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  1. DSkip

    Rosso Fiorentino Elba Gen 2- a champagne speaker on a beer budget

    The Elba 2 graces the cover of the latest Absolute Sound, reviewed by none other than Robert Harley. His review is on point and overwhelmingly positive. It also made the Editors Choice 2021 prior to review.
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    Wilson Audio XLF

    I'm just seeing this thread so..... Congratulations! I have tremendous respect for Wilson speakers and hope you get all things sorted so you can start truly enjoying them.
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    What features of Roon are worth the price? Compensate for Roon’s poorer sound quality?

    I assume this includes Innuos? Do you know how this interaction differs from the traditional core/endpoint model? Does it have a different sound if it is a different interaction? I don't know if you know these things but this is new information to me and I'm extremely curious now.
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    What features of Roon are worth the price? Compensate for Roon’s poorer sound quality?

    I have gotten decent results with their transports in the past. I won’t comment on their dacs. Roon greatly deteriorated that sound. Well, yeah. I get the feeling that a few here think me ignorant of streaming. I don’t sell analog because I am ignorant of that field. Digital is all I’ve known...
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    What features of Roon are worth the price? Compensate for Roon’s poorer sound quality?

    Believe what you will. This is a well documented issue with Roon. There are many more issues than just those outlined and believe me when I say that soundstage is shrunk even when dsp is flat. It has not mattered what the settings were, once that feature was disengaged the soundstage stretched...
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    What features of Roon are worth the price? Compensate for Roon’s poorer sound quality?

    That is part of the equation though. A native app is critical to me because it is critical to playback. Innuos does not have their own native app yet. I have to use squeezebox and then control it with iPeng. This sounds far superior to Roon. Also with auralic and Lumin, I know I have run one of...
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    What features of Roon are worth the price? Compensate for Roon’s poorer sound quality?

    Auralic, Lumin, and Innuos for starters. I have used a computer, laptop, and Innuos as cores. I have also done other comparisons but they were not solely software variable so I am not including those. Edit: I have tested these across multiple devices within those brands as well, for what it’s...
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    What features of Roon are worth the price? Compensate for Roon’s poorer sound quality?

    How many have experienced software outside of Roon? Most build their streamers around this software and don’t have other options that are friendly. I am not trying to be argumentative or accusatory. Every unit I’ve played with that has Roon and another software has proven to sound better on the...
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    What's Your Favorite Irish Whiskey

    I generally drink bourbon but someone brought over the Redbreast and I think it might have converted me.
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    What features of Roon are worth the price? Compensate for Roon’s poorer sound quality?

    1. User Interface is second to none, as howie mentions. 2. It does have DSP 3. If a signal is too hot and clips, you can reduce the output 4. It is the premier software so most brands will be supported.
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    Bookshelf Speaker Stand Difference?

    Stands have a sound. Ones designed for the speaker might mean they influence the design of the monitor on top of them, but it’s very rare they will outperform a well designed stand. The market is flooded with poor designs though so finding one can be a challenge. Below is a picture of the best...
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    Rosso Fiorentino Elba Gen 2- a champagne speaker on a beer budget

    Some more accolades - HiFi Live of Spain gave the Elba 2 the Value for Money Award 2021.
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    Rosso Fiorentino Elba Gen 2- a champagne speaker on a beer budget

    The Elba 2 has made the most wanted components of 2020 for Stereo Times. http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/most-wanted-2020-page-4
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    Hobbies become wants, wants become needs, and needs become obsessions

    Fatal Attractions? On a personal side, I have found a level of performance that makes me content and while I do obsess over that 'certain set of skills', once they are in place in a system I am in bliss and can let other areas that can be improved not hinder my experience. I've been beyond...
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    Recommendations of bookshelf speakers

    No top tier monitor is going to sound good without a fairly significant investment in gear around it. While you may not have a budget on speakers, you should consider one for the system if this is your first foray into high end audio.
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    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    Understood Tim. In live performances at venues I don’t get the effect as much. I had uncles and cousins who all played guitar and sang at family gatherings in regular rooms. I always got the sense of weight and body to the guitar and the singer. I would suspect this has a lot to do with...
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    In general my digital is better than my vinyl. but my vinyl is better than my digital

    Please note my discussion did not imply that higher tier gear fits the mold. I am discussing more the entry to mid level point that starts our obsessions in this hobby and can dictate which path we go down as we continue to grow.
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    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    I've struggled to describe it because I've only heard a handful of systems do it and that is my fault for not being able to communicate it. Some systems create a flat plane for the music. Some systems create a curved plane. Some create depth which gives it a flat plane with music that happens...
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    In general my digital is better than my vinyl. but my vinyl is better than my digital

    Regardless of where you fall I encourage my clients that whichever format or file type you prioritize or want the most dictates what you should focus on. I'm not heavily invested in digital (and currently not invested in analog) but I have a lot of experience with a multitude of streamers and...
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    Pink Faun 2.16X Stereophile Review

    I think you underestimate just how good the Ryzen series of processors are. Intel has been stagnant for almost a decade. If they had been able to continue on their path back then, AMD might not be in this position. AMD/ATI was always budget because they couldn’t achieve the performance of the...
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    Pink Faun 2.16X Stereophile Review

    In terms of processing power, the new Ryzen 5xxx series represent the best consumer based chips on the market both in terms of multi core and single core performance. The previous generation 3xxx series really evened them with Intel. Intel, for the time being, is considered more of the budget...
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    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    Acoustic instruments and unamplified singers project and take up a singular point in space. You get the body because the instrument itself resonates and makes itself known. You don't hear a pinhead singing at you. Some of the effects I speak of are more prominent in electronic music like...
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    MastersounD BoX - 35 watts of single ended power for 1.490,00€

    Nor Normaudio.com
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    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    The room definitely influences it but I don’t consider it an element of the room. You have to have the gear capable of it in order to get it. 3D images - where the images themselves have depth and aren’t cardboard cutouts in space - have only been present in systems I’ve heard that can present...
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    Internal chassis damping?

    I have no theory but I do know what it does - it eliminates the atmosphere a system is capable of. Even a small amount of damping will do this but it might be minor enough to not be perceptible in some cases. I believe in mechanical grounding as the solution but this is a path we have gone down...
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    MastersounD BoX - 35 watts of single ended power for 1.490,00€

    I too prefer SE amps. I finally found solid state I thought was better and affordable in the Norma gear. If you want something you can leave on I highly recommend their products. Image weight, organic sound, incredible spatial presentation and clarity are all there.
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    MastersounD BoX - 35 watts of single ended power for 1.490,00€

    Disclaimer: I no longer officially represent MastersounD. I think you are missing the point of this design. This is meant to be an ‘every man’ type of design, providing substantial single ended power in an integrated that can be afforded by many enthusiasts and also power many more speakers...
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    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    By projection I mean extending the soundstage well into space in front of where center stage is. Some test tracks I use create full circles around a listener. Others do waves of music that rush at you and then pull back. Right now my system struggles to really reach those levels because I don’t...
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    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    There is depth and then there is projection. Many speakers can do depth, but projection is something that separates the best from the good. The problem with assessing this projection is you have to have electronics and sources that can do it as well. With that in mind, I don't think its...
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    New Monitor Purchase

    I’m sure it’s fantastic and 120+ is on my radar down the road. I don’t see any monitors that really wow me at the moment and since production is still priority, the 38” dell will remain. I am still extremely happy with that purchase.

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