Audio-GD Reference 7 - the new flagship DAC

[Parafeed]

Quote:

 
iPod, if you really want to get the best out of your computer software use Linux and dig into the OS to have it handle S-Center with real-time priority, and fine tune the way it uses the CPU to process the audio data.  Thats my recommendation.

 
You have no clue! Why does S-Center (I assume you mean SqueezeBoxServer) need to run with real-time priority? Do you actually understand what communication is going on between the SB hardware and the server? Do you understand that it is not decoding directly to audio hardware (like a soundcard) but is only streaming the bits of eg. a flac file into a buffer (on the hardware) for the hardware to decode/play?

 

[IPodPJ]

You keep getting insulted by us because you are commenting on something which you clearly know nothing about.  You're wrong about SqueezeboxServer and you're wrong about the Transporter.  You've made false statements about other things, too.  That's why we have no desire to consider your opinions -- because they are baseless.

 

[00lunar]

I know, that this question was asked @ Head-Fi at least couple times, but I hope, that noone will stone me to death when I'll humbly write it once more. Here goes:
 
I know that Kingwa stuff is very good, and he's respected person here. I own HD-800 and Phoenix amp, but I think (or guess? or urge to upgrade?), that my DAC (Audiotrak DR.DAC 2) is a kind of weak link in my system. My goal was to treat myself with a nice DAC, and now REF 7.1 comes into play. It's expensive, and I don't have doubts it's a real beast. But paying that kind of money for DAC must exclude other devices, yes? So.... is there anything close in the terms of SQ within the same price range as REF 7.1 or REF 7? Of course, balanced solutions come into play. I've heard good stuff about Benchmark DAC, which is similar in it's price range. Maybe AA Zodiac+? My transport is a PC, and maybe M2TECH HiFace in near future. Any sugestions about what should be my next step?
 
Peace,
Dave

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

You have no clue! Why does S-Center (I assume you mean SqueezeBoxServer) need to run with real-time priority? Do you actually understand what communication is going on between the SB hardware and the server? Do you understand that it is not decoding directly to audio hardware (like a soundcard) but is only streaming the bits of eg. a flac file into a buffer (on the hardware) for the hardware to decode/play?

No, he doesn't understand that the whole purpose of the SB or Transporter is to take the computer out of the computer.  It's not even worth responding to him anymore.

 

[Dynobot]

The only reason people say I am wrong is because what I say is not popular opinion.  If the general consensus was that S-Center can be improved by some means then everyone would accept it as fact.
 
Message board mentality is really predictable, group-think reins supreme such does message board cliques.
 
If you enjoy your sub-par software so be it, just glad I don't have to listen to it.

 

[Dynobot]

Quote:

No, he doesn't understand that the whole purpose of the SB or Transporter is to take the computer out of the computer.  It's not even worth responding to him anymore.

 
Perfect example of the epitome of message board clique mentality.  Like 7 year old children....

.
 
Actually I wish you had not responded in the first place...
 

 

 

[Parafeed]

Quote:

The only reason people say I am wrong is because what I say is not popular opinion.

It has nothing to do with opinion, popular or not. You do not know what you are talking about!
 
If you want to talk about SqueezeBoxServer, that's fine. But telling us that you know what you are talking about when quite obviously you don't have a clue and misinforming people is not. I know how SqueezeBoxServer works. I've written plugins. I've written a software Squeezebox client. Have you?

 

[Dynobot]

Yawn....
 
Listen to your girl friend and go away....
 
I'm gonna go back and listen to some Jams with my new mono blocks.

 

[sorue]

Quote:

But paying that kind of money for DAC must exclude other devices, yes? So.... is there anything close in the terms of SQ within the same price range as REF 7.1 or REF 7? Of course, balanced solutions come into play. I've heard good stuff about Benchmark DAC, which is similar in it's price range. Maybe AA Zodiac+? My transport is a PC, and maybe M2TECH HiFace in near future. Any sugestions about what should be my next step?  
Peace,
Dave

Long story short, no. The benchmark DAC is, IMO, not worth the price it commands, new or used.
 
I highly recommend a proper transport such as the wavelength wavelink/legato/off ramp if you were to get the ref 7
 

 

[Parafeed]

Quote:

Listen to your girl friend and go away....
 

Sure. I'm going to go away and try to figure out why I need to run SBS at rt when even the "legacy" SB hardware I own has a RAM buffer that is capable of storing 10 seconds of uncompressed 44.1/16........

 

[00lunar]

Quote:

Long story short, no. The benchmark DAC is, IMO, not worth the price it commands, new or used.
 
I highly recommend a proper transport such as the wavelength wavelink/legato/off ramp if you were to get the ref 7
 

Thanks for answering mate. So is there something wrong with HiFace? And sorry for offtop here

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Sure. I'm going to go away and try to figure out why I need to run SBS at rt when even the "legacy" SB hardware I own has a RAM buffer that is capable of storing 10 seconds of uncompressed 44.1/16........

 
There's a Murphy's Law that states:  Never argue with a fool.  People might not know the difference.
 

 

[Parafeed]

Quote:

There's a Murphy's Law that states:  Never argue with a fool.  People might not know the difference.
 

You're right, I shouldn't rise to it. Regardless of the quality of the Transporter digital out, it's so frustrating to read !?*!?!* put forth as fact by a self-declared expert ("I have more experience than 99% of the people hear") who is "using every piece of audio software available on every operating system". It's so funny, it's not funny! Perhaps I wouldn't care so much if I hadn't submitted code to SBS, Linux Kernel, Alsa....... and had more than half a clue about the inner workings. I am reminded of the last time I crossed swords with a fool about the Transporter. A fool who declared that streaming data over the network caused more jitter than plugging a CD transport into the rear of the Transporter and using it as a DAC. A fool who couldn't comprehend that data sent over the network was just data and not clock and data combined. Oh well.....

 

[Dynobot]

Looks like AGD is using my product Tier concept I posted awhile back in the Digital Interface thread. If that is so then look for some new exciting products, notice that MASTER series are in Tier 1.
 
 
 
To make a clear distinction of Tiers with the AGD line-up, with existing and [proposed] NEW offerings in each Tier.  Tier-1 would be the highest.
 
Tier-1 [full 24-192 sample rate support Wolfson spdif, AES/EBU, ACSS]
CD-7 - Transport Front-End - [add AES/EBU out]
Digital Interface - [with SE upgrades]
Ref-7 Dac - [use Wolfson spdif instead of DIR]
NFB-8 Dac
Phoenix Headamp
C-3 Preamp
C-1 Master Mono-Blocks
SA-300 Master Mono-Blocks
Power Filter Outlet [with Premium outlets]
 
Tier-2 [full 24-96 sample rate support DIR9001 spdif, ACSS] [24-192 support optional]
CD-5 Small form factor Transport Front-End [same size as Ref-5 Dac] - NEW PRODUCT
Digital Interface - standard [Tenor USB/DIR spdif]
Ref-5 Dac
NFB-1 Dac
C-2 Headamp [imo the Roc would be better suited]
C-500 Integrated amp
C-39-MK3 Preamp
C10-SE Power amp
SA-300SE Power amp
Power Filter Outlet standard
 
Tier-3 [only Dac and Head amp separates]
NFB-2 Dac
NFB-3 Dac
C-2 Headamp
 
Tier-4 Dac's with Headamp [from easily affordable to Hi-End Headamp/Dacs]
NFB-10 WM
NFB-12
FUN
Sparrow
 
 
Stretch objective to really keep up with the game.
NEW PRODUCT - DM-1 Digital Music Server [same size as the Ref-5] keep it in the sweet spot $1k range.  Give some competition to the Logitech Transporter et.al.  This year the market is going to see a lot more products like this near and below the sweet spot price range.

 

[IPodPJ]

Where is Audio-gd using your "tier" concept?  I certainly don't see it anywhere on the Audio-gd website.  Are you having delusions of grandeur?
The Reference 7.1 does not use the Wolfson receiver chipset.
 
I do however see that they added my request for having 4-pin XLR ACSS connections on the RE7.1 though.