MeloManiac
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Posts posted by MeloManiac
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2 hours ago, RocketFoot said:
Anyone collect 12" singles? I actually prefer them because I usually don't listen to all the songs on an album! (Plus they remind me of the good ole days when I was tearing up the wheels of steel as a mobile and club DJ!
I have some U2 12'' singles from their Rattle and Hum period. I bought them when I visited London as a student, in 1988 I think, or was it 1989?
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Some people here are pushing me to expand my collection of jazz standard recordings... Please keep pushing me!
Brand new, still wrapped... But not anymore!
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16 hours ago, Bubo said:
I'm wondering aloud, is any new competent DAC pretty good ?
The EMO headphone DACs I just purchased for me and my daughter, sound really good at $80 ea. 3 filters are available to address various DAC nasties, the default that EMO liked sounded good to me after I switched between the 3.
The chip set is at least 2-3 gens newer than my EMO XDA DAC, which sounds pretty good and is also a digital pre amp with lots of inputs.
I was hoping that someone had done a recent bake off and had some impressions to share.
EMO manual has a nice explanation, also the chip set has some other nice features covered in the manual.
They enabled all 3 supported filters, the Frank Sinatra "Have it your way"
Also a nice tutorial on digital audio, worth the 5 minutes to read the manual
Your Big Ego offers a choice of three different digital
interpolation filters, each of which sounds subtly different.
The Symmetrical filter (F1) is a classical design which
combines equal amounts of pre-ringing and post-ringing.
This is the filter most commonly used by other DACs.
The Asymmetrical Low filter (F2) has virtually no pre-ringing,
but several cycles of post-ringing. Many listeners find this
combination to sound more natural, while still preserving
the liveliness of your music.
The Asymmetrical High filter (F3) has virtually no pre-ringing,
and very little post-ringing. Listeners tend to describe
this filter as sounding very mellow, but possibly more flat
sounding than F2 with some program material.About Pre-Ringing and Post-Ringing
Theoretical
Symmetrical Filter
Asymmetrical Low Filter
Asymmetrical High Filter
In order to facilitate converting digital
audio into analog as accurately as
possible, the Big Ego uses what’s
known as an oversampling filter or
interpolation filter. While this filter
causes no audible alteration of steady
state signals, when a transient signal
like a drum beat is converted, a tiny
bit of ringing is added to the signal.
While this ringing is not audible as
a separate sound, its presence can
subtly alter the sound character of
the output.
The first picture on the left shows
what a theoretically perfect output of
a certain pulse would look like.
The remaining three pictures show
graphically what that same pulse will
look like after passing through each
of the three filter options on the Big
Ego.
Tests have shown that ringing after
the main signal is less audible than
ringing before it, and many people
perceive the Asymmetrical filter
choices as sounding better, but it’s
really a matter of personal preference.https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2572/6926/files/BigEgo_manual_07.pdf?5495441154491181254
What program do you use to playback your hi-rez audio files? When I did some research last year, I learned that the good ones don't come free of charge, and that the OS of your Windows or Apple laptop very often will limit the output quality. To me, it's all too foggy and I prefer straight forward vinyl record playback!
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16 hours ago, Bubo said:
I'm wondering aloud, is any new competent DAC pretty good ?
The EMO headphone DACs I just purchased for me and my daughter, sound really good at $80 ea. 3 filters are available to address various DAC nasties, the default that EMO liked sounded good to me after I switched between the 3.
The chip set is at least 2-3 gens newer than my EMO XDA DAC, which sounds pretty good and is also a digital pre amp with lots of inputs.
I was hoping that someone had done a recent bake off and had some impressions to share.
EMO manual has a nice explanation, also the chip set has some other nice features covered in the manual.
They enabled all 3 supported filters, the Frank Sinatra "Have it your way"
Also a nice tutorial on digital audio, worth the 5 minutes to read the manual
Your Big Ego offers a choice of three different digital
interpolation filters, each of which sounds subtly different.
The Symmetrical filter (F1) is a classical design which
combines equal amounts of pre-ringing and post-ringing.
This is the filter most commonly used by other DACs.
The Asymmetrical Low filter (F2) has virtually no pre-ringing,
but several cycles of post-ringing. Many listeners find this
combination to sound more natural, while still preserving
the liveliness of your music.
The Asymmetrical High filter (F3) has virtually no pre-ringing,
and very little post-ringing. Listeners tend to describe
this filter as sounding very mellow, but possibly more flat
sounding than F2 with some program material.About Pre-Ringing and Post-Ringing
Theoretical
Symmetrical Filter
Asymmetrical Low Filter
Asymmetrical High Filter
In order to facilitate converting digital
audio into analog as accurately as
possible, the Big Ego uses what’s
known as an oversampling filter or
interpolation filter. While this filter
causes no audible alteration of steady
state signals, when a transient signal
like a drum beat is converted, a tiny
bit of ringing is added to the signal.
While this ringing is not audible as
a separate sound, its presence can
subtly alter the sound character of
the output.
The first picture on the left shows
what a theoretically perfect output of
a certain pulse would look like.
The remaining three pictures show
graphically what that same pulse will
look like after passing through each
of the three filter options on the Big
Ego.
Tests have shown that ringing after
the main signal is less audible than
ringing before it, and many people
perceive the Asymmetrical filter
choices as sounding better, but it’s
really a matter of personal preference.https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2572/6926/files/BigEgo_manual_07.pdf?5495441154491181254
This to me sounds more like a copy writer trying to invent some new audiophile marketing babble... The secret sauce (snake oil?) seems to be 'ringing'... Add some expensive words to the mix and they can sell their DAC for tenfold the price of a budget DAC...
The only thing I hear ringing here is the cash register!
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8 minutes ago, tigerwoodKhorns said:
Sounds about right. I think I paid $400 or $500 in 1989 for the player. Had to save up to get it.
I used to have a Yamaha CD player around that time. I had it for a long time until it failed to recognize CDs and kept spinning. Not built like a tank, though. I took it to the dumpster. Which I now regret.
Probably a lighter version of their CDX2000 model
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Most expensive DACs come with licences for the more expensive, exotic formats, could that be it? And lots of inputs, outputs, special power sources (batteries! )
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3 minutes ago, tigerwoodKhorns said:
I have a Denon DCD 1400 CD player that I bought new in 1989.
That's pretty amazing. Most cheap 'modern' cd players fail after a couple of years of use because there are one or two sh*tty components in it with built-in obsoleteness to make sure we keep spending our hard earned money.
(and they glue it together so the faulty component can't be replaced...)
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4 hours ago, Bubo said:
Have DACs hit the point where any competent design is pretty good
given that we are on the 4th or 5th gen of DAC chip sets ?
The "best sounding DAC" may be only $100 today.
Can anyone who has been comparison shopping lately tell the difference ?
It pains me to say it, but the SONY $35 DVD player I purchased a few years ago
sounds pretty good powering my excellent quality Yamaha MX 600 amp and matching pre amp
running through the same vintage Yamaha EQ with the nice florescent bouncing bars and good SN numbers.
My comment to myself was and is "SONY does it again".
I'm guessing that the SONY has a $5 Delta Sigma (guess) mass produced chip set. Does TI make these these?
A few years ago, on the Headfi Boards, a group did a DAC bake-off
Maybe 2 generations ago
and found that any $500 DAC sounded pretty good, $250 if it was an EMO (Emotiva). They couldn't discern any noticeable difference. These might be today's $100 DACs with most of the cost in the housing and power supply, not to mention the cardboard box which may cost more than the DAC chip set.
Engineering usually makes some improvements, and hundreds of little fixes with each generation. The mass production chip sets usually move in once the kinks are worked out; and, the custom ASICs fade away with the next set of designs.
The DAC guys in Boulder Colorado use FPGA for their DAC processors so they can modify and change the software on the fly with their next set of little fixes and improvements. Might be a little faster processing than the chip sets, how fast is fast enough.
Likewise, each amp represents a series of design choices and trade offs.
Science, engineering, physics and art aka audio equipment.
Sounds good on paper is different than sounds good.
Years ago, I read a Motorcycle Bake Off article on the Superbikes
All current (at the time) road-racing bike riders
There were all of the technical metrics criteria; acceleration, braking, max speed, quarter mile, turns etc etc etc
Japanese bikes took the top 6 or 7 slots.
Ducati (F1 ? ) took I recall #7 slot.
All riders were asked if they could take one bike home for free, which one would they choose ?
Every rider chose the Ducati, because it was a better bike from the users point of view.
The 1,2,3 finishes at many races bore this out.
At 160 mph in a turn, you are betting your life on the bike in every turn.
Last fall, I took a friend shopping for a pistol, his first
He had a finite budget.
The country store salesman in his late 20s was unusually knowledgeable.
There was also the more seasoned and knowledgeable 50 something country guy.
My friend and I had settled on a name brand 2nd tier import in the $500 range.
I asked the 20 something salesman which one "he would bet his life on",
he put the import back in the case
and pulled out a slightly less expensive US made model, "this one"
Any version of the Heresy, is another example of this phenomenon
they sound good compared to anything for home use volumes.
Every time I turn on my 1s, I remark to myself they sound great !
Another analogy would be digital camera sensors. Over the years, they have improved a lot, especially in low light conditions with high iso values. Most brands, like Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Panasonic have great cameras in their line-up that cost about the same.
But then again, each brand has some (older) cameras that produce pictures with a je ne sais quoi to them that makes the camera irreplaceable. The Fuji X-Pro MK I is one example, the Panasonic Lumix LX3 is another. If you own one of these, you'd better never part with them or you'll regret it for the rest of your life!
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Put the on the floor and in the corners, as was originally in the manual.
Soundstage widely varies depending on source and amplifier, of course, I'm sure you're aware.
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18 hours ago, MicroMara said:
somehow true , since a couple of month I´m a kind of online tired , don´t know what it is .
Easy... A vitamin D deficit!
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I bet no one has this record in his collection... Let alone is listening to it. 😂
For what it is worth, the artist also uses his voice on Side B! 16:10
Same recording, but different cover art.
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13 hours ago, Full Range said:
We are experiencing heat wave conditions here at moment
So air conditioning is on and spinning some alternative jazz rock
Time to bring up a Class D amp! (doesn't get warm...)!
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I would say the RF7, but they have a hefty weight too.
I have a set of RP160Ms, and compared to my 1972 Heresy set, they sound anemic also...
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Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage, track 3, Little One has a very soothing effect on my inwards.
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One of the few advantages of being on sickleave is that one can listen guilt free to vinyl reords.
Did you know that track one, Like someone in Love, starts with Krall's voice accompanied by bass only? They are in perfect balance.
Another proof that my system doesn't need a subwoofer.
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While remaining inclusive, I want to clarify that I prefer Joss Stone over Kidney Stone, and Josh Stone in my earlier post, that was a typo!
Update on the kidney stone calvary: they shot at the stone, took out the old Stent, and put in a new one!
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Here's a nice little update... Going back to hospital today for surgery. Removing that stent, and 2nd attempt at taking out my friend, Kidney Stone... I prefer Josh Stone... Or even the Rolling Stones, or the whole Family Stone. But Kidney Stone must GO!
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11 hours ago, dirtmudd said:
Even nicer hair!
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13 hours ago, dirtmudd said:
Nice hair!
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A little bit more about Kevin Gray, who is mastering the analogue Blue Note tapes. He's a fan of tubes...
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Sometimes, a small gift, like a free felt mat, can make a person truly happy!
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1 minute ago, AndreG. said:
Time to spin some later?
Oh yeah!
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My Blue Note order from the official BN webshop in France has arrived! Yippee!
Sq of the records is exquisite. And I like the free felt mat!
A long article about Kevin Gray's legacy:
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1 minute ago, Full Range said:
Snow is lovely and soothing
Uhm... , not if you go to bike to work: snow is messy, slippery and dangerous and causes, for cars, huge traffic jams!
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Heresy I placement for wider soundstage?
in 2-Channel Home Audio
Posted
I just bought a new Mingus LP which is excellent for sound stage placement. Every element has its own place. You could test your setup with this album. MY h1s ar not in corners, and the soundstage is much wider than where the speakers are...
Read about why this record is so special here:
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-black-saint-and-the-sinner-lady-mw0000192238