Might be you prefer to listen to single frequency sinus sounds. I prefer listening to real music which is always a mixture of several frequencies. The IMD measurements all show similar results: about -70dB between signal and first sidebands instead of about -120dB for the modified version.
Might be that we are all wrong Jan Didden, Ergo, AR2, I and many others and you are right although you have no experiance with the mod?
Might be that we are all wrong Jan Didden, Ergo, AR2, I and many others and you are right although you have no experiance with the mod?
OK, so if I understand you, one spectrum is stone stock, the other is with a new clock and a passive output both changed? And nothing else? Thanks, Frank.
Thanks for the explanation.. I have your clock mod, as well as a few other DCX mods, and it sounds fantastic!! Especially when using Digtial input with purchased 24/96 'studio master' tracks.. Amazing
You mention CD's at 44.1Khz and obvioulsy not upsampling them. But what about 'studio master' FLAC files you can buy in higher than 96K?? Is it best just to stick with 96K as anytihng higher gets crunched down to 96K anyway??
Cheers,
CM
Thanks for the explanation.. I have your clock mod, as well as a few other DCX mods, and it sounds fantastic!! Especially when using Digtial input with purchased 24/96 'studio master' tracks.. Amazing
You mention CD's at 44.1Khz and obvioulsy not upsampling them. But what about 'studio master' FLAC files you can buy in higher than 96K?? Is it best just to stick with 96K as anytihng higher gets crunched down to 96K anyway??
Cheers,
CM
The maximum sample rate of our ears is about 48 kHz. So sample rates above 48 kHz for listening don’t make too much sense. That’s different for studio recording because these studio files are processed and converted later which causes a loss of quality.
There is always a sample rate conversion at the digital input of the DCX even if the input is 96 kHz. That’s because the 96 kHz data source and the internal 96 kHz of the DCX are never synchronous. The 96 kHz to 96 kHz conversion even has the highest distortion. Nothing to worry about but distortion at 44.1 or 48 kHz is a bit lower.
You should avoid an unnecessary sample rate conversion in your PC. So sample rate of the audio output of your PC should have the sample rate of your audio files. It doesn’t matter whether there is software or hardware based sample rate conversion. A conversion always causes a loss. Most probably nothing we can hear. So you shouldn’t worry too much about it.
Hmmm,, interesting.. I was not aware of this.
But to me, definately 24/96 purchased FLACS sound far better than my own CD's ripped to 44.1K FLAC (ripped with DBpowerAmp, playback with Media Monkey kernell streaming)..
Ta
CM
The THD for all ratios of sample rate conversion is below -120dB. So it's no surprise you can't hear the difference. But the whole thing is a chain and the different THDs are added.
It would be interesting whether you can hear a difference playing a 24/96 file and setting your audio output to 24/96, 24/48 and 16/44. Based on the existing theories you shouldn't hear a difference at 24/48.
Might be there is also a difference in studio mastering between 24/96 and 16/44 files?
Hmmm,, you put forth an interesting possibility!! I will see if I can work out how to set Media monkey / HiFace to output 48K and 44K (at the moment it outputs 96..)
Either way,, your clock mod and the didden active i/o is a fantastic combination, with excellent results
Cheers,
CM
It is mystery to me
I am avoiding not just to post but also to read this thread because of the posts like this one. It is mystery to me why some people develops animosity toward someone who develops the product and offers it to DIY community. If it is not for the efforts of these people majority of us would never have a chance to play with Nelsons amps, preamps or in this case to improve average or below average product to a high quality unit.
Brett, I do not understand the reason for your tone, as much as I do not agree with your generalizations. I would just say that I know a huge group of people who are listening almost nothing else but 24/96 files recorded from the vinyl. At this point a lots of people switched from buying CDs and they are buying files. Studio production is almost all 24/96 or 24/88.1 and is down sampled to 16/44.1 just for CD distribution. You could still buy original 24/96 recording in many cases.
As for the improvements created by Frank's mod I do not understand how someone who did not make the mod or listened to the mod could have or should have such a negative and strong opinion of the mod? Brett are you such an expert that you could without any benefit of the doubt post such a strong opinion in public? Is your opinion based on unsatisfactory feedback from the people who installed the mod? I do not recall anyone with such opinion. Only from ones that never tried it like yourself. With that you also take freedom to declare everyone who happily enjoy obvious improvement delusional? With all do respect, I think you end up making joke on yourself. Sir, I certainly do not question your right to discuss someone's design, but I do have a problem when you are attacking someone and you did not even made an effort to test or simulate in your set up proposed design / product.
For your info, I had in my home several highly respected and very knowledgeable audio designers and manufactures. They are respected not just for what they design and sell, but for their opinion and hearing capability. They are invited by other professionals just for their opinion. A few years ago, after listening sessions we had, I ended up making and shipping present to them - modified DCX with Frank's mod. It is worth mentioning that they already owned digital crossover with price tag 10x higher.
The only reason for my post here is pledge to everyone on this thread for respect to people who shared and have given something to all of us so that we could benefit, learn and do on our own. Questioning ideas and designs is OK but in my mind it would be much more respected if you first try and than post your strong opinion, not to mention accusation. Otherwise I would question your motives or your ethics.
I am avoiding not just to post but also to read this thread because of the posts like this one. It is mystery to me why some people develops animosity toward someone who develops the product and offers it to DIY community. If it is not for the efforts of these people majority of us would never have a chance to play with Nelsons amps, preamps or in this case to improve average or below average product to a high quality unit.
Brett, I do not understand the reason for your tone, as much as I do not agree with your generalizations. I would just say that I know a huge group of people who are listening almost nothing else but 24/96 files recorded from the vinyl. At this point a lots of people switched from buying CDs and they are buying files. Studio production is almost all 24/96 or 24/88.1 and is down sampled to 16/44.1 just for CD distribution. You could still buy original 24/96 recording in many cases.
As for the improvements created by Frank's mod I do not understand how someone who did not make the mod or listened to the mod could have or should have such a negative and strong opinion of the mod? Brett are you such an expert that you could without any benefit of the doubt post such a strong opinion in public? Is your opinion based on unsatisfactory feedback from the people who installed the mod? I do not recall anyone with such opinion. Only from ones that never tried it like yourself. With that you also take freedom to declare everyone who happily enjoy obvious improvement delusional? With all do respect, I think you end up making joke on yourself. Sir, I certainly do not question your right to discuss someone's design, but I do have a problem when you are attacking someone and you did not even made an effort to test or simulate in your set up proposed design / product.
For your info, I had in my home several highly respected and very knowledgeable audio designers and manufactures. They are respected not just for what they design and sell, but for their opinion and hearing capability. They are invited by other professionals just for their opinion. A few years ago, after listening sessions we had, I ended up making and shipping present to them - modified DCX with Frank's mod. It is worth mentioning that they already owned digital crossover with price tag 10x higher.
The only reason for my post here is pledge to everyone on this thread for respect to people who shared and have given something to all of us so that we could benefit, learn and do on our own. Questioning ideas and designs is OK but in my mind it would be much more respected if you first try and than post your strong opinion, not to mention accusation. Otherwise I would question your motives or your ethics.
So,, is this statement accurate?? Can anyone advise??
On my computer I've just started using jPlay (instead of Media Monkey) which has no volume control, so most CD's that I have ripped to FLAC, cause the input level meters on my DCX to "clip"..!!
Attenuating the input gain control on the DCX does not actually reduce the input level meter,, it reduces the output level meters?? So I pressume input level meters on DCX show audio level of the SPDIF stream Before any attenuation or processing is applied..
Therefore, is it safe to have input levels showing RED, but not the output level meters??
Those who use domestic-HiFi DACS would never be aware of this problem with recordings because they don't see the input levels, correct??
FYI: laptop with jPlay -> Jkenny MK3 Hiface -> fully modded DCX
Ta
CM
The input meters show the input level, analog or digital. AKAIK, if you attenuate the input sections, that shows on the meters. I can double check that.
The red LEDS light up just below digital maximum. A lot of recent mastering is super hot with a lot of clipping, you'll see that as the red LEDs turn on often. Nothing you can do about that, it's in the recording. You'll also light the reds if you use much EQ or boost on your software player. But that clipping will happen before the DCX, damage already done - just like the bad CDs.
The red LEDS light up just below digital maximum. A lot of recent mastering is super hot with a lot of clipping, you'll see that as the red LEDs turn on often. Nothing you can do about that, it's in the recording. You'll also light the reds if you use much EQ or boost on your software player. But that clipping will happen before the DCX, damage already done - just like the bad CDs.
Hi Pano,
jPlay has no boost, EQ or volume sttings,, referred to as "bit perfect" playback..?? Media Monkey has all that stuff,, but referred to as "not a bit perfect player"..
At this end anyway, attenuating the input gain, does not alter the INPUT level meters, only the 6 output level meters..
Ta
CM
jPlay has no boost, EQ or volume sttings,, referred to as "bit perfect" playback..?? Media Monkey has all that stuff,, but referred to as "not a bit perfect player"..
At this end anyway, attenuating the input gain, does not alter the INPUT level meters, only the 6 output level meters..
Ta
CM
Hmm, fair enough Radugazon.. So you think ignore DCX level meters to a certain extent??
Ta
CM
OK CM. If you are seeing clipping, then it's in the digital file. Not much you can do about, it was mastered that way. Even if you used a volume control in your player (like me, I use JRiver) the clipping will still be there. It won't light the DCX red lights, but it's still there.
If you find a track or two that does this a lot, we can look at them in a wave editor to see the clipping.
If you find a track or two that does this a lot, we can look at them in a wave editor to see the clipping.