audioengr
Responses from audioengr
| Vinyl to Digital: Software or USB Converter? Best quality would be achieved by using a good A/D converter, like the PSAudio or a Mytek etc.. The master clock is critically important here.Steve N.Empirical Audio | |
| Improving sound quality of streaming setup I think DSD DACs are a good development. Im not sure it is a critical element for a new DAC however. The tracks are limited and if one has to make any sonic sacrifice to get DSD, its probably not worth it.I recently heard an Off-Ramp 5 driving a W... | |
| Improving sound quality of streaming setup "Steve, you promote the use of multiple wifi transmitters in conjunction with your Synchromesh device (Apple TV, Express, Sonos, etc). Why does it matter which device is used if it is reclocked?"It doesn't matter, except for Apple WiFi, which enco... | |
| Improving sound quality of streaming setup Agear - I also made the AE sound pretty good, but there limitations of the chip being used in there, namely the PCM270X. Crummy chip. There is also the fact that Apple encodes the stream to ALAC.I have had the Zardoz from another customer here, so... | |
| LInn Genki and Sonos - Adding a DAC Jperry - Synchro-Mesh installs between the source and DAC. It is digital in and digital out. Reclocks and reduces jitter. The input and cable does not matter. the output cable should be a good one. It can be further improved by upgrading the wall-... | |
| Improving sound quality of streaming setup Mapman - I agree that SB Touch is probably the best stock network source, but it can be improved with mods, power upgrades or reclocking. I have had them here and both modded and reclocked them. I use a Sonos myself, but I also have a SB3. Both SB... | |
| LInn Genki and Sonos - Adding a DAC The Sonos is notoriously high in jitter, so adding a reclocker to this is recommended. I use a ZP-90 with Synchro-Mesh reclocker.An external DAC can have a lot of advantages because of the separate power system from the transport and more space to... | |
| Improving sound quality of streaming setup Zardoz only does what the AE does, but with a better clock. Still not god enough IMO. I used to have a product similar to Zardoz. I discontinued it.As for USB , be prepared to do some work. Upgrading the computer (DRAM and SSD), computer power sup... | |
| Improving sound quality of streaming setup With a reclocker like Synchro-Mesh, you could use a stock Sonos, squeezebox or AppleTV. The Sonos ZP-90 is very popular and fun to use. I like it better than Apple iTunes, and it does not change the stream to apple losseless first. The reclocker w... | |
| Top CD transports vs USB converter shootout Not surprising. I retired my highly modded (Superclock) years ago. It beat most transports when I used it. Now, its not even close. There are quite a few excellent USB converters out there. Many reviewers now use them for their digital reference.S... | |
| How important is the transport when using a DAC? Gumby - yes, di/dt is the change in current over time. It is the dynamics changing load and resultant current. If the load changes and the regulator cannot respond quickly enough, you get distortion, lack of focus.This is by no means microscopic. ... | |
| How important is the transport when using a DAC? Gummy - this is about di/dt. Batteries have non-zero internal impedance and even with ultracaps they cannot compete with fast low-impedance regulators. The issue is having the same impedance at all frequencies of current.I have designed and sold b... | |
| How important is the transport when using a DAC? Ed - Ive tried several linears and none of them work well for digital. Analog maybe. Even LI batteries with ultracaps in parallel are not as good.Until you have heard a good switcher/series regulator, you cant possibly understand. Believe me, the ... | |
| How important is the transport when using a DAC? Charles - there is a big difference between a switcher and a good quality switcher followed by a fast discrete linear regulator.Steve N. Empirical Audio | |
| How important is the transport when using a DAC? That's debatable. Compared to what? |