DAC

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how did you expect someone to answer your 'question'?

you mention an ebay 24bit dac that works 'quite well' almost every single dac on ebay will be 24bit, how exactly are we supposed to know which so that we may make a suggestion for one that works better than 'quite well'?

You dont mention a budget, dont mention what could be better about it, you dont mention what you are using the dac with, what functionality you need, what skill level you may have etc..

basically you dont mention anything... thats why youve got no answers and asking again wont help.

ask a clear question, then you may get some answers
 
how did you expect someone to answer your 'question'?
you mention an ebay 24bit dac that works 'quite well' almost every single dac on ebay will be 24bit, how exactly are we supposed to know which?, so that we may make a suggestion for one that works better than 'quite well' you dont mention a budget, dont mention what could be better, you dont mention what you are using the dac with, what functionality you need, what skill level you may have etc.. basically you dont mention anything... thats why youve got no answers and asking again wont help.
i would expect that a person out there had a good listen to a new design that my ebay 4 year old cheap design can't do.
there are about 27 different board designs alone on ebay as well as the twist pair opus design and any other ones i have not been aware of now.
i use a dac 24bit 192khz from ebay 4 years ago, from computer mp3 source to a counterpoint preamp. don't want usb just rca coaxial .
as far as budget goes it's like this if i find a better design that has higher end sound quality, i don't care what it costs. my only goal would be to go with a diy type for biggest bang for my buck .
 
i would expect that a person out there had a good listen to a new design that my ebay 4 year old cheap design can't do.
there are about 27 different board designs alone on ebay as well as the twist pair opus design and any other ones i have not been aware of now.
i use a dac 24bit 192khz from ebay 4 years ago, from computer mp3 source to a counterpoint preamp. don't want usb just rca coaxial .
as far as budget goes it's like this if i find a better design that has higher end sound quality, i don't care what it costs. my only goal would be to go with a diy type for biggest bang for my buck .

Your biggest bang for buck would be to use music files at a higher resolution than .mp3 for a start. Seriously, if all you're listening to is mp3 then stick with what you have and save your money.
 
Your biggest bang for buck would be to use music files at a higher resolution than .mp3 for a start. Seriously, if all you're listening to is mp3 then stick with what you have and save your money.

ok awesome bit of info. i'm only using mp3 because it was how i was shown in the last 4 years. i'm in no way computer smart and have been analog till then.
how do you mean to get higher resolution? sorry ,i'm not stupid. just 50 and not computer smart.

but thank you really as this seems to be going in the right direction. maybe the dac is not the issue.
 
Which software are you using to rip your CD's?

Probably can't do much about the quality from the mp3va site. When you download does it give you the option to chose the quality/size of the .mp3 file?

sorry i should have mentioned that. i use fubar for player and lame as a compressor.

exact audio copy for ripping.
mp3 from mp3va at 320 bit
revo 7.1 sound card digital coaxial out to the dac now
this computer has been a home theater use and only connected to the net in the last year. so not even sure if mp3va is the best place or not. i just wanted to pay for what i download.
 
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OK, 320kb isn't the best but not certainly not the worst. It is claimed that some folks can't hear the difference between it and CD's ripped at lossless.

I don't use Exact Audio Copy so can't help much with the set-up of that. Search the help files of Fubar and EAC to learn how to set them up for best audio quality. Searching the internet will also provide loads of info.
 
OK, 320kb isn't the best but not certainly not the worst. It is claimed that some folks can't hear the difference between it and CD's ripped at lossless.

I think it would be more accurate to say "It is claimed that most folks can't hear the difference between it and CD's ripped at lossless.". And it is not just a claim, there is a fair bit of listening test results to support that statement.
 
guys please understand i'm in over my head here.
when i play a cd through the computer using it's drive i mean, the fubar screen shows in the bottom left (pcm 1411kb). right from the get go the cd playback is better then mp3. is that possible?
i had said this to a freind who was the one who convinced me to get into a computer and built this computer for me. when i had told that cd playback was way better then the mp3 playback.
he told me that most can't here any version as being better.
i can, if i play one track from cd and the same track from mp3 it's clear the cd wins.
this has been the most interesting question i have asked anywhere.
 
guys please understand i'm in over my head here.
when i play a cd through the computer using it's drive i mean, the fubar screen shows in the bottom left (pcm 1411kb). right from the get go the cd playback is better then mp3. is that possible?

Are you using the same program to play both the CD and the mp3? Is the volume exactly the same?

he told me that most can't here any version as being better.
i can, if i play one track from cd and the same track from mp3 it's clear the cd wins.

I would suggest you ask your friend to help to do a blind listening test. Ask him to play the CD and the mp3 in turn, randomly, and make sure there is no way you will know (except by listening) which is which. Then try to tell which is which a number of times. Even better, have him play first one, then other, and then a third that is randomly either one, and try to see if you can tell if the third one was the same as the first one or the second one.

Next, ask him to copy a track from the CD to a lossless fromat (FLAC, WAV) and play both the lossless file and the mp3 using the same program, and see if you can hear differences.
 
If using foobar and EAC, it is safe to assume you are using a windows PC? The first thing to do would to be sure you are using WASAPI output on foobar. That will insure that you are bypassing most of Windows audio. The next thing I would do is using EAC rip a cd to flac level 8. Now you should not hear a difference between the cd and the flac file.
There is plenty of info on WASAPI for foobar, and ripping to flac with EAC... but feel free to ask if you need help.
 
guys thank you for the best eye opening help i have ever come across.
i play the cd through the foobar menu. i can't ask my friend who set this up as he has moved on from the east coast of canada.
with me at 50 years old and have been into audiophile reproduction of 2 channel stereo for 35 years now i fought digital untill the mid 2000's. my friend had pitched this idea enough to convince me to try. at the time he understood my thoughts that in no way a computer was going to be a audiophile device. he suggested the stuff to buy and built it with my desire to have the best there is . windows xp service pack 3,pent 4 chip at 3.83 ghz, m audio revo 7.1 sound card. this card has a orange digital out. i run a 75ohm coaxial digital cable out to the dac.
i don't rip any cds now as i have gone through all my discs. only download now to add more tracks. i have 15282 tracks shown now.
i have never heard of wasapi . i'm going to google it to learn

i found a site called hdtracks. can i download one of these to try the quality?
 
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with me at 50 years old and have been into audiophile reproduction of 2 channel stereo for 35 years now i fought digital untill the mid 2000's.

Well, I am 52, but first experiences of digital were from 1984... :)

in no way a computer was going to be a audiophile device.

And why not? Ever heard of the synclavier? Synclavier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

he suggested the stuff to buy and built it with my desire to have the best there is . windows xp service pack 3,pent 4 chip at 3.83 ghz, m audio revo 7.1 sound card. this card has a orange digital out. i run a 75ohm coaxial digital cable out to the dac.

I would definitely have gone linux and async USB.

i found a site called hdtracks. can i download one of these to try the quality?

Yes, but your mileage will vary. Some are OK, some are upsampled or zero-filled from CD material, and a lot is from SACDs.
 
i like audio gear that works now and the same every time i turn it on. i hate with a passion a computer that has to be messed with to get it to work. i don't value a computer like i do when i see someones killer preamp build or amp build.
attempting to get into the settings where ever they are to achieve the best output to me is not fun. never heard of synclavier and the usb dac. i see everywhere now usb listed dacs. why go usb?
also tonite i was fiddling around the foobar menu and where you can set the buffer and bit output. what should the buffer be set to and what bit rate 8 bit 16 bit 24 bit 32 bit?
mine now is set at 1100ms buffer and 16 bit.
 
i like audio gear that works now and the same every time i turn it on. i hate with a passion a computer that has to be messed with to get it to work.

Reading that I really wonder why your friend recommended you use Windows. Not going to get into any religious wars here, but while I generally avoid Apple because of their "walled-in garden" approach, the macs, in general, Just Work.

attempting to get into the settings where ever they are to achieve the best output to me is not fun.

This is where your friend should have been able to help.

i see everywhere now usb listed dacs. why go usb?

Mainly to avoid a sound card altogether.

also tonite i was fiddling around the foobar menu and where you can set the buffer and bit output. what should the buffer be set to and what bit rate 8 bit 16 bit 24 bit 32 bit?
mine now is set at 1100ms buffer and 16 bit.

Somebody who is more familiar with foobar needs to pitch in here...
 
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