Fidelio, You gave the following specs for the Onkyo Wavio SE 90 Card:

Chipset: VIA Envy24MT
DAC: Wolfson WM8716
Singal-Noise Ratio 110dB (Line Out)
Frequency Response 0.3Hz - 44kHz (line Out +0/-0.5dB)
Digital IN Sampling Frequency 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz
Connection Line Out x1 (RCA / Stereo) Digital Out x1 (Toslink)

I couldn't see anywhere in the published specs that it had those "digital in" sampling frequencies - "digital out" yes.
Even the upmarket SE -200 LTD card doesn't have digital in sampling frequencies above 96kHz.

So when you use quad arc upsampling is it really accepting a 176.4 kHz straight through "in signal" or processing it in some way first?
With the SE 90 are you hearing better sound using quad arc upsampling than when using arc double upsampling?

Thanks Frank

Peter

While XXHighEnd is already know in audiophile circles, your website is www.phasure.com not www.xxhighend.com, so Fidelio's suggestion makes sense.

Does "Phasure" have any meaning?

Don't spend any time on a new name as it will take a huge amount of time that would be better spent on development, manufacture, and distribution. Make a quick decision!

Cheers
Frank

Peter

I thought this discussion may be of interest here:
http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=62713
and the part on audible differences from track offsets
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/6/62733.html

Cheers
Frank

Peter,

This NOSDAC project is interesting - but only if we could eventually get the opportunity to buy one or construct one ourselves. What is your thinking about how that might happen?

Cheers
Frank

I think Mani already has mentioned that his CD transport sounds "better" (or at least "different") than his computer:
http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=480.0
[/quote]

Edward
Yes you are right of course!
Frank

Mani

I slave my RME FF800 to my .. Esoteric D70.... switching to DAC as master provides a quantum leap in improved SQ - IMHO, greater than anything XXHighEnd itself can provide. In this respect, I agree 100% with the LessLoss guys in that the DAC should act as master, with the clock sitting right next to the dacs ...

I read the LessLoss website data. Interesting! You seem to agree with their general conclusions about DAC's capable of operating in Master Mode.

Especially interesting was their comments on Computer Audio & USB Audio, [ http://www.lessloss.com/computer_audio_usb.html ], where they say:
"The result is that a simply slaved CD player (not even synchronously re-clocked by LessLoss) outperforms even the most scrupulously slaved computer soundcard"  Basically they are suggesting PC Audio cannot compete.

While your D70 can act as master it probably does not operate the same way (syncronously) as the LessLoss DAC?

Do you have any comments about the LessLoss impression of PC Audio that you can share with us ?


Frank

Mani

I just read about improvements in sound from upgrading:
RME Fireface 400 firmware upgraded to version 1.66 dated 02/25/2007
RME Fireface driver upgraded to 2.86 dated 03/04/2008

over at http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=30553

Frank

Peter

Perhaps the current discussion in head-fi forum will throw a little more light on XX's intereface with the DAC1?

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f7/benchmark-dac1-now-available-usb-223006/index139.html

Frank

Yes Peter, of course. I had remembered someone reviewing the performance of the Benchmartk with XXHighEnd, but now understand that was with one of the early engines. I just did a search and saw posts early December 07 from Elias at Benchmark and Soundcheck relating to this issue.

Frank

Peter

The Benchmark DAC1 worked with earlier versions of XXHighEnd. Is it just the 9u versions that are causing problems?

Frank

Dear Peter

This sound both tantalising and highly exciting!
I assume it only applies to play back through Vista?

Frank

Please don't. Trust your ears! Just extend your experiment a little.

For comparison, have you burnt a CDR of the same track without XXHighEnd engaged (or different version of XXhighEnd loaded) to compare for any difference in sound against the CDR you already have?

I remember being scoffed at 20 years ago when I suggested tonearm height movements of +/- 2/1000ths of an inch around the "correct" VTA alignment could be easily heard by anyone. Had to demonstrate it to 40 members of the audio club before 36 of them agreed they could easily hear the differences.

Frank

Fascinating discussion. Andrey, what software were you using to burn the CDR while you were playing XX?

You were going to compare with the DDDAC

Were you saying in your intial impressions that the Benchmark would not be a match for XXHighEnd engine #3?

Thanks
Frank

I was thinking about ripping some of my LPs at 24/96 or 24/192 to hard drive.
Can I play them back at this sample rate through XXHighEnd without having to downsample to 16/44.1 (assuming my DAC can handle it)?

Frank