+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 23 FirstFirst 123412 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 224

Thread: Outstanding digital components

  1. #11
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Well below the Mason-Dixon line

    Posts: 370

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Filterlab View Post
    In your experience, what digital components have really amazed you? It can be anything from a CD player to a DAC to an MP3 player.

    I'll start, it has to be my Apogee Mini DAC which just gets better and better, so musical and natural with no sense of mechanical interference, slightly oddball looks but then again, who wants convention? :


    That little Apogee would look a bit less flamboyant if you would only buy the poor thing some sensible shoes. If you want Apogee and design elegance at once, it isn't hard to find, it's the Duet.

    For my part, I nominate this:



    Put in USB and it puts out your choice of either of the 2 coax, optical or AES/EBU. It re-clocks. It keeps the digital and analog paths separate, it seems to add nothing to the music - no noise, no warmth, nothing - which is a good thing in my view. It even has a simple 16-bit Burr-Brown DAC chip in it - an afterthought evidenced by the fact that there are no RCA outs. But put that little chip in this well-designed circuit and it sounds really good, even coming out of the mini phono on the front (a headphone jack, but there's no headphone amp, no volume control, all line level controlled from the PC). I'm not sure I need a better DAC, but I want one. The aforementioned Duet, to be exact. As Joni Mitchell said, I'm like a black crow, sweeping down on every shiny thing.

    $140. Those crazy Chinese.

    Tim

  2. #12
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default

    Hehehe, those feet were temporary - funky colour though eh!

    Now the DAC has its own slate/metal pedestal stand.

    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

  3. #13
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Well below the Mason-Dixon line

    Posts: 370

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Filterlab View Post
    Hehehe, those feet were temporary - funky colour though eh!

    Now the DAC has its own slate/metal pedestal stand.
    And they were lovely. Actually, I think I recognize them. When I was between marriages, that period my best friend refers to as "Farney's 2-year-long lost weekend," I believe I dated a woman with those shoes. Very frightening, actually.

    I sort of like Apogee's visual style. They never seem to have met slightest sliver of aluminum they wouldn't silk screen . Then along came the oh so understated Duet. I'm not sure what happened there. Hired an industrial design firm and said "make this thing look good sitting next to a powerbook," I suspect.

    Tim
    Last edited by tfarney; 30-05-2008 at 20:12.

  4. #14
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tfarney View Post
    And they were lovely. Actually, I think I recognize them. When I was between marriages, that period my best friend refers to as "Farney's 2-year-long lost weekend," I believe I dated a woman with those shoes. Very frightening, actually.
    I thought you were going to say you liked golf, and consequently recognise them.

    Quote Originally Posted by tfarney View Post
    I sort of like Apogee's visual style. They never seem to have met slightest sliver of aluminum they wouldn't silk screen . Then along came the oh so understated Duet. I'm not sure what happened there. Hired an industrial design firm and said "make this thing look good sitting next to a powerbook," I suspect.
    I would imagine that Apogee are well aware of what most of their products will end up accompanying. Shame they can't get the Apple drivers sorted faster!

    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

  5. #15
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Southern England

    Posts: 2,990
    I'm Howard.

    Default

    In no particular order:

    My STAX DAC X-1t ($40k when new)

    My Micro Seiki CD M2 CD player when used as a transport

    My Musical Fidelity (from batch #1) X-RAY V8 & X-DAC V8

    My Musical Fidelity (from batch #1) Tri-Vista DAC 21

    An Accuphase DP-85V

    The Nagra stand-alone DAC

    My Meridian 508.24. I really do doubt if they EVER built anything again as MUSICALLY satisfying! Really

    My Meridian 601 Digital preamp. Light years ahead, at that time

    My very humble, utter reliable and dirt cheap Yamaha CDX-496 which, given it has been used for at least 30 hours a week in my office for years and years is for me (in this specific context only) the most impressive digital purchase I've - bar none.
    Last edited by Neil McCauley; 01-06-2008 at 15:47.
    Well, hello.

  6. #16
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Howard Popeck (Stereonow) View Post
    My Musical Fidelity (from batch #1) Tri-Vista DAC 21
    Great DAC.

    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

  7. #17
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Well below the Mason-Dixon line

    Posts: 370

    Default

    The mighty Lyngdorf:



    Ah, if I were a rich man...

    Tim

  8. #18
    Join Date: Jun 2008

    Posts: 9

    Default

    The Best? What means the Best. None are or can be all things to all. If we agree that the aim is reproducing the nearest thing to the original sound, then this is also conditional on the type of music to be enjoyed. A system that can reproduce four or five electric instruments successfully might fail completely with a full 100 seat orchestra. I can only speak for the latter where most high-end players fall down very badly on timbral accuracy of string instruments. I have owned and auditioned most of the top players and in my experience, SACD far surpasses RBCD as a reproduction medium for classical music, conveying the 'you are there' experience in a way that utterly eludes RBCD. So, don't waste your money on a high-end RBCD player as only the importers and retailers will be happy - I guarantee you will not be! For the same money a SACD player will provide far more long lasting satisfaction.

    In the same way as most RBCD users look down on MP3 so the gulf between SACD and RBCD is similar, they are all approximations based on sample rate and word length on the same ladder. SACD is best at the moment.

    OK if you must buya RBCD player and classical is your thing then Combak's Reimyo 777 combo is so far ahead of anything else for realism that there is only one choice.

    But what is the best player? Well, it's got to play SACD and RBCD for starters which the Reimyo can't do. The three main contenders are the Esoteric X-01D2, Krell Evolution 505 and Marantz SA7-S1. Of these, go for the Marantz.. it is the BEST 'CD player yet by a country mile and don't just take my word for it, ask Alvin Gold. Apart from it's price - by luck it is the least expensive of these - it offers real insight and emotion to the playback experience without sacrificing detail, dynamics, PRT and all the other hi-fi descriptors that get bandied about. Or to put it more simply it just plays music accurately and effortlessly and with great integrity.

  9. #19
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Hi Firefox,

    Welcome to the forum

    Nice post above! I'm sure you'll get some good replies.

    As per our new policy, can you please pop into the Welcome area and introduce yourself and the system you use to our members, also including your first name and basic location details?

    Thank you.

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  10. #20
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hiredfox View Post
    The Best? What means the Best...
    The 'best' is a personal thing to each and every individual, that's why the thread is entitled "Outstanding digital component".

    Welcome by the way.

    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 23 FirstFirst 123412 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

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