[xnor]

And the WA6 has 93 dB S/N ratio. I don't want to bash products here, but that's equivalent to what.. 14-15 bits per sample audio?
So as Frank wrote, if you "want to hear the recordings as recorded" - I'd suggest to look at amps first that can output the full signal that is input.
And you're talking about transparency? WHAT?
 
What I don't like is when people say how much EQs, specifically software based ones degrade sound.. while in reality the precision in the digital domain is magnitudes (much much much) higher than what is even possible analoguely, not to mention tubes.
 
Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[Skylab]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using software EQ...for a PC as a source. For sure. I'm all about doing what makes for the most enjoyable listening experience. But most people who use EQ are way too heavy handed with it, and without making measurements, it's not realistic to expect that it's really making anything flatter - just different. Which, again, is perfectly cool.

Anyway, I'm relaxing with some nice music played via my tube DAC and my tube headphone amp, and loving every minute of it. I hope the rest of you are enjoying your tunes too. Now, back to the T1 discussion, sorry for the OT stuff.

 

[Xcalibur255]

Quote:

And the WA6 has 93 dB S/N ratio. I don't want to bash products here, but that's equivalent to what.. 14-15 bits per sample audio?
So as Frank wrote, if you "want to hear the recordings as recorded" - I'd suggest to look at amps first that can output the full signal that is input.
And you're talking about transparency? WHAT?
 
What I don't like is when people say how much EQs, specifically software based ones degrade sound.. while in reality the precision in the digital domain is magnitudes (much much much) higher than what is even possible analoguely, not to mention tubes.
 
Sorry for the inconvenience.

 
 
If you believe SNR is that important to sound quality, by all means buy equipment based on those numbers.  I'll continue to enjoy my music with a mere 93dB SNR.

 

[SP Wild]

I support the idea of equalizers...but I have never been able to implement an equalization curve that can give me the sweet tube midrange on solid state gear.  I do not believe EQ can substitute for the tonalities that tube amps provide, and I have never heard a digital eq that has any form of distortion that I can hear.  But EQ works fine with me, and I enjoy tube amps alot - and I connect everything up with solid core silver cables.  

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

/img/forum/go_quote.gif

......if you "want to hear the recordings as recorded" -

 
Quote:

So in a perfect world a recording artist would post a suggestion on their recorded material that would read: "To replay this recording as accurately as possible and as we intended it to be heard, this album is should be listen to on a WA22 using a Tung-Sol 5U4G (1954), a pair of RCA 6SN7 (1955), and a pair of Mullard 6080 (1967)."

Your CD transport should be a....

You're actually right on the money.  The recording needs to be annotated with some of the speakers or headphone choices the recording engineer feels will reproduce the sounds as they were recorded.
 
Does the string quartet he just recorded sound "right" to the engineer with 650s or 701s (for instance)?  Which one lets you hear the recording as it was recorded?  They both can't.
 
USG

 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 


  Which one lets you hear the recording as it was recorded?  They both can't.
 
USG

 

E:
 
I would say neither. Just my opinion. But your are absolutely right...we really have no way of knowing do we?

 

[immtbiker]

The minute that you use an equalizer you are inducing distortion into the music as opposed to flat response. It's like an average woman looking good with make-up. Take the make-up away, and you still have the original woman. If you are not getting the sound that you want, you need to change your equipment, not mask it with false equalization. IMHO.

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

The minute that you use an equalizer you are inducing distortion into the music as opposed to flat response. It's like an average woman looking good with make-up. Take the make-up away, and you still have the original woman. If you are not getting the sound that you want, you need to change your equipment, not mask it with false equalization. IMHO.

So in other words if I am not appreciating the way my girlfriend looks I need to get a new girlfriend and not by her fancy a new dress? Hum? No. I don't think so....

 

[Paganini Alfredo]

Appreciate would be the wrong word. I would use like.

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

The minute that you use an equalizer you are inducing distortion into the music as opposed to flat response. It's like an average woman looking good with make-up. Take the make-up away, and you still have the original woman. If you are not getting the sound that you want, you need to change your equipment, not mask it with false equalization. IMHO.

Agree with your analogy. I was never one for usinf equalizers or tone controls. PC people think differently since I do not use PC audio I can do without it.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Agree with your analogy. I was never one for usinf equalizers or tone controls. PC people think differently since I do not use PC audio I can do without it.

I'm a PC user at times (40% of the time), but don't use equalizers either for the reasons eloquently given by Aaron. Instead, if I need to tweak, I'll change an interconnect from copper to silver to enhance the treble/mids (f needed) or roll tubes, etc...

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

Appreciate would be the wrong word. I would use like.

Yes, you're right. I should have used "like."

 

[upstateguy]

 
Quote:

E:  
I would say neither. Just my opinion. But your are absolutely right...we really have no way of knowing do we?

Of course you would say neither.....

 
Quote:

The minute that you use an equalizer you are inducing distortion into the music as opposed to flat response. It's like an average woman looking good with make-up. Take the make-up away, and you still have the original woman. If you are not getting the sound that you want, you need to change your equipment, not mask it with false equalization. IMHO.

not necessarily true in all cases.  Sometime you can change one little thing and get a very different result
 
Anyone like She and Him?  Zooey Deschanel and Matt Ward
 

 
but this is what Zooey used to look like
 


 
Quote:

I'm a PC user at times (40% of the time), but don't use equalizers either for the reasons eloquently given by Aaron. Instead, if I need to tweak, I'll change an interconnect from copper to silver to enhance the treble/mids (f needed) or roll tubes, etc...

I'm a PC user and I don't use equalizers with headphones either, but I think it's OK to use them.....

 

 

[Clayton SF]

^^ I think in this case SHE would have to use an equalizer to adjust her perception of me before she'd ever decide to call!

Oh well.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I'm a PC user and I don't use equalizers with headphones either, but I think it's OK to use them.....

 

I think it's OK for others to use them.

 
BTW, thanks for the USB Thingee recommendation. Really improved my PC audio.