2. pc-audio
  3. 1320006647

difference beetwen pc audio and hi-end?

If somebody could write about difference between pc audio sound and for example dcs scarlatti,accuphase or emm labs. If for example dcs has 10 level (the best?) so when somebody who knows this (dcs) sound set pc audio (for example:realtek configuration audio HD)what number give this pc sound?, 3? 4?
I know that this very difficult. But if someone can set pc audio to compare a little with hi-end myabe write here . And if someone (like me) never heard dcs what can he hear the difference. If this difference will large,very large or very very large.Sory for my English. I come from Poland (Ancient Audio).
Thank You
p.s
In many tests in Poland dcs is the best. Is this really truth? It must be very very good system, but for example there are even more expensive systems.
awidyne
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Timlub - I dont have personal experience, but I have been told that Mac Mini 2011 sounds better than 2010, and Lion sounds better than Snow leopard OS.

Steve N.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
A CD player is nothing at all like a computer. The only similarities is they are both digital electronics and require power supplies.
tom6897's avatar
tom6897
1,484 posts
 
With the introduction of asynchronous usb DACs I thought the computer interface and software would be less important. As long as all the 0's and 1's are delivered with or without jitter and power supply differences etc. I thought the newer DACS "RE-CLOCK" the signal making the device sending the data immaterial.

If this is not the case why is the computer and software sooo important? A data stream of audio bits and their delivery cannot possibly be as difficult to send without errors as all the data transfered in milliseconds each and every day, billions of times on Wall-street and satellite tracking and cell phone communications, DRONES in Afghanistan controlled remotely from Vandenberg AFB. that go on without a bit of error.

I find it hard to believe that using a PC, Linux, or one of the many Apple products if set up properly with minimum resource hogs would not sound the same if using a device that "Re-clocks the data" before going to the audio output.

timlub
2,039 posts
 
I really don't have answers for all the questions above, but I have to download proprietary drivers for my USB DAC, there are around 10 different drivers and every one of them sound noticeably different. The last 2 have been very good.
levy03
442 posts
 
can't comment on usb anything as i'm not a usb fan. will tell that when i tried a macbook pro/amarra in my streaming system, it sounded no different then my i5 win7 set-up. no difference what so ever even though we tried very hard to hear something(including hi res).

maybe mac's do better with usb??....they change nothing when streaming.

to answer the OP's original question...pc audio is getting really close imho. in my pc system, i'd call it an 8.5 vs the 10 my transport yields. hoping the upcoming ps audio pwd upgrade gets me over the small hump still remaining.

cheers
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