Audio Science Review = Rebuttal and Further Thoughts
@crymeanaudioriver @amir_asr You are sitting there worrying if this or that other useless tweak like a cable makes a sonic difference.
I don’t worry about my equipment unless it fails. I never worry about tweaks or cables. The last time I had to choose a cable was after I purchased my first DAC and transport in 2019. I auditioned six and chose one, the Synergistic Research Atmosphere X Euphoria. Why would someone with as fulfilling a life as me worry about cables or tweaks and it is in YOUR mind that they are USELESS.
@prof "would it be safe to say you are not an electrical designer or electrical engineer? If so, under what authority do you make the following comment" - concerning creating a high end DAC out of a mediocre DAC.
Well, I have such a DAC, built by a manufacturer of equipment and cables for his and my use. It beat out a $9,000 COS Engineering D1v and $5,000 D2v by a longshot. It is comparable to an $23,000 Meridian Ultradac. Because I tried all the latter three in comparison I say this with some authority, the authority of a recording engineer (me), a manufacturer (friend) and many audiophiles who have heard the same and came to the same conclusion.
Another DAC with excellent design engineer and inferior execution is the Emotiva XDA-2. No new audio board but 7! audiophile quality regulators instead of the computer grade junk inside, similar high end power and filter caps, resistors, etc. to make this into a high end DAC on the very cheap ($400 new plus about the same in added parts).
@russ69 We must be neighbors. I frequented Woodland Hills Audio Center back in the 70s and 80s. I heard several of Arnie’s speakers including a the large Infinity speakers in a home.
@prof , your gear is quality stuff, agreed. Hope you can post pics sometime. I would recommend swapping out the Node for the NAD C658 streamer. It is a much better match to the higher level gear you have AND it comes with a microphone and a dsp software called DIRAC. Will take 10 minutes to run and will measure it and correct the room problems to the degree possible. I know you don't need it as a DAC but the DIRAC dsp software is worth it, even if you just use it as a streaming source. |
I think this is absolutely the correct order to do things. There’s a bit of re-iteration of the whole cycle I guess, at least for me as I learned/experienced more of amp-speaker-room interaction.
Glad it made sense. I tried DSP first a while back but learned (for example) you can’t just pour power into a serious null. Adding a Krell helped (even a baby one) but drivers have limits. DSP gain increases distortion of course so you want to get as far as you can before that. This time when I did listening I used my usual music but also stepped test tones. When it got to that 70-80 Hz null in the original position it sounded like a giant grabbed the speaker by the throat and squeezed, Move the speaker out of the giant's reach, it needs to breathe. |
Kota1, Thank you for the recommendation. However I have no need for the NAD. I'm very aware of DIRAC - the AVSforum especially has been a DIRAC love-fest for many years. I listen to records more than digital these days and prefer not to digitize my analog system. If only out of conceptual purity :-) I also tried subwoofers - JL Audio, their CR-1 crossover, and the Dspeaker Anti-mode. I preferred my speakers without all of that and sold it off. I'm pretty old school I guess. |
