[Ciggavelli]

Whatever you do, get the new stuff before you sell the Wa33 and compare directly.

Audio-memory is horrible and you'll always wonder wether you "upgraded" or not if you lose access to the Wa33 first

Yeah, that's a very good idea. Since I'll be dropping big bucks on a new setup, hopefully a dealer will give me a home demo first. I'll drop a deposit if needed

 

[number1sixerfan]

So, I'm having a summit-fi existential crisis

I'm considering getting rid of everything and starting over from scratch. The problem is I love my WA33 EE JPS so much. I dunno, maybe I'll keep it. I just have the itch to try something new. New sober life, new summit-fi setup. I'll think it over for a few days. I mean my setup right now is near the very top of summit-fi. Could other things be better? That is the question. I could just sell everything and buy an HE-1, but I like my TCs too much. I think once I get my CFA3 fixed, I'll get a very nice 300b Caberet preamp to start, buy some really good tubes and see what that sounds like. The Primavera is on the top of my buy list. Vinh is sending me a special amp Dana at Danacables made. Let's see how that sounds. I also may go high end solid state for my next amp. Tubes are cool, but they are also annoying.

I like the CFA3, when it's not broken. I have been curious about trying a better preamp than my WA33 or old 300B 3ES. It could be a temporary solution while I try and figure out what to do next. My modded mDAVE can go. There are better dacs out there I'm sure. I always wanted to go DCS Rossini, but a few people I respect have tried it and don't like it as much as the mDAVE and they didn't even have a modded one.

I'd probably start by exploring DACs. The Dave is great, but there is better out there for sure. There doesn't really get much better than the amp you have, just different flavors really. Outside of that, for your preferences, the Aperio may be worth going out of your way to demo.

 

[DJJEZ]

So, I'm having a summit-fi existential crisis

I'm considering getting rid of everything and starting over from scratch. The problem is I love my WA33 EE JPS so much. I dunno, maybe I'll keep it. I just have the itch to try something new. New sober life, new summit-fi setup. I'll think it over for a few days. I mean my setup right now is near the very top of summit-fi. Could other things be better? That is the question. I could just sell everything and buy an HE-1, but I like my TCs too much. I think once I get my CFA3 fixed, I'll get a very nice 300b Caberet preamp to start, buy some really good tubes and see what that sounds like. The Primavera is on the top of my buy list. Vinh is sending me a special amp Dana at Danacables made. Let's see how that sounds. I also may go high end solid state for my next amp. Tubes are cool, but they are also annoying.

I like the CFA3, when it's not broken. I have been curious about trying a better preamp than my WA33 or old 300B 3ES. It could be a temporary solution while I try and figure out what to do next. My modded mDAVE can go. There are better dacs out there I'm sure. I always wanted to go DCS Rossini, but a few people I respect have tried it and don't like it as much as the mDAVE and they didn't even have a modded one.

Forget dcs, overpriced and not that great

 

[number1sixerfan]

Forget dcs, overpriced and not that great

I thought their* products were good, but certainly overpriced. For sure.

 

[chesebert]

I thought they're products were good, but certainly overpriced. For sure.

For around $80k, they should be better than "good" or even "great" - they should be mind blowing good. But they are not that.

 

[number1sixerfan]

For around $80k, they should be better than "good" or even "great" - they should be mind blowing good. But they are not that.

Fair and agree there.

 

[normie610]

So, I'm having a summit-fi existential crisis

I'm considering getting rid of everything and starting over from scratch. The problem is I love my WA33 EE JPS so much. I dunno, maybe I'll keep it. I just have the itch to try something new. New sober life, new summit-fi setup. I'll think it over for a few days. I mean my setup right now is near the very top of summit-fi. Could other things be better? That is the question. I could just sell everything and buy an HE-1, but I like my TCs too much. I think once I get my CFA3 fixed, I'll get a very nice 300b Caberet preamp to start, buy some really good tubes and see what that sounds like. The Primavera is on the top of my buy list. Vinh is sending me a special amp Dana at Danacables made. Let's see how that sounds. I also may go high end solid state for my next amp. Tubes are cool, but they are also annoying.

I like the CFA3, when it's not broken. I have been curious about trying a better preamp than my WA33 or old 300B 3ES. It could be a temporary solution while I try and figure out what to do next. My modded mDAVE can go. There are better dacs out there I'm sure. I always wanted to go DCS Rossini, but a few people I respect have tried it and don't like it as much as the mDAVE and they didn't even have a modded one.

The new DAC and source experimentation will be interesting. Plenty of summit-fi choices out there: MPD-8 & MPT-8 combo, Nagra Tube DAC w/ classic PSU, Lampi Horizon, MSB Select II + Digital Director, Audio Phonique DAC DHT, Audio Note DAC 5 Signature, etc. For the source perhaps you can try Taiko Extreme. Plus you can explore grounding systems such as Shunyata Altaira (with separate digital and analog grounding) and Shunyata Everest 8000 power conditioner.

I don’t know what could be more summit-fi in the headphone world though more money spent doesn’t necessarily mean “better” sounding system

 

[Roasty]

on the last 2 days of having the msb select dac before returning it to its owner, I really felt sad knowing it'd go. but was glad I got to experience it in my own setup.

such a flowing, natural, effortless sounding component with bass that extends so low and also so impactful. it's sublime with the AIC-10 and Abyss TC, and for almost all the music I listened to over those few days, I had absolutely zero things I would want to change about it.

If u guys have the chance, please demo it! I liked it a fair bit more than the DCS Vivaldi Apex. the DCS was just ok to me.. I agree with the above; for the asking price I was expecting perfection, but somehow that didn't happen. nothing jumped out, nothing really notable, just.. ok.

I know I'd never be able to justify paying for the msb select, but it's nice to know what's out there. I went to buy a few lottery tickets after returning the msb dac, just in case lady luck comes calling.

on the dac front, am considering Lampi Atlantic TRP3 or Totaldac Triunity but those will be blind buys and I am hesitating so much.

 

[Whazzzup]

Msb premier versus mpd 8 , the contest at used car price point.

 

[Audio Addict]

So, I'm having a summit-fi existential crisis

I'm considering getting rid of everything and starting over from scratch. The problem is I love my WA33 EE JPS so much. I dunno, maybe I'll keep it. I just have the itch to try something new. New sober life, new summit-fi setup. I'll think it over for a few days. I mean my setup right now is near the very top of summit-fi. Could other things be better? That is the question. I could just sell everything and buy an HE-1, but I like my TCs too much. I think once I get my CFA3 fixed, I'll get a very nice 300b Caberet preamp to start, buy some really good tubes and see what that sounds like. The Primavera is on the top of my buy list. Vinh is sending me a special amp Dana at Danacables made. Let's see how that sounds. I also may go high end solid state for my next amp. Tubes are cool, but they are also annoying.

I like the CFA3, when it's not broken. I have been curious about trying a better preamp than my WA33 or old 300B 3ES. It could be a temporary solution while I try and figure out what to do next. My modded mDAVE can go. There are better dacs out there I'm sure. I always wanted to go DCS Rossini, but a few people I respect have tried it and don't like it as much as the mDAVE and they didn't even have a modded one.

Something to consider is the new B-21 Raider coming out this summer from Ray Samuels Audio. I would suggest giving Ray a call if you are interested. It is a dual amp design for electrostatic and other headphones. The focus of the the design was to bring out the best of the Stax SR-X9000 and the Abyss 1266.

 

[chesebert]

Something to consider is the new B-21 Raider coming out this summer from Ray Samuels Audio. I would suggest giving Ray a call if you are interested. It is a dual amp design for electrostatic and other headphones. The focus of the the design was to bring out the best of the Stax SR-X9000 and the Abyss 1266.

No RSA please. Let the brand die a dignified death - well it wasn't so dignified after Darkstar

 

[Ciggavelli]

I think I'm gonna sell my ZMF cans (Caldera and AC). I just don't listen to them that much. They are good headphones, but the Sus and TC are better, so in the limited time I have had to listen recently, I just grab the Sus or TC, so there are no concessions.

I've been listening to my SR1b through the VM-1a all morning. The SR1b really is a good pair of headphones. I can't wait for my Imannis to arrive. It might make the SR1b obsolete. We'll have to see...

I patched up the relationship with the girl. It's still a little fractured, but it's much better now. I finished the detox, and I'm feeling good! My girlfriend thinks I listen to too much negative music I guess she's right, that's like 80% of my music listening I'll just have to play her my indie rock stuff in the car and not rap. And definitely not the Swans....hahaha

 

[Hiker816]

My girlfriend thinks I listen to too much negative music

Just throwing this out there: instrumental metal with no vocals can still sound pretty aggressive but without sounding as negative to the uninitiated.

 

[number1sixerfan]

I think I'm gonna sell my ZMF cans (Caldera and AC). I just don't listen to them that much. They are good headphones, but the Sus and TC are better, so in the limited time I have had to listen recently, I just grab the Sus or TC, so there are no concessions.

I've been listening to my SR1b through the VM-1a all morning. The SR1b really is a good pair of headphones. I can't wait for my Imannis to arrive. It might make the SR1b obsolete. We'll have to see...

I patched up the relationship with the girl. It's still a little fractured, but it's much better now. I finished the detox, and I'm feeling good! My girlfriend thinks I listen to too much negative music I guess she's right, that's like 80% of my music listening I'll just have to play her my indie rock stuff in the car and not rap. And definitely not the Swans....hahaha

I'm trying to hang on to my CA-1a and SR-1a, but I'm starting to get worried that I won't be able to sell them by the time the Immanis arrives and I'm not sure it's worth keeping just for comparison. I heard what I heard with the Immanis lol, vv good. I was also really surprised by the VM-1a in comparison to the Felix Envy (and I think I would've been surprised against any of my amps as well), everything people have been saying about it seems accurate.

And I didnt want to jinx it before, but I was pretty sure you'd recover on the head-fi girlfriend chronicles front lol. The key here, you just have to learn from the previous mistakes and adjust lol, GL!

 

[paradoxper]

No RSA please. Let the brand die a dignified death - well it wasn't so dignified after Darkstar

Ha. The poor souls that get sucked into RSA. Sigh.