Any better DAC then dCS Scarlatti?

Hi murataltuev,
I am very interested in you finding your vinyl set up to be more dynamic than your digital rig.

I too have scarlatti and other DCS digital. It has been a longtime since I have had my own TT (I got lazy), although some of my audiophile close friends have super TT rigs. I could not say they are more dynamic, although the sense of flow etc is hard to beat but not impossible. In fact a friend of mine recorded a CDR direct from his TT. When I played this back on my digital, it killed many of my original disks!

I wonder what you are using with your DCS for it to have dynamic issues? Or maybe I need to understand better your meaning of dynamics?

DCS does have the ability to be restrained or slightly removed, but with the right tweaking and set up it is sublime. Maybe try some VD cables to bring it to life? Or is it a preamp issue? The drawback of these discussions is you can say so much and so little at the same time!

I dont know the GTE, but I have had many of the usual suspects in the digital world.

dCS is great DAC, but I always feel that vinyl is more real.
And I think it is because better resolution and dynamic.
I know that technically dynamic means the speed of changing volume.
So, with higher speed, you have more real picture.
And higher resolution also makes picture more real.
How to differentiate that vinyl sounds better because of resolution or dynamic I can't say. But if vinyl has less dynamic it can't be more real.
I have some classical tracks with big symphonic orchestra and good test is sound of violins. In one case they sound like away. In another case they hook your soul and you dive deep into music. I think it is because dCS highs are softer (less dynamic) than vinyl's.
Chadeffect, can you explain how to differentiate where is dynamic and where is resolution?

Hi murataluev,

I am only confused because the noise floor is so much higher with your TT when compared even to modest digital sources. Of course I know the pain in making it musical.

My understanding of dynamics is volume contrast and tracking this through time or the envelope, both in the individual instrument within the band or orchestra, as well as the orchestras or band as a wholes volume.

I guess resolution is very close in the equation. Helped by ultra low noise floors and the usual low distortion and linear signal path and vibration control which enables the freedom of the above. Not sure if frequency response or character is included in this?

The funny thing is that recently I have been let loose with some cabling which has made me rethink these issues with digital playback, even with the very nice cabling I own (Analysis plus golden oval and VD). I have been humbled by the degree of loss within some of these fine cables when compared to some experimental stuff I have on loan.

I wont go into it here and hijack this thread, but be warned. You may not be listening to your DAC at all. As the inventor of this cable system told me before I plugged it in, "you are hearing about 60% of your system at the moment".

I thought it was unlikely as I have gone to a reasonable extreme with vibration control/clean electricity and good cabling. All I can say is I plugged the damned stuff in. It is frightening... Much much more information. Timing naturalness and so on. Just real. It was very good before, but oh dear.

BTW the cables cost more than my whole system, DCS included! But then it would do wouldnt it?

Chadeffect, I agree with you 100%!
Vibration control/clean electricity and good cabling is the key!
I also was very unhappy when first listen to dCS with stock power cords, without any vibration control which is very critical especially for transport.
Key elements of good result was PurePower2000 on top of separate Copulare stand connected with Argento SMR Extream Edition power chord to wall and with Nordost Odin cables to dCS and with special feets on top of AudioMagic stand. Here is photo of this feets: http://soundex.ru/index.php?showtopic=24510&st=950&p=253462&#entry253462
Without this feets, I can't listen to dCS Transport at all, preferring my computer as a source! So, I really did much to get all potential from dCS.
And cost of this tweaks also higher than dCS DAC for example.
But if in the same conditions I have much better result with another DAC, it means that that DAC is just better!

As for the noise floor. It doesn't disturb at all!
It is completely separated from the instruments and music in general!
May be it is because I have really great phono preamp!