geraldsmallbear
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2011
- Posts
- 17
- Likes
- 10
Hi, my first post here. I bought this DAC to replace the Grant Fidelity TubeDAC, partly from the rave reviews I found lurking this site. I'm very pleased with the quality and overall sound, I can hear so much that I didn't know existed but I have a few concerns.
First, it has no soundstage. Zero. My TubeDAC projected into the next room, and that's not hyperbole, it actually projected instruments into the next room, which is one reason I was so glad to see it go, it was just far too projectile, it hurt. It also channelled a lot of emotion through it. This at maximum punch was just too much, even at low volume it was totally in my face.
The Audio GD is by contrast very pleasant to listen to, I never fatigue from it, but the sound is firmly buried in my speakers.
I've tried reversing the polarity of my speakers to no effect.
To be fair, there is a slight soundstage and it varies from day to day - so I'm hoping this is a burn-in issue, but I can't find any mention of it, anywhere. I've been burning the NFB for a bit over two months now and it has changed dramatically, but the soundstage has barely changed at all.
Audio-GD don't do customer support, so I don't really know who to ask or what to do.
As a reference, could you please listen to this on your speakers before posting:
http://www.longcat.fr/web/en/audiostage-lite-edition
(I know it's a headphone forum, but humour me)
For me this initally sounds flat and then gets very, very far away behind the speakers, like hall distance away, behind them, the sound sources are never near me, or in front, they're just off to the sides and either louder or more quiet, not moving in 3D space, except when they are behind, then they are more centralised. There's little to no projection of the sound. But on other recodings, proper ones, there is height, sometimes, which is nice.
If you have a a better reference track/sample please share it and I will post my results. I'd really like to know what's going on and if my unit is faulty, and if so why?
Also, some idea of exactly how long to burn it in would be helpful, all discussions of this are pretty vague. I've run it at least 10 hours a day and have been doing so for a bit over 2 months now. I could find the delivery date and get a closer estimate if anyone wants it.
I hope this is a burn-in issue, cos I'm in a tight space and have to listen on the side most of the time, with good soundstaging this isn't a problem, but with this DAC it's a bit irritating.
First, it has no soundstage. Zero. My TubeDAC projected into the next room, and that's not hyperbole, it actually projected instruments into the next room, which is one reason I was so glad to see it go, it was just far too projectile, it hurt. It also channelled a lot of emotion through it. This at maximum punch was just too much, even at low volume it was totally in my face.
The Audio GD is by contrast very pleasant to listen to, I never fatigue from it, but the sound is firmly buried in my speakers.
I've tried reversing the polarity of my speakers to no effect.
To be fair, there is a slight soundstage and it varies from day to day - so I'm hoping this is a burn-in issue, but I can't find any mention of it, anywhere. I've been burning the NFB for a bit over two months now and it has changed dramatically, but the soundstage has barely changed at all.
Audio-GD don't do customer support, so I don't really know who to ask or what to do.
As a reference, could you please listen to this on your speakers before posting:
http://www.longcat.fr/web/en/audiostage-lite-edition
(I know it's a headphone forum, but humour me)
For me this initally sounds flat and then gets very, very far away behind the speakers, like hall distance away, behind them, the sound sources are never near me, or in front, they're just off to the sides and either louder or more quiet, not moving in 3D space, except when they are behind, then they are more centralised. There's little to no projection of the sound. But on other recodings, proper ones, there is height, sometimes, which is nice.
If you have a a better reference track/sample please share it and I will post my results. I'd really like to know what's going on and if my unit is faulty, and if so why?
Also, some idea of exactly how long to burn it in would be helpful, all discussions of this are pretty vague. I've run it at least 10 hours a day and have been doing so for a bit over 2 months now. I could find the delivery date and get a closer estimate if anyone wants it.
I hope this is a burn-in issue, cos I'm in a tight space and have to listen on the side most of the time, with good soundstaging this isn't a problem, but with this DAC it's a bit irritating.