@Tournesol,
still loving vinyl; main reason is that I often prefer the version of the music released on vinyl compared to the CD version.
In comparison to master tapes (often with little or no compression and editing) there was always a wide gap (often shocking IMO) in quality when listening to the tape and the finally released commercial product.
still loving vinyl; main reason is that I often prefer the version of the music released on vinyl compared to the CD version.
In comparison to master tapes (often with little or no compression and editing) there was always a wide gap (often shocking IMO) in quality when listening to the tape and the finally released commercial product.
No.
Please don't tell me YOU believe commonly used measurements tell the whole story about how something sounds?
One could. Probably not all that needs fixing though. Building a dac, say, using methods like Benchmark used for DAC-3 requires a lot more than just doing something with an output stage. There is a big difference in sound, you do get something real for the price difference.
Last edited:
Come on Mark. That DAC was within a dB or two of the Benchmark and any other top flight DAC tested on ASR
Now, my calling you ‘neurotic’ was in jest, but calling you a DAC snob is not.
With digital, a lot of folks can’t seem to handle the fact that a $60 DAC comes within a whisker of the best stufff out there.
It’s called progress. Embrace it!
The big studios closed down. Recording mostly moved to many smaller project studios. The better of the old recording guys mostly stopped getting calls. Most artists have little to no money and the project studio owners work for cheap. Only Al Schmitt still gets a lot of calls, so the other guys say.
What are the old guys going to do with DAWs and digital plugin effects anyway? Its not going to sound like tape, analog consoles, and the best of outboard gear.
Its called wishful thinking. Honestly, do you actually listen to a range of stuff before you buy something, or just shop by the numbers based on wishful beliefs?
You ever get out to Northern California? Happy to play a good dac for you, or let you hear for yourself the difference between various dacs that measure well. Bring your D-20 if you want. Man, will you get a wake-up call.
Last edited:
What about people who haven't got that option, are they screwed?
Ever thought about taking your show on the road? YouTube
I don't know. HiFi shops are replaced by big box stores or by online retailers. Doubtful a recording of a dac or a couple of dacs could convey how they actually sound. Sure, one might be able to tell something sounds a little different, but tell well enough to know if that something is worth doing or worth some cost? Especially so if a recording like that were played back on a much lesser dac. How to make any sense out of what might be heard? What would be the point?
Even having a conversation like this with you in the forum is hardly worth doing. Likely it will only bring out the crazys with conspiracy theories about what is being said.
Last edited:
I think most people these days, me included, have to try and make decisions based on what they read, so there you are, I don't listen to a range of stuff before I buy, shock horror.
Of course I listen before I buy - speakers, T/T, amps for cross referencing sound etc. But, of all the media out there, and the associated electronics to play it with, I’d say digital streaming is the most ‘democratized’. I’d never say the D10 is a leading edge player, but bang for buck it’s hard to fault.
So the question becomes, will I get audio Nirvana if I spend 3 grand ( or whatever) vs 60 bucks? The Topping gets me most of the way.
Those results are superb by any bodies standards. The D10 is a serious bargain.
Here is a review of a vintage ML DAC
Mark Levinson No 360S DAC Review | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum
Just for balance, here’s the best measuring DAC’s on ASR. Two of the Topping’s best the Benchmark 3
Mark Levinson No 360S DAC Review | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum
Just for balance, here’s the best measuring DAC’s on ASR. Two of the Topping’s best the Benchmark 3
Attachments
Last edited:
So, it is harder and harder to listen before to buy.
But I believe a DIYer is able, once technical requirements are fulfilled well enough (digital side) according to measurements numbers, to "voice" his gears according to his preference ?
I don't know. Does anything ever give you audio Nirvana?
The best deal in dacs measurement-wise has to be the $9 Apple USB cable dac. Into a bridging preamp it gives nice looking numbers. At 48kHz that is, its only sample rate. But, what the heck, Windows can resample everything to 48kHz on the fly.
Why spend a gobs of money on a D-10 when a $9 dac gets you most of way?
Have you ever noticed differences in "sound" between different materials fulfilling the same functions? Do you find that all OPAs, even high performance, sound the same?
Have you ever noticed that improving the power supply (s) of a DCX2496, for example, and modifying its stages of analog outputs considerably improves its sound quality? And that the changes in sound quality are incomparable to that visible ... to the measurements?
Once again, it would be very pretentious to pretend that we can measure everything and evaluate everything. Thanks God, there is still a bit of art and mystery in the world of audio.
Last edited:
- Status
- Not open for further replies.