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Les Lammers

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Everything posted by Les Lammers

  1. Les Lammers
    The Philips are priced on rarity.
  2. Les Lammers
    +1 A quality American amp but by an audio legend that can use quite a few different tubes.
  3. Les Lammers
    Cables are all about synergy with your system. Wire sounds different. A high priced cable is not always better.
  4. Les Lammers
    Recommending a DAC is very difficult, if not impossible. Personal preference plays a large part, so YOU need to listen to a few and decide. Personally I prefer non-oversampling DAC's. I have a MHDT Labs Orchid and really like it. I was using their Havana DAC for 9 years and then got the Orchid. http://www.mhdtlab.com/ Here is a review of the Pagoda with balanced output. https://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/mhdt_pagoda_e.html
  5. Les Lammers
    Thanks Jeff. It is an interesting design. I am considering it for use in a small streaming system. I know it's not SOTA 300 B but likely better than many inexpensive amps.
  6. Les Lammers
    This is a completley revised version of the original. It's not the same amp. I had an original years ago and it did not do it for me either. I had there excellent Model 4 phono preamp and still have the Model 3 transport. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/softone-300b-set-amplifier BTW Richie, I posted this here a few years ago and read your comment on the original. 😉 Review on a Chilean audio site: https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=es&sp=nmt4&u=https://www.hifichile.cl/index.php%3F/topic/18595-el-amplificador-300b-single-ended-hecho-en-jap%C3%B3n-m%C3%A1s-barato-el-softone-model8-300b/&xid=17259,1500000,15700021,15700186,15700191,15700259,15700271,15700302&usg=ALkJrhi3yCmB-L79uc4JVyL0hBFRP--FJw You Tube: Driving 4 inch single driver speakers.
  7. Les Lammers
    I have been looking at this amp for a few years. http://softone.a.la9.jp/english/Model8/M8-eng-1.htm The circuit looks interesting and unique. Thoughts?
  8. Les Lammers
    The OP should consider the Inspire gear, it's a great match, designed by an audio legend, with Heritage speakers.
  9. Les Lammers
    You sure are going through a lot of mental masturbation. Here is a nice integrated that would pair well with H3's: http://www.erhard-audio.com/Basie.html I'm driving H3's with a Dennis Had Inspire PSE and http://www.erhard-audio.com/Aretha.html
  10. Les Lammers
    I also have H3's and they sound great with tubes and a subwoofer. I'm interested in the 4's, the tractix mid has my attention, but will wait until there are more real world reviews before jumping on.
  11. Les Lammers
    The H4's also have a different midrange crossover frequency. It appears that it would not be a simple swap.
  12. Les Lammers
    I thought so too. Streaming can be confusing but it doesn't have to be. So, if you have a DAC you like it's simple to add a wifi device like the Arcam rPlay or Bluenode and get excellent SQ without breaking the bank. Both of these units have a built in DAC. I've listened to the Arcam w/o my DAC. The DAC in the units is quite good but I prefer using my MHDT Orchid.
  13. Les Lammers
  14. Les Lammers
    Which sounds better, BT or Wi-Fi? That's all that matters to me. From this review of the iFi Zen Blue: https://majorhifi.com/hi-fi-bluetooth-ifi-zen-blue-review/ Sound It’s important to note that the Zen Blue won’t solve all your fidelity problems… it is only a DAC after all. It doesn’t make any sound on its own. And the quality of your music will be largely shaped by your choice of headphones, speakers and/or external amplifier. The Zen Blue is just there to make sure the highest quality audio can transmit via Bluetooth. Disclaimer aside… it does impart a certain quality to the sound. All those fancy chips inside are doing something after all! The question is… what? I didn’t get the opportunity to use the Zen Blue with a home stereo setup, which is where the fidelity would truly shine. But after pairing it with a few different headphone amps to get a feel for it, I came away with a general impression: smooth. The effect is subtle, and it’s tough to describe without getting too abstract. But music felt smoother, lows and highs felt clearer, and the midrange emphasis received a slight shift. I noticed a slight, glossy shine in the high-mids as well as the highs. The lows and the low-mids get smoothed over in a way that makes all the frequencies sound very cohesive. I wouldn’t describe it as warm… and it doesn’t boost the highs in that classic “hi-fi” way either. Smooth is the word that keeps coming to mind. It takes all the frequencies and gives them a nice massage, relaxes them and helps them all play nice together.
  15. Les Lammers
    What have you compared BT to? I'm not certain it would better wi-fi. https://www.lifewire.com/what-to-know-about-bluetooth-3134591
  16. Les Lammers
    I have an Arcam rPlay wi-fi streamer. It has a very good DAC but I have a MHDT Labs Orchid that *I* prefer and the combo is very good. I stream Tidal and the Rplay also has internet radio, Review: https://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-B1-Premium-Bluetooth-Receiver/dp/B00MHTGZR4 The Bluesound Node 2i wi-fi streamer is well liked but I have not heard it. https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/bluesound-node-2i You could try one of these and compare it to what you are using. Purchase from a vendor that allows returns. DAC's are a personal preference component, so no recommendations.
  17. Les Lammers
    No, the $11.95 is for active duty military.
  18. Les Lammers
    If you are just getting back into audio and don't have a lot of physical media, LP's/CD's, don't dismiss streaming. I use an Arcam rPlay with Tidal and am not looking back.
  19. Les Lammers
    Adjusting the bias is easy and it can be adjusted, with in a range, to taste.
  20. Les Lammers
    Old amps need full restoration before being used as daily drivers. If not, they could go up in smoke and that would not be good. Capehart 2A3: https://www.google.com/search?q=capehart+2a3+amplifier&oq=capehart+2a3+amplifier&aqs=chrome..69i57.15519j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 They were made by Brooks and PWK liked their amps.
  21. Les Lammers
    I have H3's and had them in corners and did not fell the need for a sub. I moved and one speaker is in a corner and one is against a wall. So, I added a HSU VTF-2 MK5 subwoofer. It's not expensive, is very tunable and has a 30 day return policy. I kept it. I did not know what I was missing. In another life I ran a sub with La Scala 1's. Big smile.
  22. Les Lammers
    The woofer is the same as the H3. The Tractix mid and the tweeter are different as is the xover. I'd have to hear them before I sold my H3's. The proof is in listening. I'm sure they are improved, but will they sound better in my room? Hmmm... I bought Heresy I's HBR in 1977. The dealer had a one year trade in policy with 100% of the purchase price credited to and upgrade. I traded them in for HBR La Scalas. I spent countless hours with Tung oil and steel wool. 25+ coats of Tung oil on Baltic Birch. Kept them for 23 years. Present room dictates Heresy sized speakers.
  23. Les Lammers
    Find a tech that will restore them with parts that will keep the sound as close to the original as possible.
  24. Les Lammers
    I think the H3's would be too bright with many SS amps but I'm pretty much a dyed in the wool tube guy. I use a sub with the H3's and don't feel I'm missing anything. The tractix midrange is interesting and wonder why it was not implemented sooner.
  25. Les Lammers
    Take your amp to a Klipsch dealer and listen to a few different speakers.
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