[EVOLVIST]

This absolutely means nothing, a lot people SAY a lot of things.

Have you heard the DAVE?

I think there are a few DACs that I have heard which come really close to the DAVE. For a while there I had several DACs at my house all at once.

Eventually one must land upon something.

And to me it had nothing to do with price, as I'm a cheap person.

 

[STR-1]

I'm always on the lookout for cheap(ish) ways to improve my system even further and was wondering whether these RCA Noise-Stopper caps and XLR input/output equivalents are likely to bring any real-world benefits for my DAVE - http://www.audioquest.com/audio-enhancements/rca-noise-stopper-caps Has anyone tried these, or similar, with the DAVE?

 

[astrostar59]

I'm always on the lookout for cheap(ish) ways to improve my system even further and was wondering whether these RCA Noise-Stopper caps and XLR input/output equivalents are likely to bring any real-world benefits for my DAVE - http://www.audioquest.com/audio-enhancements/rca-noise-stopper-caps Has anyone tried these, or similar, with the DAVE?

I would suggest looking at AOIP. I dropped USB (1K+ USB chain) to go RedNet 3 1000 Base T ethernet. It was a big jump. USB is not great for high end audio.

 

[x RELIC x]

I'm always on the lookout for cheap(ish) ways to improve my system even further and was wondering whether these RCA Noise-Stopper caps and XLR input/output equivalents are likely to bring any real-world benefits for my DAVE - http://www.audioquest.com/audio-enhancements/rca-noise-stopper-caps Has anyone tried these, or similar, with the DAVE?

Well, since the DAVE can not input an analogue signal they would be useless. Rob mentioned the Audioquest Jitterbug did help slightly with RF noise (no, not jitter) from his laptop when plugged in to the mains, but not when on battery power. He emphasized slightly.

There has been mention of other (expensive) magnetic devices and a selection of power cords but nothing like the linked accessories, for obvious reasons already stated.

 

[STR-1]

Well, since the DAVE can not input an analogue signal they would be useless. Rob mentioned the Audioquest Jitterbug did help slightly with RF noise (no, not jitter) from his laptop when plugged in to the mains, but not when on battery power. He emphasized slightly.

There has been mention of other (expensive) magnetic devices and a selection of power cords but nothing like the linked accessories, for obvious reasons already stated.

Thanks. Yes, silly of me to ask about the inputs. But what about the XLR outputs? The AQ blurb with the XLR output caps merely repeats the case for using these caps with inputs. I don't have much technical knowledge so don't know how daft it is to wonder whether any externally exposed socket (input or output, used or not) is a route into internal circuitry that RF/EMI can take advantage of to the detriment of sound quality.

I do have one jitterbug, which brings a very noticable improvement when used with my iMac (no battery option of course with that).

I was thinking of getting a laptop once the MBPs were updated but with Apple's price hikes for the UK, that has become a less attractive option. Also, has the DAVE-supporting community taken a view yet on what removing the usb sockets from the new MBPs will mean for maintaining sound quality in connecting to DAVE? Thanks to anyone who can answer that one.

 

[STR-1]

I would suggest looking at AOIP. I dropped USB (1K+ USB chain) to go RedNet 3 1000 Base T ethernet. It was a big jump. USB is not great for high end audio.

Thanks. I don't know anything about that. How does that connect to the DAVE?

I currently use the DAVE in three ways: i) NAS/router > switch > mRendu (with smps, but LPS-1 coming soon) > DAVE > headphone; ii) AK380 (optical) > DAVE > headphone; and iii) iMac > AQ Jitterbug > DAVE > headphone. I would like to improve as far as I readonably can the usb and ethernet connection with the first system, which is the way I use the DAVE most of the time. But I am also wondering now if optical/usb is something worth exploring.

 

[hieukm]

  I would suggest looking at AOIP. I dropped USB (1K+ USB chain) to go RedNet 3 1000 Base T ethernet. It was a big jump. USB is not great for high end audio.

 
So you found significant improvement going from USB to AOIP with your DAVE?
 
Interesting.

 

[Light - Man]

Thanks. I don't know anything about that. How does that connect to the DAVE?

I currently use the DAVE in three ways: i) NAS/router > switch > mRendu (with smps, but LPS-1 coming soon) > DAVE > headphone; ii) AK380 (optical) > DAVE > headphone; and iii) iMac > AQ Jitterbug > DAVE > headphone. I would like to improve as far as I readonably can the usb and ethernet connection with the first system, which is the way I use the DAVE most of the time. But I am also wondering now if optical/usb is something worth exploring.

 
Have you looked at mains power AC filters yet, I was skeptical but now I am a convert?
 
They don't have to be expensive even though that would not likely be a problem for most of the guys here. 

 

[astrostar59]

Thanks. I don't know anything about that. How does that connect to the DAVE?

I currently use the DAVE in three ways: i) NAS/router > switch > mRendu (with smps, but LPS-1 coming soon) > DAVE > headphone; ii) AK380 (optical) > DAVE > headphone; and iii) iMac > AQ Jitterbug > DAVE > headphone. I would like to improve as far as I readonably can the usb and ethernet connection with the first system, which is the way I use the DAVE most of the time. But I am also wondering now if optical/usb is something worth exploring.

No i have a different DAC sorry. I just wanted to point some in the direction as I found AOIP kills USB.
 
I am unsure on your main system chain. Your NAS is external disk drives? You need a PC or Mac or network player to use those files unlike say a Perfect Wave DAC which handles external disk storage? The Dave doesn't do that?
 

 
My system is Mac Mini - Ethernet 1000T out - RedNet 3 - SPDIF out - Audio Note DAC 5 Special.
 
The effect of getting rid of USB is dramatic. It isn't just Ethernet DHCP, it is Audinate protocol designed just for high end audio transfers (from the pro studio sector).
 
I haven't tried optical. I have read varying reports on it from ok to bad, not so many that are parsing it's performance.
 
Basically with USB the treble was never accurate or musical to me, too edgy and sharp, digital. With AOIP it is fluid, smooth as silk and still as transparent. Bass is also faster, deeper and more textured, less 'one note' on dance material for example. Female vocals are magical, soundstage is wider and more 3D. It just seems to remove any noise or haze and peals back to the master tape.

 

[pkcpga]

No i have a different DAC sorry. I just wanted to point some in the direction as I found AOIP kills USB.

I am unsure on your main system chain. Your NAS is external disk drives? You need a PC or Mac or network player to use those files unlike say a Perfect Wave DAC which handles external disk storage? The Dave doesn't do that?




My system is Mac Mini - Ethernet 1000T out - RedNet 3 - SPDIF out - Audio Note DAC 5 Special.

The effect of getting rid of USB is dramatic. It isn't just Ethernet DHCP, it is Audinate protocol designed just for high end audio transfers (from the pro studio sector).

I haven't tried optical. I have read varying reports on it from ok to bad, not so many that are parsing it's performance.

Basically with USB the treble was never accurate or musical to me, too edgy and sharp, digital. With AOIP it is fluid, smooth as silk and still as transparent. Bass is also faster, deeper and more textured, less 'one note' on dance material for example. Female vocals are magical, soundstage is wider and more 3D. It just seems to remove any noise or haze and peals back to the master tape.

That's not what I've found on the Dave, I have a few DACs and have tried a bunch. Cheaper or non galvanized or isolated USB connection may have issues but on better DACs like the DAVE that are there is no issues with USB. Such as I've demod the schiit Yggdrasil and it sounded terrible through USB. Optical sounds a little better on my naim dac over USB but not drastically different. So bypassing USB is not a solution for me, since USB does offer advantages in timing, instead buying a dac that is galvized is a better solution. I owned a more expensive Lynn dac and the Dave still blows that away and replaced the Lynn dac.

 

[STR-1]

I am unsure on your main system chain. Your NAS is external disk drives? You need a PC or Mac or network player to use those files unlike say a Perfect Wave DAC which handles external disk storage? The Dave doesn't do that?

Thanks. The microRendu serves as the computer, with music selection handled by the Lumin control app on my iPad.

 

[EVOLVIST]

Yeah, so if you have an Ethernet jack coming out of your wall into the mRendu, could you bypass the mRendu and some out of the wall into one of these little things?

Or is that a self defeating venture?

http://m.gearbest.com/tablet-pcs/pp_15035.html?currency=USD&lkid=10134019&gclid=CjwKEAiAr4vBBRCG36e415-_l1wSJAAatjJZ0X0OGP0SC18rrOJee849DExnyF7L3NdBggPBqG8l1hoCsc7w_wcB

Wait, you're not even going to get an audio signal will you?

 

[GryphonGuy]

  Basically with USB the treble was never accurate or musical to me, too edgy and sharp, digital.

 
I am just passing the first month with my DAVE. At no time have had your experience using USB, AES, SPDIF or optical connections.
 
To me, DAVE's timbres through USB are so real it sometimes makes the hair on my neck and arms stand on end. The accuracy of a hit of a triangle at the back of the recording studio some distance from the microphone is so unmistakably a triangle and unmistakably a long way from the microphone. My old DAC has never presented that faint triangle sound in all the years I have had it. So I guess the DAVE's lower-than-most noise floor allowed that sound to be resolved and presented.
 
I am finding that the USB input of DAVE is making me believe the sounds are real and present in my listening space which my old DAC costing 3 times as much as DAVE could not achieve (however nice I used to think the valve distortion was in my old DAC).
 
Cheers
GG.

 

[x RELIC x]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

No i have a different DAC sorry. I just wanted to point some in the direction as I found AOIP kills USB.

I am unsure on your main system chain. Your NAS is external disk drives? You need a PC or Mac or network player to use those files unlike say a Perfect Wave DAC which handles external disk storage? The Dave doesn't do that?




My system is Mac Mini - Ethernet 1000T out - RedNet 3 - SPDIF out - Audio Note DAC 5 Special.

The effect of getting rid of USB is dramatic. It isn't just Ethernet DHCP, it is Audinate protocol designed just for high end audio transfers (from the pro studio sector).

I haven't tried optical. I have read varying reports on it from ok to bad, not so many that are parsing it's performance.

Basically with USB the treble was never accurate or musical to me, too edgy and sharp, digital. With AOIP it is fluid, smooth as silk and still as transparent. Bass is also faster, deeper and more textured, less 'one note' on dance material for example. Female vocals are magical, soundstage is wider and more 3D. It just seems to remove any noise or haze and peals back to the master tape.

One device's USB input =/= another's, that is well known. One simply can not generalize USB input for all devices.

Listening to my DAVE from my MBP using Audirvana+ and I've never found anything but smooth musical reproduction. No where near as you describe. Your upstream solution likely works well in your setup but that does not mean it would be beneficial for all.

 

[Arpiben]

Yeah, so if you have an Ethernet jack coming out of your wall into the mRendu, could you bypass the mRendu and some out of the wall into one of these little things?

Or is that a self defeating venture?

http://m.gearbest.com/tablet-pcs/pp_15035.html?currency=USD&lkid=10134019&gclid=CjwKEAiAr4vBBRCG36e415-_l1wSJAAatjJZ0X0OGP0SC18rrOJee849DExnyF7L3NdBggPBqG8l1hoCsc7w_wcB

Wait, you're not even going to get an audio signal will you?

Hi,
Regarding your little interface adapter I will avoid using it for audio purposes.
That said it may be very useful when need of USB cable lengths above 5m (USB limitation).
Cheers.