Kingrex HQ-1 headphone amp and thence to my waiting ears via Sennheiser's finest accomplishment, the HD600. Each of these is not the latest technology by any means, none is particularly expensive, and each was purchased pre-owned.
The Concero is a joy to listen to and deserves a review on its own (note to self), but amongst other attributes it outputs a relatively low 1.2Vrms single ended, compared to the 2V plus of most other units. This is advantageous when used with a low inputZ amplifier like the Kingrex since it allows one to dig deeper into the volume pot's range (worth a discussion on its own as well. How many of us never get the gain past 10 on the pot)?
The 24-bit 48000Hz version of Sailing to Philadelphia has a high dynamic range (DR12) and low ReplayGain (-0.47dB or -5.5LU R128) which means that it requires considerable gain to get loud (duh)...I listen with the knob between 11 and 1 on the Kingrex. If I swop the Concero for my Benchmark DAC 1 I can't go past 10 and I can hear the difference!
As good as the Benchmark is, the Concero just sounds better with the HQ-1. Synergy.
"It does not matter a jot how much money you have spent on your home audio equipment - it could be millions; if the voltage output of one piece of equipment along the audio chain exceeds the input expectations and capabilities of subsequent equipment further along the chain, truly high fidelity sound is not achievable in that system." [Alan Shaw, Boss Man, Harbeth Speakers. Knows a bit about sound.]
Now, this is not synergy, this is simply good engineering practice. The combination of Concero/HQ-1 transcends the sum of its parts for other reasons that I am still exploring, but bottom line is they sound magnificent together and the only way I discovered this was by listening to them extensively. The specs alone could not predict this. The Concero is a vividly detailed and smooth sounding ES9023 based DAC that absolutely belies its small size and shatters the myth that Sabre DACs sound digital and harsh.
The Kingrex was designed and engineered to sound as good as possible with the HD600, according to Johnson Chou, President of Kingrex Technologies and the nicest chap to chat to over a long phone call to Taipei...seriously, I called and he answered. Only later did I discover he ran the company...
And I reckon they succeeded, because I've not heard the HD600 sound better. Synergy.
So the take away is this: listen to as many gears in as many combinations as you can whilst in your formative years and maintain an open mind. Do not prejudge and do not assume anything.
The biggest revelation of all for a committed Objectivist like myself was finally being able to appreciate the contribution made by clean power and good quality (not snake oil) cables.
I use an entry level Furman power conditioner and custom-made Sommer and Mogami single ended and balanced interconnects that don't cost the earth. I use Wireworld Ultraviolet and AQ Pearl USB cables. I use a Lindy Gold 75-ohm cable for S/PDIF duties.
All of these seem to pull in the same direction for very reasonable money, and I'm a happy camper.
For the time being anyway?
