[Cortes]

Parafeed,
 
  from your emotional comment... so, what do you suggest to stream audio from a  laptop/computer?.
 

 

[Parafeed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cortes /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
so, what do you suggest to stream audio from a  laptop/computer?.
 

Squeezeboxes, of course! Having dabbled with Sonos and Linn DS I still have both feet firmly in the SB camp for streaming audio.
 
You'd need to have been following the last few pages of the thread to appreciate (or not as the case may be) my attempt at humour.

 

[ccschua]

Parafeed makes sense. a lot of time we we thot we paid peanuts and strike gold. if convenience is the keyword, then be it.
 
For computer audio, try look into a Bryston BDP. U can sit at your comfort couch, with a touch of the notebook key, u can wirelessly command the BDP to play whatever u like and it is audiophile.
 
However, the cost of this unit alone is almost  the cost Ref 7 and cd7fv combined.
 

 

[Dynobot]

Quote:

That's a very good point: Why hasn't anyone thought of making a CD transport with USB input? Or rather, a digital interface with a CD player built-in.

Consonance makes a few products with spdif in and one product with usb in and digital out.  They also make a very good Network music product which I have auditioned the D-Linear.

 

[Dynobot]

Quote:

I use REF5 with Woo 6 SE and Senn HD800..... Sound is fantastic !!!! and the REF5 only has 20 hrs so far.... Next week, I'll receive the DI with the upgraded clock....
 
Denys

Thats great!!
 
The AGD Dac's deliver some nice clean music which is a good match for tubes. 

 

[axw]

 
Forgive me non-drug related questions - quite surprising to actually discuss Reference-7 in this thread, isn'it?

I'd greatly appreciate if a Ref-7 owner could comment on the following:

1) how good is it in terms of mid- and upper bass, especially compared to other similarly priced dacs?

2) does it sound relaxed - as opposed to quick presentation?

I'd need this to decide between Ref-7 and NFB-7 - so far seems the latter fits me better. Thanks for help! 

 

[Dynobot]

Quote:

 
Forgive me non-drug related questions - quite surprising to actually discuss Reference-7 in this thread, isn'it?

I'd greatly appreciate if a Ref-7 owner could comment on the following:

1) how good is it in terms of mid- and upper bass, especially compared to other similarly priced dacs?

2) does it sound relaxed - as opposed to quick presentation?

I'd need this to decide between Ref-7 and NFB-7 - so far seems the latter fits me better. Thanks for help! 

Compared to the RME Fireface I owned for a short time the Ref7 gives a different type of presentation.  The RME is ultra clear and has good bottom end punch, the highs can be more digital sounding at time, say non forgiving.  Comparatively the Ref7 reaches deeper into the music vs. the RME delivering an analytical sound.  Texture and musicality is more pronounced with the Ref 7 in the mid range. Upper bass I would say the RME has more punch while the Ref 7 again gives more texture and information.  This can be obvious with richly textured music with lots of details and nuances. I would say the Ref 7 is neither quick or relaxed in the sense that it offers its own flavor on top of the music, its neutral and is as quick or relaxed as the situation calls for.  The RME is more matter-of-fact.  The two are different beasts, the RME is more suited for the studio in which it was designed.
 
I've owned many Dacs in the 1K range over the past few years, Lavry, Havana, RME, auditioned the Apogee miniDac, the Ref5 that I own beats all the others and the Ref 7 beats the Ref5.

 

[Parafeed]

Quote:

Consonance makes a few products with spdif in and one product with usb in and digital out.  They also make a very good Network music product which I have auditioned the D-Linear.

The Resolution Audio Cantata is worth a look.
 
http://www.resolutionaudio.com/cantata.html

 

[Dynobot]

This might be my next toy, heard its little brother and was knocked aback by the sound....this thing uses the famous 6h30 super tube same somes that BAT uses
talk about sonic bliss. I could plug my computer into it and go to town.
 

 

[Dynobot]

I would use a SB-Touch if I applied Soundchekks modes to it and put a pulse transformer on the spdif out as well as upgrading the power supply.  Unfortunately that would set me back $500 before everything is done.  There is also a USB out mod for the touch that might be worth trying.  I tried the Consonance D-Linear awhile back compared to my old SB3 and my Linux box, the Consonance won by a hair in sound vs. the Linux machine the SB3 was no match. Functionality wise though the D-Linear is a winner, true 75ohm out with tons of built in functions.  I was about to try the Cambridge NP30 but figured I'd wait a bit for a few reviews, it look promising, but lacks the 75ohm out

 

[notThinking]

Quote:

I would use a SB-Touch if I applied Soundchekks modes to it and put a pulse transformer on the spdif out as well as upgrading the power supply.  Unfortunately that would set me back $500 before everything is done.  There is also a USB out mod for the touch that might be worth trying.  I tried the Consonance D-Linear awhile back compared to my old SB3 and my Linux box, the Consonance won by a hair in sound vs. the Linux machine the SB3 was no match. Functionality wise though the D-Linear is a winner, true 75ohm out with tons of built in functions.  I was about to try the Cambridge NP30 but figured I'd wait a bit for a few reviews, it look promising, but lacks the 75ohm out

Although not on topic I think this is one of the best threads I've ever read regarding moding SB Duet and Touch. If one take the time to read the hole thread there are lots of stuff to learn and I think the final conclusion Pete Fowler end's up with is the quite interesting and honest. Although the thread is aimed at the Duet it later on does valid comparison with the Touch circuit to make it interesting also for Touch owners.
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=55044&page=1

 

[Parafeed]

Quote:

As much as I hate SB [at least the SB3 that I have] I still may be temped to buy one.  Only thing stopping me is [one] My Linux box already sounds so good and [two]the next logical step up is a true transport, which I doubt, no matter how good the Touch is can compare to say a AGD CD7.

 
Do you not already own a CD7? You've made several comments (about how good it is) that imply you do? Either way you should try a Touch. (Even if it's only for a 30 day trial and return for a refund.) I wouldn't use a SB3 for serious listening. Transporter or Touch I will. The difference in SQ between digital out on either the Touch or Transporter, compared to the SB3, is not subtle.

 

[Dynobot]

Quote:

Do you guys think audio-gd could put a usb input on the cd7?

I asked Kingwa about that he said no can do...

 

[notThinking]

A couple of thoughts on network tweaks after reading though soundcheck's updated blog. He seams to understand how data buffer works and still he pursue the drop cable route. I decided I to should dwell with this issue for a couple of minutes.

Ground loop aside only valid reason I can think of that could make a difference to the sound is if the drop cable work as a RF antenna and create noise inside the circuit. Well actually, we know the drop cable has this characteristic. Thats why most devices already has ferrite toroids mounted internally. But maybe if we try to eliminate some RF before the network cable are connected to our music device.
Cheep thing to test is to snap on one or two ferrite toroid to the drop cable.
Others have suggested without actually telling us why to connecting a switch near the music device and use a short drop cable between them. This will help if RF is an issue as the RF is filtered on the input of the switch and clean data signal is regenerated.

 

[Dynobot]

Thats a great idea, never thought about ferrites on the drop cable, surely there would be lots of RFI.
 
Once I read a review or two about the Cambridge NP30 I think I will try that out if they seem favorable.  
 
My Ref7 is BNC/Coax input only so I need to stick with that type of front end, however most network products are either in the 300-500ish dollar range or hyper expensive [for what they do] and none of the cheap ones have 75ohm out.  I may need to get a pulse transformer if I go the cheap route.