polizzio

I think Ti manufacturing costs are going down. You see way more Ti in products/components today than you did 25 years ago. Watches, loudspeakers, handgun parts. Smith and Wesson started producing revolver cylinders made of Ti in the last 5-10 years, offering greater strength and lighter weight, and 7 or 8 round capacity in some models instead of the traditional 6 (in their Performance Center line). Replacement Klipsch Ti diaphragms can be had for $25 each @ simplyspeakers. I think the move to polyimide in the Hersey and CW4 squawker is because Klipsch believes it performs better or sounds better, least for the mid range. They kept Ti in the tweeter. Surely they have a factual reason for the switch, most likely sound reproduction characteristics. Simply Speakers Ti replacement example: https://www.simplyspeakers.com/klipsch-k-68-a-replacement-speaker-diaphragm-127124.html These articles state manufacturing costs are down, but the demand for supply has driven up Ti raw material prices: https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/1975606-chinese-titanium-imports-rise-with-higher-prices https://www.smartechanalysis.com/news/production-methods-am-titanium/

Is this from a guy who advocates and markets $1000 amplifier power supply cables? My $150 Cowen Plenue D portable/mini hi res music player has a DAC in it, and it sounds terrific. It also has specs high end audio preamp/amplifier manufacturers would envy. 24bit/192kHz High Definition Sound, High Quality 24bit Stereo DAC SNR 123dB, THD+N 0.004%, Crosstalk -105dB Jet Effect 5 & BBE+, FLAC/WAV/AIFF/ALAC/APE/MP3/WMA/OGG Wide Angle Touch Display, Isometric Edge Design Music Playback 100 hours, 32GB Internal Memory, microSD Card Slot, Matrix Browser You feel the need to spend $2000+ on a stand alone DAC, go right ahead buddy. http://www.cowonglobal.com/product_wide/PLENUED/product_page_2.php?movearea=area_22

You had me @ three LS across the front and that enormous screen. Quite an amazing home theater you have assembled. I'm sure its performance is outstanding.

@Gino So how many channels are there in an all channel stereo rig?

This is the crazy thing.......you can spend from $30 to 3500 on a stand alone DAC. Think about that for a moment. I did a recent search on line. The cheapest DAC available doesn't add distortion, it simply converts digital bit stream to an analog signal via a micro processor/chipset. Crutchfield has info and models from $30 to 3500. I bet you can spend > $3500 if you try. Users rave about the $99 usb models avail today. No doubt there are features and more options to be had with high end units, but gee wiz. A $40 Sansa mp3 player has a dac within it, and memory chips and a rechargable battery too.

He mentioned the poverty in OH where he is from in his Heisman speech (some kids going to bed hungry) and people from around the nation flooded the local food bank with donations! Now that is awesome! Joe has tremendous talent, smart, and isn't afraid to run with the ball and take a hit. He has a bright future for sure.

Yeah, I read on line about people on line attacking the reporter over his comments. The guy didn't mean any disrespect I don't believe, he was there to report on the game. Some people are rabid with their condemnation, like on FB/social media. I joined FB like 4 years ago, was holding out for a long time. Sometimes I really wonder if it enhances my life or not. I have re-connected to a few old friends but so much stupidity and out right hate sometimes. I hope you get over the headache /bug soon.

@JohnJ Good morning sir. I failed on my greeting. Been up since ~ 0330 CST. Shoulder pain usually wakes me early. I hope for an entertaining game, a close game, and a safe game (no serious injuries for any player). At the end of the day, its just a game. Ask Steve Ensminger- LSU offensive coordinator. Lost his DIL Saturday in a small plane crash approx 3 hours before game yesterday. Coach O told him of the news @ lunch. Carly McCord......was on her way to the game. She was a reporter.

@JohnJ Dabo Swinney quote from yesterday: “Well, we’re No. 3 right now, and they’re No. 1,” Swinney said embracing the underdog role. “I said all year that it’s going to take 30-0 for us to win the national championship this year. We’re going to have to go 30-0, and that’s what we’re going to have to do. “If we’re going to win it, we’re going to have to go to their place. I mean, this is epic to go to Louisiana. We’ve never won in New Orleans. We haven’t won a Playoff game in New Orleans. We haven’t won a Sugar Bowl. So, now you got to go play LSU, who is unbelievable by the way. I’ve seen them a few times. They’re amazing. “We are the underdog, and we should be the underdog. They’re an incredible team. They’ve had a great year.”

Bout 6-8 months ago, I put in my trash a silver Lion Li aluminum full size tower case, PS, mobo, processor, ram, excetera. Old single core AMD processor. Been sitting in a closet for years. Took out the old mag HD and destroyed it with a maul, and pitched it too in a later pickup. Still have a black alum case Lion Li rig in the closet, older Intel two core build. I have spent too much money on computer parts/builds over the years. But it was fun, better than drugs or something. Sooner or later if you don't touch it for 3 or 4 years, it gets donated or trashed. My new mantra.

I understand. But the first step in recovery is recognizing and acknowledging the problem "Hello, my name is Tom and I'm a upgrade aholic......." "hi Tom"

Very nice indeed, but with the screen down as pictured, are not the three LS mid/hi horns covered by the screen. Sure appears that way in your pics.

Excellent advise/wisdom above. Klipsch just went to a polyimide diaphragm on the new cornwall and hersey IV model mid range driver (squawker), abandoning Ti or metal diaphragms, for the time being. Still Ti on the tweeter tho. Go figure. Polyimide is close to phenolic (synthetic polymer-plastics-hydrocarbon based). Many peeps get upgrade-itis. Rarely satisfied, looking for the next level, the next rush. Just might be a fundamental human character trait

Who was? Where? I outlined my goals as a music server. You replied I would be better off with a more powerful processor in the nuc.

Oh yeah i can dig a little southern rock! I owned an Atlanta Rhythm Section vinyl album somewhere back around 1978/79/80.

For just a music server? Not like it will be multi-tasking. And the dual core celeron only draws 10 watts, super quiet fan, easily cooled, long life. Insane where chip miniaturization/efficiency has taken us. A dual core processor, on board video supporting 4k res, on board audio, lan and wifi, and it only draws maybe 25 watts peak. Crazy!

John, no disrespect intended by me. I read your post with the Clemson paw print 3x and I had a bit of trouble distilling the message. Maybe my perception is off, could very well be. I was scratching my head trying to figure out if you are a hard core Clemson fan or not. Hey, you got two cents

@codewritinfool @Marvel @Ron E So this thread and the discussion has me thinking for the last week or so about putting together a nuc for a music server. Newegg has a nuc kit/chassis with a 2 core celeron processor, super low power draw of 11 watts and a really tempting price of ~ $140 delivered. So I add ram and I have an extra 2.5 sata ssd sitting in my closet. I have assembled a few desktops over the years all using windows OS. I searched and Intel offers zero driver support for linux OS. I know linux is free but what would I do for drivers? Like chipset, on board video, and audio drivers to make the nuc functional? What challenges would I have to overcome to achieve my end goal? What software or apps to make the nuc functional to rip my cds to it and serve as my network music server? I was thinking of using a usb cd/dvd drive with this also to rip my cds. Any guidance is appreciated. I'm just weighing whether I can pull this off myself, or just forget it. Thx. I have been ordering from newegg for 15 years. Here is the nuc chassis/kit I mentioned : https://www.newegg.com/intel-boxnuc7cjyh1/p/N82E16856102203?Item=N82E16856102203&Description=intel nuc&cm_re=intel_nuc-_-56-102-203-_-Product

Well you could always put your money where your mouth is. I take LSU and you take Clemson, straight up. Name your price. Talk is cheap.

LSU and Burrow will crush Clemson. LSU a 4.5 point fav right now.

@Les Lammers Thanks for the input, Les.

Wow! Pretty amazing.

That is a really nice unit reading its specs. And so many options, even a balanced output @ 4 volts. As you go up the Cowen line there is a diminishing return on investment, as it is always with audio equip. My Plenue D batt charge will last 4x of the L tho, and I am amazed of the audio quality connecting from its headphone jack to my home receiver aux input, or my 2 channel rig in the BR. Absolutely no noise, look at the specs on even my low cost D model: SNR 123dB, THD+N 0.004%, Crosstalk -105dB, so clean. High end audiophile integrated amp manufacturers would be envious of specs like those. I picked it up in an amazon flash sale for $100, now @ $155. It's a crazy and volatile market.......you can purchase a new stand alone DAC for $30 (I found one on line on sale, the extreme end of the scale no doubt), or you can purchase one for $3500. Micro chips are dirt cheap in today's markets.

Left to right: Sansa clip 4 gb mem, Cowen S9 - 16 gb, and Cowen Plenue D, up to 160 gb.

My older sansa clip (9 or 10 years old) 4 gb is a simple mp3 player. Only plays mp3 files, no tone adjustments whatsoever. For the price, its an ok unit. The Cowens play lossy and lossless file types, larger memory, can create multiple play lists, have tone controls, and sound cleaner especially when you approach higher volume levels. Both of my Cowens have an output level of 1 volt. Cowen does offer more expensive hi res players, with outputs up to 2.0 volts. Those work better with larger over the ear headphones if you choose to use that type. I don't. I use Sennheiser wired in the ear units. You can spend $500-1300 on a portable hi res digital player if you choose to. Go browse at crutchfield on line. Both of my Cowen units I frequently output to my two home receivers via an extended 3.5mm cable. It sounds wonderful. Could do the same in my car. Never tried connecting the sansa clip. I don't know off hand what the output voltage of the sansa is. For $35-40 if it suits ur needs, then great. I'm guessing Sansa offers better units now too. I never looked. I like my Cowens.