Hello,

I am getting the itch to upgrade. I've had a Rega P5 with a Dynavector 20XH (high output)for a few years. I really like it but want to upgrade to something that is audibly better and would be a lifetime purchase for me.

What would be an excellent low output mc catridge to work up to next? Alternatively, what are some ideas for a "final" TT/Arm/Cartridge combo that I could audition?

My budget is around $10K but I am trying to get a set up that is pretty close to the "best", so would be willing to spend more. I listen to rock, jazz and blues in that order.

The cover promises "Superb-sounding speakers at both ends of the price spectrum"....then mentions Vandersteen and Dynaudio.

I think to myself, "Self, what wonderful affordable thing has that Vandersteen genius done now? To what extreme of excess has Dynaudio now taken its speaker line?"

45,000 and 1,200 dollars later, my expectations have been spun right round, baby, right round!

Shows how my own bias is skewed when I hear the names Vandersteen and Dynaudio!

Both reviews are great reads. Kudos to the reviewers!

The most courageous people are young. My heart goes out to those of his kind. This is what courage looks like for those that have never witnessed it.

Warning: Graphic video clip

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6202459n

I came across this over at Audio Karma...thought it may be interesting for you all. I don't know if this has been brought up in these forums before.
Mike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYTlN6wjcvQ
http://www.ethanwiner.com/aes/

Although I hate to see anyone banned I would like to thank Stephen and JA for being evenhanded in their approach.

When a hardcore objectivist and a hardcore subjectivist are banned at the same time it is much easier to see the ban is for rule breaking rather than philosophy.

I wish neither had needed to be banned.

I have been looking for a budget < 1000 USD all tube phono stage, I found the Tetra and Aikido kits created by Glassware Audio http://glass-ware.stores.yahoo.net/aiphpcb.html. I found the price and tech specs good. I would like to know if anyone here knows of a review , or owns or has tested one of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2FEDNAqmmI

Christ.., that is a terrible , horrible take....

I started listing to higher quality songs recently, flac, up to 24 bit 96kHz, but they are playing through my Thinkpad Laptop and Bose Tri-Port Headphone. After reading through lots of blogs and Stereophile.com I decided to spend some money on a better listening system. My spending limit is $2000, thank you Tax Refund. Anyhow, I though about buying better headphones, either AKG 701, Sennheiser 650 or 600, and of course a DAC/Amp, I was looking at the Benchmark DAC1 Pre or USB. So I have few choices and don't know how to decided on which headphones to buy and which DAC to buy.

I purchased one of these after seeing it on the CES wrap up for $500. I'm totally shocked at the performance of this device. It sounds glorious, and I'm listening to it right out of box. It is a USB DAC and Class A headphone amp in one little tube. It also has adjustable gain (a small gain "knob").

I'm going to echo rgibran's comment at the end of the blood-soaked Scharf Lexicon thread and say great job, Kal.

Everyone who jumped the blunderbuss and accused Stereophile of shilling for high end abusers should read it.