Thanks HDM,
Yeah... the RCAs kind of worry me. They're like rotten teeth with loose roots. They dont really touch but I think in time, over frequent plugging and unpluggin, they just may contact each other... and this isnt good. The mounting of the RCAs is somewhat hidden from view, even with the casing opened. All I could see are 2 tiny tabs that stick out from a plastic part screwed to the rear panel. And the connections to the PCB makes it look difficult to adjust, if that's at all possible.
Hm, this is tough decision. On one hand, pretty neutral although aged. On the other hand, questionable remaining life and potential problems errupting in the future. If I was in the US, I could probably throw out the deal... but here in Malaysia, the worst piece of equipment... even the most basic Denon and Rotel aged 15 years still hold high praise and owners are still asking for a big price. With 10/15 years passed, it's quite a scary thing to do... and my wife is already showing signs of disagreement... she's already asked numerous times... "are you going to get that thing?" and I said... "erm.... not too sure.... see how it goes..." and here I am, consulting all of you gurus. :)
I suppose the next best thing to do would be to visit the mall which has the USD420 preamp waiting there and go for a listenning session. One thing I feel uncomfy about that is the difference in setup. Their player could be better and power amp and speakers could be Macintosh and Bang&Olufsen. How can I complain? *sigh* Anyway, whatever it is, hopefully, I could make the most out of my visit.
Yeah... the RCAs kind of worry me. They're like rotten teeth with loose roots. They dont really touch but I think in time, over frequent plugging and unpluggin, they just may contact each other... and this isnt good. The mounting of the RCAs is somewhat hidden from view, even with the casing opened. All I could see are 2 tiny tabs that stick out from a plastic part screwed to the rear panel. And the connections to the PCB makes it look difficult to adjust, if that's at all possible.
Hm, this is tough decision. On one hand, pretty neutral although aged. On the other hand, questionable remaining life and potential problems errupting in the future. If I was in the US, I could probably throw out the deal... but here in Malaysia, the worst piece of equipment... even the most basic Denon and Rotel aged 15 years still hold high praise and owners are still asking for a big price. With 10/15 years passed, it's quite a scary thing to do... and my wife is already showing signs of disagreement... she's already asked numerous times... "are you going to get that thing?" and I said... "erm.... not too sure.... see how it goes..." and here I am, consulting all of you gurus. :)
I suppose the next best thing to do would be to visit the mall which has the USD420 preamp waiting there and go for a listenning session. One thing I feel uncomfy about that is the difference in setup. Their player could be better and power amp and speakers could be Macintosh and Bang&Olufsen. How can I complain? *sigh* Anyway, whatever it is, hopefully, I could make the most out of my visit.