2. pc-audio
  3. 1375540142

Computer audio, I am not convinced yet ......

I am extremely interested in using the computer (Mac or PC) as a source for a digital playback. It seems to be the right direction for modern digital playback, a good alternative to the age old CDP, has endless potential and most convenient. So, I got an EMM DAC2 (retail $10000) with USB input and connected it to an Windows laptop via USB. My preamp, amp, speakers and cables are also of very good quality. Played some track on my system from the PC (used Audacity software, a very good and high quality software for sound processing). In 2 minutes I had to turn it off. It is just mediocre sound compared to playing the same track through a $1000 CDP(Sony SCD XA5400ES). It is almost like listening to an internet-radio through my PC speakers. I was wondering what happened to my first rate sound system ? Later I replaced the Windows PC with a Linux based MacMini, hoping that I will get the result I wanted. But it did not improve much. I did not like the outcome. My listening experience with the computer set up was 4 minutes(2 with PC and 2 with Mac) total. Since then I have gone back to using the same old CDP. I think I blame on the USB interface for this failure. The USB interface has not come up to the state of the art of a modern CD player. I did not try other interfaces purposely. No High-Res, only 16bit/44.1 audio files. I dont listen to SACD. Fire Wire to USB, USB to SPDI/F, Fire wire to HDMI, Firewire to SPDI/F, and almost an infinite combinations of patch up ideas are out there. But I dont like a patch up solution nor do I like to compromise the sound in favor of convenience.

I have heard many audiophile friends changed to computer based playback system many years ago for good and they are happy too. But I am not convinced yet. I am eagerly waiting for computer audio to catch up. I am sure it is in the making but it still has to go quiet a long distance.

Your thoughts are most welcome.
topmostaudio

Showing 4 responses by spectron

spectron
130 posts
 
There is common misperception that if a DAC has jitter rejection circuitry and stand-alone clocks then its immune from the imperfections of the incoming digital signal. Its not correct, the principle “garbage in – garbage out” is applied to this situation equally well (or equally bad),

Regular computer parts create a soup of electro-magnetic and radio frequency interference. They contain a plethora of clocks and other ultra sensitive components that must operate in that soup. This environment, along with the quality stability and level of noise of the underlying power source, impacts the accuracy of each of those components. Audio playback happens via “real-time” communication between the server and the DAC. Unlike the data operations we use our computers for every day (downloading files, saving document and editing photos) audio playback has no error-correction built into the protocol. Consequently, most of the noise and all jitter created by the regular computer is passed along to your DAC where it may or may not be slightly attenuated by DAC circuitry.

Carefully select your music server (there are many choices today) and you will be surpised how mmuch better sound is when its played as a digital file from the quality server (file is copied or ripped from CD) as compared to exactly the same CD played using optical CD Transports.

Until you HEAR it - all words are useless, IMO

Don cc55: I bet you never ever ever ever ever compared dsd files played from quality music server versus the same music played from SACD read by optical SACD Transport.

For illustration purposes I have APL HiFi NWO-MasterJ - one of the best CD/SACD Player&DAC in the world (at least extremely expensive) and I demoe it to a number of my friends and visitors and enjoy the moment then their jaw meets the floor..:--)

All The Best In Your Search!

Simon Thacher
Musica Pristina
spectron
130 posts
 
Topmostaudio: I believe your comparison between regular computer and music server (where you should not be able to run your 3D graphics) is correct.

" It [music server] will be an alternate transport which happen to use some processor and useless outside audio application"

Here I am not sure I unerstand it. Most even household electronics carry some processor so by itself its presence means nothing to me. "Useless" outside audio applications??? ...Depend what they are and how well they do their assigned job.

Audioeng: Indeed, most DAC manufacturers add cost effective USB interfaces which are not always the best! Stand-alone USB inteface make sense for me ONLY if it outputs I2S (not SPDIF !!!) but even fewer I2S inputs vast majority of DAC's have.

I would add only that very high quality stand-alone interface cost a lot. It could be much cheaper if USB output from a music server will be well designed and well executed, if music server designer would asume that USB DAC input is mediocre and do THE RIGHT JOB on the side of music servers. Not super easy but...possible

Of course, not all music servers and not all stand-alone USB interfaces are made equal...this why we do have EARS
;--)
Simon
spectron
130 posts
 
Topmostaudio: Inteface Converter, by itself is not revolutionary step. There ara companies which produce them for years under different names e.g. PS Audio, Linn etc and their sound quality vary.

Today, IMO, is much cheaper to produce very high quality music servers utilizing such brilliant processors as Intel "Haswell" i7 where I can sacrifice, say 1% of its power on useless activity and use 99% on music (depending, of course, how well I deal with operating system, high freq grounding noise etc etc).

If I would design similar quality "Inteface Convertot" from the scratch then to get "there" - it will cost you money which, TODAY, you will never pay. This reality forces us, in Musica Pristina, to excell (as best as we can) in music servers where we can match our technology e.g. PSU and off-the-shelf processors like Intel "Haswell"

The maojor question, I, as the end-user in search of turntable or "Interface Converter" or tube preamp ask myself - how it sounds? The particular design philosophy is much less of my concern.

Audioeng: the same answer is to you. if DAC is "garbage" (and if it has poor clocks then it is GARBAGE without going any father, don;t care about it magic tube output stage or whatever) then no music server, USB Interface etc will help it.
spectron
130 posts
 
Doggiehowser: To my regeret I did not auditioned EMM Labs DAC2. However, knowing reputatio of the designer you probably cannot go wrong with this choice

Audioeng: Lets not play with words, please. Typical average DAC has PPL i.e. as the rule, it has clock(s).

For music lovers who own DAC with SPDIF inputs only - your and very, very few others USB inteface plays enormously imprtant role - allowing these audiophile to continue to use their DAC and, as you said, frequently improve sound quality over "raw" SPDIF directly from the server. Your device is great, particualrly with its dedicated PSU
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