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Looking for Better Jitter Reduction in a DAC

I'm looking to improve the jitter control in my digital setup, which hopefully will create a more analogue presentation. I own a PS Audio PW Memory Transport, which sports a FPGA, and a Nuwave DSD DAC with a scaled-down version of the gate array.

   I have owned a Chord which uses this technology and it was like listening to analogue recordings. I sold it only because it's soundstage was very forward, like sitting in the front row of a concert hall. My current PS Audio setup has wide and deep imaging, as does my Atma-Sphere preamp.
   I have auditioned the Schiit Grundir and it was a bit too fast in the attack and transients, but had the dynamics and deep imaging that I like. So, I guess what I'm looking for is a unit with a laid-back, realistic musical presentation.

The Mytek Digital Stereo192 DSD and Blue Circle DAC are in my price range, but there is no way to audition them.
  So any recommendation and advice is appreciated. DSD preferred, budget is about $1200 used.


128x128lowrider57
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
@willemj , thanks. Attenuators may be the easiest way to test this situation. And good point about analogue.
I have season tix to the Philadelphia Orchestra and the brass section can definitely sound harsh at times, plus that is the nature of the trombone or Wagner tuba in some symphonies. But violin in a well damped concert hall should not present harshness, well maybe during a solo.

Steve N, DC offset was checked when I had new dedicated lines installed, not long ago.

Forgot to mention that my SS Sunfire amp with high gain also presented this problem after I received this DAC. BTW, my Chord DAC sounded very smooth.

willemj
1,036 posts
 
Well, maybe it is your DAC. A cheap test on that score would be to buy a Chromecast Audio and use its inbuilt DAC for analogue output. It will give you a convenient streaming device in the bargain. The inbuilt DAC is by no means harsh. It has two analogue output levels, one is called high dynamic range. That name is a bit misleading because it is just a higher (2.0V) output level. I would avoid it in your case. The normal one is about 1.2V if I remember well. Once you are done with the testing, you can use the Chromecast's digital (optical) output into a better DAC.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
I think the attenuators may be a cheap way to test the analogue output of the DAC. I would really like to find a DAC that I could audition for a trial period, and in the meantime save for a new unit.
As I stated earlier, the Cable Company's fee is too high to borrow a DAC from them.

I think I was able to reload software on my Mac so that I can play from the hard drive. The music players seem to working with no hiccups, so I'll test some downloads.

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lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
My experience with curing 'digititus' has been via multiple tweaks that addressed each of the various elements in the digital chain. It was cumulative. There was no one 'silver bullet'.   Most of the significant improvements were based on cleaning up the power supplies. Digital backwash was one of many contributing culprits.   Harshness/shrillness is most noticeable in the high frequencies - but, the entire musical spectrum is affected.
Thanks, Steakster, you speak the truth. When I combined the digital and analogue components into the same power strip (no filtering), the result was a higher level of harshness. Returning to separate dedicated lines was a relief to my ears even though I was back to the baseline issue of 'digititus.'

For the next test, I ripped a Bruckner symphony to CD-R using XLD and the copy has the same hard edge to the brass section as the original.


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