audioengr
Responses from audioengr
| Best Server - Mac Mini or Laptop Or ? Chuck - this mini:http://eshop.macsales.com/Descriptions/specs/Framework.cfm?page=macminilate09.htmlWith Snow Leopard on it.CDC2 - sound differences are: 2011 sounds a bit flat, uninteresting, not vivid, without weight. A bit threadbare. Also 2011... | |
| audiophilleo 2 Independent Off-Ramp 5/Audiophilleo 2 shootout:http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/steve-nugent-offramp-4-turboclocks-8058/The only converter that it has not been in a shootout with is the Diverter HR.Steve N.Empiric... | |
| Lossless Files Vs CD's Depends entirely on your playback chain. If you have a low-jitter source and a highly resolving system avoiding an active preamp (very important), you will not only get better playback from CD rips than with a CD transport, you will find that FLAC... | |
| Best Server - Mac Mini or Laptop Or ? Next thing to do is ditch the MP3's and play AIFF files on the Mac. Rip CD's using XLD (freeware).Steve N.Empirical Audio | |
| Best Server - Mac Mini or Laptop Or ? I have tried both PC's and 2009, 2011 Mac Minis, including Mach2Music. By far the best playback I have found is using my 2009 Mac Mini using the USB port next to the center one. A major difference in these computers is the USB port electronics IME... | |
| Help Me select Mini This SSD:http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/internal_storage/SSD/Mercury_Electra_3G_Solid_StateI like the 120GB. You can install it yourself in 30 minutes.I dont like the sound of PM myself, in fact most versions of Amarra dont ring my bells. I use a ... | |
| Help Me select Mini Keep the 09 Mini. It will sound better than new Minis with USB converters and DACs. Just put a SSD in it from Other World Computing. Maybe replace the AC adapter with a Paul Hynes supply. Use the USB port next to the middle one.Steve N.Empirical A... | |
| Source vs. DAC vs. Preamp Importance? The source is just as important as the speakers, but it will be ruined with most active preamps. I would recommend a transformer passive linestage, like the Music First.The source, whether it is a CD transport or a computer must have low jitter in... | |
| Bricasti M1 - where is the music It just needs a low-jitter source and it will sound good, as most DACs will. See the Stereophile review:http://www.stereophile.com/content/bricasti-design-m1-da-converter-specificationsThe digital source master clock is actually more important tha... | |
| where next to go? "Steve, I thought DAC's suppose to clean out jitter or re-clocks them?"This is only a relatively recent development. In the past, most DACs did no reclocking whatsoever. Like Edorr said, only a handful try to do this right now. Most use asynchrono... | |
| Recommended USB- SPDIF converter for Metrum Octave "I don't know, Steve, is it the same one that costs $1300 stock, and $2500 with a power supply? Have John and and Steven bought the units or are they extended reviewer loans?"JA has an extended reviewer loan of OR4. It replaced his reference. Stev... | |
| Recommended USB- SPDIF converter for Metrum Octave What converter does John Atkinson of Stereophile and Steven Stone of TAS use to review DACs with? | |
| where next to go? David - the most important thing in ANY digital audio system is the master clock(s), whether it is Squeezebox, CD transport or USB interface, even more important than the DAC design. If you are ever to eliminate this grainy, raspy sound, you will ... | |
| DAC = thin sound Jast - you can fix this by adding a good USB converter and drive S/PDIF with a good 1.5m cable to the DAC.Steve N.Empirical Audio | |
| DAC = thin sound ALAC is compressed, but lossless. It still impacts sound quality when using USB or S/PDIF from a Mac. AIFF is better, but also not without fault. I wish Apple would fix this. Only .wav is unscathed by the software.Steve N.Empirical Audio |