Audio Hardware Deals: Speakers, Headphones, Turntables, Etc.

Not sure if it sacrilege to mention video in the audio deals thread but I just grabbed this tv for a great price from Amazon - I've been in the market for a bit and the reviews on it are pretty great.


Limited-time deal: Sony A80J 55 Inch TV: BRAVIA XR OLED 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV with Dolby Vision HDR and Alexa Compatibility XR55A80J- 2021 Model https://a.co/d/cqzAkB5
I have an A80J! It’s great.
 
Dali Opticon 1 bookshelf speakers on sale for $499 at Upscale Audio
 
Apparently Magnolia Home Theater is finally being folded into Best Buy, so people have said that there are some pretty steep discounts on open box deals in stores that have Magnolia Home Theater setups. Might be worth checking out if anybody is looking for some new gear. Some of them have some surprising gear like McIntosh.
 
Not sure if this is the right thread or not, but ...

I stumbled onto an original pressing of Albert King's "Born Under A Bad Sign" at my local Goodwill. Only problem is there's a pretty significant lip warp that gets the tonearm jumping on the first track of both sides. Then things settle in nicely. I've made some DIY attempts to flatten it out with no luck.

So, anyone have any recs for getting this vinyl to flatten out?
 
Not sure if this is the right thread or not, but ...

I stumbled onto an original pressing of Albert King's "Born Under A Bad Sign" at my local Goodwill. Only problem is there's a pretty significant lip warp that gets the tonearm jumping on the first track of both sides. Then things settle in nicely. I've made some DIY attempts to flatten it out with no luck.

So, anyone have any recs for getting this vinyl to flatten out?
check out the vinyl flat thread! someone there will probably help ya flatten it.
 
Not sure if this is the right thread or not, but ...

I stumbled onto an original pressing of Albert King's "Born Under A Bad Sign" at my local Goodwill. Only problem is there's a pretty significant lip warp that gets the tonearm jumping on the first track of both sides. Then things settle in nicely. I've made some DIY attempts to flatten it out with no luck.

So, anyone have any recs for getting this vinyl to flatten out?

 
Alright y’all, I need to upgrade my preamp. Currently have the Schiit Mani, but do not like its high noise floor. What would y’all recommend under $500? I am leaning towards a Darlington Labs MM-6 with a mono switch, but am severely tempted by the MP-7. Any suggestions?
 
Alright y’all, I need to upgrade my preamp. Currently have the Schiit Mani, but do not like its high noise floor. What would y’all recommend under $500? I am leaning towards a Darlington Labs MM-6 with a mono switch, but am severely tempted by the MP-7. Any suggestions?
You can’t go wrong with Darlington Labs. Also keep in mind the new Mani is far superior to the original.
 
You can’t go wrong with Darlington Labs. Also keep in mind the new Mani is far superior to the original.
I think, based on a review I found online, the Mani 2 exhibits higher noise floor in the right channel, albeit extremely small. However, that is the problem I am having on my Mani 1. When turned up, I can hear more “hiss” in the right channel compared to the left.
 
I think, based on a review I found online, the Mani 2 exhibits higher noise floor in the right channel, albeit extremely small. However, that is the problem I am having on my Mani 1. When turned up, I can hear more “hiss” in the right channel compared to the left.
I really liked the MM-6. I’ve not heard the MP-7.
 
I am leaning towards a Darlington Labs MM-6 with a mono switch, but am severely tempted by the MP-7. Any suggestions?
I really liked the MM-6. I’ve not heard the MP-7.
I had them both. The MM-6 was very good. But, then I compared it to the MP-7.

I was surprised, because after listening to the same record through both, I now heard harshness in the MM-6 which I hadn't heard before, particularly at higher volumes during louder rock music. The MP-7 also had tighter bass, that seemed more in control.

And I think Keith has made improvements to the MP-7 since then.
 
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We got a pair of Totem Hawk floor speakers on Saturday. So far they sound great, although I don’t have a high-power amp to feed them how they like. Want to compare to my JBLs. Any thoughts on how to make these shine? I read a solid state amp works better than tubes and they are thirsty. 3AD0BF78-F125-4AB3-958B-3D2EFD4962F3.jpeg24D01811-AC6C-4D60-A41A-DEFA6A4E9870.jpeg
 
We got a pair of Totem Hawk floor speakers on Saturday. So far they sound great, although I don’t have a high-power amp to feed them how they like. Want to compare to my JBLs. Any thoughts on how to make these shine? I read a solid state amp works better than tubes and they are thirsty. View attachment 150502View attachment 150504
I had a pair of those babies for quite a few years before I replaced them with my Harbeths. I always really liked them and mostly ran a vintage Kenwood KA-9100, which is rated at 90 watts per channel. I know I read a lot about how they require some juice, and I'm sure that's true. But just how much/from what unit probably isn't easy to pinpoint.

I watched and read a lot (anything I could find) of reviews about these speakers, and through all of that I realized that the first video review I'd watched had covered it all pretty well. Here's a link to that review (he's got the same color/wood tone of the ones I own):



Enjoy your speakers!! They have a beautiful tone.
 
I had a pair of those babies for quite a few years before I replaced them with my Harbeths. I always really liked them and mostly ran a vintage Kenwood KA-9100, which is rated at 90 watts per channel. I know I read a lot about how they require some juice, and I'm sure that's true. But just how much/from what unit probably isn't easy to pinpoint.

I watched and read a lot (anything I could find) of reviews about these speakers, and through all of that I realized that the first video review I'd watched had covered it all pretty well. Here's a link to that review (he's got the same color/wood tone of the ones I own):



Enjoy your speakers!! They have a beautiful tone.

Thanks for all of that.

Would a stronger amp be advised for these? Say, 100 WPC? I am reading that they're much better with more juice... but are they harmed by running too WEAK of an amp?
 
Thoughts on this?


There's one nearby for about 50 bucks with a remote.
 
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