[
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2007, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]
|
Home
/ FAQ
/ News Classifieds / Events |
Audio Asylum Thread Printer |
Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
79.73.117.174
In Reply to: RE: What PC audio set up can outperform High end Emmlabs, DCS system? posted by pcfan on August 03, 2007 at 04:21:04
None, I spent 3 yrs developing computer audio and comparing with dCS system. PC audio does not match a well set up transport system. Doesn't matter what they claim, and I am technical with instruments.
In your experience, you may have not gotten the exceptional results that many of us have with computer audio. I dont read that you tried MP, Empirical Audio gear, Wavelength gear, Benchmark DAC-1 USB, or Bel Canto DAC-3.
I get a lot of high-end DAC's in for modding, including Dodson 218 and Bremen #1 as well as CEC, Vecteur and ML #37 transports, so I know what they all sound like, before and after modding. I have also had extensive listening sessions with Reimyo, EMM labs and other $15+ DAC's that I have not modded.
A lot of my customers have sold the above DAC's and Transports and others on Audiogon when they get my computer audio solutions and DAC's in their systems.
My experience and my customers experience with computer audio is much broader than yours. Many of my customers have tried the UD-10, the Transit, the Edirol converters, different PCI cards, the M-Audio Audiophile USB, the Squeezebox, the Sonos and the Olive before they finally came to me.
The point is, you can try a lot of stuff out there that does not sound very good and is tricky to get working and conclude that computer audio is inferior to CD player/transport, or you can try one of the above, who I consider the current sound-quality leaders in this industry.
Steve N.
I don't see that I need to try yours, or another others by way of the usb interface that half works, especially when you make them.
Some of your recommendations for PC setup are not in agreement with what I have found. I don't use some of the US equipment you mention simply because of the outrageous mark ups in Europe and the ridiculous delivery charges. Many of the transformers used for 60 Hz equipment also buzz like hell in 50Hz land.
It is interesting that the greatest proponents of usb audio are those who make them, and a handful of their followers.
I do not object to those in praise of usb audio. Only those who object or try to diminish what I have found, or my views.
Fmak
It is clear that you (like I) have tried many different ways to get the very best sound out of the current music formats. I have also gone down the path of getting a purpose built computer (fanless case , a Zalman tnn 500af) using a Lynx card(Lynxtwo C) which I had slaved to my EMMLABS Dac6e signature version. This did not quite match up to the Emmlab transport Dac combo for CD playback. I then tried the empirical turbo offramp 2 as the interface between my computer and the Dac6e. I am using the SRC upsampler which converts the 16/44.1 to 24/96. With this combination I am currently getting superior 16/44.1 playback from my PC cw the EMM transport/Dac6e combo. Sacd playback however is clearly superior to the sound of 16/44.1.
I live in Australia where our electrical specs are similar to those in Europe.
I hope this helps
Exactly: I have come to the conclusion that src is inferior to good upsampling boxes
Fmak
I have tried playback with and without the SRC and prefer the SRC to be active. As you may know, the EMMLabs Dac6e further upsamples this 24/96 signal to 2Fs. So maybe the benefits are not limited to boxes.
From my perspective, CD playback is now hard drive based. It is only when I have a well remastered Sacd that I want to hear that I switch on my EMMLabs CDSD signature edition player. I am going to try recording my sacd's in 24/96 to hear how close I can get to that magical sacd sound .
Fred,
Look no offense but I don't think this is a credible statement because you have never really got PC audio to work.
You built 3 pc's and complained that none of them even worked. The EMU0404 USB is simple and yet you are pulling your hair out. The lynx card problems listed below and others.
I can point to probably 20 threads on three forums that you have never really got any of this to work.
I think you want this too work but I don't really think you have ever really experienced this type of system really excell as some of the others have.
Thanks, ready for a proding...
Gordon
J. Gordon Rankin
Fmak,Please share with us what speakers and amps you are using in your reference system.
Thank you
Sonus Faber, Accuphase A50 and others, separate digital and analog regenerators, Placette Attenuator, Big Ben, UA2192 Class A capacitorless dac, dCS972/954, upsampling to 2 or 4 fs, Lynx AES16 card in system powered by regulated 12V linear supply to PC, RME968 sound card. Large (30m2) listening area. All units in true balanced mode. All cables carefully chosen and digital transmission waveforms monitored. Kimber, i2Digital etc etc. All music uncompressed and carefully ripped
No colouration from non oversampling, transformer coupling, or valves. Yes, I can find euphonic sound by using these. No, I choose to use low distortion components which produces sound as good as vinyl in depth, breadth, height but no noise. Yes I have vinyl too.
No usb audio components due to their problems with hirez and drivers in main system. Yes these things can sound nice but does not come up to grade.
What USB converters/DAC's have you tried?
What networked converters have you tried?
No networked dacs such as transporter; not interested in flooding the place with RF. I maintain as much silence as possible (RF and mains) when I listen and so I switch off modems and computers etc. Don't want twisted pair trailing the place unless I can build in.
usb, you know my requirement for hirez. Tried various including the emu I am playing with. One of the problems with computers is that there is always some acoustic noise and vibration and much RF (I can detect this with instrument).
The Sonos uses wired Ethernet for the first zone player - no RF. The computer with the music on it can be anywhere on the same LAN. Try out the demo at sonos.com
Very impressive.
You should probably try a firewire solution with a break out box then.
You'd be able to multiplex in hi-rez (not that you want to).
Looks impressive Fred.
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2007, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]