+ Reply to Thread
Page 6 of 6 FirstFirst ... 456
Results 51 to 54 of 54

Thread: Move from CD to lossless

  1. #51
    Join Date: Jun 2008

    Location: Paris, France

    Posts: 790
    I'm Peter.

    Default

    I've been using the TC-7510 and the Beresford toslink cable and have been really pleased with the results for a total outlay of about 200€. Has got me thinking about what I might be able to use as a CD transport ...
    Intel NUC/Chevron Audio NDF16 dac/Amptastic Mini-1/Audium Comp 5
    Mains Block: Custom-HiFi-Cables PowerBlack Distribution Block (with super conditioner).
    Connected with Reference Fidelity Components Super Neptunes and Speaker Cables.
    Powered by Custom-HiFi-Cables DC2 psus

  2. #52
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: http://www.homehifi.co.uk

    Posts: 6,288

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tfarney View Post
    Stan - What exactly do you mean by "optimized for wireless or PC based audio files?" In layman's terms, if that's possible. IE: What are the audible benefits?

    Tim
    Sorry Tim, only just caught sight of your question.
    The answer is that I decided to use two chips that can be programmed for use in different types of applications, and not just the general CD or DVD audio D-to-A conversion process that other/most DACs are designed for.

    My main electronics qualifications are in wireless transmission, which includes digital like wireless networking. I spent several years designing wireless stuff and was the first person to be granted UK approval for a wireless headphone and wireless video sender. I worked for a company called Philex at the time, so they made the money.

    I also designed the 3rd MP3 player ever to hit the world market (MPress3), and the first one to figure out how to record and convert audio data on the fly for storage on a memory card. So I had enough knowledge about music compression and data losses in the PC/memory card music side of things, plus data and clock sync losses on the wireless side.

    So when I came to develop the forerunner to the TC-7510, which was known as the TC-7500, I decided to use my knowledge of PC and wireless to take care of the errors that those types of of signal transmissions can suffer from. TOSLINK and Coax do not have handshaking error correction, and neither does wireless audio. But the chips I use have a couple of (obscure?) programmable features that can be used to correct or reduce certain types of errors in the incoming data stream. That includes correction of the audio data and the clock signal.

    I have programmed my chip set to accurately handle the PC and wireless data according to the information I have from my previous work with those types of mediums, which is why SB3, Airport Express, and PC users can notice an immediate difference in the playback signal when they use my DAC.

    Obviously I won't mention what control bits I programmed to function in my chip sets since that is my unique selling point, but all the information on what is possible with the chips are available from the chip manufacturers technical support department, and also in their datasheets. The trick is figuring out which programmable feature I utilized, and which ones I didn't need.

    As for the audible differences:
    1. PC and wireless audio sounds almost the same, or not worse, than CD according to most people. That's assuming the audio data was ripped at a high enough quality and bit rate in the first place.
    2. I don't need an anti-aliasing filter in my design. Those filters have a sharp cut-off frequency above 20KHz, which produces a phase shift at worse, and takes away overtones and subtle decaying effects. Most noticeable in certain type of instruments like acoustic guitar etc.
    3. I don't need an expensive external clock. The receiver IC I use can be programmed to produce a low jitter clock. The manufacturer mentions that it is jitter free, but that's another matter..
    4. I use surface mount components in the digital section of my design. Surface mount components don't have inductive leads and can therefore be used at far higher frequencies without affecting the leading and trailing edges of a square wave. The digital audio data are square waves, and any errors in the leading and trailing edges of a signal can quickly lead to decoding errors.
    5. I don't use 44.1KHz as my DtoA conversion frequency. I use 352.8KHz for audio CD and 384KHz for DVD-A. This makes the DAC sounds less digital and more analogue.

    It is a lot to read, but I hope it is clear.

  3. #53
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Well below the Mason-Dixon line

    Posts: 370

    Default

    It is a lot to read, but I hope it is clear.
    Reply With Quote
    Well, the parts that I understand are clear !

    I'm pretty happy with the sound of my system, even with all of its compromises, but I know it begs for a bit of upgrading. The compromises of my old integrated amp are ones that I like. It is very smooth and tube like, with the right color in the right places. It can get better, I'm sure, but it's not a priority. And like I said in another thread, the Trends UD-10 I use as a DAC sounds good. I don't hear anything wrong -- no glare, no edginess, no overt problems. Still, I know if I'm going to upgrade, the DAC is the most likely suspect. What I don't know is what I'll get from that, if my amp is resolving enough to reveal the improvements, if a carefully considered step up will deliver enough of an improvement over the UD-10 to make it worth the investment.

    We don't live in a world where we can walk into a shop and compare a bunch of DACs, unfortunately, so a lot of forethought and research is required. And possibly a bit of trial and error. But I am someone who believes that "you get what you pay for" is a comforting refuse of those who paid too much, and that the point of diminishing returns in audio can be very close to the ground, especially in digital technology, especially in a world market.

    So your DAC is high on my consideration set along with a few others that seem to be deliberately attempting to build something that performs way above its price range. The Aeolis MagiDac, for example, intrigues me, but it hasn't been out long and there is little feedback out there. Your DAC, by contrast, has a ton of feedback on the net - some bad, some good, though I suspect, judging by the nature of it, that the bad is a bunch of nonsense unrelated to the actual performance of the product.

    Thanks for your detailed response. I'd love to hear your product someday.

    Tim

  4. #54
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Ayrshire

    Posts: 1,359
    I'm OneOfTheSevenModsWhoToldMarcoNotToLiftHarry'sBan.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tfarney View Post


    that the bad is a bunch of nonsense unrelated to the actual performance of the product.


    Tim

    I think you're probably spot on there,Tim.
    ATB

    David

+ Reply to Thread
Page 6 of 6 FirstFirst ... 456

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •