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WHAT SHOULD BE MY NEXT SYSTEM UPGRADE?

Forgive the length of this entry, but I am anticipating questions I am likely to receive and wanted to provide as much useful information as possible.

I focus on listening to the music and am not prone to frequent system upgrades.  When I do upgrade it is because the improvement in sound quality is obvious to both my wife and I and seems to be a good value. We both play musical instruments, listen almost exclusively to classical and jazz, regularly attend concerts, especially orchestral works, chamber music and small jazz groups.  The classical performances are all in venues with good to excellent acoustics, so over many years of listening we know how live performances should sound.

Several months ago I purchased a Lumin U1 mini digital music player after auditioning a Lumin T2 and comparing the DAC in the T2 to my current Ayre QSB-9 DSD DAC.  What became apparent was that the existing DAC was not the most significant limiting factor in our system.  By connecting the Lumin to my iMac via an Ethernet switch and cables, and using it as a player only, the clarity of the music improved markedly.  I attribute this to the reported higher levels of “noise” transmitted through the iMac’s USB connection.  The Lumin was “quieter” - less noise and distortion, and has the added benefit of providing us with an excellent streamer for our Qobuz Hi-Res subscription.  So I purchased the Lumin U1 mini, which is a digital player only.  (We use both the Lumin app and Roon to listen to our own digitized music and Qobuz.)

Having spent a bit of time reading threads on Audiogon, articles in various publications and talking to a few dealers, it seems that I might achieve further marked improvements in sound quality - clarity, detail and accuracy of reproduction, less noise and distortion, better soundstage - by using a music server as a file source and/or by upgrading to a newer DAC.  While the other components in our system may be improved upon, our experience in auditioning various speakers and amps over the years, including in the past 12 months, lead me to believe the digital source/processing is where the biggest gains can be achieved.  

Our current system for the main listening room consists of the following components.

Mac Mini i7 with music on an external Thunderbolt hard drive (RAID 1 configuration) 

Lumin U1 mini digital music player

Ayre QSB-9 DSD DAC

Ayre CX-7emp CD player

Ayre K5-emp pre-amplifier

Proceed HPA-2 dual mono amplifier 

Aerial Acoustics Model 8b speakers

Transparent Plus (generation 5) interconnects

Transparent 10 ga. in-wall speaker cables (bi-wire terminations)

Audioquest Niagara 1000 power conditioner

Transparent USB (Lumin to Ayre DAC) and power cables

The purchases of the CD player, pre-amp, power conditioner and Lumin unit all made very noticeable improvements to sound quality.  Our digitized music collection now sounds virtually the same as, if not a bit better than the original CDs played on the Ayre CD player.  It was noticeably inferior before the Lumin was added to the system.

I’m seeking input from Audiogon members as to components they believe would provide the most improvement for the dollar to our current system, with an emphasis on digital music servers and DACs.  Let’s save recommendations regarding pre-amps, amps and speakers for another time.

With respect to music servers, a simple solution would be to replace the MacMini with the $1,200 Lumin L1, basically a hard drive and associated hardware designed for digital music use.  It can connect to my Lumin U1 mini via Ethernet, which I understand to be preferable to USB, with some recent suggestions to the contrary.  One downside is the need to reconnect to a computer every time you want to transfer a CD you’ve ripped or a file you’ve downloaded to the L1.  Local dealers also carry music servers by Aurender, Auralic, and some other more mass market brands.  I have read some good things about the sound quality of Innuous servers, but there are no local dealers and I am hesitant to purchase anything that I cannot demo with my existing equipment in my own listening room.

As to DACs/processors/combo units, I would automatically be disposed to the Ayre QX-5 Twenty given my experience with the company (excellent response to customer inquiries, great upgrade policy, outstandingly neutral sounding products).  Local dealers also carry the Lumin X1 (which would require trading in or selling my Lumin U1 mini, which is fine), the MSB Discrete (and its more costly brethren), Berkeley Audio Designs, T+A, Aurender, Auralic.  An out-of-town dealer with whom I’ve dealt carries some of these same brands plus Naim, dcs, Linn, and others.

As to budget, let’s say that depends to some extent on the performance the product.  For the purposes of discussion let’s say up to $5k for a music server and up to $10k for the DAC.  A bit of stretch is possible and the combined total would work for a combo product, but past experience suggests different firms have strengths in different areas.

I am particularly interested in thoughts about whether a music server or new DAC would provide more improvement.  I've read the past comments of the bits are bits naysayers and can confirm that just switching from USB to Ethernet connectivity made a big improvement.  So bits transmitted with power and circuit noise are inferior to bits transmitted with less of both!

Your feedback is sincerely appreciated.      


sameyers1
sameyers1 OP
138 posts
 
miller carbon - Can you direct me to a web site that explains how CFTs and HFTs work?  I read a little on the Synergistic Research web site. Their web site provides very little explanation.  Since they sell the products, I'd prefer some input from a neutral source that has tested such products. You have to admit that sticking stuff on the wall and ceiling of your room and on the speakers, or inside your electronics sounds a bit out there.  If they work, why don't manufacturers, particularly high-end product makers, install them in their products?  Pardon me if I question before I leap.  Is there a manufacturer of such products that you prefer?  I am trying to stretch mentally, but I am also aware of the old adage that if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. 
sameyers1 OP
138 posts
 
millercarbon - Same question on the Blue Quantum fuses -   independent source that explains why product actually does improve sound  Before I go through the process of reading manuals to identify proper fuse types, ordering the necessary fuses and then opening up relevant pieces of equipment to install them, I'd like to understand how they work. Also would like your feedback on how they behave in an environment with power spikes so significant that my Niagara power conditioner will turn off the system.  (We have a lot of nearby lightning strikes and also have an excessive number of virtually daily very short outages followed by peaks when service is restored, since we are at the end of the power company's service area and are served by only one circuit.  Thank you.
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
@sameyers1 I encourage you to read Howard Kneller over at SoundStageUltra. He has detailed and explanatory write-ups as well as deep depth of experience with SR products. On this forum, in addition to @millercarbon who has already posted, @folkfreak and @davidpritchard come to mind (among others).
sameyers1 OP
138 posts
 
david_ten - Many thanks.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
sanmeyers1 has some perfectly normal and common concerns, all too common in fact and still held by a lot of people with more than enough experience to know better by now!

millercarbon - Same question on the Blue Quantum fuses -   independent source that explains why product actually does improve sound
 

When you find that independent source do me a solid and let me know. In all my years studying high end audio, watches, cars, wine, and well pretty much everything, I have yet to find any. In fact the only one I can think of, Consumer Reports, when you actually happen to know a lot about the product you realize not only do you know more than CR, they are more often than not flat out wrong. Which is not to pick on CR but to show how thinking you can rely on anyone else is a fool's errand. You, and your ears, and your brain are the closest to an independent source you are ever gonna find. OR again, let me know!

Before I go through the process of reading manuals to identify proper fuse types, ordering the necessary fuses and then opening up relevant pieces of equipment to install them, I'd like to understand how they work.

Most components have the fuse readily accessible from the outside, often times even with the value marked right on the receptacle. Nowadays nobody needs a manual. The info is right there on-line.

A lot of us would like to understand how they work. And this runs counter to the conventional wisdom, but too bad its the truth: nobody understands how they work.

Not just fuses. All of it. You want proof? I got proof! Take a few things we know how they work: cars, airplanes. The principles are so well understood and so uniformly applied even people who don't understand the principles of aerodynamics can look at a try-plane and know its an anachronism, a jet and know its fast, a car and know from design alone its a sedan or a sports car. Contrast that with cables. If we know so much about why cables work then why are there flat ones, big fat round ones, skinny little round ones, ones that are passive and ones that are actively shielded? Or take amps. Audiophiles can't even agree on tubes vs solid state. If we know why then surely we would know a planar is better than a ribbon. 

Hey look, I get it. Everybody wants to believe. Well wish in one hand and hope in the other, etc. No. Not buying it. Best you can do, try and find designers with a long track record of making products you think sound good. Not anyone else. You. The independent source.

Also would like your feedback on how they behave in an environment with power spikes so significant that my Niagara power conditioner will turn off the system.  (We have a lot of nearby lightning strikes and also have an excessive number of virtually daily very short outages followed by peaks when service is restored, since we are at the end of the power company's service area and are served by only one circuit. 


This is another common misconception. Real common. Don't know why, except that hardly anyone understands even basic electronics. But the way a fuse works, too much current flow heats the wire enough to burn out breaking the circuit and stopping the flow of electricity. So there has to first be a circuit and a flow. Understand? Power spikes don't burn fuses, current draw burns fuses. Component turned off, no circuit, no fuse burn no matter how much spike. Component draws too much current, fuse burns out, spike or no spike. Component doesn't draw too much current, does not matter what voltage does.

Your Niagara conditioner is a whole different story. It is not a fuse. As you said it turns off the system. Whole different thing.

The very few really good designers, of which Ted Denney is definitely one, they probably have a pretty good idea what is going on. You can come up with one great idea and be random. You come up with a whole string and at some point you have to give the guy a little more credit. Ted has invented freaking PAINT that works acoustically. That is just over the top brilliant. 

Yet every time Ted does try and say a little the most common reaction is he's blowing New-Age smoke and/or snake oil and mirrors. Whatever. Does not matter to me. I'm the guy who knows nothing matters less than WHY. Only thing that matters is how it sounds. I leave it to others to explain why. 50 years of doing this has taught me nobody knows why. Heck hardly anyone even can hear a lot of this stuff. Not because its not there. Because they can't hear! Correction: they haven't learned how to listen! 

So for example Ted has mentioned somewhere, not sure if its on his site, that ECT, PHT, HFT, etc use dither. In general, dither is a randomized addition to a signal that for some reason having to do with us being humans creates a perception of higher resolution. Dither is totally used in video. They are very scientific about it, with dither tailored to each application. Well, the HFT, etc are basically the same thing with slight differences. Yet Ted says dither, people brush him off. I actually wrote a post about this when I reviewed these. As I recall nobody was interested and instead I was ridiculed. Its okay. I give as good as I get- and then some.

I keep coming back to Synergistic because in all that time I've seen nobody and nothing establish as good a track record for performance and value. Nobody in the industry has as good a buy-back program. Nearly everything they sell comes with a 30 day no-questions asked return guarantee. They stand behind their products so solid they even replaced a Blue Quantum Fuse that burned out on me!

If you ordered HFT you will know soon enough. My advice, don't just plaster them all up according to the diagrams. Start with just one. If your ears are any good you will hear and be surprised by what just one can do. Then before putting another one up move the first one. If you've got the chops you will notice the sound change from moving one even an inch or two. Its crazy but you will be able to tune the sound of things like cymbals. Not by a huge amount. But enough to notice. Enough to prefer one over the other. Only then when you are happy with that one move on to adding the next one or two. If you ordered the HFT Speaker Kit do the same with those. Only do them in pairs. But experiment with each one individually before adding more. Then when you have them all up go back and tweak again just to be sure.


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