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Post by krisno on Nov 5, 2009 23:23:36 GMT
Hi guys
I got this modded X-can V2. The 1543TDA Dac of mine, I was not able to cure it for its sharpness.
Do you guys have any USB DAC recommended for pairing up with the X-can V2? I need a DAC that is a little soft, not too harsh and sharp. I thought about the new Pico DAC only, but I have never managed PC to sound as good as a standalone CD player. Its always a little harsher and less musical...
Kris
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FauDrei
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Post by FauDrei on Nov 6, 2009 9:15:00 GMT
...perhaps one of MHDT's tube DACs?
I do have their Paradisea+. Comfy smooth with my V2... Rumors say Havana is better, at a price though.
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Post by krisno on Nov 6, 2009 14:03:38 GMT
No, never a NOS dac anymore. Also, my amp is tube - I dont want a tube dac also hehe
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FauDrei
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Post by FauDrei on Nov 6, 2009 18:10:19 GMT
OK, then how about Audio-GD DAC-19mk3?
I'm almost sure you will like the two PCM1704UK DAC chips inside. It is almost surreal how those babies can present the ambient, microdynamics and be very, very detailed without cutting your ears with HF (remember Benchmark?).
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Post by krisno on Nov 7, 2009 17:54:55 GMT
Good idea - but it is so big..... nothing smaller?
Btw, why is it so hard to get PC audio sound like a CDP.. Is it just because jitter, and you need empirical audio hardware?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2009 20:01:08 GMT
Good idea - but it is so big..... nothing smaller? Btw, why is it so hard to get PC audio sound like a CDP.. Is it just because jitter, and you need empirical audio hardware? Krisno On the contrary, with the right gear, PC Audio craps all over a CDP from a great height. There are a few members who still don't want to believe me that noise and vibration from many sources, including internal vibrations of the Optical and HDDs, dramatically degrades the potential SQ.If you use quiet PC techniques as used in many music servers, the situation is markedly improved. Such measures include having auxiliary fan speed controlled by the motherboard,(better still, a fanless music server) and mounting these fans using rubber mounts. e.g. AFM02B, as available from Quiet PC in U.K. and N.Z. Other measures include placing strips of 3M 2552 aluminium anti vibration tape on both optical and HDDs, as well as on the case of the SMPS itself, where much of the noise and vibration comes from, and is transmitted through the metal case. The drawback with the 3M tape is it's cost of around US$100 a 36 yard roll. However, if 5 people were to get a roll between them, it becomes quite a cheap tweak. Another requirement is of course a good DAC and headphone amplifier/decent speaker system. A good but expensive alternative, if you need to use USB , would be a Benchmark USB DAC. With a couple of SMD opamps replacements, it is a cut above most. SandyK
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FauDrei
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Post by FauDrei on Nov 7, 2009 20:12:44 GMT
Yes, good question...
I think jitter is a part of the answer, but perhaps there are other factors too... Anyhow, I think we are getting there. Slowly though...
At this particular moment you have very few DAC's with "serious" USB interface (Wavelength, Ayre) because to do it properly you need to address HW and SW part of the equation. SW is, sadly, terra incognita for most.
Current best (intermediate and not so expensive) bet would be one of recent asynchronous USB to SPDIF converters that do sound really good.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 7, 2009 20:22:44 GMT
I was beginning to believe that too Alex until I fired up the SCHA with my Marantz CD17 ;D What a beautiful sound
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2009 20:32:46 GMT
I was beginning to believe that too Alex until I fired up the SCHA with my Marantz CD17 ;D What a beautiful sound Mike You have only just started to scratch the surface when it comes to audio playback from a PC. I am sure there would be several U.K. members willing to prove you wrong. Alex P.S. PM on the way in a moment.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2009 20:51:17 GMT
Valter Yes, Gordon Rankin is on the right Wavelength ! Alex
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Post by krisno on Nov 7, 2009 22:45:00 GMT
CD player, no matter what I have tried , even cheap cds are far superior to pc. it is somehow the dac in pc become sharp and less musical. flatter...
but anyone heard the pico? how does it sound??
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 7, 2009 22:48:44 GMT
I was beginning to believe that too Alex until I fired up the SCHA with my Marantz CD17 ;D What a beautiful sound Mike You have only just started to scratch the surface when it comes to audio playback from a PC. I am sure there would be several U.K. members willing to prove you wrong. Alex P.S. PM on the way in a moment. You have only started to scratch the surface when it comes to............... Shall I make him disappear? ................ You have survived on this occasion ;D
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2009 22:54:36 GMT
CD player, no matter what I have tried , even cheap cds are far superior to pc. it is somehow the dac in pc become sharp and less musical. flatter... but anyone heard the pico? how does it sound?? krisno Did you even bother to read what I said? What you are hearing is the efffects of Jitter + noise and vibration. Don't just take my word for it. Ask JeffC,Leo,Miguel,Sol,Syd,Will,and several other members. They have all reported hearing the differences after 3M 2552 alumium tape has been used.It is a space and Aeronautical product. There have now been dozens of uploaded musical comparison tracks. SandyK
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2009 22:58:08 GMT
Only, if you are referring to Mr.Spandex. ;D He is like a pimple on your bum ! A pain in the arse, most annoying, and hard to do something about.
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Post by krisno on Nov 8, 2009 2:28:44 GMT
Well, we will see then. Again, the stand alone Sony DVD player played Miles Davis on the X-can V3 like I have never ever heard before. So smooth, bass, excellent mids. I have never been able to reproduce it from computer. Either with X-Dac V3 with Optical out from creative PCMCIA soundcard or from USB dacs... But I am building a new computer now - not laptop anymore, but a standalone computer with as few fans as possible. High quality PSU. And I thought of getting the PICO standalone USB Dac.... will see if that will fix the problem.
but has anyone heard the PICO?? How is it? smooth dac? Its either that or the Asus Xonar Essence ST - which in itself is supposed to match very well with AKG. But I ilke tubes, when done right. Btw, I heard som grados even on cheap soundcard, my god - those headphones are nice. the AKGs dont have the musicality.
K
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2009 11:57:58 GMT
I was beginning to believe that too Alex until I fired up the SCHA with my Marantz CD17 ;D What a beautiful sound Mike You have only just started to scratch the surface when it comes to audio playback from a PC. I am sure there would be several U.K. members willing to prove you wrong. Alex Excellent point Alex and we shouldn't lose sight (earshot?) of it. I've dipped my toe into PC music and am enjoying the huge increase in sound quality (ref the HA NG27 thread). BUT Compare that to my resident "HiFi" system, into which a lot of time, energy and dosh has been sunk, and the PC system is lagging well behind. When it too has as much attention lavished on it then a far fairer comparison may be done.
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Post by krisno on Nov 8, 2009 17:28:29 GMT
I think the X-can V2 and V3 was a design mistake. If you read around, the amps getting the best critics and the amps with the least fatigue, and biggest popularity are the opamp based amps. The Lehmann Black Cube, Ray Samuels Emmerline HR-2, almost all Rudistor amps are opamp based. It seems that thirdparty 'small' hifi designers have problem making discrete design sound good. So I think the X-can V1 was the perfect design. Get a V1 with a good op-amp and you get the best of tubes, and the sweetness of solidstate that only solidstate can deliver. The discrete design hype is just a disaster .... So a modde V1 - Mike, what is the best op-amp that fits the V1? (I am not getting one, I am just asking - does every opamp fit?) Secondly, we never sorted out that knob. The V2 I have look great, but the worst part is the plastic knob. Have you gotten your metal knobs in yet?? Yours sincerly Kristian
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FauDrei
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Post by FauDrei on Nov 8, 2009 18:42:36 GMT
Now, this is really far fetched Krisno...
I disagree with your V2 (V3) assessment as well as with your opamp vs discrete "evaluation". Best amps I've heard had no opamps at all or used them only as DC servos.
Perhaps you haven't had luck with discrete implementations you've came accross?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2009 19:51:22 GMT
Now, this is really far fetched Krisno... I disagree with your V2 (V3) assessment as well as with your opamp vs discrete "evaluation". Best amps I've heard had no opamps at all or used them only as DC servos. Perhaps you haven't had luck with discrete implementations you've came accross? I haven't listened to the MF V series amps, but I trust the judgement of the many people who have heard them after Mike's mods, especially my boob loving friend from Miami. Faudrei is spot on.( Hey Valter, we have agreed yet again ! ) Krisno, you really need to find a major Audio dealer(s) who will let you hear many amps and DACs in side by side comparisons in a well designed listening room. SandyK
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Post by krisno on Nov 8, 2009 20:07:08 GMT
in general stereo with speakers , i agree... but from what I keep reading regarding headphones, and my own experience, no I dont think its far fetched.....
Look at how people love the rudistor amps, and many of them opamp based. Not to talk about ray samuels and lehmann which win alot of shoutouts. Then you have the stock V2 which is bright as hell and really is a disaster without heavy modding. I think even Mike prefers V1 vs V2, but not sure...
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 8, 2009 23:03:59 GMT
Yes, I prefer the V1.... no secret about that.... replace the stock NE5532 with OPA 2132P and you really are laughing
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2009 23:15:43 GMT
Yes, I prefer the V1.... no secret about that.... replace the stock NE5532 with OPA 2132P and you really are laughing Or OPA2134 ? I use those in the earlier stages of my X-DAC V3 in place of the original NE5532.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 8, 2009 23:19:25 GMT
Yes, I prefer the V1.... no secret about that.... replace the stock NE5532 with OPA 2132P and you really are laughing Or OPA2134 ? I use those in the earlier stages of my X-DAC V3 in place of the original NE5532. OPA2132P perform better than 2134 in the V1 Alex.... tighter bass, informative / musical mids and better depth / height ;D
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Post by krisno on Nov 8, 2009 23:23:08 GMT
Why do you prefer V1 vs V2? What are the main difference?.... is it powerful enough?
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Post by krisno on Nov 9, 2009 15:35:57 GMT
Pink.... is the V1 less edgy (i presume so) and harsh and bright than the V2?
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