I tend to use the HEOS app for Tidal but streaming services arent my primary source at home. I use it to find new music and when out of the house primarily. I also have and use Bubble for various endpoints (mostly non-HEOS). For playing back network files (not streaming services) I prefer a touchscreen laptop loaded with JRiver as my “remote control”, far more options than any mobile app.

The HEOS app is ugly and a bit clunky but has great Tidal feature integration IMO. You can also mix sources into one queue which can be handy for comparisons. I don’t believe FLAC above Redbook quality is available via 3rd Pary API… yet.

Kilpsch uses in room efficiency instead of anechoic sensitivity like the majority of the industry. This makes their numbers bigger as it assumes a certain level of reflective gain. Just take 6db off most of their specs and you will get close to their anechoic sensitivity. It is a real number, just not one others use so its highly misleading when comparison shopping.

His company bought the company that created and launched TIDAL… he had nothing to do with it’s creation.

Any spouse that will tolerate Wilsons in the house is a keeper. I don’t mind the looks but every other audiophile friend I have says they are the ugliest high end speaker line in existence. Nice job on the second hand search, used is the key to high end gear IMO.

Unless I have to buy more than one component at a time to “make it work” I prefer to change one thing at a time. The first iteration was a power amp, 2 speakers and a TV with variable analog outputs used as a “preamp”. The current form is the one in my flair.

I still have that amp and those speakers, they ended up as part of a HT system. Whenever I replace a piece of gear the prior model gets “kicked down” to another system. Feels lile two upgrades for the price of one.

That would apply to headphone sensitivity. OP twice mentions microphone sensitivity which is typically expressed in dbV. A -113dbV rated mic would produce 113db less than reference, often 1V. If another analog mic is rated -103dbV sensitivity it would produce more voltage (be louder) than the one OP is looking at.

As someone who has been into SACDs since launch I can’t say it’s a good fit for everyone but I continue to add to my library. The good thing is that Analogue Productions and MFSL put out some quality remasters on Hybrid SACD, also Sony/Universal out of Japan & Hong Kong, as well as several Classical & Jazz labels.

The bad is decoding the SACD layer requires using the analog outputs of an SACD compatible player, one of the Sony/Reavon/Magnetar UHD players over HDMI, an I2S SACD transport & compatible DAC, or finding a used unit that has one or more of the aforementioned connectivity options. Ripping an SACD isn’t straightforward, new titles are $25-$50, and limited releases often skyrocket in price secondhand.

If you can put up with the hurdles and aren’t looking for modern pop artists on DSD/SACD, then there could be some motivation to get into SACD.

A little over 200 of my own SACD rips, a handful of DSD downloads. Most of it Classic Rock/Pop & Jazz, a little over 10% classical albums.

I used a Media PC/Laptop wired to my system via USB for many years. I switched to a central “server” for my files and various DLNA/uPnP capable endpoints a few years back. The flexibility and convenience are the benefits IMO. I can pull up any of those devices on my phone, tablet or touchscreen laptop and play from various streaming services and/or my own library over the network. I can play the same track in all systems, different tracks in different systems, and mix sources in the same play queue.

If you can swing the cost the trade up would get my vote as well. It also buys you another round of 20 year warranty for the set.