Yesterday I hooked up my old Peachtree DaciTx using a fiber optic cable from the Bluenode.
I also kept the RME connected to the Bluenode with Coax.
This was the best and easiest way for me to do some comparisons without having to disconnect anything. I just have to switch inputs on my remote while music is playing on the node.
Yes, I know, fiber optic to digital coax. Apples to Oranges?
What I'll do sometime today is reverse these connections putting the fiber optic cable to the RME and the coax to the Peachtree so that both dac's get equal time with each different input cable.
After listening at least a few hours yesterday switching back and fourth between the two the difference was practically negligible. I actually felt that I was leaning towards the sound of the Peachtree. Yes, different dac chip (Sabre).
It appeared that the center image was slightly bigger and more fleshed out. More like there was a real person singing as opposed to an image of one. I'm not saying that's how good my system or this dac is, it's just an exaggerated way to describe what I'm hearing. The whole soundstage sounds a little bigger as well or it appears to. The Rme sounded to my ears more digital and Peachtree more analog. And again, that description is just the best way I have to describe the differences I've noted so far. I do not mean to imply that the Peachtree sounds like good analog.
Before I do that cable swap I will listen again with the ADI's filter set to NOS to see if can hear a slight difference. My understanding is that these filter have minimal effect on the sound. So far, going from sd sharp to sharp was just that.
One last thing, the output rca cables from each unit are dh labs silver sonic BL-1's. So those are the same.
I also kept the RME connected to the Bluenode with Coax.
This was the best and easiest way for me to do some comparisons without having to disconnect anything. I just have to switch inputs on my remote while music is playing on the node.
Yes, I know, fiber optic to digital coax. Apples to Oranges?
What I'll do sometime today is reverse these connections putting the fiber optic cable to the RME and the coax to the Peachtree so that both dac's get equal time with each different input cable.
After listening at least a few hours yesterday switching back and fourth between the two the difference was practically negligible. I actually felt that I was leaning towards the sound of the Peachtree. Yes, different dac chip (Sabre).
It appeared that the center image was slightly bigger and more fleshed out. More like there was a real person singing as opposed to an image of one. I'm not saying that's how good my system or this dac is, it's just an exaggerated way to describe what I'm hearing. The whole soundstage sounds a little bigger as well or it appears to. The Rme sounded to my ears more digital and Peachtree more analog. And again, that description is just the best way I have to describe the differences I've noted so far. I do not mean to imply that the Peachtree sounds like good analog.
Before I do that cable swap I will listen again with the ADI's filter set to NOS to see if can hear a slight difference. My understanding is that these filter have minimal effect on the sound. So far, going from sd sharp to sharp was just that.
One last thing, the output rca cables from each unit are dh labs silver sonic BL-1's. So those are the same.