[jacc]

having issues with my sound cutting in and out when turning my blu on a few seconds after my Dave has started up.

I always turn on my blu first then Dave. Always start from the upstream component (in the case of shut down it is the reverse order)

 

[sm60]

I always turn on my blu first then Dave. Always start from the upstream component (in the case of shut down it is the reverse order)

I have never gotten the Blu drive to work reliably in more than a year of owning the Blu Mk2 and the Dave. I primarily use the M-scaler in my Blu Mk2. As a transport, when on rare occasions it works, it does not begin to compare with top class CD transports. I use the ultra Uber CEC TL0 Mk2 belt drive with separate power supply. It sounds magnificent through the M-scaler and the Dave. That’s the main reason I haven’t sold my Blu Mk2. I keep thinking of just getting a separate M-scaler, but the silly Chord fetish of putting colored marbles for controls drives me nuts. It’s like cheap tinsel on a Ferrari. Whoever does the exterior design of these marbled Chord units should be fired, IMHO. I much prefer the look of the Blu Mk2 with the Dave in the smart aluminum two rack chassis — I have the older design.

I’d happily replace the Blu Mk2 with an M-scaler that looks like the Dave. Or perhaps Chord will finally step into the 21st century and release a streaming version of Dave. It’s probably the only high end digital manufacturer that doesn’t have a streamer. I’m not sure who designs their products, but aside from their sound, in terms of features, they are sooo behind the times. Just compare their current lineup with dCS, Linn, Naim, Auralic, Aurender, heck anyone who charges the kind of dollar the Dave goes for. It’s stunning they still don’t have a high end streamer.

 

[jonstatt]

I always turn on my blu first then Dave. Always start from the upstream component (in the case of shut down it is the reverse order)

Correct for switch on but while what you said sounds intuitive for switch off, this is in fact dangerous for connected headphones. If you switch DAVE off first you can get a loud bang through the headphones. I don't get this if I switch off Blu first.

 

[dac64]

but the silly Chord fetish of putting colored marbles for controls drives me nuts. It’s like cheap tinsel on a Ferrari. Whoever does the exterior design of these marbled Chord units should be fired,

John

 

[mammal]

but the silly Chord fetish of putting colored marbles for controls drives me nuts. It’s like cheap tinsel on a Ferrari.

I actually like like those colored marbles, they are so tactile. I wish my Ferarri came with a kebab holder too if you ask me.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Correct for switch on but while what you said sounds intuitive for switch off, this is in fact dangerous for connected headphones. If you switch DAVE off first you can get a loud bang through the headphones. I don't get this if I switch off Blu first.

Mute DAVE first then you won't have any feedback issues to your headphones......or just unplug the headphones from DAVE !

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

I have never gotten the Blu drive to work reliably in more than a year of owning the Blu Mk2 and the Dave. I primarily use the M-scaler in my Blu Mk2. As a transport, when on rare occasions it works, it does not begin to compare with top class CD transports. I use the ultra Uber CEC TL0 Mk2 belt drive with separate power supply. It sounds magnificent through the M-scaler and the Dave. That’s the main reason I haven’t sold my Blu Mk2. I keep thinking of just getting a separate M-scaler, but the silly Chord fetish of putting colored marbles for controls drives me nuts. It’s like cheap tinsel on a Ferrari. Whoever does the exterior design of these marbled Chord units should be fired, IMHO. I much prefer the look of the Blu Mk2 with the Dave in the smart aluminum two rack chassis — I have the older design.

I’d happily replace the Blu Mk2 with an M-scaler that looks like the Dave. Or perhaps Chord will finally step into the 21st century and release a streaming version of Dave. It’s probably the only high end digital manufacturer that doesn’t have a streamer. I’m not sure who designs their products, but aside from their sound, in terms of features, they are sooo behind the times. Just compare their current lineup with dCS, Linn, Naim, Auralic, Aurender, heck anyone who charges the kind of dollar the Dave goes for. It’s stunning they still don’t have a high end streamer.

Chord have Streamers for the Mojo and Hugo2 !

They also used to make a large unit Streamer called the DSX1000 ! It was Chord's reference Streamer at the time !

 

[Jawed]

Yes as I was typing that I wondered if someone would spot that! The reason I had ferrites on my loudspeaker cables was that these were made well over 15 years ago, when I was designing a new form of switching power amp that, unlike Class D, had extremely low distortion and noise floor modulation. Because the amp employed feedback, I needed to ensure RF noise from the loudspeaker cables did not corrupt the feedback path, so hence the use of ferrites. Moreover, the amps employed inductors, and I had lot's of fun listening and measuring different inductor cores, and applying feedback around the inductors too. It's then that I heard how inductor non-linearity can make a big difference to sound quality and the measurements. Incidentally, power pulse array does not use output inductors at all, so does not suffer from this problem.

Now when I use ferrites in circuits it is not the same as putting a ferrite core around a cable, as in circuit ferrites carry all the current, and they are small, and the saturation current is significant. Ferrites wrapped around a cable is not the same, as they only see the small common mode current, not the current flowing in and the current flowing back. Also the saturation current is a lot higher than soldered ferrite beads. So perhaps my warning on analogue is seriously over playing the issue - and for sure I do not expect interconnects to have downsides to it, as the current flowing is minute.

So how would you know that phase intermodulation distortion (PIM - the nasty side from using in-circuit ferrites and inductors) is an issue? Whenever I have reduced PIM, things sound warmer and smoother, and it sounds a lot like noise floor modulation. There are some similarities - noise floor modulation creates broad noise where all of the audio bandwidth pumps up and down; but PIM tends to broaden out fundamentals; on an FFT you see it as skirts around fundamentals, either as noise or intermodulation products. What is odd, is that both mechanisms, although measuring completely differently, sound very similar.

So if you try ferrites, and it is warmer, softer, smoother, then it is better - even if it is too warm and now sounds "compressed". It isn't compressed, it's just the absence of skirts, intermod, or noise floor modulation; run with it, and find ways of making your system brighter to restore the balance.

PS. I plan to take off the ferrites on the loudspeaker cables and see what they sound like on non-switching amps.

I was wondering, Rob, whether you had ever tried those loudspeaker cables with the ferrites removed.

Perhaps you've made entirely new cables and not used ferrites, so perhaps you've not done the comparison to hear what kind of difference there is.

 

[Rob Watts]

No not tried it yet - it's pretty low on my to do list, as I don't expect a change, as the ferrite ring is very high saturation current. But I do need to get round to doing it...

 

[adrianm]

Yes my two BNC cables are 75 ohm. This is the link for them. Because I bought a pair the seller provided 1m for the same price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CANARE-BN...hash=item4b15ac92da:m:mOHbN6e4fevAhN1VLIBqfww

I do not intend spending any money on anything for the Blu2. It seems to work just fine with cheap input USB cable, cheap power chord and cheap BNC connections to the Dave.

I'm always amused when I come across your old posts

 

[Triode User]

I'm always amused when I come across your old posts

I know, they make me smile as well. A curse on Rob Watts who suggested trying ferrites on the Blu Mk2 bnc cables!! There was no going back once I had heard that experiment. I do not mind admitting my early posts were wrong.

 

[Sonic Defender]

I know, they make me smile as well. A curse on Rob Watts who suggested trying ferrites on the Blu Mk2 bnc cables!! There was no going back once I had heard that experiment. I do not mind admitting my early posts were wrong.

Out of curiosity, seeing as how the word experiment was used, was the experimentation done double blind, over multiple trials, or was this a sighted listening "experiment"?

 

[Triode User]

Out of curiosity, seeing as how the word experiment was used, was the experimentation done double blind, over multiple trials, or was this a sighted listening "experiment"?

Some times double blind multiple trials are not required due to the blindingly obvious sound difference.

If I hit my own hand with a hammer then for sure that experiment is not unsighted but it does not invalidate me stating that it hurts!

 

[adrianm]

Well i'm glad i've revived this thread!

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Hi All,
Has anybody undertaken a direct A to B comparison of the Blu MK2's M Scaler with the separate Chord M Scaler conected to the Chord DAVE (ideally using the dual BNCs to the DAVE to get the maximum sampling rate possible) using the USB connections from a PC / Macbook etc. to the Blu and the separate M Scaler playing via PC / Macbook software (i.e. Audivana for the Macbook for instance) and ideally using the exact same connecting cables between each of the components ?