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Showing 1 of 345 conversations about:
CEE_TEE
3480
Jun 6, 2018
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Torq https://www.head-fi.org/threads/massdrop-x-airist-audio-r-2r-dac-a-discrete-resistor-ladder-dac-for-350.881315/#post-14282867 “The TL;DR here is simply that the RDAC sounds marvelous. The signature is one of general neutrality with a touch of sweetness to the midrange and upper registers, and a distinctly 'pristine' quality/clarity to the sound. Overall presentation is open with a good sense of air but is neither lacking, nor carrying too much, tonal weight/density. The RDAC’s rendering is fluid, articulate, nuanced, and well balanced—capable of excellent top-end delicacy while simultaneously plumbing a tuneful, driving bassline and keeping vocals present and lucid.” Head-Fi.org, SuperBestAudioFriends.org, Headphone.com
Jun 6, 2018
andrewebay1
259
Jun 19, 2019
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CEE_TEEMet Torq a few times up here in Seattle, the man tests gear strictly for the hobby and perhaps maybe something to do with underwater audio for his line of work. His praise for a dac means quite a bit considering his testing of pretty much all top end DACs available in the head-fi /audiophile market.
(Edited)
Jun 19, 2019
SunsetShores
47
Jul 2, 2019
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CEE_TEECEE_TEE. Can you shed light on whether this group is the same folks who created the excellent Heron 5 amp? I ask because the website for airist and for that amp does not appear to be actively managed. I think we’d all benefit from knowing as much of the story as possible. Thanks!
Jul 2, 2019
CEE_TEE
3480
Jul 10, 2019
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SunsetShoresYes, the same designers were involved in the Heron 5 amp!
Jul 10, 2019
LuckyLuke575
561
Oct 28, 2019
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CEE_TEEWow, which ever PALOOKA wrote this review just compromised their whole career in audio; "distinctly 'pristine' quality/clarity to the sound". That statement is a total joke in light of the fact that DAC produces tons of distortion
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Oct 28, 2019
JJayJJ
472
Oct 29, 2019
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LuckyLuke575You can check out his review and comparison to other DAC's (Though warning, it's not pretty as his others are otherwise abysmal performing Multi-Bit DACs from Schiit unfortunately).
Oct 29, 2019
dicynodont
87
Oct 29, 2019
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LuckyLuke575Whenever I see a comment like this on Drop... I think, this guy isn't much of an audiophile. Have you ever measured the THD on a vacuum tube? Tubes have very high THD, yet sound amazing because of factors unrelated to THD. In fact, whenever I see a product claiming great sound because of high specs like THD, signal-to-noise, etc... I run away. Because getting good specs is generally at the expense of factors that affect natural, clear, engaging live sound. In my opinion, as a much accursed audiophile, this is the first product on Drop that even interests me. The review looks exactly like I would expect a product like this to sound, and I bet a few tweaks to coupling caps, op amps, and PS filter caps could make a HUGE improvement and make this an excellent product.
(Edited)
Oct 29, 2019
LuckyLuke575
561
Oct 29, 2019
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dicynodontThese objective measurements absolutely apply to DACs, more than any other piece of the audio chain. It's job is in its name; digital to audio converter. It's supposed to convert the digital audio file back to an analog playable signal as close as possible to the original sample. If someone wants to achieve a certain type of sound, or EQ the sound then do that with the AMP which is either design for a certain sound (e.g. tubes) or has tone controls or EQ settings, and then fine tune until you get a sound that you love, depending on the style of music you listen to and speakers or headphones that you use. I agree with you in terms of achieving a sound that you love, where measurements don't matter. I actually use an integrated stereo amp where I've set the treble and bass to my liking, but I sure as hell don't want the DAC to be introducing noise and distortion into the signal which can't be changed or controlled. If someone would really be after that, then there's no need to spend $350; that person can just buy a bunch of those $20 DACs on Amazon and go through them until they find the one with the distortion that they think sounds the best (can you see how stupid that sounds?).
Oct 29, 2019
LuckyLuke575
561
Oct 29, 2019
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JJayJJYeah, some of the Schiit DACs had terrible performance, especially the Yggdrasil which happens to be the most expensive one they sell for a couple of grand. It's really ridiculous that companies can get away with that kind of poor design and engineering, but then again there's so much hyping, review hyperbole and bullshitting going on so it's kind of not a surprise. After looking at all the reviews and options, I actually went for the DX3 Pro; hands down the best option for the money, and it's often used as a reference DAC on ASR, also nice form factor, screen, bluetooth, remote, pre-amp functionality etc. It's audibly transparent.
Oct 29, 2019
dicynodont
87
Oct 29, 2019
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LuckyLuke575So you're afraid of distortion being introduced by your DAC, but then you go ahead and use tone controls to add a huge amount of distortion to your liking? Doesn't make any sense to me... but paths don't matter as long as you enjoy your music and your audio gear. Personally, I like a super clean audio signal path with the fewest active digital components possible, and then I add a giant steaming heap of distortion from 300B directly-heated-triode push-pull 30W transformer coupled monoblocks. That's how my system makes the most beautiful sound. To each his own... converting digital to analog is always to going introduce compromise somewhere in the chain.
(Edited)
Oct 29, 2019
LuckyLuke575
561
Oct 29, 2019
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dicynodontTone controls don't introduce distortion, they just raise the low or high frequencies by a few dBs lmfao No, technically if you're using a transparent DAC (Khadas Tone Board, Topping D50s, RME, Benchmark etc) then there needn't be any compromise. That's the essential point of this whole discussion.
Oct 29, 2019
dicynodont
87
Oct 29, 2019
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LuckyLuke575Like I said... to each his own. Personally, my ears tell me that the sound gets worse when multiple capacitors, inductors, and scratchy potentiometers are added directly into the signal path, for the sake of tone controls. That's distortion, plain and simple, and it would be very audible in my high-end system where I do all my critical listening of music and ears are more sensitive to distortion than electronic test gear.
(Edited)
Oct 29, 2019
FuckHead-Fi
424
Oct 30, 2019
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dicynodontelectronic test gear can go beyond anything you can hear by orders of magnitude of distortion.
Oct 30, 2019
dicynodont
87
Oct 30, 2019
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FuckHead-FiSo says you.... I says math and electronics can't measure everything that makes for the perception of good sound. Enough said
Oct 30, 2019
JJayJJ
472
Oct 30, 2019
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dicynodontOkay friend, you have a problem. Let me demonstrate.. "I says math and electronics can't measure everything that makes for the perception of good sound. Enough said" "Whenever I see a comment like this on Drop... I think, this guy isn't much of an audiophile. Have you ever measured the THD on a vacuum tube? Tubes have very high THD, yet sound amazing because of factors unrelated to THD." Yet then you say.. "So you're afraid of distortion being introduced by your DAC, but then you go ahead and use tone controls to add a huge amount of distortion to your liking? Doesn't make any sense to me..." Problem # 1 You say math and electronics can't measure everything that makes for perception of good music. True, but math and electronics aren't measuring "perception of good sound". That whole statement doesn't even mean anything because you would have to define objectively what "perception of good sound" even means. What would then be perception of bad sound? Or why would I care about anyone's perception of ANY sound? So problem one, is the language you use, has no platform for sense, nor relevance if someone doesn't share your sentiments, and that is before you even define what good sound means, and what "perception of good sound" means. For example to conclude, I can simply call you impaired or hearing, or partially deaf, so your opinion of what the perception of good sound is, totally irrelevant to anyone but you. Problem #2 You say tubes sound amazing, sure to some people. But then you say they sound amazing because of factors that have nothing to do with harmonic distortions. Okay, two issues here. First, how do you know it's factors unrelated to THD, what is your proof that it's unrelated to THD. And second, how can you ever know its unrelated to THD when THD is plaguing the signal no matter what out of tube amps? Problem #3 You come close at addressing problem number 2, by saying: "In fact, whenever I see a product claiming great sound because of high specs like THD, signal-to-noise, etc... I run away. Because getting good specs is generally at the expense of factors that affect natural, clear, engaging live sound. " Now you open up a whole field of study just trying to pinpoint what exactly makes for "natural, clear, engaging live sound". What is "natural sound" what is "clear sound" and ESPECIALLY what is "engaging live sound"? None of these words aside from perhaps "clear" have any quantified meaning in terms of sound processing from AMPs and DACs. Like "engaging live sound", what would be the opposite of this.. non-engaging pre-recorded/dead sound? What does any of that mean, what are examples someone can use to see or hear the difference, and how do you quantify any of this on a scale? If you can't answer these, then you do nothing to progress your argument, nor do you contribute to making anything more understandable for anyone. Also, you talk about running away when seeing certain high specs like Signal To Noise ratio for example. Why? Show me the mechanism where a high Signal to Noise ratio degrades anything with respect to fidelity, and show me how you can seperate this from mega distorting tube amps. And if you really want a challenge, show me how it does anything to "live engaging sound". When I say show, I mean reproducible actions I can take, that would demonstrate and lead me to the same conclusion. It needs to be objectively true, I don't want to hear about how you subjectively with a leap of faith come to these conclusions. Problem #4 You assume adding distortion with EQ (or DSP I would say) isn't rational if you don't like distorting tube amps? This makes no sense. First off because you started on a false premise that THD has nothing to do with "tube sound" preferences. So first you have to demonstrate what tubes are doing when taking THD out of the equation that would lead to pleasurable listening. And then when you do that, you're going to have to demonstrate why that is always preferred on every single listening device. Since you can't do that (because you don't believe in math and electronics for deducing things), that doesn't make sense. And second, the reason you would do that is because THD can have varying effects on certain speakers and headphones that have their own sound signatures due to various factors like THD, Noise, and Frequency Response, so while a ton of bass distortion may be pleasurable for some on headphones with very little bass, you don't always want that from bass cannons like subwoofers and such. So yes, using DSP or EQ to add in distortion is fine if you like it. And it makes perfect sense to not want the AMP or DAC to natively do it to all music and all headphones as you lose fidelity, and then have to constantly tweak per device, or per music, to try and minimize or maximize distortions and harmonics. (FINAL) Problem # 5 Your biggest problem, regardless of any of your belief's is when you deny mathematics, and electronics as being capable of telling you what a "perception of good sound is". But then turn around hypocritically seeing nothing wrong with the same math and electronics that made the existence of AMPs and DACs even possible in reality. You basically shoot yourself in the foot by being a science denier in this sense (though I can't say for sure if you are one, since "perception of good sound" isn't defined, and who knows what on Earth you mean by that when measurement devices aren't trying to measure perception, they are measuring the sound itself, not your perception). You need to take a more logically deductive, diction appropriate, and rational stance with respect to this discussion. Everything you've nearly said rubs up against conventions of methodological thinking at least, and brushes up against delusion at worse.
Oct 30, 2019
dicynodont
87
Oct 30, 2019
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JJayJJLet me apologize for stirring up the hornets nest among the entry-level audiophiles on Drop. A few comments while I start my day... First... I still say this R2R DAC looks kind of interesting. I would buy it because it's cheap, and gets reviews that seem to fit my own personal taste in audio gear. If it had discrete audio components, I would mod the heck out of it, but since I don't like soldering SMD chips, I would probably just do simple vibration controls to clean up some ringing. Then compare against my various other DACs for fun. Then it might end up in my desktop audio system. Second... The audiophile hobby is fascinating because it's such a strong mix of highly objective science (math, physics, electronics, acoustics), and highly subjective experience of how an individual perceives the reproduction of music in their brain. The whole process of recording musicians and then translating that to home audio gear forces all sorts of compromises in sound quality throughout all sorts of design decisions. I really can't think of any other hobby where the objective and subjective sides are equally strong and relevant. That leads to some interesting debates, indeed. Or perhaps a lot of wasted breath... This is like debating religion. You're asking for a solely objective explanation response to my statements, which might happen if you spend at least a few years and way too much money buying, building, testing, and tweaking all sorts of audio equipment (I'm at 25+ years and probably 50k). Spend countless hours with your audiophile buddies listening to music and gear, testing, tweaking, changing, and observing the results. Waste entirely too much time reading high-end audio gear reviews and high-end audiophile discussion forums. And most importantly, find a few small-scale audio manufacturers that you can actually call and learn from when you order their products. Only then will you be much more capable of objectively describing the design decisions that sound good to your entirely subjective ears/brain. Here's a few questions that will get you started in this journey:
  • Why do expensive audio cables sound better than lamp cord?
  • Why does vinyl sound better than digital?
  • If my ears can only hear up to 20khz, why does a speaker sound better if it can reproduce sound higher than 20 khz? (or... what's a "super tweeter"?)
  • Why does lifting speaker cables off the floor improve sound quality?
  • What's a phonon, and how can I filter them out of my equipment? (hint, search for "phonon bybee quantum purifier" and take a deep breath)
I'm headed back to the mechanical keyboard section of drop....
Oct 30, 2019
JJayJJ
472
Oct 30, 2019
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dicynodontI'll quote the first part of each section briefly just so you know what I am directly replying to. Which brings me to my preface, of which you do nothing of the like. You're essentially replying with an entire side-step to everything I have said, and simply chosen an attempt at disccreditation based upon your credentials of how long you've been in audio. You address not a single point directly, nor do you clarify your prior points. Also if I could apologize to his excellency of vast veteran-audiophile-ness, don't worry sire, the hornets nest will be calm upon your request. With that said...
  • "I still say this R2R DAC looks kind of interesting. I would buy it because it's cheap, and gets reviews that seem to fit my own personal taste in audio gear."
Which is a pretty low bar considering all scientific testing has thrown out human subjects in the sorts of claims audiophile proclaim to be capable of. The reason for that being is the fallibility of humans and the unreliable track record they have for verifying scientific claims. But you're not concerned with scientific claims, that much is clear. You also speak of this being "cheap". I'm sorry, for normal people, in this day and age when you can get something like a Topping D50S that trounces this device in EVERY metric outside of dimensions that would suit a THX 789 stack aesthetic, and get it for $100 cheaper.. even that statement is unworthy of mention even if you attempt at salvaging it by saying "well it's cheap for me". Well you can throw your money at whatever you like. $350 for a device like a sole DAC in the final quater in 2019 with all the competition out there.. Is not cheap.
  • "The audiophile hobby is fascinating because it's such a strong mix of highly objective science (math, physics, electronics, acoustics), and highly subjective experience"
I don't understand why you would consider it a strong mix for you personally as that first half of the mix to you has no bearing on the latter. You flat out said mathematics and electronics have no bearing on how well music is perceived (again a fatally obtuse statement that you specifically chose not to elaborate on, even after I told you is makes no sense at all). And you conclude this portion by saying, "it's like debating religion". That is perhaps your strongest point in this and all other posts you've had. I am glad you understand the serious divide between people who believe things on "faith" and who believe things due to evidence.
  • "You're asking for a solely objective explanation response to my statements, which might happen if you spend at least a few years and way too much money buying, building, testing, and tweaking all sorts of audio equipment"
Apologies your royal audiophileship. How lowly peasants like us dare request clarification of your otherworldly indescribable transcendental machinations on a matter too unfit for words. Oh please get off your high horse. What bearing would my request for clarity have on you being at liberty to explain yourself? My theory is none, aside from the one being: You can't actually explain yourself because you have no idea what you're talking about, in the same way you would waste time with "anti-vibration" or "modding" of solid state devices, like the deluded lunatics over at DIY-Audio forum rolling opamps to no discernible difference, and only a possibility of degrading the performance of their devices. I don't need to spend two and a half decades to be capable of understanding a reply to someone I ask about the frequency response of a device. You're not the mediator who's going to tell me what I am capable of understanding or not without you making the statement first that will be investigated..
  • "Here's a few questions that will get you started in this journey"
Sorry you must have me confused with someone who would entertain a reply that was supposed to clarify the answers to perplexities raise by you first post, of which you now try to ask me to ask myself questions instead.. This is not a good start, and especially because all it is, is a diversionary tactic (and quite pathetic if I am to give my frank feelings on the matter). But unlike someone such as yourself, I at least do the common decency and suspend my usual mode of operation for the sake of deliberating in good faith. Of which now I will reply one by one to.
  • Why do expensive audio cables sound better than lamp cord?
Dumb question like the dumb post I first replied to. "Sound better" what are you talking about? Also why would anyone use a lamp cord? Most importantly how would I know, I don't have the specifications of either to know what effect their having, what device they're being connected to. Or anything.
  • Why does vinyl sound better than digital?
Another dumb question based on an unsubstantiated false premise. The best this could be answered is by asking "why does vinyl sound better than digital to some people?" But since you're a galaxy apart from rationality, this question is pointless even if presented properly and serves no better at clarifying your prior post and it's perplexing statements.
  • If my ears can only hear up to 20khz, why does a speaker sound better if it can reproduce sound higher than 20 khz?
You said your ears can hear up to 20Khz. Which is false premise yet again. And then you say why does a speaker sound better that can reproduce higher than 20Khz, which is a compounding false premise that obliterates this question from even being salvagable. Actually, the first portion isn't a false premise, it's either a delusion, or a flat out lie. You said you've been at this hobby for at least 25 years. So if you were in this hobby since the age of 18 (a safe conservative guess, unless you're going to waste my time of your prepubescent years and count that), you would now be at least age 43 (let's say 40 for the sake of satisfying your probable opposition to starting audio hobby at 18, and I grant you 15). At the age of 40, you don't hear 20Khz, you don't hear 19Khz, heck you don't hear 18, nor 17, nor do you probably hear 16 very much at all at normal volumes if at all. So I have no idea where you're getting this idea in your head that you personally could hear 20Khz. As for why it sounds better to you that a tweeter that produces 30 or 40Khz.. That's simply, it's psychological bias, as is the usual case with self deluding folks such as yourself and such other. Unless of course you have mountains of evidence to the contrary where people can hear 20Khz at your age, or even hear 30Khz, or 40Khz or whatever you want it to be. But please don't waste my time if they're sighted tests.
  • Why does lifting speaker cables off the floor improve sound quality?
A pattern is showing itself more and more. False premise, of which the answer cannot be given in the same way if asking "Why do people not bow down to me when I am king of the world?". For any on-lookers, the only reason lifting speaker cables off the floor would improve sound quality would be because the floor is some deadly, material deforming, or such other instance. Speaker cables on risers are a delusion. But grant this person some slack folks, he's been in this hobby a long time. A lifetime of brainwashing and an age where slow falloff of mental acuity is the norm.
  • What's a phonon, and how can I filter them out of my equipment?
And of course, one of the end-game manifestations of borderline, if not outright lunacy. For folks too lazy or not in the know. This is one of the audiophile devices that attempt to filter out quantum-level inaudible, immeasurable noise. Now to most sane people, you would instantly laugh a bit about a company selling something that can't be measured in its effect (the idoicy being, how would they themselves know it even works then?). But of course you get the typical "but heard it remove noise" claims, all of which of course are anecdotal sighted claims. Thus dismissable as anything remotely relating to objectivity. The other laughable portion of products like these - is if they existed as advertised - there are scinetific institutions that would be clamouring at owning this in all their electronics equipment. In conclusion, your questions have been answered, and have only muddied your representation (but as is usually the case when someone asks folks such as yourself for simple clarification, you retort with this level of preposterous mess). You said you're heading over to mech keyboards. I wonder what sort of magical conjurations you may have in-store for them. Maybe Topre switches VS Cherry mechanical switches deserve the audiophile treatment. Get some cable risers and dedicated power lines as to not impede upon latency from button press, to on-screen character appearance. What am I saying though? Latency... that involves math, nevermind me.
Oct 30, 2019
LuckyLuke575
561
Oct 30, 2019
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dicynodontYou're an arrogant fellow talking nonsense, thinking that you have some kind of authority with special abilities because you allowed yourself to get duped by hifi audio salesmen and spend a bunch of money on audio equipment. I agree with each to their own; you clearly believe and live what you're saying, but that's limited to your own world (and the limited or non-existent number of people that are willing to listen to you). By the way, making condescending remarks won't score you any points here. This isn't the 80's were people could spitball and bullshit like you're doing (and some YouTube channels where they do many of the moronic things that you talk about below); we have access to information now. People need to make a point based on something that would be common to everyone, not flowery descriptions of their perceptions.
Oct 30, 2019
dicynodont
87
Oct 30, 2019
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LuckyLuke575wow... you and the guy above sure are quick to despise people and call them names. I guess you guys are experts because you have "access to information", presumably via the internet. So why should I even bother answering, given that you already know all the answers anyway? Why don't you take a minute to talk about yourselves and explain just how much you know? Why don't you start with your experience with audio equipment. Describe your audio system, if you have one, so we can at least have common ground for discussion.
(Edited)
Oct 30, 2019
JJayJJ
472
Oct 31, 2019
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dicynodont"So why should I even bother answering, given that you already know all the answers anyway?" Because you would at least have the audience not think you were exhibiting cowardice when challenged for your incredibly audacious claims (of which I've labeled ridiculous at the least, and borderline insane at worst). "Why don't you take a minute to talk about yourselves and explain just how much you know?" The same reason you have taken hours and still not have directly replied to anything I've said. What is it about common human behavior that you simply do not understand here sir? No one is going to answer your questions when you have a backlog of unaddressed conversation. You've already got your work cut out for you (due to the density of audiophile mythology you've presented in one post, of which you can see it took a sizeable reply from me to properly address). You don't get to know who I am, what I have, or any of those things, because it has no baring on the topics of contention. The only "common ground" you need, is the fact we both speak English and can converse with one another. You don't actually want "common ground" with someone based on what they own, if you're going to base your conversations with people based on how much gear they own, you already lost any semblance of rationality. So what are those people with half a million dollar setups going to do when you meet them? Throw out there gear in order to be in common with your collection? Has mind truly parted from skull?
Oct 31, 2019
dicynodont
87
Oct 31, 2019
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JJayJJTo anyone on Drop that has somehow made it past the foam-and-spittle ravings of the nutters above, I apologize. I consider it a lesson learned: do not attempt logical discussions on audiophile gear on Drop. The signal-to-noise ratio is so close to zero, you can't tell the difference.
Oct 31, 2019
LuckyLuke575
561
Oct 31, 2019
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dicynodontStop playing to your non-existent crowd lmao People can read for themselves, they don't need you to conjecture, how arrogant can you be omw
Oct 31, 2019
JJayJJ
472
Nov 1, 2019
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dicynodont“I consider it a lesson learned: do not attempt logical discussions on audiophile gear on Drop.” Aside from not being able to hold a conversation like any normal person (you simply avoid complying with any request even if it’s clarification of your own points). I’m glad you learned such lesson. But of course you don’t actually do anyone a service and actually explain why (in the same manner you never explain anything about your machinations). The reason it’s best you avoid logical discussion, is simply your powers of logical deduction and basic understanding of human interaction is virtually nonexistent beyond the basics that we can speak or type to communicate. Beyond that, you should stick to your lesson, even if the former weren’t true, it instead the simple reason is because you don’t seem to fathom reciprocity in disscussion. Edit: Lol I almost forgot to address your last post about “not being able to tell the difference”. If you had said this first in the conversation I might have granted tha idea credence (though for you it probably is true due to age related hearing loss everyone suffers, but naturally you more than I due to your age). But how peculiar you choose to say that now, when prior you were mouthing off about what gear sounds better than the other. You could not possibly not have made a bigger blunder than you just did with that final statement.
(Edited)
Nov 1, 2019
LuckyLuke575
561
Nov 1, 2019
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JJayJJThat was an epic blunder and embarrassment for the guy. I think hearing loss on his part can also explain a lot of the issues that are coming up here. It's very embarrassing.
Nov 1, 2019
FuckHead-Fi
424
Nov 1, 2019
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dicynodontyou are extremely ignorant
Nov 1, 2019
FuckHead-Fi
424
Nov 1, 2019
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dicynodontlearn about audio analyzers
Nov 1, 2019
postwarscars
1367
Keyboard Club Member
Nov 1, 2019
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LuckyLuke575It's entirely blindness. He believes he is correct, regardless of any evidence presented. You cannot rationalize with the irrational. Typically people like this never really expand on their stance, they just side-step or redirect.
(Edited)
Nov 1, 2019
dicynodont
87
Nov 1, 2019
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postwarscarsThe rudeness of people on this forum never ceases to amaze. I think it should be obvious that I'm refusing to engage because you're all such jerks, and because you're actually not very experienced in using, testing, modding and building audio equipment. You can't even answer a simple question about what gear you actually own. Probably because you don't own anything. If you actually care about discussing the statements I've made above, you can start with answering that question. Otherwise, sayonara
Nov 1, 2019
postwarscars
1367
Keyboard Club Member
Nov 2, 2019
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dicynodontThis is my only reply: owning gear doesn't mean you know anything about it. I am uninterested in your deflections, direct your absurdity elsewhere.
Nov 2, 2019
dicynodont
87
Nov 2, 2019
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postwarscarsI find it quite amusing that nobody is willing to answer my question, "what audiophile gear do you actually own?". Yes, it's true that owning gear doesn't mean that you know how to use it and critique it, but it is the necessary starting point to being considered an audiophile. So who's deflecting who? It's seems like the people here are getting defensive about being called out, because they want to flame others without actually having any real audiophile experience of their own. This is a discussion thread about audiophile gear. It's put up or shut up time. Describe your gear, which is the necessary basis for being able to have a reasonable discussion about it. And don't think for a second that I can't hold an in-depth discussion on the art and science of the entire audiophile experience. Here's my gear.... Desktop: Geek Out IEM 100 DAC, Oppo PM-3 headphones, Antique Sound Labs MG-Head OTL headphone amp. It's a fairly modest system, but I'm using it during work, and never for critical listening. Home system: amps: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum 2 integrated, George Wright 300b push-pull monoblocks preamp: Rogue Audio RP-1 (or the Cronus Magnum as an integrated) digital source: Oppo 203 with custom mods (I'm in the market for source/DAC upgrade) analog source: Clearaudio Concept wood, Concept MC cartridge. Musical Surroundings Nova II phono amp cables: Jena Labs power conditioner: Jena Labs speakers: personal design 2-way with D'Appolito woofers and ribbon tweeter. 1st order phase coherent crossover, freq response 35 - 35 kHz
(Edited)
Nov 2, 2019
JJayJJ
472
Nov 2, 2019
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dicynodont"I find it quite amusing that nobody is willing to answer my question" This folks is an example of personification of hypocrisy of which no eyes can deny. I spend paragraphs explaining to him the problem of the claims he's made. Another person tells him gear isn't a requisite to the discussion of contention. Yet he still persists in asking about gear, because in his mind you can't talk about something to someone unless you fulfill a level of monetary investiture in said topic. But all this is after I entertained the 5 irrational questions he proposed to me prior. Yet now comes with this false pretense as if no one is granting any good faith in terms of the discourse toward him. PURE delusion. There is no amount of rationale it seems one can present to dissuade this person of this lunacy derived mode of thinking at the moment.
Nov 2, 2019
postwarscars
1367
Keyboard Club Member
Nov 3, 2019
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dicynodont"What gear do you own?" The kind that reproduces audio. Anyway, you are more than welcome to do the due dilligance on that question, but I'm certainly not in the business of waxing poetic about such trivial things.
Nov 3, 2019
rastus
1391
Nov 3, 2019
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dicynodontWhich "steaming" monoblocks & speakers if I may inquire? Love the sound of those 300B's, watching the Westinghouse factory re-re-startup with interest. I use my Cary CAD-300SEI w/CAD-300PB capacitor bank mostly for cans, even though I got it for room speakers. Edit... just saw it above in this discourse, thx. Sharing here, as you, as I also believe you need to hear the actual shit hooked up with electrons flowing and air moving your organ of corti; as in it is fine to run the numbers and check the specs, but in the end is it "life" ?? Current rig; re-constituted extra virgin electrons siphoned from the Sacred fire of Vesta, i.e. a double-conversion UPS > pachyderm (Pangea) power cables > DSD-Audivarna-PC (Israeli made i7 rugged & fan-less, upgraded RAM, Intel 731 SS,, spy-brick;) > USB/ Corning Optical-Gemini/LPS > Denafrips Ares > Oyaide AZ-910 > Cary CAD-300SEI w/PB300 > Silver Dragon > Focal/MD Elex's. Every link in the chain... plays... I have also just started listening with a pair of HD600's off eBay that are very early "vintage" 600's, liking the sound of these higher ohm cans, Elex's still fill in the lower side better,, would very much like to trial the HD800S & Utopia....
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Nov 3, 2019
dicynodont
87
Nov 3, 2019
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rastusThanks for adding your list of components to this thread. Since we can't meet in person to compare the sound directly, at least I know where you are coming from. 300B's tubes are such a great sound if the amps are implemented to your taste. They can really bring out the emotion in music, so you end us listening to music more and more. That's what it's all about. I've got my eye on those Westinghouse 300Bs too. Love the fact they are re-creating a USA-based vacuum tube factory. I also really like Cary Audio. One of my audio friends has a pair of Cary monoblocks with KT-88 tubes. Quality engineering, so I would love to hear their version of a 300B SET. Have you compared it to any other amps? My 300B amps are unique, and sadly, won't be made again. George Wright was an Oregon-based amp designer who died a few years ago just as his amps were breaking out with mainstream audiophiles. It uses 300Bs in push-pull, so 30 watts makes it capable of driving most reasonably-efficient speakers. Also a bit more bass control and slam on the low end. What I love about them is that the circuit uses small transformers instead of capacitors to couple the various circuits. So there's no coloration of sound from caps, but rather the sound is all 300B. The quality of transformers is also super high, which allows for great detail and soundstaging.
Nov 3, 2019
rastus
1391
Nov 13, 2019
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dicynodontSorrily... have not heard other 300B's... still have my APPJ 6V6 head amp, upgraded with Mundorf caps that I still use, since I can pick it up with one hand and move it... I like many others, scoffed at tubes, I build equipment used to make solid state stuff for forty years now, but the more I read about free electron valves, and started to ken what was really going on... I decided to experiment with an $80 used EL84 SET, to try to get better sound in a kitchen Bluetooth rig... the "free electron" rabbit hole was started with this little amp... The Cary 300B was acquired for speakers, I had to know what the sound would be like,, and well it also had a jack for headphones,, serendipitously Nirvana came home... When I do finally hear another 300B, I hope it is transformer coupled vs caps as yours is, to hear this as well:) 'What does a tube SET sound like?'; the experiment that led to a getting a used 300B... with a capacitor bank--- I was still hesitant about the power of a "standard 300B SET", otherwise would not have jumped... "The Mouse That Powered The Mountains" an EL84 ( first watt folks :) elicited that spark of life - corpuscles flowing I was yearning for:
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Klipsch KLF-20 as near field monitors Next came my curiosity, as you, about R-2R,, many know the phrase "curiosity killed the cat", but few ever finish the old saying... "satisfaction brought it back". I would have experimented with the Airist/drop R-2R, but a self-imposed rule of go native - skip another conversion with DSD occluded that, and wanted to give it a fair trial, so went with the Denafrips Ares, if a failure -- well just sell it... well it was anything but that, it brought life back into recordings reed/string/percussion/vocal, everything,, and the speakers vanished with some recordings. I would love to hear a totaldac, which uses the currently available forefront in resistor tech., the Vishay VAR series metal foil resistors, for both precision and very importantly noise, often overlooked in these spec. games... I do believe that better can be made, it will be interesting. If you make the move to R-2R, I don't think you will be disappointed, especially with your 300B monoblocks in play.
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Nov 13, 2019
dicynodont
87
Nov 14, 2019
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rastusBefore I even comment on your 300B and DAC story.. let me say "Nice horns!". Which speakers are those, and how efficient are they? What kind of music do you listen to with them? Image of my system... as I'm listening to it right now. You can see my George Wright 300B push-pull amps. Plus the speakers I built with Jena Labs, and my Clearaudio Concept turntable. I've spent way too much money on analog, and neglected my DAC. Hoping to "rectify" that soon... The cabinet and elevated turntable shelf I'm using is a compromise. Sound quality is not the greatest, but I have 1.5 yo toddler who will push buttons and turn knobs endlessly as a form pure entertainment. My audio gear lives in a state of constant state of fear... :)
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ps... I'm happy the kooks in the earlier part of this thread have STFU. Let's see if this comment smokes them out. I'm still waiting to see if they actually even own any audio gear.
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Nov 14, 2019
rastus
1391
Nov 14, 2019
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dicynodontEdited in Klipsch KLF-20, when I realized some would like to know, not guess... Music type is eclectic, from Mills Brothers to Pink Floyd with a side of George Winston... You do want to look back towards digital, since we are now getting access to DSD files remastered from the tapes in many cases, as well as new artist recordings direct to DSD. Not bad timing either as you see this resurgent interest in R-2R, with reachable price points for midfi stuff, though to me I’m hifi, it is so good... I will keep a pure analog setup,, but feel that a hybrid of taking the best form of digital recording, and back to analog in its cleanest conversion will win overall. Until R-2R takes the next step forward, I would say dabble in both, having a DS DAC around won't hurt anyone, and 24/192 is fine stuff played bit-perfect too, MQA _ who cares - re-mastered snake oil/shill scheme,, been sampling off Tidal and some is fine, but then other stuff is back into the loudness war zone... if it comes along with a DAC fine... When you take digital recording to an extreme,, what would be its analogue...? Case in point; Lukasz built a DSD to analog converter, essentially with, out, a, D,A,C, _._._. as we commonly think is requisite... no silicon chips mucking things up, that is;) Interesting, eh? http://www.lampizator.eu/Fikus/DSD_DAC.html
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Nov 14, 2019
rubley00
16
Nov 16, 2019
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CEE_TEEThat evaluation proves the completely worthlessness of objective "reviews". What a joke
Nov 16, 2019
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