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  1. Legolas

    Pure Audio Project upgrades and tweaks

    Great, thank you for the advice. I was wondering if the Isodamp would make the contact between baffle and frame a bit wobbly? So maybe make things go in the wrong direction. I guess if the Isodamp is quite solid, it would work ok. Frame bracing I can see may also have merits. I had an idea...
  2. Legolas

    Pure Audio Project upgrades and tweaks

    Nice and very interesting mods. I have the Quintet15s incoming. A few questions, can you detail how each mod affected the sound? I am particularly curious on the Isodamp on the frames. Maybe it is possible to add a layer of Isodamp on the back of the baffles as well? Reduce the energy put into...
  3. Legolas

    "Aries Cerat Incito S, a tube line stage beyond boundary?!" First review of our Incito S

    You won't be disappointed in the Helene, I had that here as well recently. The Helene, even though the most affordable DAC by AC, still has the strengths of their DAC sound, i.e. detail but smooth and natural, weight to the midrange (sadly rare in many DACs), solid soundstage and depth, fatigue...
  4. Legolas

    "Aries Cerat Incito S, a tube line stage beyond boundary?!" First review of our Incito S

    I owned both the Audio Note Dac 5 Special, and have heard the Dac 5 Signature as well. I later owned the Aries Cerat Kassandra Ref II. I can confirm the AN Dac is way behind. It is syrup, coloured and I guess I would term it 'half asleep' in signature. I have build a few Audio Note kit DACs as...
  5. Legolas

    Mac Mini vs. MacBook for music server

    I suggest you get a decent music server, then try again. I also ran a customised Mac mini wth LPS, then later have tried a Mac Mini M1 and they are way off the sound you can get with a decent music server. You can get half way there if you use a PS Audio power plant for the Mac mini, big...
  6. Legolas

    Please recommend some Monoblock Amps

    Interesting info on those preamps, thank you. Yes I heard the LTA is a transparent preamp for a tube gain stage, probably as it is OTL? How is your Lampizator direct to your Passlabs? Is it close to the sound you get with the Benchmark, or miles off (worse)? I am kinda hoping I can go direct...
  7. Legolas

    Please recommend some Monoblock Amps

    Thank you your those encouraging opinions on my XA60.8s. I am looking forward to hearing the PAP Quintet15s with them.
  8. Legolas

    Please recommend some Monoblock Amps

    I have the PAP Quintet15 Coax on order, and have the Passlabs XA60.8s to drive them. Preamp is open at the moment, I will drive the Pass direct from the DAVE in preamp mode for a while. I love the Passlabs amps, and the XA60.8 is a big and beefy set, and handles most any speaker with ease. The...
  9. Legolas

    Taiko Audio XDMS - Extreme Direct Music Server Software

    Indeed.
  10. Legolas

    The Digital Director - A new MSB product improving everything from the source to the output

    There is a ton of good info in this thread!
  11. Legolas

    Zellaton: The End of My Speaker Journey

    Wow, what a super system, and a great journey Mike! Thank you for posting it. More folk should look at these high end brands from the EU zones. I remember the room at Munich with the Zellatons, think it was 2019. I also was very impressed by the room.
  12. Legolas

    Oh my, oh my - Aries Cerat Helene DAC

    Not wanting to upset the apple cart - I would check, you may find the Helene sounds best on RCA output. Try it and see, the VTL has single ended inputs.
  13. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    Chaos, for a few more weeks, till I get the upstairs music room sorted. Then the fun starts! Have some ideas on acoustic panels, the celing is having 3 dropped zones so walls need looking at. 3 tall windows have full height curtains, so that side should be ok. Wall behind the speakers will have...
  14. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

  15. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    I booted it up last night. It comes up with a Welcome message, and defaults to -63dB on the readout. The volume knob and the remote both control volume level, and source selection is by the remote, plus switch on / off and mute. There is a discrete on/off button underneath, so in effect I can...
  16. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    It will be confirmed shortly, Lampizator are to announce the launch of the Poseidon preamplifier in a What's Best Forum Newsletter end of this month. Also pics of the new CNC chassis, so will look different exterior wise to my preamp here, which is build in a Big 7 chassis.
  17. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    So I asked Lukasz. The Poseidon DAC and Preamplifier combined, or the Poseidon Phono and Preamplifier combined, but never all 3.
  18. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    23 000 Euro for POSEIDON preamp with the tube phono stage MC. You wanted DAC inc phono? I will ask Lukasz.
  19. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    No this is a Beta pre production version. The real chassis is CNC cut and is due to be announced in the next few weeks. My build has used the older Big 7 chassis, which is actually quite big for a preamp, 52cm deep. In the flesh it looks very nice, I'll take live pics shortly in my system. I am...
  20. Legolas

    Anyone using Airtight ATM 211 to recommend?

    Yes but it is a bit impractical to adjust between amps every time. You probably need a preamp
  21. Legolas

    Anyone using Airtight ATM 211 to recommend?

    Interesting.I do like the 211 tubes, and wildly available as well. One thing I notice about these monoblocks, they both have an attenuator. Is that for balancing the input level while using a preamp?
  22. Legolas

    Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?

    Not as clear cut IMO. It is how it is replayed that we are discussing rather than was it digital at the recording stage. Our ear and brains do seem HYPER sensitive to artefacts in the treble regions I find. Why is that? I imagine our ears are tuned to hear the human voice, and most of that...
  23. Legolas

    Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?

    It is quite amazing how from December 1982 and the invention of CD format, the start of commercially available (large scale) of digital playback, we are still banging on about this subject. IMO both have come on a LOT since the early day, and both can satisfy. Thinking how much tweaking and...
  24. Legolas

    Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?

    This reminds me of how top quality film in static photography did, possibly still does, have more resolution than digital backs. Similar subject IMO. But yes, I can see how 'kind' distortions, artefacts and even tape hiss can do strange things to our auditory system. I have no idea medically...
  25. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    A got some more details from Lampizator on the Poseidon project and the Preamplifier. As far as I know, the launch will be in August, with the photos of the final product inc CNC chassis. Here it the text from Lampizator verbatim: THE POSEIDON PROJECT As a direct consequence of the...
  26. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    Now I am manically getting my room sorted to house the Lampizator. I moved house last year, and we have builders 'merging' rooms for us. The house was a small hotel and it has too many ensuite and small bedrooms. So 30 years as an audiophile, I finally get a dedicated music room - excited is an...
  27. Legolas

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier

    The all new Lampizator Poseidon preamplifier I wanted to start a thread about the new Poseidon Preamplifier. I have been on the market for a while for a tube preamp, and was in contact with Lukasz looking at the original Lampizator Reference Preamplifier, which seemed to fit the bill. I have...
  28. Legolas

    SET amp owners thread

    You could look at kits, I built a few of the Audio Note NOS tube DAC kits way back. Pretty good sound for 2-3K USD.
  29. Legolas

    Gryphon Audio Designs: APEX - you have arrived!

    Amazing build quality. I have heard their earlier muscle amps. They have taken the helm for SOTA solid state amplification I feel. I envy those who can afford it. Having said that the more reachable models are still really top notch!
  30. Legolas

    FTA (Final Touch Audio) Callisto USB cable

    Final Touch Audio Callisto cable is a superbly musical cable that achieves what many others don't IMO. Detail and body, with zero fatigue. I have tried many other USB cables, and they rarely do both, most going for detail over body and weight, reminding the listener it is a digital source..

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