Has anyone heard Peachtree Audio's Decca integrated amp yet? From what I hear, it's a $800 hybrid tube/solid state 50 Wpc with a built-in DAC designed by Scott Nixon, with a direct slot for a Sonos amp in the back. It seems like a pretty good solution to beginners getting into hi-fi audio, at least, from the computer angle. Looks intriguing...

http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2007/101407peach/

Hi,

it was a bad day for my audio equipment today... I suddenly started getting lots of static from the right channel of my EAR V20. The tubes are pretty new, the amp was retubed a year ago and was not used at all between September and early December. The tubes don't have more than 200 hours on them.

Any idea as to what might be the problem? I'm contacting EAR of course, but it's the holidays today...

Hello,

I am thinking about buying an AKG-701, for listening and studio-mixing. I mostly listen to all my songs, in digital form, via my Firebox, an external sound card made for recording. The music goes via Firewire to the Firebox.

Do I still need a headphone amp, and why?

Thanks

While I know that many individuals here are not into audio via a computer, I'm hoping that some individuals will have some valuable insight in this regard.

I'm of the understanding that audio over USB is not desirable due to jitter. So, to have an external CD-rom drive that is connected to the computer via a USB cable is not exactly ideal. Understood and appreciated.

However, I'm curious to know if anyone has any recommendations on a rom drive and the best method of connection for highest quality? IDE, SATA, Firewire?

I've just started reading about this concept and am interested in any input from individuals here.

Thoughts about its validity? It's implementation? It's future?

I've been noticing that in just about every USB DAC review I've read in recent issues, the listener has pretty much hated every DAC when listed to over USB. They have all commented on how pleased they've been with the audio quality when using the other means of connections, however, as soon as they connect the DAC via USB, their opponions have changed drastically.

I'm wondering why this might be? What is it about audio over USB that makes it so bad?

My favorite Audiophile magazine quote/story concerns Mission equipment and it comes from JA: (John Atkinson, Stereophile's editor)

It involves Kraftwerk's "Electric Cafe" (possibly), a set of mission Argonauts, and a pair of Mission mono-block power amps, with an outboard power supply additional box.

It goes like this:

"...Beer followed beer...then we switched to scotch...

..Then....I broke them."

JA was cranked, and so was the system. up...and Up..and UP..went the volume...And he broke them.