Computer Audio Asylum

Posted by bzurcher on January 20, 2005 at 20:00:32

In Reply to: Anyone have personal experience with Empirical Audio's modifications to M-Audio Transit? posted by Saad on January 2, 2005 at 14:36:35:

Yes I have the Empirical Audio Freeway. I have been waiting for the unit to "break in" to post my impressions as I have only 30 hours of use so far. However, my initial impressions are very favorable. I'm using a dedicated custom music computer- EAC-Flac-Foobar- Empirical audio USB Freeway- Modwright level I Perpetual Tech P1A/P3A - FT audio passive pre-Yamamoto 45 amp- Cain and Cain Single Horns.

Clearly this system is far superior to my old CD transport(Modwright Sony 333 ES SACD).After experiencing computer playback I doubt I will ever use a CD transport again. In fact I sold my CDP today. I can't really tell you how the Freeway compares to other options as I have very little experience. The concept of the USB Freeway just made sense to me in terms of using USB to output the digital signal therfore removing the signal from the electronically noisy computer environment. I have compared the S/PDIF output from my motherboards soundcard to the USB Freeway and the Freeway is clearly better the better option. However,I understand the digital output from motherboards is often of poor quality so perhaps this isn't a very fair comparison.

I did have the good fortune to be able to demo the outstanding VRS Audio system as the source in my stereo. As you may know the VRS uses a Lynx sound card for its DAC. I belive the Lynx sells for about $700. I haven't performed an A-B-A comparison between the VRS and my computer system but I belive the Freeway /Perpetual Tech combo is very close to the VRS. Hopefully I will be able to compare my system side by side to the VRS in the future. Since for now I'm just depending on my imperfect sound memory.

I hope this is of some help to you.

• Freeway and VRS - Jon L 23:52:38 01/20/05 (4)
  In Reply to: Re: Anyone have personal experience with Empirical Audio's modifications to M-Audio Transit? posted by bzurcher on January 2, 2005 at 20:00:32:

  Hmm. I have a Freeway also, and I have heard it driving Empirical's Turbomod Perpetual P3 DAC.

  Which VRS did you demo? (Platinum, Gold, etc) and are you running the Foobar via ASIO using 24/96 upsampling?
  
  

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  • Re: Freeway and VRS - bzurcher@comcast.net 10:03:55 01/21/05 (1)
    In Reply to: Freeway and VRS posted by Jon L on January 2, 2005 at 23:52:38:

    The VRS Audio system I have heard is an early model. It was made before VRS had the 3 options. I believe it is very similiar to the current Revelation Gold.

    I'm running Foobar with ASIO output and 16bit fixed output. I use the Perpetual Tech P1A to interpolate and upsample to 24/96. I tried using Foobar to do the upsampling but it seemed to me that the P1A does a little better job. It just sounds smoother to me using the P1A to upsample.

    I'm on the short list to demo the Empirical Turbo Mod P3A. What did you think of the unit? I have read that most people who have the Turbo mod P3A find they dont need/want their P1A's any more for upsampling or jitter correction. Any thoughts?
    
    

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    • Re: Freeway and VRS - Jon L 13:37:13 01/21/05 (0)
      In Reply to: Re: Freeway and VRS posted by bzurcher@comcast.net on January 21, 2005 at 10:03:55:

      Steve's P3A is a fine unit. It's quite an achievement, really, coming from the rather old, stock P3A. Very finely graded resolution, better detail, refinement, and SLAM. Only roadblock is the price, but you know how that goes..

      Haven't A-B'd P1A vs. Foobar upsampling into Turbomod P3A, but since I find ASIO resampling to be plenty smooth (internally to PCI, though), I suspect you won't need the P1A. You'll find out, I suppose.
      
      

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  • Re: Freeway and VRS - Dan W 09:55:30 01/21/05 (1)
    In Reply to: Freeway and VRS posted by Jon L on January 2, 2005 at 23:52:38:

    Great post and thanks for sharing. You have a very nice system, particularly with the SET amps paired to Caine and Caine speakers. Excellent combo in my opinion for SET based system.

    I have heard an early version of the VRS system - not sure what version, etc. - but it was in my own system and I was IMPRESSED. It provided an extremely musical and 'live' presentation.

    I am personally trying to decide however, if this is the best approach or if it makes more sense to get the digital signal out of the noisy environment of the PC prior to D/A conversion, etc. In this regard, I am inclined to prefer the use of a computer-based music server as just that, a server, with digital data being output to a good D/A device.

    Steve's work is interesting and USB seems to be a very viable means of data transmission. I would welcome others' experience with this form of digital 'link', vs. SP/DIF from soundcard, etc. The real issue here is clocking and jitter of course.

    Thanks for sharing your experiences.

    Dan W.
    
    

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    • Re: Freeway and VRS - Dawnrazor 09:10:41 01/26/05 (0)
      In Reply to: Re: Freeway and VRS posted by Dan W on January 21, 2005 at 09:55:30:

      Personally, I don't buy the harsh environment idea.

      Sure it is dreadful for audio in theory, but some sound card manufactures are good at working in this environment.

      How could you be impressed if the environment really affected the signal?? Obviously the VRS system is able to handle this "harsh environment" quite well....
      
      

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