Meier Audio StageDAC - Page 22

Originally Posted by Wilashort

What another kind of music do you listen/liked??
Thank you

I am debating to get this DAC or the V-dac because of his price (a big bang for the buck) and size (but not as important now...)

Originally Posted by oldson

interest seems to have cooled somewhat on the stagedac.

Originally Posted by Jan Meier

Dear Headfellows,

>> How old are you??

> I juste laughed out loud at this one.

Exactly that was the reaction I hoped for. Guys, it was just a joke, referring to the expression "you're never too old to learn"! Don't always take things too seriously!!

> Actually your front panel *is* complicated it consists of a set of switches accompanied by several unexplained icons many of which can have no possible meaning without referring to a manual.

Very true, but ........ how could it be otherwise?
The functionality of this DAC in many aspects is very different from any other device. There is simply nothing that compares. Reading the manual is therefore considered obligatory. Adding more text to the frontplate or using different symbols (there are no standard symbols for the functions performed by the switches) would not make a difference.

> My automobile has bloody loads of switches and dials yet any one on this forum (who can drive a manual transmission car, legally) could drive it without referring to the manual.

True, but the features of your car are more or less standard and shared by many other cars. Therefore people know what to expect and what to look for. If you would put somebody in your car who hasn't driven any car for the last 30 years, he also wouldn't know where all these extra buttons are to be used for! Airconditioning, navigation, CD-player, .... would all be new and inexplicable for him.

> Why does the interface have to be populated with obscure icons when simple text labels would explain the function easily i.e

With so many switches the frontplate would be very crowded. Moreover, once you know the functionality (after reading the manual!) you will never look at the symbols/text again. You don't have to look for the horn-symbol in your car to know how to toot, do you?

Also, personally I find these symbols aesthetically more appealing then just mere text. Of course people may feel differently but tastes do differ. In decisions like these it simply isn't possible to please everyone.

> A picture is worth a thousand words.

That's how I feel it too! :-)

> the problem is that the icons are horrible. I am an experienced engineer, and this DAC would not pass our user experience designers.

When designing a device it's not just all about functionality. What an engineer wants is not always what a customer hopes for.

Look at the iPod. It's not a succes only because of its engineering but also because of its design using symbols that also do not explain much for the inexperienced user but that keep the design sleek and simple. The visual aspect does count!

> What are some of those squiggly icons for? Are they for high, medium, low?

Even engineers sometimes have to read a manual! :-)

Cheers

Jan

Originally Posted by NervousE

I have decided I like Jan, his sense of humour, and his shiny tech-wizardry. I'm going to buy one.

Originally Posted by NervousE

Ha I would hope not, £530 is a lot of money to me at the moment!! If it IS a disappointment I shall have to synthesise some happiness...

(Synthetic Happiness) - for those interested

Seriously tho, its this or the dacmagic for less than half the price... I'm so tempted to just get the dacmagic and use the other money saved on new tubes and caps for x-cans upgrade. But then I reckon if I get a really nice DAC now then I'll not need to buy another for ages... Then on the otherhand DAC technology seems to move faster than other areas so maybe the dacmagic is best to tide me over, then when I do upgrade it'll be to something more advanced than what is currently on the market...
I am overthinking this and moving in circles again! gaa!