[SoupRKnowva]

DaveBSC do you still feel that the ART Legato is the end all be all of computer transports as long as you're only doing redbook cd? and i couldnt find on their site, does it support 24bit audio as long as its only 44.1?

 

[LeoDuran]

Quote:

It's not quite that simple. Async USB is not a cure-all. If it were, there would be absolutely no difference between one computer or another attached to a USB DAC. All would supply bit-perfect USB packets clocked by the DAC, therefore all computers would be identical. It doesn't work that way. You're likely to still get a performance boost by replacing the SBT's noisy switch-mode supply with a LPS, even with SBT+EDO mode and asynch. Asynch USB has not rendered the transport irrelevant.

Actually, I suggest it is that simple: "SBT+EDO" may do a better job at staying on task (delivering those bit-perfect packets) than a multi-tasking PC. As for the LPS, have you tried a with and without LPS for "SBT+EDO" over async-usb?... You may be in for a surprise: I have noticed absolutely no difference!
 
Try it, and let me know what you find... And while you're at it, you may also try expensive USB cables vs a basic USB2-capable cable. You may also take that a step farther, try other Async-USB transports (vs SBT+EDO), using the same source material (without using a front-end app to 'massage' or filter the audio data)... I'm curious to hear what you'll find; please report back.
 
Now, for driving the SBT internal DAC, or driving the SBT's S/PDIF interfaces (with embedded clock), an LPS may make a noticebable difference (although there are still some internal DC-DC converters that may generate noise in the SBT).
 
Again, let your ears be the judge; and I expect you'd be happily surprised (SBT+EDO delivers the goods!... No need for LPS, clock mods, or any other such hw-mods).
 
Sometimes we get placebo effects to justify our inve$tment$ (like with exoteric cables & such); which in this specific application (Async-USB) are simply over-kill.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

has anyone tried this? http://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/2011/11/touch-toolbox-30.html i wonder if it would work in tandem with EDO?

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

DaveBSC do you still feel that the ART Legato is the end all be all of computer transports as long as you're only doing redbook cd? and i couldnt find on their site, does it support 24bit audio as long as its only 44.1?

No, and no, it doesn't. From reports I've seen the Legato is decent, but that's it. It will be beaten by an Off-Ramp.

 

[khatch]

Ok - I've heard enough, and I've decided to move on.  It will take me a few days to get a listing put together, but for those of you who are interested in buying but don't want to wait until the next batch comes in, shoot me a PM and I can get this little gem into your hands as fast as the shipper can move it.

 

[Sonic77]

Quote:

Ok - I've heard enough, and I've decided to move on.  It will take me a few days to get a listing put together, but for those of you who are interested in buying but don't want to wait until the next batch comes in, shoot me a PM and I can get this little gem into your hands as fast as the shipper can move it.

Well I am supposed to receive mine tommorrow. It will be interesting to see how it compares to the Yulong D18. What I really want is the Invicta DAC, but that is another $2530. It might still be worth it tho, instead of keep making incremental upgrades. I am going to check this dac out and I'll have 30 days to think about it, of course that will kill my toy budget for the year

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

I'm currently using an AR-T Legato, and although I'm not sure how well it is optimised or measures for formats other than redbook, I haven't had any problems with playback of my high def file formats, nor has anyone else i've spoken with that owns one. And they sound great. I'm very happy with it, and think it is an improvement over the audiophileo 2, which I have directly compared it with. What makes you think it'll be beaten by an Off-Ramp?

 
The Legato doesn't support high-res. If you're playing 24/96 on it, then it's down sampling to 16/44. The OR5 by all accounts is the best of the best, better than the Audiophilleo, the Wavelink, and the Berkeley Alpha USB. I've also seen several reports that it outperforms the XMOS USB input on USB DACs such as the Eximus. 

 

[sivart]

Quote:

No, and no, it doesn't. From reports I've seen the Legato is decent, but that's it. It will be beaten by an Off-Ramp.

 
I'm currently using an AR-T Legato, and although I'm not sure how well it is optimised or measures for formats other than redbook, I haven't had any problems with playback of my high def file formats, nor has anyone else i've spoken with that owns one. And they sound great. I'm very happy with it, and think it is an improvement over the audiophileo 2, which I have directly compared it with. What makes you think it'll be beaten by an Off-Ramp?

 

[sivart]

Quote:

 
The Legato doesn't support high-res. If you're playing 24/96 on it, then it's down sampling to 16/44. The OR5 by all accounts is the best of the best, better than the Audiophilleo, the Wavelink, and the Berkeley Alpha USB. I've also seen several reports that it outperforms the XMOS USB input on USB DACs such as the Eximus. 

 
Thanks Dave, apologies for the double post. I see what is meant by support now, you're absolutely right about the downsampling. The OR5 sounds like one heck of a unit, albeit a pricey one. Wish I had the funds to try one out, and a system to do it justice! I'd be keen to see how it compares with the Legato. If anyone gets one I'd consider sending them my Legato to do a comparison if they're willing to post their thoughts on headfi.
 
Getting back to the Anedio D2, I don't suppose anyone has some ideas on how it might compare to an Audio GD ref 7.1?

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Thanks Dave, apologies for the double post. I see what is meant by support now, you're absolutely right about the downsampling. The OR5 sounds like one heck of a unit, albeit a pricey one. Wish I had the funds to try one out, and a system to do it justice! I'd be keen to see how it compares with the Legato. If anyone gets one I'd consider sending them my Legato to do a comparison if they're willing to post their thoughts on headfi.

Getting back to the Anedio D2, I don't suppose anyone has some ideas on how it might compare to an Audio GD ref 7.1?

Well project86 compared them extensively in his reference 7 "review", which is located in the reference 7 loaner program thread. Or it's listed in his profile for easier locating

 

[Riker]

Received notification yesterday that my D2 has left the building !. Should arrive early next week. Last week I got my BlueJeans Balanced XLR cables so I'll be ready to go !
 
Good times ahead !

 

[project86]

Quote:

Getting back to the Anedio D2, I don't suppose anyone has some ideas on how it might compare to an Audio GD ref 7.1?

 
As someone already mentioned, I had the Reference 7 (not 7.1) for a while and really enjoyed it. I found the Anedio D1 to be slightly better though. Since the Ref 7.1 is supposed to improve on the Ref 7, and the D2 improves on the D1.... who knows.
 
If I recall correctly, John Darko at Digital Audio Review seemed to find the Ref 7.1 roughly on the same level as the D1. But that still doesn't help for a direct comparison of 7.1 and D2. 
 
At this level, all of them are pretty darn good. Even the older D1 and Ref 7 models are likely to please most folks. Then again, no DAC is perfect for everyone (as I believe I mentioned in this thread not long ago). See Khatch as proof of that - selling his newly received D2. Nothing wrong with that! I'm curious to see what he ends up with that makes him happy. 

 

[sivart]

Quote:

Well project86 compared them extensively in his reference 7 "review", which is located in the reference 7 loaner program thread. Or it's listed in his profile for easier locating

 
Quote:

 
As someone already mentioned, I had the Reference 7 (not 7.1) for a while and really enjoyed it. I found the Anedio D1 to be slightly better though. Since the Ref 7.1 is supposed to improve on the Ref 7, and the D2 improves on the D1.... who knows.
 
If I recall correctly, John Darko at Digital Audio Review seemed to find the Ref 7.1 roughly on the same level as the D1. But that still doesn't help for a direct comparison of 7.1 and D2. 
 
At this level, all of them are pretty darn good. Even the older D1 and Ref 7 models are likely to please most folks. Then again, no DAC is perfect for everyone (as I believe I mentioned in this thread not long ago). See Khatch as proof of that - selling his newly received D2. Nothing wrong with that! I'm curious to see what he ends up with that makes him happy. 

 
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the input.
 
Project 86, I'm actually a happy owner of a D1 thanks to the fantastic review you did. I was so intrigued by what you had written that when an offer came up for a used D1 with a 220v transformer (I'm in Australia) I couldn't help but bite.  I was keen to see what improvements an upgrade to the the D2 might bring, but after talking to James about it I got the impression it wouldn't be a whole lot, so I figured I may as well hold off and save some coin until I can afford a more significant upgrade or something else is released that compares more favourably.
 
In the meantime I've decided to invest in an audio gd master 8 and a pair of lcd3's, and upgraditis has kicked in (again) and I'm thinking about the potential benefits of having a balanced dac. And again I come back to the D2 or the Ref 7.1 (would look so nice sitting next to the master 8, and maybe it'll have a synergy with the master 8 the anedio won't). I get the impression that the D2 would still be the best way to go though (and you seem to confirm this), and I know I like the sound of the D1. And then I come back to what James said, and the previous conclusion I came to about sticking with the D1 and waiting for something else. I'm pretty sure I've read everything online that's ever been posted concerning these dacs and am at the stage where I'm not going to know unless I hear them for myself.
 
Decisions decisions. 30 day D2 trial here I come (whenever the next batch becomes available). It's like I have a sickness.

 

[project86]

Keep in mind that James is a really humble guy, and some differences he would describe as very small would probably be described by folks around here as more significant. In my view the D2 is reasonably improved over the D1, though the significance of that improvement will be determined by how it is used.
 
Using an SPDIF connection and RCA outs to an external amp, the difference is smallest.
 
Using USB input the difference is more clear - the D2 is at its best over USB, which was surprising to me because SPDIF already sounds so great. 
 
Using the built in headphone amp is also a noticeable improvement. The higher output jumper setting makes it truly capable of driving planar headphones with authority. The standard setting is still better than the D1 in terms of clarity and realism - again, surprising because the original is excellent. This is my reference with IEMs, period. 
 
Balanced out can be a reasonable improvement, but that sort of depends on the circuitry of the amp being used. Some amps actually sound better being fed by RCA even if they have XLR capabilities as well. So that will be amp-specific. I suspect the Audio GD stuff mostly sounds best over XLR but I can't say for sure.
 
30-day trial is the right idea. Find out for yourself in your own system. What could be better?

 

[Sonic77]

Received D2 haven't had time for a good listen yet.