Gustardx26 pro vs RME ADI2FS

@yage

yage

92 posts

07-19-2021

12:13pm

The transfomers referred to in that article are output transformers, not power transformers. They will affect the sound because they are coupling the output tubes to the speaker.

the original jim hawes article linked by the op talks about the effect of transformers in various audio circuits, not just coupling transformers in tube amp output stages - specifically mentions how nelson pass uses them in d-fet solid state amps

op's second link refers to parts to build the first watt f6 ... that is nelson’s solid state 50 wpc j fet fet push-pull amp 

https://www.firstwatt.com/pdf/art_f6_baf.pdf
https://www.firstwatt.com/f6.html

so this has got nothing to do with mating output tubes to speakers... since there aren’t vacuum tubes in that amp

the op in raising the issue was not conflating tube amp output transformers with other transformers used in audio circuits to shape the sound... though he may have mistaken power supply transformers with ones used in the signal path

On page 10 of the RME-ADI2 Users Guide they discuss the power supply in detail, laying out the design features built into the dac, they conclude; "...in other words the choice of power supply is not critical."  I'd like to know of another manufacturer so confident in their engineering as to make a similar statement.

This discussion is interesting because it is circling around what I have come to believe is a central truth in HIFI. That is, there are two ways to go, true fidelity and good sound. These are not mutually exclusive as that statement might sound at first.  The first makes good recordings sound good and bad recording sound bad, the second “improves” recordings making the bad ones less deficient to the listener, while good recordings still are pleasurable. The second path is embodied by tubes, class A solid State amplification and R to R style decks. Basically, to one extent or the other these devices round off the hard edges of a bad recording and introduce  “ good“ distortion that pleases our ears. I don’t think one path is better than the other but it took me a while to realize that this is the basic choice and that I might want to have a systems that pursue each of these goals separately and not confuse things by mingling elements of each within one system. Or if you do mingle be aware of what you were doing so I as to achieve a desired goal as opposed to working against yourself.

well said bruce

i have come to believe the same over the numerous years i have spent in this pursuit

whether it is something being lost in the recording and mastering processes, or in the playback chian, the classic notion of ’straight wire with gain’ often does not lead to the most pleasing and beautiful presentations of (even wel) recorded music

the magic of truly great audio equipment and designers is that their gear manages to reshape or reconstitute the recorded sound in a way that adds something back, giving it a dose of magic and beauty

the analogy i sometimes think of is that fresh seafood, once frozen and thawed, does not taste the same as originally...  still may taste good, but something definitely has been lost -- so a great chef then can add something back to make it taste great again during the preparation ... no it is not the same as it was when it is fresh, but it is so tasty nonetheless

something like that is happening here with music reproduction