@
recluse
That's one thing I haven't tried yet is using the balanced outputs. Will need to get another balanced cable though first. I only have one pair and it's being used between preamp and power amp.
I do have an old pair of Straight Wire Maestros but I will need to do a repair on one.
Maybe I'll just buy another pair. |
I may fiddle with it for a while longer. I appreciate the advice given but one thing I’m NOT going to do is put more money into the RME ie. Power supply, better cables, etc.
I’m currently using a SUPRA TRICO-RCA 1 digital cable. I’ve tried a Bluejeans cable and a Pangea.
Maybe not the best but I honestly couldn’t really tell a difference between them. |
One other note on the sound that I'm experiencing. I noticed the center images especially seem small when compared to my analog rig.
I played Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick (Steve Wilson remix) on vinyl and I streamed the digital version on Tidal.
The beginning acoustic part was like listening to a life size Ian Anderson (vinyl) to an Ian Anderson midget (digital).
I know apple to oranges comparison but I thought it would be closer. |
@douglas_schroeder
It's funny that I never had a problem with my analog rig. Whether I changed a cartridge, phono stage or turntable. Yes, I have used a cartridge that wasn't a very good match with my tonearm or phono stage but it was still engaging. I wonder if I should maybe try an r2r dac. A friend of mine has a PBN dac. The power supply is massive, rack sized. It was over $5000 and that was used from Audio Station in Bartlesville, OK. They deal in a lot PBN equipment mostly used. I think he sent it in to get a usb input installed. It didn't originally have one. And I think it's 24/96 max. He bought it only about 4 months ago.
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I was just using the sd sharp and switched to sharp. I haven't really intensely listened using that filter setting yet. I'll give it some serious listening time tomorrow. I did turn off the eq just in case. |
Thanks adg101. I got a little confused and thought you were referring to the ADI-2 power cord. I did upgrade the pc on the Bluesound. I am currently using an AudioQuest NRG-Y.
I would have to have a pretty long length on that Cat 8 cable. My router is in another room. I'd probably need at least 30 ft.
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I'm using the hardwired Ethernet connection on the Node.
Cat 5 though.
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@douglas_schroeder
"
Generally, if I have to work that hard to make a component sound wonderful, then you probably won't adore the sound long term."
I see what you're getting at. If I have to put that much work and money into an already fine piece of equipment to get it to sound good in my system I may as well put that money into something I will be happy with long term. And I can add very good cabling, power supply, etc. later on to 'tweak' something I already like in my system to a possibly better sound.
I'll think I will play with the ADI for a while longer, double check my settings until I'm sure it works or doesn't work for me. Maybe even put the Peachtree back in and compare it to that again. I may even just use the Bluesound with it's onboard dac as well. Just for the heck of it.
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@ paulcreed
I haven’t tried the NOS filter yet. I’ll give that some listening time today. I listened a good while yesterday using the Sharp filter.
And yes I leave it powered on 24/7. |
Yesterday I hooked up my old Peachtree DaciTx using a fiber optic cable from the Bluenode.
I also kept the RME connected to the Bluenode with Coax.
This was the best and easiest way for me to do some comparisons without having to disconnect anything. I just have to switch inputs on my remote while music is playing on the node.
Yes, I know, fiber optic to digital coax. Apples to Oranges?
What I'll do sometime today is reverse these connections putting the fiber optic cable to the RME and the coax to the Peachtree so that both dac's get equal time with each different input cable.
After listening at least a few hours yesterday switching back and fourth between the two the difference was practically negligible. I actually felt that I was leaning towards the sound of the Peachtree. Yes, different dac chip (Sabre).
It appeared that the center image was slightly bigger and more fleshed out. More like there was a real person singing as opposed to an image of one. I'm not saying that's how good my system or this dac is, it's just an exaggerated way to describe what I'm hearing. The whole soundstage sounds a little bigger as well or it appears to. The Rme sounded to my ears more digital and Peachtree more analog. And again, that description is just the best way I have to describe the differences I've noted so far. I do not mean to imply that the Peachtree sounds like good analog.
Before I do that cable swap I will listen again with the ADI's filter set to NOS to see if can hear a slight difference. My understanding is that these filter have minimal effect on the sound. So far, going from sd sharp to sharp was just that.
One last thing, the output rca cables from each unit are dh labs silver sonic BL-1's. So those are the same. |
@paulcreed
I went into the RME to change the filter to NOS to give it a try. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to listen to it today though. I was in the settings and had the EQ off. Bass and treble at 0. I could have something else not set right. I may have to just reset the unit and just change the filter setting to NOS.
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@ romanesq
I’ll have to give that a try as well although I have no plans to use it in my system that way as I need more inputs than the RME allows.
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I listened yesterday after changing the filter from Sharp to NOS.
It was so close between the RME and Peachtree I couldn't really discern a difference between the two. The RME did sound better to me using the NOS filter than Sharp though.
I'm going to use the balanced outputs of the RME directly to the amp today.
Double checked the settings to make sure everything is set where it should be.
I'm getting a little better and familiar with navigating the display screen.
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@ audiosaurusrex
I haven't given up on the RME yet. There's been lots of good advice given here by some good posters.
Tomorrow I'll try the balanced outputs directly to my power amp.
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@oddiofyl
Interesting thought on the gain setting. I’m pretty sure it is set to auto and the display is currently showing +1 dB. I will double check of course.
Will that change depending on the volume?
When using the DAC, I set my preamp volume to 25 and use the RME’s volume control from there.
My preamp has a dual gain feature that you can change the gain from 18db to 12db if desired. I usually use it 18db but it's easy to change with the remote. |
I'm not sure I understand the Auto Ref function vs. using the manual setting.
How do I identify if my preamp is overloading? |
@ romanesq
My unit uses the AKM chip and I'm not using the USB input as of present. Will the firmware update affect my unit the way I'm presently using it? |
Paul Creed,
I have the Rme input going into the Preamp using rca's. I don't have a an extra pair of balanced cables so I have to wait to try the balanced outputs of the rme when a get dome cables.
I mentioned that my preamp has two gain settings 18db and 12db. I'm using the 12db setting and keep the volume on the pre set at 25. Then I use the rme's volume function on the rme and rarely get up to or past 0.0.
I don't know if that is ideal but I like using rme's volume control.
I'm currently using the NOS filter and no EQ ... yet. |
