2. pc-audio
  3. 1385145497

What is the missing element?

My pc audio setup currently is as follows

PC (Lossless audio through Jriver) > V-link (first model) > Rega Dac > Jolida JD1501 > KEF LS50s

The Rega was probably the first component I bought that completely transformed the sound of my system. The difference it made was simply huge.

I then added the v-link to support higher resolution audio through the s/pdif connection. Again, the sound noticeably improved. The soundstage was bigger, and the music just sounded fuller. Without the v-link the music sounds quite a bit smaller through the usb input.

The Kefs were the next big leap forward for my system. I simply cant believe how big a sound these tiny little speakers put out.

Now, originally most of my listening was through the setup listed above. However, the addition of a thorens TD-160 has gotten me into vinyl in a big way and now I really don't like the sound of digital. By comparison it sounds like congested chaos, has a rough texture (especially noticeable in voices)and overall is just very brash sounding. I simply can not stand it at loud volumes. Nothing like the polite orderly smoothness I hear on vinyl which constantly has me turning up the volume.

I had all but completely switched to listening to music on my turntable while the rega was relegated to streaming pandora or youtube as background music and always at low volumes. Then, some time spent with a naim cd player reminded me just how good a digital source can sound. So my question is how can I bridge the gap? I have been reading a lot about jitter and I am wondering if that is holding the rega back. I've read that the v-link measures at right around 400ps while other digital transports like the audiophilleo measure well below 100ps. Would replacing the v-link with an audiophilleo or another s/pdif converter give me the sound I am looking for? Is the problem with the nature of computer audio itself and I should just be looking for a good CD player? I am slowly driving myself crazy over this.
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grannyring
6,579 posts
 
All tech stuff thrown out for a second, my USB cable from my 2009 mini to my Lampizator dac USB input is sonic heaven beyond anything I have ever heard on my front end.

No separate USB converter, just beautiful sound beyond any CD player or disc spinning transport I have owned or heard in my system.

Follow Steve's advice and get a late model 2009 mini, power supply for the mini, perform all software mods, use Amarra with EQ option to negate poor room response, and yes a good quality USB cable (WyWire and others). Boom, Done, Killer Sound!

So the devil is indeed in the details wether sound card or USB cable.

Steve, can this sound card Cerrot speaks about be loaded into the 2009 mini? If so, any real sonic pluses? My Lampizator has a nice USB port so no outboard converter is needed for great sound with my set-up.
clio09
3,362 posts
 
I really do not think enough credit is given to the advances made to enable USB to be a very viable solution for computer audio. I was a skeptic for a really long time. I still have my CEC TL-51X transport lying around. With my Lessloss DAC I can slave the CEC to the DAC which is a superior implementation. However, even I have to admit that my DAC slaved to my Audiophilleo 1 USB converter yields no sonic degradation. I cannot tell the difference.

I have a good amount of experience with the Lynx sound card as a friend of mine has a server that uses one. We did a comparison against a laptop system using an Offramp 4 and the difference was definitely noticeable. The USB converter was better, even with the USB signal coming off a laptop versus a dedicated music server.

I have to admit the Juli@ intrigues me because it has a clock input. As my DAC has a clock output it might be possible for me to slave the card to my DAC. Unfortunately I may never find out since my email to the fine folks who make the sound card seemingly went into the black hole.
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
11-26-13: Zd542
Does anyone know if jitter can be introduced in the recording process? If so, is there a way to deal with it?
Good question. The answer to the first question is yes, in the sense that the amount of jitter introduced in the recording process will not be exactly zero, to an infinite number of decimal places. I don't have any particular knowledge, though, as to how likely it is to be great enough to be audibly significant, with modern recording equipment.

Just as jitter in the playback process is produced by small rapid fluctuations in the timing of the clock that is supplied to the D/A converter chip(s), jitter in the recording process will be produced by small rapid fluctuations in the timing of the clock that is supplied to the A/D converter chip(s).

Since the A/D converter function and generation of the clock signal that is supplied to it can be performed within the same component, however, I would suspect that a GOOD design would result in the introduction of minimal and perhaps negligible amounts of jitter during the recording process.
If so, is there a way to deal with it?
Nope, aside from the possibility that it may be masked by, or even be complementary to, sonic issues in the playback system. How perceivable and how objectionable it may be, if it were to have any significance at all, would be dependent on the sonic quality and the sonic character of the playback system.

Best regards,
-- Al
mesch
3,529 posts
 
I also wold have purchased Steve's products however can't afford them at this moment. I purchased a used audiopilleo2 with purepower and am happy. Haven't had it in my system long enough to provide a great deal of feedback beyond that. Can say that it is superior to my M2tech hiface.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
"Does anyone know if jitter can be introduced in the recording process? If so, is there a way to deal with it?"

Absolutely. No way to fix it once the recording is made.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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