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Everything posted by rancew
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Article: McIntosh RS200 Wireless Speaker System
rancew replied to The Computer Audiophile's topic in Article Comments
Why are there 5 stars on the heading when it hasn't even been reviewed here yet? -
Article: Roon Labs Releases Version 1.4 Update
rancew replied to The Computer Audiophile's topic in Article Comments
The best new feature for me is the non-destructive queue. -
Article: Computer Audiophile Turns 10 Today!
rancew replied to The Computer Audiophile's topic in Article Comments
Congratulations Chris! -
LUMIN - Audiophile Network Music Player
rancew replied to psme's topic in Networking, Networked Audio, and Streaming
This is great news. Thanks! -
Need some recommendations on speakers
rancew replied to Nolasooner56's topic in Headphones & Speakers
Another plug for the Peachtree D5. About 4-5 years ago I bought my son a Peachtree Decco with a pair of (at the time called Era Design) D5's, and the combination sounds great. I still shake my head when I'm at his house listening to music (rock included) at how good it sounds at that price point. Much bigger sound than you expect from them. I'm sure the Nova/D5 combo would be even better. -
Paul- I bought them from a local guy I know who's really into vintage and restores old gear. He reformed and recapped them. I usually pair them with an old Sansui AU-717 integrated. They are really fun to to listen to.
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Two pair of large Advents. Pretty darn good sound - especially when stacked! Pair of pioneer HPM-100's. All re-capped. Quite enjoyable with some vintage receivers and integrateds.
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Unless I've missed something there don't seem to be any keyboard shortcuts for volume control as there are with Amarrra Symphony. This is a big limiting factor in my view, as anytime you want to change the volume level you have to toggle from the web player page to the Amarra sQ window and then use the volume slider.
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for sale Spring Cleaning-Multiple Items For Sale
rancew replied to rancew's topic in Buy & Sell Audio and Computer Components
Benchmark DAC2 HCG and iFi Mercury USB cable are still for sale. -
for sale Spring Cleaning-Multiple Items For Sale
rancew replied to rancew's topic in Buy & Sell Audio and Computer Components
Berkeley Alpha DAC and Alpha USB are sold. -
for sale Spring Cleaning-Multiple Items For Sale
rancew replied to rancew's topic in Buy & Sell Audio and Computer Components
Sonore Rendu is sold. -
for sale Spring Cleaning-Multiple Items For Sale
rancew replied to rancew's topic in Buy & Sell Audio and Computer Components
iFi Micro iUSB Power Supply is sold. -
for sale Spring Cleaning-Multiple Items For Sale
rancew replied to rancew's topic in Buy & Sell Audio and Computer Components
iFi Gemini USB cable and iFi Purifier are sold. -
for sale Spring Cleaning-Multiple Items For Sale
rancew replied to rancew's topic in Buy & Sell Audio and Computer Components
I forgot about one other item I have: iFi Mercury USB Cable 1.0 meter like new condition Price new: $129.00 Sale price:99.00 -
I have multiple items for sale as follows: 1) Sonore Rendu-Black Face I have a nearly new Sonore Rendu network audio player with a black face in perfect condition for sale. This is the Standard version with SPDIF/BNC output (not the higher priced version with HDMI i2s output). The Rendu supports DSD to 24/196 PCM and gapless playback (flawlessly!). Control is though iOS device (iphone or iPad) using player app such as PlugPlay. I purchased this unit new direct from Sonore earlier this year. It's been feeding a Berkeley Alpha DAC and is a huge improvement over my dedicated Mac mini/Amarra computer setup, not to mention a simpler approach. If you have your music on a NAS and are currently using a computer for playback you will be surprised how much better a dedicated ethernet streamer sounds. I'm only selling because I got a Lumin streamer (nice unit with built in DAC, though roughly 5 times the cost of the Rendu). Price new: $1400 Sale price: $1100 2) Berkeley Alpha DAC Series 2 with Berkeley Alpha USB-both Black Face I purchased both of these units new. They are in excellent condition. Would prefer to sell them as a pair. Price new (both units): $6900 Sale price (both units): $4000 3) Benchmark DAC2 HCG-Black Face Purchased new directly from Benchmark earlier this year. In excellent condition with very little use. Price new: $1995 Sale price: $1600 4) iFi Micro iUSB Power Supply Purchased new recently Price new: $199.00 Sale price: $149.00 5) iFi Gemini USB Cable (0.7m) Purchased new recently Price new: $179.00 Sale price: $129.00 6) iFi iPurifier Inline USB Audio Conditioner purchased new recently Price new: $99.00 Sale price: $69.00 Prices are firm for now. I haven't even listed these anywhere else as of yet. Wanted to give Computer Audiophile members first shot. I'll likely list them on Audiogon/elsewhere if I'm unable to sell for prices listed. Shipping to Continental USA only via UPS Ground. Buyer pays shipping costs. Payment via PayPal. I'll cover the 3% PayPal fee.
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I've had a Rendu for a few weeks. I had been using a dedicated Mac mini with the usual "audiophile" tweaks--e.g. solid state hard drive, striped down OSX, after-market power cable and additionally, an iFi USB power supply (with the iGemini dual-headad USB cable and iPurifier, which all combined with the power supply was a definite improvement), and the usual player software including Amarra, Audirvana, Pure Music, etc. Still I felt something was definitely missing. Since I already had my iTunes library on a Sonology NAS and had read some good things about Sonore products (including this review by Chris) I thought I'd try the Rendu. My overall impression is similar to what was posted above by Koyie. Here's what I wrote back to Adrian at Sonore about the Rendu: "Adrian- I was right! And you were right as well! I said that my computer was the weak link in my system. And you said the Rendu was "crazy good". I managed to get Java and then MinimServer installed on my Synology NAS without even having to get my computer guy's help (thanks to a tutorial on the MinimServer forum on how to install Java). Then I got PlugPlayer. Then I started listening. Wow! I can't believe the difference the Rendu makes over my dedicated/tweaked Mac mini (even using programs like Amarra and Audirvana). I had been questioning everything about my system and room, thinking something wasn't right. The sound I had been getting -- while technically good, pristine, etc -- never was right. It always sounded a bit mechanical, flat, artificial, lifeless and ultimately uninvolving. I even bought a Benchmark DAC2 to try in place of my Berkeley Alpha DAC, thinking the Berkeley was just too soft and subdued. The Benchmark has got a bit more bite and is more up-front, but still the sound wasn't right. I tried other speakers and cables I have here at home. Tried tube swapping in my preamp. Nothing made the sound like I knew it should be. With the Rendu, there is so much more of everything. Immediacy, depth, great leading edge but more body at the same time. The percussive sound of instruments is now so lifelike. Music is so satisfying now. You said I would be amazed how good my Berkeley DAC would sound being fed by the Rendu. Boy were you right! This DAC is incredible. It just didn't have the highest possible source feeding it. Thanks to you (and Jesus) for making such a great product!"
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Great article! Hope this is an appropriate thread to post/ask about this as it seems a fairly common issue with the whole network audio issue. I'd to get a handle on the whole NAS/Minimserver/Control Point issue. I've got a Synology NAS that's been feeding my dedicated MacMini. I recently managed to get Minimserver and Java installed on it (without even getting my IT guy's help!) and I've been playing around with a Sonore Rendu streamer using the PlugPay iPad app as the control point. Only about a third of my album artwork shows up in PlugPlayer. I downloaded the Lumin app just to see how it looks--much better than PulgPlayer. Scanned my library and same thing--lots of artwork missing. From what I gather these programs first look for artwork in JPEG format embedded within the audio file. Then it's kind of murky to me as to what the program does next to try to find artwork. Part of what's keeping me with iTunes and away from a server/renderer is this whole issue with music files and album art. I'm basically lazy when it comes to managing my files/metadata and don't want to have to spend time messing around with them. So the question is...how can I (EASILY!) get things in order on my NAS with MinimServer so everything shows up as it should using these control point programs? What needs to be done when ripping/downloading new music? [someone suggested a program called Image Fetch, which is designed to scan you existing iTunes library and put album art into a JPEG file that MinimServer will see. So I downloaded Image Fetch but it won't scan my library on the Synology NAS (I have both music files and metadata in the NAS). It looks like it will only scan a library on a local hard drive. And indeed when I download Image Fetch to another computer with a different iTunes library than my main one it will scan it and find all the album art files. So it appears that Image Fetch needs to be installed on the Synology. The only way I'ver ever downloaded a program to the Synology is by using the "Package Center" program on it. Tried to upload it using Package Center from my MacBook but it says "Invalid File Format"] Suggestions??
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1978 Pioneer SX-1250. Completely refubished by Classic Audio a few years ago. Hooked up to a pair of refurbed/recapped Pioneer HPM-100's. A '70's classic system that rocks my basement billiards room!
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I was a very early adopter of Amarra and have never been able to get it to run smoothly, using first a Drobo and now a Synology NAS drive via ethernet. I continue to be dumbfounded at how all the other music player software developers can accomplish this but the Sonic Studio folks can't...
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I never delete anything from my collection. But I really admire those who do. I keep lesser versions of duplicate albums, but I'm really not sure why. And I keep the stuff I don't like, too. I think I must be under the delusion that at some point in the future I'll have loads of free time to listen to everything I have and that my tastes in music will somehow be completely different. Ha! Fat chance of either one...
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I just saw her in concert a few weeks ago at the (very small and intimate) Ryman auditorium in Nashville. She played this song and - I believe - about every other song from her new album. The performance was first rate. She's incredibly talented, and it certainly comes though live. I had also seen her after her first album. Interestingly, her voice is actually quite a bit more powerful live than it sounds on the albums. The new stuff is a different direction for her, but after a few listens you realize how cool and how well written all the songs are...
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OK...found it. It's a bit complex for my simple brain. I can't really tell what the descriptors are referring to. The few times I tried to change something I couldn't see that any colors changed. Oh well, no big deal at all. Just sort of taking the new ride for a test spin. Nice new look and feel Chris. Way to go!
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Thanks Peter. Good to know I wasn't just hallucinating!
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When I very first logged on to the new site and was poking around I could have sworn I stumbled on a page where it looked like you could change the color scheme. But now I can't seem to find anything like this. Did I just imagine or dream this??