24bit 192khz Digital
Finally after 30 years chained to the 16bit 44khz standard we now have the possibility of music playback at 24 bit 192 khz.
This allows:
* - Much finer musical textures (banishing forever the aggressive sounds we associate with digital)
* - much greater dynamic range (typically a 24/192 file is 10x the size of 16/44 files (CD standard)
* - music playback from computer
* - potentially better playback than even the best CD transports when properly setup and configured.
* - music storage on an external hard drive (ie 1 terabyte hard disk can hold 1000 CD's of music in lossless format
* - the added convenience of purchasing music online
Our CD collections are getting old. Many are no longer available. As much as we hated, in the 80's, being dragged kicking and screaming from vinyl and tape to CD music playback, we have since acquired a whole library full of music CD's that we want to preserve. It wasn't 'perfect sound forever' as promised.
Solution: rip the whole mess to a 1 TB hard drive, bit perfect and lossless (mp3 not welcome) which can hold about 1000 cd. Easy to access, easy to backup. CD's in boxes up in the attic; WAF high.
Also we now have, 30 years later, the prospects of truly breaking through the 16 bit barrier. Every extra one bit adds about 6db of dynamic range. So 24 bits allow 144db instead of the 16 bit 96db of dynamic range. It will be a while before circuits can exploit the full potential, but it's something to reach for. Recording engineers I've spoken to have lamented how the recording engineer needs to be very conservative with one hand on the compressor because, unlike analogue, just a hair over 0db and the recording is trash. Hopefully greater headroom will allow a more leeway and we can get recording with unfettered dynamics - just like the golden age of vinyl in the late 50's and 60's.
BUT it's not just the extra dynamic range - all those extra data bits potentially mean a much finer texture to musical sounds and closer to the live analogue world than 16/44 could ever get. Glare can be gone, ear biting treble and glassy bass can return to their natural state. Some 24/192 albums i've recently purchased are 10x the file size of typical CDs.
It also fits in with the way we buy now. More online shops exist with lossless downloads where we can listen to a sample before purchasing. Catalogues are expanding at a rapid rate and some big names are jumping in.
Lastly, our CD transports are about to pack it in. The massive good ones with stable mounting are rare. What's out there isn''t that great. But, ultimately, playback from an SSD negates all the hardware issues. Jitter and power supply can be dealt with on an electrical level. Perfect bit streaming of music data done right is just a matter of proper setup of software and bypassing the operating system together with some pcs of optimized hardware to interface with our carefully assembled hifi system.
The first step is to find a link from the computer USB to our DAC.
We offer the Morello, based on the Musiland but done right (see the Musiland report card here ):
Computer USB connects to the Morello.
SPDIF out connects via 75 ohm BNC/RCA or TOSLINK to your DAC.
Then stream bit perfect music asynchronously using supplied ASIO drivers, bypassing the Windows playback system.
The Morello uses the Musiland 24bit/193khz module core functions, however extensively reworked with these enhancements to the power supply and digital signal path:
* 2 new low distortion pulse transformers fully capable of 24/192
* 75 ohm teflon cabling
* 75 ohm Canare BNC
* 75 ohm Canare RCA
* chokes and OSCON capacitors added to USB
* power supply rail circuit reconfigured: output level increased to industry standard for reliable signal lock
* signal critical capacitors changed to higher quality OSCONS
That for Level 1 in the standard Musiland case.
Level 3 adds:
* independant regulated/filtered linear power supply module - USB power is disabled
* circuit reconfigured: output level increased to industry standard for reliable signal lock and better sound
* signal critical capacitors changed to higher quality OSCONS
* Ultimate clock with 0.5ppm TCXO and low noise power supply for lowest jitter
* repackaged in our black box - Projekt chassis
read the thread here
see the product listing and prices here
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Hi,
Soomal has a review on the new driver: http://www.soomal.com/doc/10100001014.htm
Since you are in Hong Kong, perhaps you know what these terms mean in english:
I did a machine translation and I got:
"Monitor 02 US change: high-frequency have become dense supple, sound density, has improved greatly, a slight tightening of the sound field, is not obvious."
高频变得细密柔顺= high frequencies more delicate details?
声音密度=?
声场略有收紧= sound stage is tighter? meaning more focus?
Thanks.
Soomal has a review on the new driver: http://www.soomal.com/doc/10100001014.htm
Since you are in Hong Kong, perhaps you know what these terms mean in english:
I did a machine translation and I got:
"Monitor 02 US change: high-frequency have become dense supple, sound density, has improved greatly, a slight tightening of the sound field, is not obvious."
高频变得细密柔顺= high frequencies more delicate details?
声音密度=?
声场略有收紧= sound stage is tighter? meaning more focus?
Thanks.
Tubes Do Digital!
Who would've thunk it?
Today we configured a Universal Tube Stage (UTS) for placement at the SPDIF output of the Morello computer-to-DAC enabler as discussed here :24/192
All the other bits and mods were left in place and the upgraded output transformer moved after the tube output stage.
The result?
The best square wave we've ever seen from an SPDIF. Even extreme high end CD players output square waves that look like a literal train wreck. The Morello Level 3 is already way ahead on that count but adding the tube output produces an even better looking square wave AND alomost doulble the voltage.
Consider: most digital receivers were written to the AES/EBU spec of 5V but in consumer gear are required to trigger with only 500mv (or less; remember earlier we found the Musialnd to output only 250mv). We've found these devices sound better and acheive signal lock more reliably when given higher voltages to work with.
So a tube output gives a more robust and cleaner output signal from the SPDIF. Which is not surprising considering many tubes have 100-200mhz of bandwidth.
The sound: we could immediately hear more roundness, less edge, with added substance. We will do more listening comparisons and report.
Who would've thunk it?
Today we configured a Universal Tube Stage (UTS) for placement at the SPDIF output of the Morello computer-to-DAC enabler as discussed here :24/192
All the other bits and mods were left in place and the upgraded output transformer moved after the tube output stage.
The result?
The best square wave we've ever seen from an SPDIF. Even extreme high end CD players output square waves that look like a literal train wreck. The Morello Level 3 is already way ahead on that count but adding the tube output produces an even better looking square wave AND alomost doulble the voltage.
Consider: most digital receivers were written to the AES/EBU spec of 5V but in consumer gear are required to trigger with only 500mv (or less; remember earlier we found the Musialnd to output only 250mv). We've found these devices sound better and acheive signal lock more reliably when given higher voltages to work with.
So a tube output gives a more robust and cleaner output signal from the SPDIF. Which is not surprising considering many tubes have 100-200mhz of bandwidth.
The sound: we could immediately hear more roundness, less edge, with added substance. We will do more listening comparisons and report.
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That sound really interesting, i just order a Morello level 3, i'm going to use it with my Audio GD DAC 9Mk3 via 75 ohm BNC, do you think the new Morello Max it's a better option with my system?? in that case , i hope you can still add the new max option to my Morello Level 3, i'm going to send a mail to Simon.
March 1: I attach an image of the Morello DTS (Digital Tube Stage). Clockwise from top left: the 24/192khz USB-SPDIF extreme modded pcb, the DTS output stage, the power transformer (wrapped in MUmetal), the EZ Ultimate Clock power supply, the linear power supply to power the USB-SPDIF pcb (V-USB is cut), the EZ Ultimate Clock module.
Sound is impressive - bigger, smoother, more dynamic, more musical etc etc. We're enjoying this.
Sound is impressive - bigger, smoother, more dynamic, more musical etc etc. We're enjoying this.
Attachments
Pig's Ear Becomes Silk Purse - Someone Hears what We Do
Morello Max:
"Today i receive one of your new Morello Max units, as soon as i can, i connected to my main system:
MSI GX620 Laptop. 4 TB Droboshare NAS. JRiver Media Center ASIO->
Wireworld Ultraviolet USB 1 M Cable->
Morello Max->
Canare Toslink 75ohm 1M->
Audio GD DAC9Mk3->
Audio GD ACSS Cable->
Audio GD C39 Preamp->
Marchand Electronics Active Crossover->
MBL 8006 DIY Amp for Bass, Kingrex QS-01 Amp for Mid and Highs->
Monitor Audio RS8 Mains->
Monitor Audio SRW-12 Subwoofer.
After the Morello Max i was using an Original Musiland Monitor 01 USB and a Teralink X USB.
The sound that comes from my system using the Morello Max is out of this world, the DAC really shines having such a perfect bitstream signal, perfectly defined highs, deep and powerful precice bass, huge stage, you can really pinpoint the instruments in a orchestra, the difference with the original Musiland it's night and day, the sound is really warm with a dark silence background and amazing resolution, the microdetail it's outstanding, i can hear everything in the recording in a holographic image inside my head, i have never hear my speakers sound this good, they actually disapear, the Morello Max is a fantastic product that elevates my system into high end.
Thanks for given us mortals a piece of heaven with music as fantastic sounding as these."
Morello Max:
"Today i receive one of your new Morello Max units, as soon as i can, i connected to my main system:
MSI GX620 Laptop. 4 TB Droboshare NAS. JRiver Media Center ASIO->
Wireworld Ultraviolet USB 1 M Cable->
Morello Max->
Canare Toslink 75ohm 1M->
Audio GD DAC9Mk3->
Audio GD ACSS Cable->
Audio GD C39 Preamp->
Marchand Electronics Active Crossover->
MBL 8006 DIY Amp for Bass, Kingrex QS-01 Amp for Mid and Highs->
Monitor Audio RS8 Mains->
Monitor Audio SRW-12 Subwoofer.
After the Morello Max i was using an Original Musiland Monitor 01 USB and a Teralink X USB.
The sound that comes from my system using the Morello Max is out of this world, the DAC really shines having such a perfect bitstream signal, perfectly defined highs, deep and powerful precice bass, huge stage, you can really pinpoint the instruments in a orchestra, the difference with the original Musiland it's night and day, the sound is really warm with a dark silence background and amazing resolution, the microdetail it's outstanding, i can hear everything in the recording in a holographic image inside my head, i have never hear my speakers sound this good, they actually disapear, the Morello Max is a fantastic product that elevates my system into high end.
Thanks for given us mortals a piece of heaven with music as fantastic sounding as these."
QuestWhat makes the tubed usb-to-spdif converter better than non-tubed?
The tubed output stage operates differently to the solid state logic one. The Tube stage operates as linear Class
Amplifier and does not "saturate". The normal logic IC based output buffer circuitry operates in "saturation" meaning
it is slower to react to signal changes. The Tube stage also has much less input capacitance than CMOS logic IC's, so
the rise-time of the signal is faster.
The technical result is a signal output that is cleaner and closer to the theoretically "ideal" SPDIF Signal.
As a result the DAC's SPDIF receiver can recover the signal and clock with less jitter, in technical terms. This in turn
generally produces a better, more natural and non-fatiguing sound.
The tubed output stage operates differently to the solid state logic one. The Tube stage operates as linear Class
Amplifier and does not "saturate". The normal logic IC based output buffer circuitry operates in "saturation" meaning
it is slower to react to signal changes. The Tube stage also has much less input capacitance than CMOS logic IC's, so
the rise-time of the signal is faster.
The technical result is a signal output that is cleaner and closer to the theoretically "ideal" SPDIF Signal.
As a result the DAC's SPDIF receiver can recover the signal and clock with less jitter, in technical terms. This in turn
generally produces a better, more natural and non-fatiguing sound.
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