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In Reply to: REVIEW: Audio Note DAC 4.1 Balanced DAC Processors posted by KevinF on January 24, 2007 at 02:22:34:
Hi Kevin,
Your writing is most poetic and clear to the point that I remember your "All Audio Note" review written back in 2003 like I read it yesterday. At that time (oversampling, DVD players, DACs galore), the sound of digital was in transition with a great disparity in quality from one manufacturer to another...even the reviewers had their references skewed.I think some of the differences that you described between your two AN dacs can be traced to careful listening comparisons of hardware engineers to products that get it right or are well regarded...like the Levinson DAC.
Today, we have the new Rega players (Apollo and Saturn) which are an outgrowth of new chipsets (DVD players used as transports), engineers that listen and the China manufacturing revolution. As a point of comparison, I asked someone who owned a well reviewed/regarded CD player made in the 2003 time frame, what he thought of it compared to updated/entry level unit that found favour on Asylum (well voiced?) in its "next" generation skin: I think his comment reflects the current state of the digital playback in the industry and the general maturing of new chipsets brought about by increasing integration of functions, like redbook, in a DVD player. This I think has led to a re-implementation of certain functions that were widely shared in previous common CD chipsets(i.e. error recovery in common SPDIF decoder) with unique and possibly better implementations. Thus the improved sonics of DVD players when playing Redbook.
Out of curiosity, I'm sure you must have siblings and neighbours that respect your audio taste. What do you recommend to them or do you go laughing off hysterically in the middle of the night ?
P.S. I noticed that you do not have a video playback unit (DVD player)...get a Toshiba SD-3990 (or english equivalent) and sneak it into your AN system on your AUX in. It might surprise you. At most you be out $60...and I promised not to push that iPod on you %^Q
cheers,
PeAK
Follow Ups:
Like you, PeAK, some Internet friends thought I should not jump to conclusions. I had to overcome a lot of inertia to take the trouble and go out and buy the Toshiba. Now I am embarrassed to have done so. The AN DAC is simply in another league. No manner of tweaks can bridge the difference between the Toshiba and the cheapest of AN DACs, or players. I know.
When using AN equpment as a reference, some others have a differing sense of the differences. As always...YMMV. Thanks for adding in your opinion.
Don't feel bad, PeAK, my system is perfect for ferreting out the pretenders.
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