No Tidal login window appears. How can I get to this?

Mani

Hi guys, I'm trying to install and activate XX on my music server. The problem I have is that I don't have a sound device in the server - nothing on the mobo and nothing plugged directly in. With other players I can use the remote connection sound device (e.g. when I connect to the music server from my office PC, I can stream music from the music to the office PC sound device with Roon, or whatever - but not with XX.)

So, how can I activate without a sound device?

Thinking about it, it would have taken me about as long to stick my Dragonfly into the server and just play a track than it has to write this post. I'm going to do that right now...

Mani.

Hey Anthony, it's the OTL... in my dreams! Actually even in my dreams, I'm not sure I'd want such an amp for an office system. A totally gorgeous piece of kit though.

No, I bought a used Einstein 'Light in the Dark Mk II'. I didn't need it - I've already got a couple of really nice amps sitting around (the nicest probably being Bert's BD30-SPR monos, which I currently use to drive my K-1000 headphones). I sold my Berning Siegfried amp a couple of years and I think I just miss having a component with valves in it! (Actually my Thöress phono stage has valves, but that doesn't count.)

I think the attenuator is simpler than you're suggesting. The recommendation is to use the amp's XLR inputs because it's a truly balanced amp design. The amp also has two sets of RCA inputs per channel - one in +ve phase and one in -ve phase (so essentially connected directly to pins 2 and 3 of the XLR inputs respectively). So if you're using these inputs, you can change the phase by using one or the other input. Now, these RCA inputs can also be used as line-level outputs for multi-amping. If you do this, then the attenuator control will attenuate these outputs too, as well as the XLR input.

So it seems like a more straight forward setup than the one you suggested.

Mani.

Noooooo 

Mani.

Thanks Peter. I think I'll give it a go.


Well, apparently not a simple attenuator. I've just received the following info from the designer of the Einstein poweramp in question: "It's an attenuator, but not a simple one. It's  acting as a shunt and not in the signal path. So there is no loss in quality compared to a standard attenuator."

Sounds good to me  

Mani.

Still white or aluminium colour? I hope the former  ...

Mani.

Hey Peter, I'm considering going bi-amping in my office system. One poweramp uses XLR inputs (and has a variable gain control - not an attenuator [Edit: Actually, I think it is a 'simple' attenuator - think some of the reviewers of the Einstein poweramp in question are mistaken]), the other has RCA inputs. Would it be OK using both the XLR and RCA outputs of a #2 B'ASS simultaneously without too much degradation to the sound?

(Sorry if you've already answered - couldn't find it.)

Edit: And when are you going to start taking orders? We've been waiting since the 1st April you know!

Mani.

Haha... I knew there was a reason why I chose 24/48 for those!

Mani.

It seems that the NOS1a switches back to the 44.1 oscillator by default. What I mean here is that if I play a 48 track, and then stop, and then start another 48 track, there is always that small tick before it plays. So the NOS1a has defaulted back to 44.1. So I can't simply play one 48 track and assume the 48 oscillator is still engaged and 'warming up', or 'burning in'.

I wonder if a 'cold' 48 oscillator would give the sound a bit of an edge compared to a 'warm' 44.1 oscillator. Is there even a case for deriving everything from a single 'super' oscillator that remains primed and ready to go all the time? I strongly suspect not, as all high-end gear has 2 oscillators... but I just wondered...

Mani.

Hey Peter, a quick question...

If I've been listening to a 44.1 based file for hours and then switch to a 48 based file, will the 48kHz clock need to be given any time to warm up? Or is it 'on' all the time?

Mani.

Thanks Peter, that makes sense. FWIW, I too have a strong preference for Low but sometimes (very rarely) engage Mid if I think there's too much HF grunge (for example with that other DAC I had here recently).

Isn't it interesting that an earlier roll-off can make the sound 'brighter', just because of lower distortion in HF that you can hear!!! So if hires really does sound better, it's nothing to do with the extended frequency range - more likely better phase and timing (pure speculation, because to my ears redbook can sound absolutely fine).

Fascinating stuff!

Mani.

Hey Peter, I've been playing around with the 16x filters in my office system. The Mid filter seems 'off'. What I mean is that I can hear some similarity, or 'house sound' between the Low and the two High filters, but Mid just seems so different - much duller/softer than the other three. Looking at the specs there doesn't seem to be a lot of difference between  the Low and Mid, but they sound very different. (Maybe because of the number of poles perhaps?)

Anyway, just let me know if everything is actually in order, and as you would expect.

Mani.

Hi Paul,

Great post!

Wow, your experience so closely echoes my own whenever I've come back from a hifi show (I've only been to 3-4 in my life mind).


You can look forward to the XXHighEnd learning curve - and some people think HQP is complicated!... Haha. But you're already using the next best thing to XX. I haven't used HQP for a long time now (just haven't had the need), but Jussi knows what he's doing - he just has a different philosophy to Peter.

And as for the NOS1a, well, what can anyone say? I've still (after 5 years) not heard another DAC that is its equal. Many have their charms, like the Schiit Yggy I've had here for the last 3 weeks or so. But they have a 'flavour'. The NOS1a doesn't - it simply converts whatever digital signal it's given into analogue... adding nothing and taking away nothing. Well done on acquiring it!

Mani.

Oops, not sure why. Let me try again...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0PU5LO5jVjfd3FfY1c4WW9FQVk
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0PU5LO5jVjfdzRiam9xU2dvNnM
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0PU5LO5jVjfSl9MbWIyaXE4NVk
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0PU5LO5jVjfMDFBLVRKR0hDck0

So it's 1 vs 2, and 3 vs 4.

Mani.

Here's a little test that I'm conducting over at CA. I could do with a larger sample size though. If you have time could you do the following please:

Firstly compare these two first:

T001 (click to download: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0...3FfY1c4WW9FQVk)
T002 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0...zRiam9xU2dvNnM)

Hear any differences between the two? If so, what are they?

Now compare these two:

T003 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0...l9MbWIyaXE4NVk)
T004 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0...DFBLVRKR0hDck0)

Hear any differences between these two? If so, what are they?

It's only the opening 1 minute of quite a pleasant piece of music. Just a few words on 1 vs. 2 and then 3 vs. 4 would be really appreciated. No need to make any other comparisons (but you can if you'd like to of course).

Cheers, Mani.