Here is my humble stereo, and I thank you.

[ManuMaker]

It’s a pair of Lintos 85s, 2.5mm Norstone cables, a Topping D50 III with some EQ settings I created using REW, WBC XLR cables running to a passive Nobsound attenuator, and from there to a 150W Buckeye NCX252MP. I also installed plenty of acoustic panels and carpeting; I’m very grateful to the forum for all the help—it really feels like my grounding force these days. Cheers—let me know if anything can be improved!

 

[kemmler3D]

let me know if anything can be improved!

No obvious problems that I see, if you're happy then I say sit back and enjoy the music!

 

[wadude]

Nice minimalist 2.0 system. Life is good!

 

[Redacted]

I like K.I.S.S. !

Cheaper or non-branded cabling would work fine if you were really minimalist!

I assume the music is either local to the PC (or you use the PC to access online music), and you use a free media player (in exclusive mode). Free is a good price.

I also think the Platinum LPs on the wall look well-past their sell-by date (like vinyl ones are!) - a needle will never stay in the groove on a spinny-box with those

 

[ManuMaker]

more pictures

 

[wadude]

Redacted is correct about the cables, but you have to wonder who, even here (maybe especially here) on ASR, hasn’t overpaid or at least over thought cables?

 

[Redacted]

Redacted is correct about the cables, but you have to wonder who, even here (maybe especially here) on ASR, hasn’t overpaid or at least over thought cables?

Not me. I am ASR's Mr. Cheopo....
But there is a lower limit where you invite problems. I won't go there and will pay more.

Today, I renewed my fully comp car insurance. That's another £98 that I won't see again

 

[ManuMaker]

Cheers. Honestly, I always aimed for the right choice regarding cables, prioritizing durability above all; I took my time with it, and whenever a family member or friend traveled to the US, I’d have them pick some up for me—in the end, they cost the same as generic ones back in Argentina. Just to share: I moved on from a NAD 325BEE (which I loved) because I could get a good price for it, and I spent some time using an Aiyima A20—guided by Amir’s review—to run the D50 III via balanced connections. Then the problems started... first, the issue with the subwoofer output's HPF, and then the huge difficulty I had EQing the sub, even with REW. When the Buckeye amp arrived, I first listened to songs I know by heart, and—wow—what a difference those 150 watts made. The bass when "So What?" kicks in... it was the first time I’d heard it sound so full and punchy; I’m thrilled. I mean, even though the Aiyima measured better on paper and according to Cloud (I later realized the NAD has a circuit that acts as a sort of reserve for peaks), I didn't feel like it was an upgrade. Cheers, everyone.

 

[wadude]

Moving from 40 watts per channel to 150 was a big change for me as well. Buckeye’s NC252MP is a quality build.

 

[DVinylfan]

Great that you're happy with your system! But why the Nobsound passive attenuator?

 

[ManuMaker]

Hi there. I’m no expert, but my understanding is that to get the best sound quality out of the D50 III when using its digital volume control, you should set it to 0 dB. With the Aiyima A20, I used to run it between -15 and -10 dB (sometimes reaching -5 dB for certain albums), whereas with the Buckeye, I had to lower the level even further. I realize the difference might be inaudible, but it still bothered me, so I looked for a sort of preamplifier. Since this one is passive—and Amir had reviewed and recommended a similar product from Nobsound—it seemed like a practical, affordable solution. Now, the D50 III functions solely as a DAC.