Happy Holidays! Some small format Audio Gear ideas. DACs, Amps, Headphones Speakers, etc.

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ธ.ค. 2024

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  • @OldGuyHifi
    @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

    Some small format Audio Gear ideas. DACs, Amps, Headphones Speakers, etc. Happy Holidays! Just a quick look at some gift ideas for the holidays. I want to encourage new people to get into the hobby and thought there were some suggestions I could make. If you wish to join the channel and become a member please click here: www.youtube.com/@OldGuyHifi/membership

  • @claptrap22
    @claptrap22 23 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    I love that about this channel. Here: "I know at $539 this is a bit pricey" Other audiophile channels: "at $3,500" this mid-fi DAC is a great place to start

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  22 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      I am a retired guy and I think $3 for a Micky D's burger is pricey. Over $3k the law of diminishing returns accelerates quickly. I am glad you like the my channel. Thank you for being a viewer and maybe a subscriber?

  • @stevecruz465
    @stevecruz465 4 วันที่ผ่านมา +4

    Great video Ed! Smart, sensible devices. LOVE that little Sound Solver audio rack! I have that little SMSL SU-1 DAC, and it is quite impressive for the price!

  • @stevezeidman7224
    @stevezeidman7224 2 วันที่ผ่านมา

    I was late getting to this. A great array of gift ideas!

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  2 วันที่ผ่านมา

      No worries my friend.

  • @ginom407
    @ginom407 4 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Great list Ed! You put in a lot of work, it's all very much appreciated. 👍👍👍

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  4 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Thank you.

  • @oiygfdxssfgg
    @oiygfdxssfgg 3 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

    I just purchased a SMSL PO100 PRO DDC I'm going to set it up with my WiiM Ultra to a SMSL SU1 DAC, I'm hoping it will improved the quality of sound. I'd like to see a review on the SMSL PO100 Pro by you.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      Maybe after the holidays. I have a lot to before that. I also have a very high end DDC coming in soon. Watch this space.

  • @JohnScheppler
    @JohnScheppler 3 วันที่ผ่านมา

    I've been good this year, Santa 🎅, so I'll take one of each 😊.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  2 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Yes. You deserve it.

  • @saieva
    @saieva 4 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Philharmonic has a great line of speakers. Heard them at Capital Audio Fest. Floor standers, stand mounts, and the desktop set, they sound great. Nice looking cabinet options too.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา

      That's where I met those guys. I think I will be able to do the floor standers after the first of the year. Thx.

  • @jim010109
    @jim010109 3 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Awesome suggestions!

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Thank you sir.

  • @BobbyBass-x6i
    @BobbyBass-x6i 4 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Thanks for all the gift recommendations whether for others or to give yourself. What do you want for Christmas? Happy Holidays!

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  4 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

      A house full of family. For me that's the best gift. Thx.

  • @hattorihanzo2814
    @hattorihanzo2814 3 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Great Channel Ed. Quickly, it's my favorite audio review channel. I just made my first dive into headphones on FB marketplace getting an Elekit TU-882AS tube headphone amp and a set of Grado SR325is. Used a Wiim Pro and added the SMSL SU-1. amazing sound

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Sweet deal. Nice set up. Thx.

  • @Stormpix
    @Stormpix 3 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Great list! I recently picked up the Modi Multibit and I really like it - even more than my Geshelli J2 (with the AKM 4493 chip.) If you ever get the chance to listen to the Meze 99 series, I'd love to hear your opinion. (I like them so much, I have two pairs of 99 Noirs from Drop!) I think they're a great value - I picked up one of my pairs for $179 on sale.

  • @edricjr7930
    @edricjr7930 4 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Greetings Ed! 😎 My desktop system uses the Emotiva A2-Mini ( uh, too big for your list?😉😁) as it's amp, with the Optimus LX-4's as speakers and a Aiwa TS-CD20 subwoofer. 👍🏽 A Wiim Ultra, Sony BDP-S580, and a 2008 iPod are used as input sources. It's an interesting combination of old and new built this year, but I'm quite pleased with the result. 👍🏽 Be Well Ed & thanks. 🙂

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  4 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

      Sounds like a great rig. Thanks sharing it with us my friend.

  • @robertrohwer6965
    @robertrohwer6965 3 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Nice list Ed... thanks! Just bought the Fiio K9 and just love it. It's given new life to my headphone listening sessions . Very interested in those FT5's

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      The FT5s amaze me every time I put them on. The K9 AKM is one of the very best I have ever heard. That's why I bought it.

  • @Simon_Hawkshaw
    @Simon_Hawkshaw 4 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Great gift ideas for desktops. Thanks for your perspectives and sensible suggestions. Take care, Sir.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  4 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      Thank you my friend.

    • @Simon_Hawkshaw
      @Simon_Hawkshaw 3 วันที่ผ่านมา

      I really like the desk stack unit. Thanks for sharing.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      @@Simon_Hawkshaw It is one of the guys from the Cheap Audio Man Patreon group. It is really very nice and well built.

  • @rafacq
    @rafacq 3 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Nice suggestions, although disappointed you didn’t mention the Wharfdale Diamond 225, which are still available from Music Direct. I used the new member 15% discount and ended up paying $254 for the pair. Hard to believe the sound these produce. Incredibly low end response. Love them. Thanks again for your review on them.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา

      I tried to stick the products that have not gone end of life. Thanks Ralph.

    • @nc3419
      @nc3419 วันที่ผ่านมา

      On some music I liked the 225s myself but the narrow listening window and Kevlar drivers were not quite my tastes. Still a highly regarded performer for most around and above its price. Amazing they still have new ones kicking around.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  22 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      @@nc3419 Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for tuning in.

  • @nc3419
    @nc3419 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Thought I'd post my experience this year on audio as this time of year can make one a bit trigger happy with audio gear. I did have the intention of changing gear this year so it wasn't totally out of the blue. Earlier picked up a VA CA-1 amp and also have a Hegel h160 and a Keces E40 with the intent if building a suitable system that can be driven by lower powered gear that would perform well at low to moderate SPLs.
    So, the intent was to look at speakers which could fit this parameter. Essentially, the speakers I looked at were models which had garnered alot of exposure recently such as Cabasse Murano, Audio Craftsman Laval and Victoria ($$$), Revival Atalante 3 ($$), the Fritz carbon 7 se mk 2 and other well established speakers from Ascend, Dali Rubicon 2 among a couple other brands including Xavian but not readily available in the States.
    Passed up the Murano after considering these would really need a powerful amp to get the bass everyone raves about, talking with Ascend it was determined the LX wasn't the fit I needed and perhaps similar with the other models within that brand as well. Looked at the large Philharmonic BMR but the original intent was to go with smaller speakers as my Room isn't that large and I was downsizing from larger monitors I am still trying to sell. It was unclear if Audio Craftsman could be appropriately powered and they weren't all that small either but these were a solid consideration from a relatively new company.
    So I narrowed it down to Dali Rubicon 2 which was marked down, small, great reviews and I do have and like a pr of Dali Opticon 1s along with Revival Atalante 3s in which I looked for a used/open box/demo unit of which none were available. I contacted the Company via their email to see if there were dealers in North America that could ship but never heard back from them.
    I hesitated on the Rubicons as I didn't just need more bass (the Opticons with a sub did decent) and felt these were still overpriced for what you get in the States and as they go for far less in Europe. If they were 300 or more bucks less, I think I might have.
    So...really started taking a hard look at the Fritz Carbon 7 as it ticked all the boxes and would work with my lower powered amps but a couple of other purchases I had to make made me a bit g/unshy at the full price. Then came what I call the "veeroff".
    As I was checking the AudioMart for used and dealer demos, etc., a set of speakers I hadn't heard of prior came to light. It was an open box standmount the dealer had acquired but didn't carry probably to see if there would be an interest in their customer base and this model was being upgraded so came up at a lower price. Essentially advertised at over half off but more like 46% by my calculation, still a considerable discount.
    So the gerbils in my head started their scurrying and I read up every review, user opinion, etc I could find to ascertain if these could be a good fit, reading in between the lines, etc as we often can't go hear the speakers in person. The offered price was on the absolute very edge of what I was willing to spend after the previous purchases I made and I still can't say it was in my comfort zone, but hey it's Xmas.
    So while I took a chance, I did a thorough evaluation looking at the driver complement, size, construction, graphs, opinions, probable suitability for my needs, etc., essentially driving my self into a frenzy. The speakers I bought were the Audel Magika MKII hand built in Sicily which utilizes drivers from SB Acoustics and Seas. The drivers if I were to buy these myself came to over $500 and given the other components I figured at least $700 in drivers, X/O and box. The box itself is constructed of birch plywood with an intriguing design, like a Quasi transmission line like build. Birch plywood was enticing as I was previously looking at the Closer OGY way back but deemed it may not perform well for all my needs in music and movies.
    Ordered it while on vacation for pickup at a local facility upon return. Two days later, John at Fritz decides to have a sale on his Carbon 7 se speakers at a sizable discount, over 20% so the gerbils were pulling double duty again trying to work this out but ultimately I had made my decision for now. This market definitely isn't a seller's market and I've reached my spending, but perhaps down the road.
    I can't say if the Fritz would be outright better but definitely different. They use a really great and more expensive woofer while the Audel uses a more expensive tweeter. Combined, the drivers of each brand costs similarly. The Audels cost me a few hundred less than the Fritz and are a bit smaller. So far I like the SQ, from an audio perspective they are an upgrade form my other speakers but I am in the critical, judgement phase. I wouldn't say these are easy listening but more engaging. There is really good resolution, transparency accentuated with the CA-1 in which that amp excels. A bit on the brighter side of neutral with this combo but engaging with good depth. Not a wider or taller stage than average IMO. I did want less glare in sibilant passages and these perform, with sibilant sounds being more natural or controlled even on tracks where the recording itself can produce excess glare. IME, too much refinement can sound dull or obscure certain instruments.
    Bass is there without excessive punch that could require one to adjust the volume up and down like I had to with a previous set of MA Silver 100s. I haven't played around with placement and swapping other gear into the mix as of yet. So far, it seems to fit how the reviews talked about its performance when you read in between the lines and the tidbits of truth discarding the flowery words which all reviewers seem to use. Transparency, resolution, separation, stage depth are all good. I could use a bit more weight in the lower mids but overall its a fine speaker but I wouldn't say the best as there isn't really a best, just a different experience. I can't imagine purchasing these at close to full retail and the new model using the same drivers but with presumably better X/O and a larger box for lower bass extension is nearly double the price now! Yikes!
    I wouldn't have purchased these if they used lesser drivers and were made of MDF. Also, these were not the first models for this still new Company had put out, it was an improved model that had been out for several years. There seems to be some respect for Walter's (the owner) products.
    I still would like to experience the Fritz speaker sometime down the road including a few other not mentioned and there's still the Xavian brand for some really good choices. I believe the Audel could be used in a nearfield setup so it could end up in that fashion down the road. Right now it will be my main driver. Not as smooth as a Fritz presumably but not boring like alot of so called audiophile speakers either. Both are small boutique speaker brands using off the shelf drivers but seemingly well implemented and accepted in each's audio community. Seems like alot of my equipment is coming from relatively smaller boutique builders in their home countries.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  22 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      Great comment. Thx for sharing your insights and thoughts.

  • @bengleason508
    @bengleason508 4 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Merry Christmas Ed!

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  4 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Happy Hanukkah Ben!

  • @jazzandcocktails7
    @jazzandcocktails7 2 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Ed, thanks for another great review and happy holidays. Would you consider doing an overview on external power supplies? Even as a long-time audiophile, I am sometimes baffled by voltages, polarity, and barrel connectors. Not to mention the actual effect on sound quality. Then there's the debate between switching and linear supplies in various applications. If you have a good recommendation for an external LPS, I'm all ears.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  2 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Great suggestion. I am in the process of evaluating some LPS products. I do think they have an impact on the sonics. It is a matter of finding that sweet-spot price wise. Probably nothing until after the first of the year. Thx.

  • @RickRuizAudio
    @RickRuizAudio 3 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Hey Ed, I have that Edifier 1280 as well. For its price it's great 👍

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Thank you my friend.

  • @Moremusicnowplz
    @Moremusicnowplz 3 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Great video of a variety of products at different price points. Well done. Hearing that solid thunk when you knocked on those Philharmonic speakers makes me think I might have to take advantage of the Amazon lengthy return policy and upgrade my desktop speakers. Have you driven them with the G-horn? I’m curious if that would provide enough juice for those 4ohm 85db speakers in a desktop setting. Thanks again Ed.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      Give me a day or two and will do just that and get back to you. I am sure they will. I drove them beautifully with a 3 watt SET tube amp. Check my shorts video. Thx.

  • @ericboehm4529
    @ericboehm4529 3 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Ed, great video as usual! I really like your choice of products for this buyers’ guide. In my own desktop system I used two sets of glass monitor risers (about $24/set on Amazon) stacked to form a four shelf rack. That’s another way to go for folk looking to economize on desktop space. They are a bit larger than the set you showed and therefore require a bit more space though.
    Can’t wait to see your review of the $20 linear power supply! A good LPS shouldn’t cost a fortune. If designed right and executed well, I think with economies of scale there might just be a chance it’ll be a good one.
    Great choices on the headphones. I’m gonna have to audition those FT5s one of these days.
    Any thoughts on the Neumi BS5 in the passive speaker space? They’re identical in dimensions to the Emotiva B1+ and at $109 a pair last I loooked they’re a bargain. I’ve had a pair in one or the other system for about 2 years now. They punch way above their weight in terms of sound quality and with front ports they don’t suffer badly when placed against a wall.
    Keep up the great work my friend. I’m truly enjoying your channel more and more with every video.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา

      I haven't heard the Neumis yet. Sorry.

  • @robsandler1818
    @robsandler1818 4 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Excellent recommendations although I am wondering why the FOSI ZD3 didn't make the DAC (PreAmp) recommendation. Just got mine and upgraded to SparkOS 3602 OpAmp and was really surprised that I thought it sounded better than my Schiit BiFrost 2. FYI driving this with Emotiva XPA 2 Gen3, Schiit Freya+ with upgraded tubes and Dahlquist DQ10s with updated crossovers.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา

      You may have noticed they're was only one Sabre based DACs on the list and only because it also had an AKM chip. Just a personal preference. The Fosi is very good. Thanks for asking.

  • @dizzle1119
    @dizzle1119 4 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Pro-Ject's S2 lineup is rock solid. Probably overpriced, but it's rock solid gear. I've personally used the Head Box S2, Phono Box S2, Tube Box S2 and the DAC Box S2+
    I only moved away from the Pro-Ject boxes because I fell backwards into an amazing deal on a Black Ice Audio F360. I got such a great deal on my Black Ice stereo preamp that I had to have one of their phono preamps, too.

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  4 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      I have the Fusion F22 in for review right now. That should be next weekend's video. Thx.

    • @dizzle1119
      @dizzle1119 4 วันที่ผ่านมา

      @@OldGuyHifi Will definitely be giving that vid a watch when you post it.
      I'm currently into my big system with towers on 500 watts rms per side and a pair of 16" sealed subs, but I can't see that being an interest forever simply because of how physically big it all is. It literally NEEDS it's own room dedicated solely to the stereo's performance.
      At some point I'll probably be more interested in a Black Ice F22 and a pair of Fortes, or something similar, in the living room with the tv.

  • @randomsuper
    @randomsuper 4 วันที่ผ่านมา

    topping e50 vs fiio k11 r2r?

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  4 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      They are targeted at two different market segments. Sonically, I would go K11 all day. Thx for watching.

  • @wa2368
    @wa2368 2 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Are you Guttenberg's smarter cousin? lol

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  2 วันที่ผ่านมา

      I am not sure how to respond. Steve is one of the OG TH-camrs. I am hardly in that category. Thx.

  • @stimpy1226
    @stimpy1226 3 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    As a pure two channel stereo enthusiast, I’m starting to lose my taste for this channel because I have no need for desktop and street walking audio. When you get back to real audio equipment I’ll start watching it again. I think you do a great job but not what I’m looking for anymore

    • @OldGuyHifi
      @OldGuyHifi  3 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

      Seriously? This was all two channel stuff, just on a desktop. You do you what you want to.

    • @AI_177
      @AI_177 3 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      @@stimpy1226 other people may have an interest in desktop and it is REAL audio. The world ain't always about you. I don't care much for headphones and portables so I don't listen But maybe others do.