Eastern Electric's new tube DAC using ESS Sabre??

Hi Doug, Thanks for the reply,

You are correct that I haven't been able to compare redbook vs. hi-rez directly, but I have heard many hi-rez sources and they certainly do things better than most any of my redbook sources, which clearly sound better than the lossy MP3s I listen to frequently (the Linn Jazz/Radio/Classical streams at 320 k sound very good). None of the 256 K or 128 K stations I frequent sound as good as the 320 Linns. (through Logitech Touch into EE dac)

IMHO I feel that you overstated the similarity of lossy MP3 vs. redbook vs. hi-rez sources.

Great dac though, that's for sure. I'd encourage you to seek out some true hi-rez material (there was a free download of Stravinsky's History of a Soldier (sorry if that's not a perfect translation) and it's superb).

As good as you think you've heard from the dac, I can assure you there's more to be had if you try some hi-rez material.

Thanks for the friendly banter!

-Mike

Mike, I don't use MP3 as an audiophile source, and not testing it I wouldn't include it in my suggestion of the DAC's performance. I'm curious to test out our discussion going forward. Yes, good conversation.

Doug,

Why do you say "New info is being added when going from 16/44.1 to 24/192" when upsampling?

I absolutely disagree with that statement. That is not what happens when upsampling. It´s not impossible but it´s not what happens. If you wanted, you could write an algorithm to insert/create "average" information between 2 points but it wouldn´t be true to the original analog signal before it entered the first ADC. It would only be a guess of what probably might have happened.

You can´t "rescue" bits that aren´t there or that have been taken out.

Upsampling is about another thing. It´s not about having more information but, as I understand it, making it "easier" for the DAC to process.

Making a parallel between audio and visual, having a DAC accepting more bits is like having a LCD TV being able to reproduce more colours. And, having a DAC accepting a higher sample rate would be like a TV being able to receive a higher rate of frames per second. So, if you have a HD TV and feed it with a Bluray, you will be able to appreciate perfect visual definition. But, if you feed it with cable TV or even a conventional DVD, it will look worse, not the same as a Bluray! The processing in the HD TV might help to make it look better than in a common TV but it won´t look the same as a Bluray just because Bluray has lots more information.

I think the discussion is valuable but I wouldn´t like the thread to turn into a tech discussion and stay about the EE DAC. Much better to have comments about experiences listening to it!

My bad, I thought that when you said "Alternatively, there’s a lot of incentive to gravitate toward music websites like Rhapsody, or one of my new favorites, Lastfm.com; the final outcome as treated by the Minimax is theoretically better than your typical Hi Rez sound!" that you meant that the final outcome (of listening to lossy mp3s from Rhapsody or Lastfm)as treated by the Minimax is theoretically better than your typical Hi Rez sound.
-Mike

Joaco, ok, if we want to get technical, let's call what's happening to the bits in upsampling interpolation. Interpolation is adding something which wasn't in the original. Perhaps that is a clean enough explanation. :)

I do agree that the value of the EE DAC should not be lost on technical discussions, but center around its sound. It's quite the bargain.