Updated Stereo System Again

So the stereo has been updated some since my last update in 2017. The Cambridge Audio Azur 840C got repaired and I decided to sell it while it was working and the Wadia 170i and iPod Classic, which was having some technical issues, left to make way for streaming. So here's what we've got now:

Reference 3A MM de Capo-i speakers 

Granite Audio Aspen 800 power amplifier 

Benchmark DAC3 HGC

Funk Firm Little Super Deck turntable

Hana SL Moving Coil Cartridge 

Vacuum Tube Audio PH-16 phono preamplifier 

Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport 

Bluesound Node streamer

Qobuz streaming service

SVS SB-12 NSD subwoofer 

So the Audiolab CD Transport (no DAC) replaced the CD function of the Cambridge CD player, the Benchmark DAC3 HGC replaced the DAC from the Cambridge and also the Anthem preamp. The Bluesound Node is a streamer/DAC but I am taking the digital out of the Bluesound and letting the Benchmark DAC do the D to A conversion. The Hana cartridge replaced the Denon 103R but of course the Denon is still around and may return sometime. I hired an electrician to run an ethernet cable from my router to the Bluesound node to avoid the issues of using wifi for streaming high resolution audio.

The Benchmark DAC/preamp is renowned to have very low distortion numbers, and the DAC sounds great, and maybe better than Cambridge did. I must admit that I sometimes miss the Anthem Pre2L preamp with it's lovely tube sound, but I still get that with vinyl through the VTA phono preamp.

Streaming has been an interesting experience. Getting a chance to hear new releases without purchasing them is very nice. There is of course a ton of music available, but certainly not everything.  Artists that recorded for several different labels may not have their entire catalog on Qobuz. And various artists recordings (tribute records, sets of music from a certain era) are rare, since those songs/artists were only licensed for that particular release before streaming started, and usually the artists were under contract to a variety of labels. But often there are user-generated playlists that can serve a similar function. You can certainly get lost in the available material. And sometimes a record you like will disappear from the steaming service altogether. Kind of like when a friend borrowed your LP and never gave it back. I feel so modern.