CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE

[Triode User]

Rob did in fact say this:

That was Feb 2016. Look at his more recent posts.

 

[draytonklammer]

That was Feb 2016. Look at his more recent posts.

This ^

The most recent posts I've seen favor optical.

 

[delirium]

Maybe i have a crappy laptop.....but i take my sotm sms 200 ultra over laptop!!!@!

 

[iDesign]

Rob did in fact say this more recently.

This categorically has not been my experience - I have listened to many USB cables on Dave many times, and have never been able to hear any difference in USB cables whatsoever. Moreover, the difference between optical and USB is minute, and only apparent with careful AB listening, and in practice inconsequential.

Moreover, your assertion that a battery powered source does not solve RFI is just plain wrong. Battery powered sources, that have no ground connected, coupled via Dave's galvanically isolated USB, has effectively perfect isolation from the source ground to Dave's internal ground. It's isolation is actually more effective than optical via a mains powered source, as the ground coupling loop is via the source to general ground - and that capacitance is measured in fempto Farads or fF, and this coupling capacitance is insignificant compared to the low impedance path of a mains powered optical connection. Just because a source uses optical does not guarantee perfect isolation, as the mains provides a RF connection path into Dave - but a battery powered source via USB does provide effectively perfect isolation.

 

[delirium]

Rob did in fact say this more recently.

But the clock matters....i can hear it....that is before dave.

 

[jonstatt]

But the clock matters....i can hear it....that is before dave.

rob watts said: ↑
Normally dacs are sensitive to source jitter, but my dacs are not, due to the DPLL which eliminates incoming jitter, buffers the data and creates a local clock sychronisation.
So you are just left with benefits of optical which is galvanic isolation, which reduces noise floor modulation thus making it sound smoother and darker. With usb we have galvanic isolation too, but the clock is allready local as timing for usb comes from the dac.

 

[draytonklammer]

Well if Rob/enough people keep saying USB I'll buy a cable today.

Be curious to see if that happens or not.

With that being said, optical seems to be the suggestion currently.

 

[delirium]

Rob watts this Rob watts that.....he has gone back and forth himself.. i am getting tired off this!!! I know what i hear!!!

 

[Crgreen]

But the clock matters....i can hear it....that is before dave.

But Rob says that such devices can only make things worse. I’m not sure if he’s ever tried any, but that’s what Rob says.

Rob also says that optical is better, maybe. His views appear to have changed somewhat.

The problem with “Rob says” reasoning is that it’s you who listens, not him, so it might be best to just make up your own mind. Listening to some music and deciding whether it sounds good is probably the best course, as that’s what these devices are designed for. Controversial, but it’s always worked for me.

 

[delirium]

But Rob says that such devices can only make things worse. I’m not sure if he’s ever tried any, but that’s what Rob says.

Rob also says that optical is better, maybe. His views appear to have changed somewhat.

The problem with “Rob says” reasoning is that it’s you who listens, not him, so it might be best to just make up your own mind. Listening to some music and deciding whether it sounds good is probably the best course, as that’s what these devices are designed for. Controversial, but it’s always worked for me.

+1

 

[jlbrach]

seems from all i have read here from rob that usb from a laptop source on battery power is best

 

[delirium]

seems from all i have read here from rob that usb from a laptop source on battery power is best

How can that be? Its a noisy crappy clock in a laptop? And its not all that matters? Everything matters....from your modem to router.....to......i give up. And a crappy battery in a laptop.

 

[delirium]

One more thing! As good as dave is...and it is good....it is not magic....it can not recreate what is not there? Sayonarra.

 

[Crgreen]

seems from all i have read here from rob that usb from a laptop source on battery power is best

In fairness, he appears to say it’s the best he’s heard but we don’t know what comparisons he’s made. Romaz reported that he’d spent some time with Rob and a high-end server (it might have been a Zenith SE) and Rob preferred his battery laptop, feeling that the server introduced artificial additives.

I don’t want to put words into his mouth, but I think Rob believes that upstream of the Dave (or Blu2) bits is bits and RFI transmission is the only issue.

 

[x RELIC x]

As of Jan 11/2018...

Yes optical is the best input - its really a question of getting the other inputs to match optical.

Rob watts this Rob watts that.....he has gone back and forth himself.. i am getting tired off this!!! I know what i hear!!!

No one is arguing that you hear a difference. The only debatable point is your absolute conviction as to where the differences are coming from (jitter).

In the end you have to use what you enjoy the most.