no worries... apprecitate it.

Oh WOW, what a weekend...

Met up with some of my college frat buddies at my friends kids party, hadn't seen them in while..

Then we went to Knotts Berry Farm and rode rollercoasters all day on Sunday with the kids...

how was everyone elses weekend?

Good morning Steve:D
Sounds like a great time with the kids!
It was raining here all day Sat.:(

Nice!:rock:

Not much new here. Craving some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Will ask Ma to bring some at the end of the month.

:rotfl: that reminds me of the movie 50 Firsts Dates with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.

The Most Ridiculous Power Cord
 

Here's the power cord that I bought to replace the one that I never got for my receiver, it's so overkill and luckily doesn't affect the sound in any way. Next to it is the factory cord for my sub which is very similar to the factory Anthem cord. I feel like such a knob using this cord on my receiver, at least it wasn't expensive.:loser:

Do you think they could put more shielding on this thing or make it more fat.

It's supposed to be a 9AWG cord and yes it has a ton of shielding, one good thing is that it's surprisingly flexible for how thick it is.

Good morning Steve:D
Hope you're heading into a great weekend!

fell asleep again last night.... work is too hard, LOL

I don't think that the thicker the cord the better the sound should be, I think its the better the transfer should be, right? Who knows, there is so much debate over cables.

I bought a 24 awg HDMI cable, and it was so unflexible and a POS, that I am back to using the 30 awg one that I had before. I do have to say, it seemed that the PQ did improve a little, but I kept having picture dropouts. and it all started when I added that HDMI cable. Took it out, put the other one back in, and no dropouts.... :shrug2:

Thanks Bill,

I hope you have a great weekend also.

Some people claim they sound better, they all pretty much sound the same to me. I bought a pair of S2's this afternoon, should have them next week.

WHAAAATT.

From the dealer you were telling me about, or are they used?

I bought them new, the dealer I was telling you about wouldn't warranty the blown driver that I have in my ADP. The tweeter and mid are in the same enclosure so if one's bad then both have to be replaced, that was going to be $600. The side deal I had going was supposed to be off the books. I tried another dealer and they told me they would warranty the blown driver if I bought the S2's from them. They also had the best price yet, $2950 after tax. The expenses out of pocket were roughly the same and I need to develop a relationship with a new dealer anyway as it looks like the last store in the chain is going under. I also had some reservations if the salesman ordered the S2's and the store closed before they arrived then I would never get them and it would be a pain to get my money back. The instability of the business scared me away, the end costs were only $250 more anyway.

that sounds like it was the way to go. Its good to develop a new relationship. and that you get the surround repaired without to much added costs. Sucks that the other dealer is closing, I was hoping that more dealers would find themselves doing better now, but I guess somethings still aren't getting better quick enough.

Congrats tho man, that is awesome. So about a week to get the speakers in stock then? thats not too bad.

They place orders on Fridays and get them in mid week is what they told me. I was told today at my old store that the bankruptcy lawyers could be in the store any day. Once that happens if you have anything on order it's gone, you don't get the product or your money back. I wasn't cool with that and decided it wasn't worth the risk to save a small amount of money. I'm excited to have matching fronts again as you can tell the difference in the series of speakers right away. I'll grab some S1's for heights if I can find a deal that's just to good to pass up but I'm not in a hurry. I'd like to just enjoy and get used to what I have now, although it seems like I've said that before.

well mid-week is not too bad. Thats not to long of a wait.

Yeah, I would not let my money get lost like that with the lawyers...

I have been trying to settle in with my system, but it just doesn't seem to let me. I have been so busy, and then we have so much other stuff going on lately. I have only watched Inception last Saturday, I want to get into some other movies or listen to some music, but I just haven't been home much, and when I have been, Ive been falling asleep so early.

I want to try and watch something tonight. Im not sure what to watch, but looking forward to something. Id like to play some music too. What do you think I should watch?

Any of the Bourne movies have good soundtracks, The Mummy and Knowing are also solid soundtracks. I haven't really been using mine much lately either but that's because mixing and matching three different series of Paradigms just isn't doing it for me. The good thing for you is now you own it and it's not going anywhere, so you've got time. Things are going to change again once you get the center channel as well, I think that's when you'll really notice everything coming together. How was Inception with the Integra?

I have to say that with the Integra, the movie was more gripping. If you read the review of the MRX700 HTM did, and they talk about the Avalanche scene, and how you hear the snow rising and falling and the air being rushed at you.... that is what I noticed there also with the Integra. There was greater weight to the soundtrack. The way that multi eq has adjusted my subwoofer, made the cafe explosions more life like and tighter sounding. The tone of voices is slightly warmer also, and less sibilance during dialog passages. Overall there is more of the sound in the room it seems, so perhaps a little better SPL overall, even tho they are measured out with audyssey, it seems the volume of the room is more filled.

I am really happy with the way that the receiver is working with the Dyns, I would love to have the center channel, and cannot wait for it to happen.

I think I may watch a Bourne movie.. or start the trilogy tonight and then work my way thru it over the weekend.

Have a great Friday Steve:D

thanks bill and I hope you do as well.

Hope you got in some BDs this weekend. And with some Mexican food and beer too.:rock:

hahaha,.... thanks travis... but no. More like BBQ'd hotdogs and my daughters 4th birthday party.

how are things going with the new arrival? very good its seems in the picture.

Good evening Steve, i hope you are well. :)

It seem like I will enjoy this week on vacation, I needed it, Was crazy week last week. Taking my spring break. :D

I will try to audition some gear this week.

What, vacation again? I thought you just had a week off like last month...... how much vacation do you get?

what gear are you going to try to audition?

My week was really crazy also. Even my wife was stressed out by how stressed out I was. I have some follow up to do with what I had going on last week. But that is all good things, lots of good things happening at work right now.

So Friday my new speaker wire showed up. I did buy some Blue Jeans cables. So I went from 16 gauge to 12 gauge, I have to say there are some minor subtle changes, but nothing night and day....

I had to weeks off last month because of OT, This vacation now is actually a real vacation.

I work regular hours last week plus 4 nights in a row at time and half.

so what do you think you are going to audition???

so brought up to the wife that I want to get a dedicated CD player after I get the Center Channel. She didn't object, but wasn't exactly thrilled either I would say.

Here is what I think I am gonna aim for
http://www.spearitsound.com/nad/C545BEE.asp (refurb unit)


and if I cannot get that one, then Ill shoot for this
http://www.amazon.com/Marantz-CD5004.../dp/B003R7KMTW

That picture is one of the few times she has been asleep. Rough night again last night.

Hope the B-Day BBQ was fun. We have to have a 1 month party in Taiwan. Invite family and relatives to a dinner. It will cost a bit but most should bring a red envelope, with ca$h inside, so should cover it.

Great choices! On my short list was a NAD 515, Cambridge Audio Azur 350 and the Marantz CD5003, got the Marantz for around $225, last one in store, new model was on its way. Didn't see much, any difference in newer model. Very happy with the price, and extremely happy with the quality.

don't worry, they start to sleep better as they get older. that is nice they bring you money to pay for the 1 month birthday party...

yeah, the party was fun, mostly family, but some of my wifes "moms group" friends where there also. I had a long day there, I had to get to the park to save a spot at 7 am, then it was put all the stuff up for the party, make the kids party packs gift bags, then BBQ, had the baby fall asleep on me, cut the cake and serve it, sit with my daughter and open the gifts... Somehow, I got all the tough duties, and the wife got to mingle with all the adults. OH well.. I kept me busy. But Yeah, I had a good time there.

apparently, according to the Stereophile review of the CD5004, it has an upgraded Cirrus Logic SACD quality DAC, and some of the circuitry is changed so that its more on par with what you see in the Masters Series, that adds to some slightly better low level dynamics.

The NAD 545 is at the top of my list tho. It just looks and sounds like the best thing I could find in my price range.

however, I need to get the Center Channel first, then I will work on the cd player and that will round out my gear. Im gonna try to use my laptop as a music server and then play the audio thru my Integra off of the laptop.

Interesting, I will go look at that review. When I got my CD5003, there weren't any, or many, reviews yet for CD5004. All I had was spec sheet to go by. Still very happy with the 03, interested to hear the 04, but I probably never will.

Refresh my memory, which center are you looking at?

The Excite X22, its what matches the X16s. The CD5004 was in the latest magazine, so it may not be online yet.

Naim Nait XS, the Focus for sure regardless of the model but would like to try the 110 or the 140.

Reaudition the Naim 5i and the Prima Luna Prologue 1. The Project Debut III on Naim gear and I'll try to bring my speakers and see what comes out of there.

I will try some Gemme Audio for fun.

The DAC works well with my HK, seriously very musical, don't need a dedicated cd player and since I have the DAC I may rip my CD. I don't even use my HK DVD48 for DVD, it is strickly for music. At the price I paid this thing it's a steal. Clapton Unplugged is WOW :jawdrop: Love the DAC Spaker cables upgrade. I read you have upgraded yours, allow them more time for break in.

that sounds like a plan. I would love to hear some of those pieces myself. When are you doing this? thats great you like the DAC that much, rhett and I were talkin today about hwat to do after the center channel, Im thinking a dedicated CDP, but he was saying to perhaps get the DAC and then either connect via usb, if my laptop will output audio via usb, we'll see, not sure what will be the way that I go.

why is the focus on your list of auditions?

i just want to compare with Model One, I hear good things about it and I love auditioning :D

I only heard the X32 from Dyna so i really want to experience that for myself, Who knows in 5 years if I have money :p

Sounds like your excited about auditioning some new gear Olivier, your going to have a pretty sweet setup for music. I bought the last piece of my current upgrade today, I got offered an amazing price on a new set of S1 v3's to use for either surround backs or heights. My upgrade budget is tapped at the moment so another sub is going to have to wait.

I hear you. I was just curious as to your desire. I love to audition also, so I know what you mean.

Hey, you may want to upgrade to the Model one or Focus 140s even sooner.... you never know, perhaps the dealer will let you trade in what you have and upgrade to the others later.