Recent content by Mblu

  1. M

    XACT S1. The music server you've been waiting for

    Thank you, Robert. That makes sense. I understand the Xact brings magic on great files, not on poor ones (I would not expect that neither) and optimizing the full chain increases the average quality of Qobuz. I don’t have vinyl anymore, and the main reason why I would unlikely restart is the...
  2. M

    XACT S1. The music server you've been waiting for

    Thank you Robert for your excellent feedback, and congratulations for your great system ! Somehow, even with my much more modest digital source, I find good recordings already excellent and good enough even. Can be recent recordings but also some from the 50’s or 60’s. Where I miss vinyl...
  3. M

    My Pachanko Server is here. A bargain at 16k Euros?!

    Ok, many thanks. I indeed contacted Chan who replied similarly. So I first need to find a way to reduce the gain of the full chain, like by randomly removing some components out of the amplifier :)
  4. M

    My Pachanko Server is here. A bargain at 16k Euros?!

    Thank you for your positive feedback ! Have you tried to adjust the volume in Roon ? Theoretically not bit perfect, but do you hear this degradation ? I don’t want to replace my dac (AC Helène) nor my pre-amp (PBN).
  5. M

    My Pachanko Server is here. A bargain at 16k Euros?!

    Hi, do you think the mini SE / Roon / HQPlayer / Canarino are better than a server + lumin u1 mini ? And an important point for me, as the gain of the pre and the Dac are high, I always use the volume control of Roon / Lumin (Leedh algo), playing between 30 and 60% in most cases and it sounds...
  6. M

    Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?

    I had 2 vinyle set-up in recent years, lp12/aro and Nottingham Dais/benz LP/ASR phono. In either case, I was not more satisfied with music/sound than with my CD player of that time. I sold both and never regretted, acknowledging though that I was myself most certainly guilty not being capable of...
  7. M

    Aries Cerat Genus SET 25 watts integrated amplifier - on order

    Thank you. The new website with product lines also helps. when you google AC Genus, you find this power amp version : https://www.callas-audioccasion.nl/callas-audioccasion.genus.813p.htm Maybe that was a specific order. Thank you
  8. M

    Aries Cerat Genus SET 25 watts integrated amplifier - on order

    I have the Helene, and might be interested in the Genus. The various versions of the Genus are nevertheless a bit confusing : 813 / 845, integrated / power amp only. When I see the creativity in the entire amplification product line, it gives me the impression that a given version rapidly...
  9. M

    AppleTV X - I am playing with something new

    Many thanks for your recommendations. I did find some well hidden parameters, but indeed the image mode is still a mystery. I had the tv calibrated (photography is my second hobby, colors of a great medium format digital back on a Nec calibrated monitor is something else, reds can look...
  10. M

    AppleTV X - I am playing with something new

    Indeed the LG ! Usually I remove the artificial interpolation, but seems I can’t. So I was starting to ask myself, is the soap opera look the new standard ? If the ATVX enables a true cinema look, I am very interested. many thanks
  11. M

    AppleTV X - I am playing with something new

    I am not a videophile but love great images and loved classic movies (now “forced“ to watch Netflix or Prime). I recently replaced a panasonic plasma, that had great colors, by an oled 77 inches LG tv. Definition with 4k movies is amazing, but the “over-fluidity” looks like high quality...
  12. M

    Streamer advise - Lumin / dcs / auralic / other ?

    I finally went for a lumin mini with external Uptone power supply. Was very happy with the change but at one moment I started to listen less and less my system. I started to imagine many other evolutions : should I invest in a top digital gear like the Taïko, should I invest in vinyl, should I...
  13. M

    Streamer advise - Lumin / dcs / auralic / other ?

    Thank you for your advices, users seem to be happy with their choice, whatever the product. Few have tested different streamers. Very difficult to rank according to these opinions, but somehow based on what I read here and there, I am more attracted by DCS and Lumin U1. I can/will buy one to try...
  14. M

    Streamer advise - Lumin / dcs / auralic / other ?

    Hello, i am looking for advice to upgrade the “streamer” feeding my Aries Cerat Helène DAC. my current set-up consists in : - a modified uptoned mac mini, acting as roon core - a Qnap no-fan NAS, I mainly stream Qobuz but have some nice albums on the Nas - an edison switch - a microrendu v1...
  15. M

    Help choosing a tube DAC

    I finally got the opportunity to buy an Aries Helene. I was somehow surprised with the changes. No systematic coloration, but the ”harshness” of some disks is mostly gone. Poor disks are still not great of course, but I can listen to some with real pleasure now. primary objective is achieved...
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