Amphenol glass toslinks - First impressions

Hi Mattzack2,

Did you find Valab well matches with teac VRDS10 ?
Did you notice any jitter problems ?
Thanks

vichai

I am hearing so much with this combination. I just installed a Virtual Dynamics Master digital cable between those components and I am hearing so much more than I have ever before, even with the Amphenol glass.

I am learning that it is more than just 1's and 0's entering the DAC. Even though I don't exactly understand how or why the sound is different, I am pretty sure that jitter has to be the root cause of the difference.

Kijanki came to my home and explained slew rise times to me. I am a ex-digital technician and I had always worked primarily with clocked circuits. The signal from my Teac to the Valab coming through either glass or copper is asynchronous. If I understand correctly, the rise time on the toslink is pretty slow. Also any jitter in the Teac can bleed out on the rising edge of the low to high transition and enough noise on that part of the signal could possible be enough to trigger a false "1".

Any further comments on my description is very welcome... I think I am beginning to understand this a little bit better.

Mattzack2
Do you think Audio alchemy DTI will help in reduce Jitter in your set up ? I have heard that it can even make the connection worse. Have you ever tried ?

I just purchased TEAC VRDS10 to be used as transport for Valab. What is the best coonection you recommend ?
thanks
Vichai

I prefer the coax with a good cable. I am using a Virtual Dynamics Master digital cable and it give the most musical sound.

The Virtual Dynamics seems to bring out some of the background instruments into their own space a lot more than the optical glass does. And not only does the does bring it out more, it also makes that instrument livelier and very easy for me to shift my focus to in order to enjoy that musician's emotion or personality.

I am not familiar with the Audio Alchemy device, but I can tell you that if it truly eliminates or reduces jitter, it will help. I am just learning about jitter, but it you direct your jitter reduction at the source, it will reduce the amount of jitter being amplified.

I also have a Mac Mini with a RSA Poiema USB cable that I run into the Valab. I just received it the other day, so I will be comparing that to the other inputs to see where the differences lie.

What type of amp are you using? I am using tubes. I would be interested in hearing how you are enjoying your Teac with your Valab.

I know nothing about Jitter, It sounds too technical for me.
However, I found one article in Stereophile " A transport of delight:CD transport jitter", published in 1993. You can find in the website. It compared a few Transports with various results.

I am using tubes as well, ASL Hurricane Poweramp, Hovland pre. Nordost SPM ICs between DAC and Pre, and Zen Silver Ref between Pre and Power, and Nordost Tyr apeaker cable.

For Digical coax cable, I purchased Korea made Audioplus from the dealer who sold me Valab. It costs $80. It claims to be popular and Hiend cable in Korea. This is my first digital cable. So I have nothing to compare.

The overall sound of VRDS10 + Valab is warm, sweet, liquid, tends to be a bit creamy at midrange. Good bass. I also have Rega Saturn CDP which sounds leaner, more dynamic. I wonder whether the VRDS10 and Valab combo may work better with solidstate amp. However, I will need more time to let Valib burnt in.

I can notice the sonic different right away when compare between VRDS10 and Rega as transport, again as transport, Rega sounds thiner, flat, less musical bloom when compared with VRDS10. Again need more time to the switching gears and experiment to confirm the results.

Valab may require a good transport matching, but it does not mean an expensive one. I guess.

By the way, 80% of my listening was femal vocal.