Hello friends of DIYA,
For the sake of having clues of audio preferences, isolating bad audio devices or both, I always make measurements of the thing I built or take for upgrade or simply listening (borrowed).
Of course, my measurements limit is the Asus Xonar board, but I use it anyway, since things like the AP2 system is outrageously expensive...
Perhaps some clues appears even with some limitations.
I posted here since my idea is to post something about the DAC's, since measuring amps and preamps are far more easy to interpret.
For example, some of my current DACs or equipment having ones:
1 - CS8412>YM3433>AD1860:
2 - DIYINHK USB interface > IanCanada I2s to SIM converter>TDA1541A>passive I/V>tube pre/buffer:
3 - CS8416>DF1704>PCM1704>trafo I/V>tube buffer (Aikido):
4 - DIYNHK USB interface>DIYINHK ES9018K2M voltage mode:
5 - CBHT Audio china micro portable phones DAC:
That are some examples of basic measurements, ans sometimes I'm in doubt about the wheight of the eg. jitter sidebands, but are clear about some unfortunate mains noise pollution in some measurements. Mains noise aside, what I'm need to focus more about things to note?
The idea here is to learn to interpret better these type of graphs.
For some DAC's I measure the amplitude, reducing 20dB each timne until signal is not visible anymore.
True or not, I have preferences for some of these DACs.
For instance, the CBHT audio sounds extermelly metallized/harsh (and the sidebands around the J-test are variables).
The AD1860 sounds also harsh, and normally I culprit it due to it's internal opamp, albeit it "seems" to measure decent.
One of my preferred ones is the TDA1541, using the PC as a digital filter, since it is NOS. At least measures "clean" (considering the tube stage). Sounds ultra open and have a amazing rendering of background echoes of live recordings.
I use regularly the PCM1704 DAC, but these measurements not are so pretty... a little worry about...
The DAC with the ES9018 sounds very "competent", but not have the "air" of any of the multibit DACs I have. And measures bad due to high output impedance due to direct voltage mode use.
For the sake of having clues of audio preferences, isolating bad audio devices or both, I always make measurements of the thing I built or take for upgrade or simply listening (borrowed).
Of course, my measurements limit is the Asus Xonar board, but I use it anyway, since things like the AP2 system is outrageously expensive...
Perhaps some clues appears even with some limitations.
I posted here since my idea is to post something about the DAC's, since measuring amps and preamps are far more easy to interpret.
For example, some of my current DACs or equipment having ones:
1 - CS8412>YM3433>AD1860:
2 - DIYINHK USB interface > IanCanada I2s to SIM converter>TDA1541A>passive I/V>tube pre/buffer:
3 - CS8416>DF1704>PCM1704>trafo I/V>tube buffer (Aikido):
4 - DIYNHK USB interface>DIYINHK ES9018K2M voltage mode:
5 - CBHT Audio china micro portable phones DAC:
That are some examples of basic measurements, ans sometimes I'm in doubt about the wheight of the eg. jitter sidebands, but are clear about some unfortunate mains noise pollution in some measurements. Mains noise aside, what I'm need to focus more about things to note?
The idea here is to learn to interpret better these type of graphs.
For some DAC's I measure the amplitude, reducing 20dB each timne until signal is not visible anymore.
True or not, I have preferences for some of these DACs.
For instance, the CBHT audio sounds extermelly metallized/harsh (and the sidebands around the J-test are variables).
The AD1860 sounds also harsh, and normally I culprit it due to it's internal opamp, albeit it "seems" to measure decent.
One of my preferred ones is the TDA1541, using the PC as a digital filter, since it is NOS. At least measures "clean" (considering the tube stage). Sounds ultra open and have a amazing rendering of background echoes of live recordings.
I use regularly the PCM1704 DAC, but these measurements not are so pretty... a little worry about...
The DAC with the ES9018 sounds very "competent", but not have the "air" of any of the multibit DACs I have. And measures bad due to high output impedance due to direct voltage mode use.
