Audio-gd Reference 7 Loaner Program (USA) - Page 10

I received a message from Currawong  that kingwa is sending me the latest DSP. When it shows up will dictate how through I'll be able to test it. Once upgraded I won't really be able to go back and forth.

 

yes the differences between the PWD and REF 7 are relatively small. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with either DAC, that being said if your system is good enough the differences are there and for me at least the price difference is justified by a small but not insignificant improvement in sound quality.

Very interesting results, as I've seen impressions elsewhere that the PWD (and W4S DAC-1) got crushed by the far cheaper Audio-GD Ref 5. So this was M-Audio sound card vs. Network bridge as sources? I wonder if this put the Audio-GD at a significant disadvantage as that's definitely not the best way to use a PC as a transport. I will be very interested in your upcoming apples-to-apples comparison with a different source.

 

You have no idea what you're talking about. I had the lynx AES 16 Soundcard and the M-Audio Audiophile 192 clearly bested the Lynx. The significantly more expensive Lynx is sitting on a shelf unused. You're just parroting what you've read on various forums. In addition the Exemplar Audio Server is an exceptionally well done server. Everything is optimally configured for Digital Audio output. The Server as a transport is clearly superior to every other transport I've used (the Exemplar Oppo, my Exemplar Denon 3910, my Shanling SACD3000).

 

I'm confident that the Exemplar Server is a better Digital source than the Oppo. The real wild-card is the Network Bridge. Comparing with the Bridge is sort of comparing apples to oranges. If the Network Bridge is truly a superior interface (PS Audio's claims) then my Round One showed the PWD to best effect. I also feel the the use of my Exemplar Server showed the Audio-gd REF 7 to best effect. I'm very curious to see how both DAC's will compare when using identical digital sources. That comparison will be with a level playing field.

I'm not talking about the Lynx. That's hardly the best option either, unless it's partnered with the Empiracle Pace-car. The best way to get audio from a PC is no sound card at all. The ART Legato should be able to easily beat the M-Audio, and actually connect to the Audio-GD at 75 Ohms instead of who knows what, which would help backup Kingwa's claims of a MASSIVE reduction in jitter via BNC rather than coax.

 

Regardless, all you have to do to answer this is connect the PWD to your music server, which would take away the advantage of the bridge. If it's still basically equal with the Audio-GD, end of story.

Edited by DaveBSC - 10/24/10 at 9:34pm

If you'd like. I don't think it looks bad, it's just non-standard. I don't want people to think I posted in a different (larger) font because I'm special (which I am, my Mother always told me so). If you, or anyone for that matter finds it the least bit annoying (format, not content) feel free to change it. The larger font makes it easier for me to read while I'm riding on the bumpy short bus.

I just did some comparisons with the Oppo as a transport. This is getting complicated, if anything using the Oppo the difference is greater. That's the opposite of what I expected. More listening is definitely called for. I'm also wondering if I should compare it to one of my two Tubed single ended DAC's. Too many DAC's, too little time.

 This is not completely truth. I think the best way is soundcard or transport which support synchronisation to digital S/PDIF input signals. So if your DAC has masterclock then DAC goes as master and soundcard as slave, this is ideal solution.

Moreover the ART Legato do not supoort all samples, only 44.1Hz.

 

The Ref-7 (and presumably other models using the DSP-1) I find is very sensitive in large ways to rather small changes, such as power cord used on the transport, power cord used in the DAC, regenerator vs. wall socket, and digital cables (the least significant of the bunch).  Maybe the power in my home just sucks, but this is what I've experienced.  If the PWD is less sensitive to those things, it could easily explain why some people like it more and some people like it less.  I personally wish every piece of audio gear didn't respond differently in some way to power cords.  It would make life much easier.

Edited by IPodPJ - 10/25/10 at 12:30am

Possibly, I don't have any personal experience with the Lynx and Pace-car or slaved to a DAC with clock output or a clock generator like the Big Ben or one of the Esoterics. That's definitely the most expensive way to do it. The ART, or the Wavelink HS or the Weiss INT-202 should be able to outperform any direct S/Pdif connection from any sound card though, and the latter two can both go to 192KHz. ART limits theirs on purpose to 44.1 only to use the best possible clock and the lowest possible jitter (according to them).

I think Yikes's text below is very well articulated.  His impressions are very close to my own, especially with respect to the "muted leading edge dynamics."  I, too, think the difference is small, but I can confirm that it is noticeable during headphone use--at least to me.

 

 

Has anyone here tried Easter Electric MiniMax DAC?  Not trying to derail topic, but one or two impressions comparing the 2 DAC will be very useful for me.

Thanks.

 

Late to the party but: Great impressions Yikes, thanks. Outstanding gear to boot, world-class stuff!

 

I was wondering if you're aware of Sol Gabetta's just released version of the Elgar. I must have listened to it 8 times since I got it 2 weeks ago. Wonderful sound quality. My new favorite recording and interpretation of the concerto, no kidding. Just read the new Gramophone and they pretty much say the same thing. Her Vivaldi disc is also awesome.

 

I'll be checking out the Starker and some of your other listed recordings...........

 

 

 

Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice - October 2010

If anyone has a Bryston BDA-1, Ayre QB9 or Berkeley Alpha I'd love to hear how the Ref7 compares.

Edited by noris83 - 10/25/10 at 9:10pm

For the time being I've completed my REF 7 v. PWD comparisons. I just moved my Exemplar Audio modified Music Hall 25.2 DAC into my main system. The Exemplar is the $600 Music Hall 25.2 DAC with a mod that as optioned pushes $800 (so for comparison purposes rough retail of $1400). The 25.2 will be warming up and stabilizing while playing all day today before I do any serious listening.

I'll be comparing the single ended 6922 based tube output of the 25.2 to the REF 7 balanced outputs. Since receiving the 25.2 back from being modded it's been residing in my office computer/headphone rig breaking in, so this is the first time it's being seriously put through it's paces in my main system. I'm very curious to see how it does. It's really a dark horse in these comparisons.

So what about the v5 dsp in the comparision?

Edited by SilverCans - 10/31/10 at 7:00pm