Dec 17 Podcast #1030: Audiophile Two Channel System
On today’s show we take a look at two budget smart thermostats and discuss whether Matter will be the glue that ties your entire house together. Finally we listen to music on an almost $25,000 two channel system. We also read your emails and go through the week’s news.
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Today's Show:
News:
- Hisense debuts its first 8K Roku TV, the 75-inch U800GR
- Amazon Fire TV gets Smart Home Dashboard and other new features
- TCL temporarily pulls Google TV sets from sale over performance issues
- Report: Smart home consumer market growth continues
Other:
Amazon Smart Thermostat vs. Wyze Thermostat: Which budget model is best?
The Amazon Smart Thermostat and the Wyze Thermostat are the two most affordable connected thermostats I've tested. Both models can be controlled with an app or voice commands and both cost less than 100 bucks. So, which one is the best for you? We've got a side-by-side comparison below so you can see their main differences and determine which budget-friendly smart thermostat to choose. Full article here…
Matter Could Bring Universal Casting That Actually Works
The new smart home standard Matter is making a lot of grand promises, chief among them are fixing the interoperability mess the smart home is currently in and making Apple, Samsung, Google, and Amazon talk to each other. Big jobs. But it’s also tackling one of the other pain points in the connected home: TV control. Full article here…
Audiophile Two Channel System
Components:
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PrimaLuna EVO400 - $5000
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Furman Power Conditioner HT 20A - $1500
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Rega P5 Turntable - $2000
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Manley Chinook Phono Amp - $2900
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Schiit Audio YGGDRASIL DAC - $2200
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AURALIC ARIES G1 - $2800
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Bowers and Wilkins 702S2 - $5000
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REL S/510 10” Subwoofer - $2500
Total Cost - $23,900
Reader Comments (3)
Hi guys, once again a great show. Early in the show you were talking about tube amp emulation and whether it was possible, and I can tell you that it definitely can be done.
Guitar players in past decades would almost always pick a tube based guitar amp over a solid state amp, because no company could produce a solid state amp that sounded like a tube amplifier.
In recent years, that has all changed with what are called modeling amplifiers. They are solid state amps that have DSP circuits that mimic the sound of tube amplifiers. Since old guitar tube amplifiers often sound different from each other, these modeling amps sometimes have a dozen different models, or tube amp sounds that they can mimic.
Digital modeling amplifiers are now so good that most gigging guitarists have at least one modeling amp that they take on tour with them.
I know I would like both . Initially I thought I preferred the digital but then realised that a notable difference I was hearing was volume. Which skewed things. In the end I just enjoyed both for what they were and as best as I could tell through the recording mic was that they both sounded nice! Can't wait to get to some audio shows this coming year. Thanks to the both of you for the demonstration.
Just a few points. Looking at his system, the speakers are spaced pretty far apart which will give you a big sound stage but trades off for a more diffuse center image. Also having his equipment stand in between his speakers , is not ideal. The use of a sub in a two channel system is a bit different than in a home theater setting. The sub in two channel system should not stand out allow the music to go deeper with less strain. Flor me when i listen to a system, i like to hear how clearly i can hear each instrument and can i follow what each instrument is doing on its own.. I also value how dynamic a system is, ie how fast the transience are. In certain recording, the attack of the guitar or drums can cause your heart to skip a beat.. Alast, not all people appreciate or care about the different aspects of music production. It like showing off your brand new 85 inch oled tv to a person who is happy with his 48 inch lcd that he bough 10 years ago.. He will probably say nice picture but would not care much about the increase resolution ,dynamic contrast and increase color gamut of the new set.