I have reference , good power cable.
Very nice, I am making a phone call tomorrow to see if I can get the Zen stream for a home demo. Been using my Laptop for now until I can upgrade my source. I thought about a Rasberry pi, Node 2, but I just stumbled across a video where they say the Zen stream is way ahead of the Node 2, and as good as an Innous Zen mini.
I am hoping my local dealer has one in stock, he also has the power elite listed on his website.
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Indeed a cell phone works. I prefer the small remote from an unused Squeezebox Touch with the buttons programmes 1-10 against saved playlists or radio streams. It’s a lot easier than getting the phone, starting the app etc.
I found 2 Opus used but with lifetime warranty transferable. Never would’ve considered one at new price. I had a Reference power cord but didn’t think it was better than Powerline into my dac.
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Hi Stephen
I’m using an AT150 EA and onto that body I’m using my first choice stylus the VMN60SLC which is Audio Technica’s top of the line Moving Magnet which with well pressed, well mastered vinyl is excellent without being too bright it picks out every last detail but it is a little unforgiving of old, worn or badly pressed, badly mastered records which is where the much, much cheaper VMN10CB conical stylus comes in which I use to play my older Jamaican pressed Reggae of course it lacks detail but the surface noise is much, much lower.
The 150 EA a Japanese Eliptical falls somewhere between the two and so gets used hardly ever but was my go to cartridge for a couple of years and is also a very good MM. Before buying the SLC I also had the VMSH Shibata which is also excellent but after I owned it about a month an SLC came up at a very good price and I couldn’t really justify owning both so moved it on although I could have easily lived with it full time.
Thank you HH.
The Zen Stream is connected to a Denon Pma 2500NE internal DAC, and works good with this amp. Also tried with an IFi Pro iDSD.
Jean Marie Renaud Lunna small floorstanders.
Not quite “bought” yet - dealer dropped these off yesterday morning so that I could listen to them with my Atom for the week. Beautifully finished and sounding lovely already, though they will take time to run in.
By the end of the day I had packed the empty boxes and put them in the attic so I guess these will be staying.
Peter
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They look rather nice.
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Not what I bought but what I sold!
Super Lumina interconnect gone, Lavender has remained IN!
Have been testing for some time now and it’s now found its way to a new home.
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Hi Neil,
So arrived today, installed but yet to be adjusted and there’s an immediate and noticeable ’lift’ in speaker sq, less veiled, not that there was much veiled before, but noticeable nonetheless.
Adjustment should bring on further/full improvement.
Installation note - if your existing spikes place a stress relief washer between their lock nut and the speaker base, I’d reuse it for the Gaia’s as Isoacoustics do not provide one and their quite large lock nuts could easily chew into the speaker base if over tightened . I cannot foresee any impact on mechanical connectivity between the Gaia and the speaker base by doing so.
KR, J
Many thanks. Cartridges are tricky really as you can’t really buy to try. Each system is different and hard to work out the balance of revealing and then a possibility of too much surface noise . I was interested in the principle of audio Technica cartridges and exchangeable styli but at a lower level. I appreciate your reply and explanation. They do a microline for about £148. At the moment there’s an ortofon red and the obvious would be to the blue stylus… Tricky really as hard to try out and I don’t like the idea of spending the money and something sitting in a drawer.its just and audio Technica Atl5 which I like could never get rid of him on regaP3). Still I’ve just sold a big Smiths and James Brown print in a week so maybe it’s deserve a treat!
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Great. Thanks for that. Sounds worthwhile. Have you still got them standing on the marble slabs?
Yes indeed Neil, if you want to use them on carpet you can buy additional dished carpet spikes to put under them, £50 per set of 4 in the UK…… creating a kind of spike/Gaia hybrid.
As they appear to be designed to work on a hard surface, I left my slabs in situ.
KR, J
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Just picked up an IFI Zen stream and an Sbooster linear power supply for my Dac. Will hook it up on Sunday, can’t wait to ditch the Laptop. These should hold me over until I can afford an end game digital source.
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Brilliant. Thanks J. Appreciate the info… hope they continue to please!
Ooooh… ProAc Tab 10’s with a 300. That should be fun!
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Can’t wait! The Sigs are desperate for the new arrival!
G
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I haven’t buy anything used yet , but it’s a good idea if you can find some in good condition specially for a lifetime warranty. so you r are using the OPUS for your Rossini ?
Opus got a big sound improvements compare to reference for your system?
I’m using the new reference RCA , power cord, speaker cables for my system, which is mcinotsh amp, naim streamer , sonus faber speakers.
My thinking is the opposite. I don’t want a dead end upgrade wise. I like there being a next step.