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Help with fatiguing sound in my PC system

I replaced my Halo Pre and Denon changer with a PS Audio DL III. I run lossless music into it from iTunes on a PC (Windows 7 64bit, core i7, 16MB RAM), I use a Pangea USB cable into a MF V-link, then go into the DAC with a Wireworld ultraviolet coax. The increased detail, clarity, resolution and extension are remarkable, but so is the amount of listening fatigue. The highs are too much, but the music sounds muffled if I add the pre-amp back. My system is profiled in the link below. I have some ideas, let the voting begin:
1 - buy an offramp or a pacecar (can't afford it!)
2 - use better USB/coax/interconnects/speaker cable
3 - apply acoustic treatments to the room
4 - use a software player (Jplay) that sits on top of iTunes
5 - buy speakers with different tweeters (Quad 22L2/Focal 826v, this is happening, but not any time soon)
6 - get a better amp (McCormack/Odyssey, distant future)
7 - tweak Windows 7/iTunes settings (WASAPI exclusive mode?!?)
8 - adjust speaker position/toe in (already did this and it helped a little)
I am thinking about trying #3/#7 next. Ideas? Thnx in advance.
realremo

Showing 3 responses by timrhu

timrhu
2,779 posts
 
I use a Mac Mini for my computer audio so not sure how well this applies. I am however, using the PS Audio DLIII which I don't find fatiguing in my setup. Not going to offer advice but will tell you what I did to get sound that rivals my cdp.
First off I rip files to AIFF using XLD for bit perfect copies. I tried Apple lossless as well as AIFF with itunes with error correction but none of these were quite good enough. When I used my pc I ripped AIFF with EAC (exact audio copy) to get bit perfect rips. It takes a bit longer to rip but it's worth it IMO.
Next, I decided on the optical out after comparing it to the USB. I don't believe USB is ready if you want the best sound. Even with the optical out I wasn't satisfied until I inserted a Monarchy Audio DIP and then fed the PS Audio via the coax input. I may remove the DIP and compare now that I have everything else sorted out.
That's where I'm at. Perfect rips, no USB out and the DIP. I feel no need to change anything at this point. The only problem for me is 90% of my files were ripped before I started using XLD. My task is to get another external hard drive and rerip everything with XLD. Hope this helps a little.
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
You're referencing speakers with metallic tweeters, a solid state DAC that is known to be bright (similiar to the Benchmark DAC1), and you're driving your amp directly with one of those types of DACs?
Mb9061

Really? I don't find the PS Audio dac bright sounding at all and have never heard it described that way. In fact all the accounts I have read are opposite. Have you any experience with the DLIII?
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
Although I have read reviews of the DLIII, I can't recall any mentioning the USB input. My listening experiments revealed much better results with either the coax or toslink input vs the USB. Can't say it was fatiguing as I didn't listen long for fatigue to set in. Now that I have it all sorted out, I like the dac very much.
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