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what are the Best Direct to amps Digital Players ?

Hi, I have had two tube digital players, one solid state in 14 months,I like the sound of alot of tube players, However, It always seems that tube players have problems!, These days, alot of solid state players out perform the tube players in every way!, Tube or solid state, what is the best sounding, most reliable, all cost points!, Digital that can be used direct to amplifiers?,, Thankyou!
audiolabyrinth
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audiolabyrinth OP
4,555 posts
 
@ Zd542, Hi, Can you come over to the thread, Does eanyone know about the EAR acute 3 thread?, Jafant and me wants to know your dealer hook up, Thankyou Zd542.
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
Im still breaking it in but would not say slightly forward, though, when I had some nice magic going with some female vocal music, I did feel the body of the singer developing just infront of the soundstage, in a curved 3-d impression. Mind blowing experience, actually.
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atmasphere
12,116 posts
 
Mateored, High Emotion Audio loudspeakers are Minnesota made, as are Magnaplanar.

I don't see that anyone has mentioned this but the issue of volume control in the digital world is one that is fraught with difficulties. The problem is that most players/DACs put out way too much voltage and so has to be knocked down in order to not overload the amp like crazy!

This often means that with digital volume controls the level will be set rather low, which can rob the signal of resolution. If a passive analog control is used, you often get loss of bass and impact as you run the volume control down from full, which you need to do because most digital products have too much output (4-6 volts is typical and most amps need 1-2 volts for **full** output).

Built-in analog controls work the best, IMO, if they are properly designed and used- they should never be in series with the output of the unit for example- instead they should drive the output buffer of the unit.

The Wadias used to have a set of switches that would lower their output, and so allow them to use the upper ranges of their volume control, which offered better resolution.

I point this out because frequently the only way to get around this problem is with an active line stage that has an analog control capable of giving you good control of the signal without coloration. Right now this is one of the bigger problems faced in the digital world. It seems to come from the fact that the Digital to Analog conversion produces a fairly high output, combined with the fact that most digital designers don't seem to understand how much voltage that amplifiers need. Both are very solvable issues, but poorly understood.

Back to your regular programming...
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth OP
4,555 posts
 
@ Atmasphere, Hi, I am not being direspectful here, please forgive me, your theory of your post for volts to amps is completly wrong!, how do I know, Krell told me, and an audio engineer here on the gon that owns his own audio company, an example of what I am saying is, My Krell FPB 700cx amp has input of 3.6 volts, guess what that means?, krell said it takes at least that to drive the amp, the amp will take up to 18 volts to input before overload!, most active pre-amps that are made are 8 to 21 volts from their out put to an amps input,, what I am saying, a digital intergrated player whether its digital volume or analog,, you can use from 2.5 volts to 18 volts in the case of my Krell 700cx, Krell them selfs told me to switch my volts out put of my digital player from 2.5 volts to 5 volts to be able to drive my amp better, cheers.
mateored
258 posts
 
@Atmasphere

Thanks for the tips on the Minnesota speakers.

The Wadia 121 has adjustable voltage. Can be set for 1v, 2v or 4v.
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