Digital Music sounds too bright?
@audioengr +1 Ditto Since the measured performance of my DAC with Toslink is absolutely perfect and I have very few really high res files, I have opted for galvanic isolation rather than use the higher sample rate USB input of my DAC So I have complete galvanic isolation using Toslink to the DAC and balanced out to the power amp. Nice not to have to worry about the effects of cables and ground loops. However it needs a DAC with robust jitter rejection given Toslink is often the most jittery connection. For balanced I use Canare Star Quad cables. |
KN,I think you've nicely illustrated a number of things with your post, thanks for that. It seems that consistent with my suggestion, for a free mid fi upgrade, a simple blanket may help the soundstage. But consistent with Steve N. and others, this doesn't really address the cause, and there may be other approaches that are better and more complete [and cost money]. It sounds like you chose some upgrades, and once you got a good sound stage the blanket actually detracted (as I think Steve N. would predict). Hopefully I've not mis characterized anyone here - if so its not intended. I appreciate everyone's comments here. |
Yes. One interesting thing about this particular discussion is that the changes I introduced in my digital front end that resulted in the described improvements to soundstage (and in basically every other attribute of sound) were done in effort to implement some of Steve's basic approaches in his excellent designs that I have have been reading about in other Agon threads and on the Overdrive website. Particularly focusing on improvements to power supply and management. Would definitely like to hear one of Steve's DACs at some point, and see photo of the defuser for TV screens described here. I very much appreciate Steve's input here and on this site in general. |
Shadorne - Eliminating ground-loops is a good idea. Few audiophiles do it. However, balanced alone does not get you galvanic isolation unless you have transformer coupling in the components. You can get it with this: http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/final-drive Also, it is good to understand that most preamps and DACs, including my own, that generate balanced outputs using solid-state output stage are not really technically balanced because it is impossible for the + and - signals to be exactly the same amplitude, particularly over a wide range of signal amplitudes. The only way to get this is using a signal transformer. Once you do this, the amplifier tends to sound a lot better, so ther are more benefits to a transformer than just isolation. Jitter can usually be reduced more by using a reclocker, even though the DAC resamples and reclocks. knownothing - You may get to hear my Overdrive SX at future shows, but I'm not doing shows much anymore. It may be in another companies room. I am looking to do a headphone amp next, so I may just be in the headphone area at some shows now.
Empirical Audio |
