AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
CD PLAYBACK - Shanling ET3 CD Transport over i2s to Dac + MOVIE PLAYBACK Oppo 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac)
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Shanling via Airplay 1 (losslessly) and onwards to Dac via Wireworld Silver Electra 7 i2s HDMI cable
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - Yup, it sounds better)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
CD PLAYBACK - Shanling ET3 CD Transport over i2s to Dac + MOVIE PLAYBACK Oppo 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac)
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Shanling via Airplay 1 (losslessly) and onwards to Dac via Wireworld Silver Electra 7 i2s HDMI cable
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - Yup, it sounds better)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
CD PLAYBACK - Shanling ET3 CD Transport over i2s to Dac + MOVIE PLAYBACK Oppo 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac)
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Shanling via Airplay 1 (losslessly) and onwards to Dac via Wireworld Silver Electra 7 i2s HDMI cable
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - Yup, it sounds better)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
A mainly digital setup with a musical amplifier and endearing 1970's speakers. A CD player that hardly ever gets used and a turntable that is good enough to remind my how enjoyable my old vinyl is. Some cables and things.
I hear ya. Me neither Tony.
In my experience, the difference in the way SSDs work compared to mechanical hard drives can make a difference to the final sound quality.
Depends on how deep your willing to go into the rabbit hole...even different types of power supply to your hard drive can have an impact.
*Disclaimer* This isn’t a precursor to flogging any new digital audio gear, just passing on experience. (Sorry )
Last edited by Gazjam; 10-05-2018 at 20:39.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
CD PLAYBACK - Shanling ET3 CD Transport over i2s to Dac + MOVIE PLAYBACK Oppo 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac)
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Shanling via Airplay 1 (losslessly) and onwards to Dac via Wireworld Silver Electra 7 i2s HDMI cable
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - Yup, it sounds better)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
I guess the bit I'm having trouble with is the perceived lack of physical connection between my storage medium and the rest of the chain. In a NAS connected only by Ethernet cable to the audio system, would the difference between SSD and HDD be audible from the packets being transmitted?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
A mainly digital setup with a musical amplifier and endearing 1970's speakers. A CD player that hardly ever gets used and a turntable that is good enough to remind my how enjoyable my old vinyl is. Some cables and things.
Adds noise, I suppose. Electrical rather than mechanical. Never done the comparison myself mind. I'd be surprised if I could hear its sole contribution but when you consider that every device involved has the potential to add noise to the signal it can all add up unless steps have been taken to ensure they don't.
Get enough of it and your sending that out with your noughts and ones, into the DAC which adds a bit more, the signal is converted to analogue but it is still just current in a wire and it keeps all that noise with it, through the amplifiers and out of the speakers along with the music. Result is you get a stodgier sound, flatter soundstage, nothing sounds 'real' anymore. Not unpleasant to listen to but not special either.
I'm theorising here, you understand. Based on my own experiences and what I've read. Don't take that as gospel.
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.