source streaming lithium batteries and the PC

[The Pink Panther]

This might be a bit rambling, but here we go.

I have been a lover of music and hifi since I was 8. So far this is my most important discovery in the world of sound reproduction.

Let's look at the source for a moment. Traditionally in the digital domain we have the CD player. I great bit of kit. and depending on the transport they can make a fair amount of noise whilst spinning the CD, a little bit distracting. They are of course plugged into the mains, maybe a source of unwanted noise as well? or not , who knows.

Next we have the PC, Laptop, Netbook,. I have been a user of PC music for a number of years and have had various DACs attached to said computers. These DACS have all bar one had power supplies. The Netbooks has always been noisy from a hard drive point of view, now I suspect that the power supply had more of an impact on the sound than anything else. Although I have had good results by plugging into various DAcs I have never, never had the clarity of playback that I hoped for.

I recently ditched the Netbook, because it's constant chirruping was bugging the hell out of me. Whilst I thought about my next step, I decided to use my iPad as the only source. It plays Spotify and lossless tunes streamed from the Internet and PC using home share respectively. I use the headphone output jack to an input on the amp.

Now I certainly dont get the same level output compared with the Netbook and DAC combo. The amp has to be turned up another 1/8th of a turn. What I do get though is an incredibly clear sound reproduction. Better than any of my previous source set ups, by quite a way.

This is what I put it down to. The iPads run on Lithium batteries that last a long time. I easily get 10/12 hours out of mine , and that pretty much constant use. I think having the source not plugged into the mains is key.

I certainly won't be going back to using Traditional PC as a source or a CD player. It is a testament to how well implemented the DAC in the iPad is. but I think that running on battery's is the key. I think to be honest this really should be the future of digital audiophile playback.

If streaming, make sure that the device inputting into the amp is not plugged into the mains.

p.s. I am not even drunk!

[The Pink Panther]

t

[Alex_UK]

t

White no sugar, thanks.



Not that I am doubting you at all, but I find it amazing that the headphone socket on a netbook and the iPad are better than a file based system feeding a DAC - which DACs have you tried, and did using battery power only when feeding into the DAC make a difference?