MarkS

As I said in my initial post, there are many exceptional folks here. Thanks for this answer!

I've read a bunch of stuff on Taiko's website and also the thread at WBF about XDMI and the new Taiko Olympus and Olympus IO, but I am having a really hard time understand exactly what the XDMI interface is. I think it is supposed to be a new interface (replacing USB) between a server and dac, but there is (I think) an ability to output analoge??? I don't get it?? It is a dac too now? Over my many years here, exceptional folks have kindly answered questions like this that I (a total non-tech person) have posed. I am really interested in this topic. The people at Taiko seem really smart and claim to be in touch with Lampy, MSB, dCS and others about this XDMI interface. Regards, Mark

Great and informative review, as always. I owned a paid of Dynaudio speakers many years ago and enjoyed them. I am wondering how this system compares to those from Dutch & Dutch, Kii and some others. Ultimately, I will be going in this direction (I.e., fully active with everything built in). A zillion boxes in a condo/apartment simply isn’t workable anymore.

Has anyone actually heard the new versions of Rossini and Vivaldi with the Apex ring dac?

No, I was not able to compare, so I can’t say for sure it was this amp versus the Schitt one I heard before. But this amp is really good.

I had heard these headphones once before at CanJam in NYC with a specially designed Schitt amp, and I thought they were awful. I heard them again yesterday at CanJam NYC (2 years later) with the new tube amp the company is about to release and these headphones were phenomenal!! Now I know what all the excitement was about. Vastly better than anything else I heard at CanJam yesterday. Leave the new Stax sounding threadbare and most conventional phones sounding closed in. Much more bass than I anticipated (decent but not lacking), and I am sure the dsp filters I read about here would do the trick. The nearest competition (Meze Elite with dCS Bartok and Meze Elite with a Woo amp) which each costs more and sounded great but different. A special product. I’m demoing soon.

Chord Hugo 2 + Chord 2Go with 2tb of storage has been what I’m using for travel. Works well.

Thanks so much for all of the suggestions so far. Many of these speakers are on my list to consider. I look forward to further thoughts from members here. Anyone know if Boenickie’s can be close to the wall?

I’m moving to a space that is about 20x13. I will need to set up the audio system along the long wall. Therefore, I only have 13 feet from wall to wall with seating along the opposite wall. Based on the need for this room to be multipurpose, I’d like the speakers to be as close to the back wall as possible and there necessarily will be “stuff” between the speakers (tv, audio components, etc.). In addition, room treatments such as bass traps or acoustical paneling will not be possible, but dsp is an option, and there will be drapes, rugs and other furnishings. The other components are likely to be an integrated amplifier (e.g., Virtus SAI 30 or RI 101, Gryphon Diablo, Pilium) and a dCS Rossini dac and clock. However, I’d also consider Kii or Dutch and Dutch (at considerable savings 😂) if these type systems truly can perform to a high standard. Listening preference generally is rock (Zep, Stones, Who), pop (Steely Dan), and jazz (Blakey, Coltrane, Miles). Any thoughts on speakers to consider in the above described circumstances? I’m open to suggestions as I’ve not had prior limitations on speaker placement. Thanks in advance.

I run the prior version of this integrated with Boenike w5SE’s and a Mytek Brooklyn Bridge in my office system with good results. It is definitely a solid value and drives the challenging W5SE’s well.

I bought a 3 day ticket to THE Show, and I am leaning toward attending (60-40).

I was amazed at the improvement generated by replacing my wall outlet with Furutech at a modest cost - BUT hire an electrician if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Great speaker for the $’s, but I think it needs some power no???

Very informative. I wish Roon could add all the streaming services Sonos has.

You can buy the sacd and rip it.