Media Server Reviews

It seems all we need now is a way to kick it up to needing nine boxes of stuff to play Tidal and digital will have finally arrived.

Streamers, ‘bridges,’ bit rates, ‘clocks/reclockers,’ network appliances (?) and changing entire pieces for the want of interconnect compatibility....

Time to remake this cartoon....

“The two things that really drew me to digital were expense and the inconvenience.”

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-two-things-that-really-drew-me-to-vinyl.437312/

??? OK. There may be other issues of excess here to comment on but "Streamers, ‘bridges,’ bit rates, ‘clocks/reclockers,’ network appliances (?) and changing entire pieces for the want of interconnect compatibility...." are not relevant here. Just add a DAC.

I have no issues about the price of things, especially when I can't afford it. My son who is on Twitch built me a new Win 10 computer, loaded for under $800 with 32 gigs of ram and 4 HD, one solid state for boot up and the others older drives with all of my recordings and other files to access. The gaming video card is excellent. I can hear the fans which is somewhat troublesome, but I could and spent the money and liquid cooled it like he did his. I'll wait.

I have not gotten into streaming...Spotify never sounds right to me, neither did Qobuz, and Tidal did some of the time, but seems variable in quality to me. And I know they are doing just great without me, so it is OK. I am using JRiver 27 so I am trying.

I have always read over the years about Dr. Kal's systems, how they have changed and how he is an "early adopter" on many fronts and have no doubt that what he hears on his two excellent systems is "for real".

I feel sure that there will be many well healed readers of Stereophile who will eagerly check out this piece and be happy with their purchase. I am glad that it comes in colors other then "pink". If Barbie needs a streamer they can fill her order quickly. Sadly each of my three newer cars cost less than this streamer. This will probably get more use by the owners than my cars that have sat most of the time in 2020.

or

As perfect a stereo source as our Reviewer has ever experienced. well !

That is say'n a whole lot.

Can we assume that Mr.KR has indeed owned turntables ? I bet he has.

And we should consider that $20,000 doesn't go all that far in the Analog World if we're talking "Best" levels like Mr.MF is showing with that $250,000 dollar 33.3 spinner from Austria. for gods sake

If this is a "Best Sounding & Performing" device, the price might be justified. ( just not for me, of course, I won't spend that much unless it's 4 individual pieces that I can double my money with )

Decades ago, I represented the Pink Triangle turntable company. These Gay Brits made a beautiful player that performed as well as it's competition. Hmm, is this Pink Faun outfit a Gay Company? We should be told, shouldn't we?

All those colors are Anodising ( I'd suggest ) which means that the nice Colours will fade and not be so nice, in a few years. ( not that it matters if the technologies change and the piece rapidly becomes obsolete i.e. dvd ).

Thank you, Mr.KR for this work, I'd've hoped for a bit more back story about the People creating this device and more about who the intended market is.

Tony in Venice

ps. the Pink one in the picture is dam nice looking, I'm gonna order a Color Sample from Sherwin-Williams

why i dont read stereophile anymore

I am done getting my undies in a wad as it is fruitless. My BP was under 120/70 at my DR today and I am leaving the news alone as I have little effect on anything these days.

What I can do is put on some great music and chill. I did get bothered over this past weekend about Mary Chapin Carpenter's newest release, The Dirt and the Stars, in which I cannot understand all the lyrics she sings and it is driving me crazy as if my hearing is getting this bad, this is the wrong hobby for me.

In Sony Sound-Forge 14 all the tracks wav forms are compressed and peak limited (-0.3db), but am I really on the slippery slope down or is this on them? I bought the HD Tracks version that is 2496, it is smoother, but the wav form is still compressed and peak limited to excess IMHO. I can understand slightly more, but...

Maybe someone else owns this new release and break the bad news to me. I doubt a Weiss 502 could help me out here.

IMHO Stereophile has helped me over the years improve my audio playback and why I keep reading and follow the music reviews. I am listening the ECM and Manu Katche, Third Round to regain some sanity of clarity. Even in the gear I can't afford there are always take-aways for me to grasp.

I enjoyed reading this review. Since I am an analog guy, I usually gloss over these articles but read it this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. It proved that whether it's analog or digital to get the great sound, the investment and outlay involved is quite substantial. Like everything else in life; food, wine, clothes, and yes, even sound, there is a cost. Good _______ (fill in the blank here) costs!

I have been fitted through the VA with some average and some expensive (free to me since my hearing loss is military related), but neither worked for me even with the custom moulds.

I think what I am going to be left with is my AKG K271s for most music and vocals especially, and then I will use my AKG K701s and my Audio Technica ATH 50Xs for a warmer presentation on instrumental works. I am afraid my 73 year old, tinnitus bound ears are not left with much to work with. I love the 50Xs on jazz and classical music.

I have noticed one thing last night as I went through about 10 of Diana Krall's discs and LPs I own. Her style and voice have changed throughout the years, clear and strong early, and now more breathy and quiet as of late. I am wating for her newest release to come today or tomorrow. I love Al Schmitt's work, but her voice on Wall-Flower rides just barely above the music on some tracks. I noticed the same thing on the LP, Quiet Nights. Sometimes a "style" can get in the way of intelligibility. I'm sure their thousands of dollars of monitors there is no issue for them in the mix. The problem is all mine for sure, sadly.

I will now need to find a new MM phono cartridge that is a little hyped up in the mids now to help my hearing out. I don't want to have to go to a multiband EQ to solve my problems, but that may be where I am headed.

The mixing and mastering have changed for vocal music from the 40's, 50's and 60's where the vocalists sat much higher in the mix. No problem hearing the lyrics out of those discs.

Thanks for the link.