[maguire]

As you can tell I dont have much experience with Computer Audio.

 

[lmswjm]

Choice of transport would be dependent on kind of music collection. Files vs. CD's for example. I'm still currently spinning CD's and love my Audio-GD CD7. I imagine one day I'll switch to a file based system when HiRez files are available that will replace my 16/44.1 stuff I have in my collection. I don't see that happening anytime soon though.

 

[macrog]

I think most of us rip CDs to PC mainly for convenience. I have about 27 thousand tracks ripped losslessly to my NAS and just finding the CDs has always been a problem. I find I listen to far more of my music from computer than CD. I often hear tracks I forgot I even had with computer set to shuffle tracks. When I listened to CD I tended to play a much smaller range of music.
 
Some of the usb to coaxial digital converters outperform even the CD7 as a source now. I love my 2 CD7FV's but they are able to be beaten for sound quality now.
 
It is frustrating that even the software you use to play your music or PC's and MACs make such a difference. Mac's do sound better in my opinion.
 
Regards
 
Macrog
 
 

 

[FauDrei]

Some of the usb to coaxial digital converters outperform even the CD7 as a source now. I love my 2 CD7FV's but they are able to be beaten for sound quality now.
 
It is frustrating that even the software you use to play your music or PC's and MACs make such a difference. Mac's do sound better in my opinion.

Wow! I thought we were just getting there and that top CD spinners were still the benchmark to beat for computer coax converters... Can you please name the converter(s) that you find (out)match CD7?
 
I agree that converters AND computer OS/configurations AND software players DO make sonic difference. Very satisfied at the moment with Openelec (AIO linux XBMC variant) + audiophilleo2 as library + player + transport solution for my RE.

 

[LarsHP]

Quote:

Can you please name the converter(s) that you find (out)match CD7?
 
I agree that converters AND computer OS/configurations AND software players DO make sonic difference. Very satisfied at the moment with Openelec (AIO linux XBMC variant) + audiophilleo2 as library + player + transport solution for my RE.

I expect him to mention his Audiophelio 1

 

[anubisgrau]

pardon my silly question that has probably already been covered earlier but would anyone care to comment on 7 vs 7.1 sound differences, if any significant
 
also what is an ongoing rate for 7 (1.5 yrs old)?

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Blu Tak is a good putty like substance for dampening clock bodies, cheap too.
 
Vibration control (isolation of transport and DAC), FIFO buffering in memory (so that an uninterrupted stream of clean data can feed the DAC), accurate clocks, power supply design, layout (both transport and DAC) analog and digital stage design ALL combine to make or break a digital front end. With the myriad of choices out there along with a boatload of marketing double speak and frankly dubious claims of wonder de jitter devices and the like it's very hard for the average Joe (or Jane ) to sort the good stuff, which is worth spending your hard earned dollars on, from the mediocre dreck that can be found in abundance in consumer chain stores. Very few shops carry separates anymore unless of course you happen to live in a major urban center where high end shops can cater to the needs of a few at prices hardly anyone can afford.
 
Just my 2 cents FWIW.
 
Peete.

 

[alexhl]

Quote
 
It is frustrating that even the software you use to play your music or PC's and MACs make such a difference. Mac's do sound better in my opinion.
 
Regards
 
Macrog
 
 

Win7 with Jriver and Fidelizer is also good

 

[maguire]

This will  Def be my next purchase (Ref 7.1) then hope to get that cd7  as a Transport. Guess I like to spin those discs.

 

[Telstar]

Quote:

Has anyone tried running the DSP-1 directly off I2S via asynchronous USB?
 
The best source Ive heard so far has been an Audiophilleo2 asynchronous USB-SPDIF.
But then the Ref7  SPDIF receiver rejitters at 50ps which is a pity.
 
The I2S poster in Seoul hasnt got in touch with me but his implementation looked too complicated for what I can do with no DIY experience.
 
I emailed Kingwa and I2S can be feed straight into the DSP-1 eg via an exa board..
 
Anyone tried it or heard I2S? Thanks.
 

Not many according to the fact that you didnt get any reply.
I'm gonna try it with my dac19dsp. If done well, it is better than using spdif input.

 

[Telstar]

Quote:

The PCM1704 can support 192KHz at 8X oversampling, the PCM1704 pfd is so conservative declare PCM1704 have max 768KHz input support but we have test it can support 1.536MHz as high as the ES9018 declare.
Later once I have time, I will try to test if the PCM1704 can    support 384KHz input at 8X oversampling , Wadia had said the PCM1704 can support 2.82 MHz (352K at 8X oversampling) but we want to  proof-test.
If had an I2S output device, simply modify the RE7.1 had the I2S input socket, then can playback with 192KHz .
But we have not plan develop the RE7.1 support 192K through SPDIF input. Because we consider the SPDIF interface DIR9001 is the most neutral chip we can applied.

Did you test this?
Oh and when the usb interface replacement will support 384khz?
I like less oversampling done in DSP and more from the source material (ofc) or the PC source.
 

 

[Currawong]

I wonder how the new DI, with an I2S output, would sound using a direct I2S input to the Ref 7.1. That would be an interesting experiment. I deliberately ordered my 7.1 with two of the large coax inputs so I could swap one in the future with a Neutrik RJ-45 in case I wanted an I2S input.

 

[ztsen]

Anyone try both Reference 7.1 and Lite Dac 83? Any impressions?

 

[LarsHP]

Anyone try both Reference 7.1 and Lite Dac 83? Any impressions?

Yes. John Darko at Digital Audio Review did. He sent the Lite back after review. Then later, after reviewing the Audio-gd, he bought the Ref 7.1 for himself.

 

[DarknightDK]

Looking for a USB to SPDIF converter as a bridge between the Ref 7.1 and the Mac. Are the Audio Gd DIs resolving enough for this purpose or should I be looking at other brands such as Anedio U2, Audiophilleo, etc?