mrJim
Senior Member
^^ my bad, I mis-understood the Audio Alchemy doesn't have the outputs, never would I have guessed that.
Tell us about your stereo!
- Thread starter Hepcat
- Start date
gcczep
Ever Onward...
Now and then...
Yes, outboard DACs are great. I have two myself. A Parasound DAC 1600 and a Proceed DAP. Although my Anthem AVM 20 has a very good DAC, the Proceed is better but not that substantially. The Parasound blows the Onkyo's away which is mated to. I think that Audio Alchemy of yours is rare now.
Both set-ups, have a Monarchy Audio Digital Interface Processor in between to reclock the digital signal to eliminate jitter. All signals are run "Direct" to keep it as is.
Internal speakers on TVs are a waste. When the new 4K Sony TVs came out, there were many a complaint as to why they bother with these speakers on its side. This new LG 84" Ultra HD has sixteen of them plus a sub. From the skinny looks of it, I don't know how that's possible unless it is an outboard one that comes with it like a soundbar.
A friend of mine asked me for advice on a Blu Ray player that upconverts via component and I looked about to find out that the majority of the new ones don't have that feature anymore. Was I surprised. I told him to get an Oppo.You know things change faster than ever before in the technological world we live in. The Blu-Ray player I bought a month ago doesn't have any analog out RCA jacks...it's HDMI and Co-axial only, not even an Optical output. Oh and no component out feature either.
I did know that before I bought it, and some of the entry level players do have the 'legacy' outputs but I always want the most flexible component possible so it can connect to everything out there old and new.
Now to the point, the new DVD player is in the bedroom with the 30" TV, I don't want a full 5.1 surround there is not enough room, so I'm running a vintage Sansui 2-channel stereo receiver with my ADS 300's for sound, WAY better than the TV speakers and fits in a small space which is a priority. Anyway over 2 years ago I picked up a nice old Audio Alchemy DA converter, the 2nd or 3rd generation they made, it's been sitting in a box gathering dust for ages now, so when I remembered I had one I ran the co-axial signal from the DVD player to it, and then connected the analog outputs to the Sansui. Man the sound is amazing, very impressive only one problem the signal is so 'hot' I might have to try another amp/receiver with different gain...next up will be my old Rotel to see how it performs.
Paid $40 for the Audio Alchemy D/A converter and it's in perfect shape, nice to have a use for it now.
Yes, outboard DACs are great. I have two myself. A Parasound DAC 1600 and a Proceed DAP. Although my Anthem AVM 20 has a very good DAC, the Proceed is better but not that substantially. The Parasound blows the Onkyo's away which is mated to. I think that Audio Alchemy of yours is rare now.
Both set-ups, have a Monarchy Audio Digital Interface Processor in between to reclock the digital signal to eliminate jitter. All signals are run "Direct" to keep it as is.
Internal speakers on TVs are a waste. When the new 4K Sony TVs came out, there were many a complaint as to why they bother with these speakers on its side. This new LG 84" Ultra HD has sixteen of them plus a sub. From the skinny looks of it, I don't know how that's possible unless it is an outboard one that comes with it like a soundbar.
^^Never heard a set of built in's that were worth a damn in any of the slimline tv's, not compared to a modest 2 channel set up let alone a 5.1 or more.
The old console TV's had excellent sound, deep bass balanced mids and crisp high end, off course they were massive and had room to get the sound right.
No interest in any of the new TV's, I just went to plasma last year and now they are being discontinued...damned shame the Viera's are the best TV's ever made when it comes to picture quality that I've seen. Panasonic lost Billions over the last couple years and yet almost every store I've visited their plasma tv's are the best selling of the lot. Closing down their factory is sad.
My Marantz Blu-Ray player has all the anti jitter/judder features built in, no need for an external DAC. And I just updated the firmware a couple weeks ago, nice to have that option.
From the sound of it you have everything running perfectly on your digital side George, as I told Jim I've been in analog mode for over a year now and I am happy with the set-up I have for CD's, certainly I'm not thinking about an expensive DAC right now.
The old console TV's had excellent sound, deep bass balanced mids and crisp high end, off course they were massive and had room to get the sound right.
No interest in any of the new TV's, I just went to plasma last year and now they are being discontinued...damned shame the Viera's are the best TV's ever made when it comes to picture quality that I've seen. Panasonic lost Billions over the last couple years and yet almost every store I've visited their plasma tv's are the best selling of the lot. Closing down their factory is sad.
My Marantz Blu-Ray player has all the anti jitter/judder features built in, no need for an external DAC. And I just updated the firmware a couple weeks ago, nice to have that option.
From the sound of it you have everything running perfectly on your digital side George, as I told Jim I've been in analog mode for over a year now and I am happy with the set-up I have for CD's, certainly I'm not thinking about an expensive DAC right now.
gcczep
Ever Onward...
Stats don't lie...
The Martin Logan SL3's are still going on strong from March 2013 when they landed in the premises. I moved them slightly up and the difference was palpable. On Floyd's "Wall" LP last night, the choruses had more body. The speakers are great with vocals as the panels seamlessly integrate both the highs and mids without crossovers involving different drivers. Maybe I'll break out one of the Ray Conniff LPs mom and pops handed over to me.
IF I ever win the Lotto, I'd go for these CLX's with a pair of Parasound monoblocks.
The Martin Logan SL3's are still going on strong from March 2013 when they landed in the premises. I moved them slightly up and the difference was palpable. On Floyd's "Wall" LP last night, the choruses had more body. The speakers are great with vocals as the panels seamlessly integrate both the highs and mids without crossovers involving different drivers. Maybe I'll break out one of the Ray Conniff LPs mom and pops handed over to me.
IF I ever win the Lotto, I'd go for these CLX's with a pair of Parasound monoblocks.
Last edited:
Sox
Avoiding The Swan Song
^^^ Looking smart, I bet it sounds really top notch in there.
Something to make you smile gcczep. VVV
Something to make you smile gcczep. VVV
gcczep
Ever Onward...
Panels and humor...
Some people indulge in drink. Some people indulge in chemicals. Some people indulge in the opposite sex. Smart ones like you, me and others here indulge in music. 
The SL's are half the width of the pictured CLX but I've never come across a 12 foot tall and deep guitar riff anywhere.
Thanks Sox my man! Very funny.^^^ Looking smart, I bet it sounds really top notch in there.
Something to make you smile gcczep. VVV
Some people indulge in drink. Some people indulge in chemicals. Some people indulge in the opposite sex. Smart ones like you, me and others here indulge in music. The SL's are half the width of the pictured CLX but I've never come across a 12 foot tall and deep guitar riff anywhere.
^^^ Looking smart, I bet it sounds really top notch in there.
Something to make you smile gcczep. VVV
Smart man Sox.Glad you are enjoying your ML's George, the mid's/highs are the reason they are so highly thought of. I was pleasantly surprised to see them in the stores last year, it irritates me when so many great names disappear into the ether without a trace. Or even worse end up like KEF which used to be world class, now owned by a Chinese company but benefiting from the decades old reputation of the original firm.
Not saying they make complete rubbish, but grand old company's should never end up like that.
gcczep
Ever Onward...
Textures
^Thanks Bruce. I don't think I could go back to boxes again at least for music anyway. One thing it lacks is that a bit more of a crunch with electric guitars but acoustic ones and orchestras sound superb. They really plumb the textures in recordings. However I still can't go with them sans subs for that extra weighty ooomph. Like everything in life, there are always tradeoffs.
Meanwhile, the Akai is being serviced by a friend whom I trust. He's relubbing the requisite innards and changing the belts. Cost is some Zeppelin concert DVDs for his viewing pleasure.
I agree with you that speaker companies seek to have their product assembled overseas. Cheap labor just like the offshore companies who handle customer service accounts for major entities. The nostalgia is gone with these tactics done for the sake of the P&L statements.
Crazy about meters...
^Thanks Bruce. I don't think I could go back to boxes again at least for music anyway. One thing it lacks is that a bit more of a crunch with electric guitars but acoustic ones and orchestras sound superb. They really plumb the textures in recordings. However I still can't go with them sans subs for that extra weighty ooomph. Like everything in life, there are always tradeoffs.
Meanwhile, the Akai is being serviced by a friend whom I trust. He's relubbing the requisite innards and changing the belts. Cost is some Zeppelin concert DVDs for his viewing pleasure.
I agree with you that speaker companies seek to have their product assembled overseas. Cheap labor just like the offshore companies who handle customer service accounts for major entities. The nostalgia is gone with these tactics done for the sake of the P&L statements.
Crazy about meters...
Last edited:
Nice the Akai is getting a tune up, it should last for years now.
Yep I love analog power meters, even flourescents are good one thing I miss about the new gear they're not as much fun just to look at anymore.
Anyone that doesn't know what we're talking about just go to a vintage page of any audiophile board and see for yourself. We had more fun in the old days than they do now.
If I played my music loud I would have kept my old MK IV's, but now it's modest volume only so my new MA RX-8's are nice and provide me with enough 'oomph' on the low end without subs and the midrange/highs are smooth and transparent. Add the deal I got after Christmas and I could not help myself. I did look at some ML's too but they were another $1500 more and I couldn't justify the expenditure.
Yep I love analog power meters, even flourescents are good one thing I miss about the new gear they're not as much fun just to look at anymore.
Anyone that doesn't know what we're talking about just go to a vintage page of any audiophile board and see for yourself. We had more fun in the old days than they do now.
If I played my music loud I would have kept my old MK IV's, but now it's modest volume only so my new MA RX-8's are nice and provide me with enough 'oomph' on the low end without subs and the midrange/highs are smooth and transparent. Add the deal I got after Christmas and I could not help myself. I did look at some ML's too but they were another $1500 more and I couldn't justify the expenditure.
