The Sonicweld Diverter HR is fantastic and has - as one reviewer put it - more of everything than anything else. It is quite revealing of USB cables = I tried 3 and each readily, distinctly different. But even with these differences, the overall increase in realism/ low noise floor/clarity/dynamics/emotional involvement just blew me away. I found 2 well regarded soundcards and a popular USB/SPDIF converter to have their plus sides but the Diverter is every penny better. I have no regrets whatsoever.
Sonicweld Diverter HR, etc...
At present, I'm running a Locus Design Cynosure USB cable into a modified (by Parts Connexion) Benchmark DAC 1. The signal goes through Kimber Select 1036 to active Mackie monitors, and I'm pretty pleased with the sound.
I'm considering a Sonicweld Diverter HR, which then of course means buying a S/PDIF cable, and it would have to be one reasonably commensurate with the quality of the Cynosure, and then maybe I would buy a better and more advanced DAC like the Bel Canto 3.5.
So my question is, what kind of improvement should I expect from the Diverter and associated cables and a new DAC? I'd be in for SEVERAL thousand more dollars in that arrangement, and it would never be worth it for a 5-10% improvement in sonics. But if the upgrade were more like 30-40%, I could deal with it a little easier.
Can anyone weigh in on this conundrum?
I'm considering a Sonicweld Diverter HR, which then of course means buying a S/PDIF cable, and it would have to be one reasonably commensurate with the quality of the Cynosure, and then maybe I would buy a better and more advanced DAC like the Bel Canto 3.5.
So my question is, what kind of improvement should I expect from the Diverter and associated cables and a new DAC? I'd be in for SEVERAL thousand more dollars in that arrangement, and it would never be worth it for a 5-10% improvement in sonics. But if the upgrade were more like 30-40%, I could deal with it a little easier.
Can anyone weigh in on this conundrum?