They have much better integrated  security features. I also think they have a much nicer UI.

MediaMonkey:
What kind of jitter reduction is that supposed to be? The only time you'll get jitter on the CD is while
you record it or if you do realtime playback from CD.
There is no jitter involved while you write the data to a file.

Cheers

Hi folks.

I'd recomend to use Acuraterip.(A feature within EAC)
You need to set the right drive-offset of course. You can rip at much higher speeds.
You'll get a checksum verification afterwards. This makes sure that the rip is OK.
80% of all my  discs do deliver 100% results. That saves hell lot of time.

A program I actually prefer over EAC is dbpoweramp.

Cheers
Klaus

Peter.

That's correct. I'd just need 6 "pure" PCM channels running into the "PowerDac".
I'd do the processing, conversions, crossover-filters, convolution on the PC.

Just FYI: Here is another nice product. E.g. Theta is working on a new product based on below:

http://www.zetex.com/audio/audio06_2.asp

Back to the topic: I wouldn't invest serious money in a stereo DAC or AMP any longer.

Cheers
Klaus

Hi folks.

I am talking about the e.g. XR-55. Just run digital-in - analog-in sucks.
I was told that e.g. running 3 of them in a multichannel setup ( fired by 3 digital outs e.g. RME)  were
performing better than the TACTS these guys used to run before.
I had a chance to listen to a full digital chain from  Uli Brüggemann. (TACTS and RME card actively phase linear filtererd on the
PC). This I would call agressive.  I never heard better and more "shockingly" transient response before caused by the
linear filters and the PCM2PWM conversion.

With HDMI you need to be careful though, you need to check if it supports Multichannel-PCM properly - Stereo is not an issue.
I am digging into it by myself right now.

Peter: Perhaps a long term perspective for XX evolution.
(PC based filtering, crossover, convolution, volume control) .

http://www.thuneau.com/
http://www.acourate.com/

With your great basic audio engine I see quite some potential.
Perhaps you could start with a VST-plugin engine -- just as a trial.

Cheers
Klaus


 




 

Hi there.

Peter as you might recall our session last summer at Bert's place and what difference it made
comparing e.g. a TVC and my 64bit float volume control. A TVC, such as a Django, is just slowing down the signal much more than a digital volume control would do!

24bit volume control only - sucks -  that's for sure. If you run higher quantitfication you need to dither anyhow. I am actually very positiv about dithering. It really improves the sound in my case.

Some might call the digtial volume control too "agressive". I just have a good laugh about that
statement.

Perhaps a ladder on the DAC ouput would do. But not a passive pot build as a ladder.

Beside that I believe that times of traditional DACs are over soon anyhow.
PowerDacs (PCM2PWM) will take over at the same time delivering great sound quality.
More and more chips are under devlopment. I'll stick with my PC volume control.

Panasonic is offering quite a good device at 199$.  No - I am not kidding.
Run SPDIF or HDMI into it and you'll hear what I mean.

BTW. I didn't have problems to run the Benchmark DAC1 under XP and Engine 1.

You might want to read my post over here:

http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=223.0

Cheers
\Klaus

Johan.
The USB interface is not the latest. The DAC-Towers are the latest. I run 24Chips, Tent Clock, BG non-polars, Northstar NSB 90 Battery, precision resistors, no outputcap, Riken resistors on the output, .....


@ Severed

 Just to mention it: I built the whole chain by myself , I developed my own PC (Linux) setup and player --- AND STILL --- I am using Shakti-Onlines at several places in the chain!!! I do not intend to discuss Shaktis here. 

Cheers
\Klaus

Hi.

Today I challenged my DDDAC.

I tweaked the Benchmark DAC1 quite a bit.
- MainsFilter
- PowerCord
- 0db setting
- 3A silver fuses (!!!)
- Shaktis on the DACs
( Still far less then I tweaked my DDDAC )

It was a bit tricky to integrate the DAC into my fully integrated system.

I think the DAC1 is doing a great job. It shows slightly more details then my DDDAC.
But lacks a bit of transient response and depth in the soundstage.
(I guess these issues have been improved by Empirical Audio mods)
On complex pieces you hear the typical "mains" effect. I havn't heard a system
driven by mains-power delivering the natural softness and relaxing atmosphere
of a battery-driven DAC. You can listen to it for hours. 
The seperation with the DDDAC is also clearly better.

Bottom Line:
The DAC1 is a real good device especially when looking at the pricetag for a commercial product and the features
it delivers.
If tweaked a bit more, driven in balanced mode and a  battery,  I'd expect a real tough game for my DDDAC.
For the time being the DDDAC stays in the chain.
I guess a standard DDDAC ( and also other DACs out of the 154x  NONOS family) would have a hard time
to beat this device.

I tested the USB-DACs on XP-XX-Engine 1 and Linux-Brutus with my Thinkpad T60P - Voodoo IC Cables - Monster Ultimate USB

Cheers
\Klaus
 



 

Hi folks.

First off all the good news.

We were not wrong.
These folks from Benchmark and similar might do measure bit-perfect streams.
Somehow they are still things they can't measure - as it seems.
XX-XP engine 1 sounds already clearly better then JRiver with KS. 
According to Benchmark there shouldn't be a difference assuming Windows is correctly configured.
I assume I managed this. So - Peter keep going.

Second I tested the small Klein&Hummel 0100 against the Adam P11A. 
The P11A IMO is much better. It plays crystal clean lots of ambience.
The bass is much better. Stage is deeper and better structured. Less distorted.
Timbre is much better. Asf.
There is a PWM-amp inside the PA11 which makes of course a huge difference
compared to traditional AB-amps as they used it in the K&H.
Of course it's also hard to challenge the ADAM ART ribbon tweeter. It's really nice.

For my desk though they are a bit big. Anyhow they are smaller then the Emes
Black I had here for testing over the last two weeks.

If I compare them I'd say. The Emes is also performing quite well. The coax in the nearfield
delivers a much better soundstage then the Adam and it plays somehow more coherent .
Of course highs and timbre are much  better with the P11A.
So - I'll give the P11 some days to break in. It might improve on the cohrerence.

The Benchmark does have issues. It seems to play with the original usbaudio.sys only.
The asio.de driver doesn't recognise the DAC and under Unix I also have an issue to get
it working. The TAS1020 is not really a standard interface chip.
SO XX is the only option for the time being to get quality sound out of this DAC.
Soundwise the DAC delivers real nice sound in my particular office setup.
It sounds just neutral.

During the next weekend I'll  compare my DDDAC to the Benchmark.

That'll be it for now.

Cheers
Klaus 








 



 

I'd really like to hear if the TAS1020 and the DAC prevents from audible jitter effects.
Would be fun to hear XX and other players playing equally bitperfect. (as they claim)

Beside that I'll test the active monitors (K&H 100 and Adam P11A) in fully balanced  with the DAC1

Of course I also give the DAC1 a chance to beat my DDDAC.

Finally I'll give some Linn 24/96 classic material a try.

Reasons enough to have this little piece at home for 30days.

One thing for sure this bloody PCM27XX series ( used in DDDAC and a lot of other DIY NONOS DACS as USB2I2S interface) is when it comes to jitter sensivity
extremely poor.
It can just get better- jitterwise. I hope. Soundwise -  let's see.

\Klaus

Hi folks.

I just ordered a Benchmark DAC1 for testing purposes.
During internet research around this DAC I came across this thread:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=225363&page=2

Some of you might know the tread. I did not.

It's very long  - still I presume it'll keep you awake - I guess you'll like the
discussion because it is also very much related to bitperfection, PC asf..

Let's conclude upon it later on. I am looking forward to it.

Have fun.
\Klaus

Hi Peter.

IMO - Not any fullrange driver in the world will be able to reproduce the highs the way
you're looking for. Low SPL tweeters and ribbons etc. will suffer the same lack of dynamics.
(That perhaps doesn't have anything to do with the grainy sound you're describing - who knows.)

From my experience it needs a powerful high SPL horn super tweeter to repoduce
the highs dynamically "realistic".

It's not about the frequency response, it's IMO about transient response/energy  (or dynamics)
in the upper range.

Adding some gain through the software to the upper range might lower the deficiencies  on speakers lacking these dynamics. ( Remember -- the Traktor-effect :D  )

Cheers
\Klaus

Hi Peter.

Are you findings and conclusions based on listening tests with the AER MD3?

I am just curious.

\Klaus

Hi Peter.

Issue solved:

First I removed the content of the original XX-dir. The system didn't let me remove the dir itself. I cleaned the registry with CCleaner, which removed an XX entry ( probably this way i got rid of the settings from earlier installations).
I reinstalled XX in a new directory. After this it worked.

Now I can run my active "trial"-monitors ( EMES Black) at -18db via dip-switches. I  run my cables right into the speaker ( NO pre-amp in between) . Very convenient
and nice sound in my office. During the next day I get some Klein & Hummel O 100's speaker. Let see how these sound.

Cheers

Peter.
1. How can I remove XX without any traces to start over from scratch? Just by deleting the whole directory?
2. Even though I doubt that you'll spent more time on XX-XP development, wouldn't it be a nice feature if ASIO or any other bypass would be supported instead of using kmixer?

\Klaus

Hi Peter.

I just installed your latest rev. M as demo under XP.  I used my internal Soundmax 24bit card and the headphone-out for a quick test.
( Just for testing my new active-monitors on my desk)

1. EDIT: I solved the first right chanel issue ( somehow XX still reacts on XP mixer balance control!)
2. After some back and forth copying of different XX revisions the right part (playlist-window incl. buttons)  of XX stayed grey Still I could start the
    playback. ( I also cleared the whole XX directory, reinstalled it and rebooted) . The issue remained.


What am I doing wrong here?

Cheers
\Klaus