Is DEQX a game changer?

Hi Andrew,

I’m not sure I understand the first paragraph of your post just above. If you are using an external DAC via the HDP-5’s balanced analog inputs, aren’t you then still using the HDP-5’s built-in DAC as well, and also inserting the HDP-5’s A/D converter function into the signal path?

Thanks.  Best regards,
-- Al

Yes, that's what I was wondering too.  Wouldn't the signal be limited to the weakest link in the chain?  Would the analogue output of the superior DAC not be limited to the same quality as if the original digital signal was just sent through the DEQX directly?

Jeff, yes, all of the questions you raised in your previous post seem to me to be logical and valid concerns. Although as you’ve probably seen earlier in the thread many DEQX users having very high quality systems consider the DAC function and the overall transparency of their units to be excellent.

Also, while I’m not in a position to comment on how the sonic quality of the HDP-5’s D/A converter compares to the sonic quality of its A/D converter, as an electrical engineer who has designed several A/D and D/A circuits over the years (for defense electronics), I can say that generally speaking it is a considerably greater challenge to design a good performing A/D circuit than a comparably good D/A circuit, assuming both are required to perform at similar sample rates and resolutions/bit depths.

So I wouldn’t be surprised if keeping a DEQX’s A/D converter out of the signal path would have the potential to provide greater benefit than keeping its D/A converter out of the signal path. Although, again, I’ve personally been very pleased with the transparency and overall performance of my HDP-5 with both in the signal path.

Best regards,
-- Al

I see that my recent post may have confused a few people so I will attempt to clarify.

Most of my listening is with vinyl rather than digital and I prefer a very natural analogue sound whereas (to me) a lot of digitally reproduced music has a slight glare to treble which sounds unnatural. Different DACs can either exaggerate or lessen this. As a result I’ve auditioned and used a variety of these over the years until I found something that, in my opinion was as close to the pure ’analogue’ sound I was after. That is what inputs to the HDP-5 via balanced analogue connection.

Therefore I prefer to use the balanced XLR input where digital sources (CD, FLAC etc) are already processed so in effect the processor sees everything as analogue. Processing of digital inputs to the DAC in the HDP-5 is certainly a step up from the HDP-3 - both are very good. It’s just that I am rather picky & have a setup (using the external DAC) where it is pretty difficult to tell the difference between a vinyl or digital copy of the same album. Using any digital inputs into the DEQX DAC, treble is a little more ’brittle’ (I just did a swap to make sure I could qualify this remark - the DEQX processors are so good that we are talking small degrees here & I continue to be astounded by the life-like realism that the system produces).

note: from the DEQX product overview of the HDP-5... "provides transparent analogue pass-through.......Analogue inputs utilize Cirrus Logic’s reference ‘professional’ ADC to provide absolute transparency for analogue sources such as vinyl preamps and surround receivers"....I agree with that.

For sure, in theory removing the sequence that I use (external DAC =>A/D =>D/A =>out) should benefit from reduced processing. From living with DEQX & comparative listening for over 4 years, that isn’t the case for me.