[Lolito]

YES!!

that's the one she goes inside a toilet or a car, continues singing, then goes out again, continues singing, right?... Legendary

 

[Pharmaboy]

that's the one she goes inside a toilet or a car, continues singing, then goes out again, continues singing, right?... Legendary

The tune, "There's More to Life Than This" was recorded in the toilets of the Milk Bar in London. Obviously the chorus and a bunch of the parts were added or changed in the studio (this tune is very well recorded, toilets or no toilets).

My college roommate lived for years in Piermont, NY, an old colonial town perched on the hillside of Rockland County, overlooking the Hudson River a couple miles downstream of the Tappan Zee Bridge. He and his wife were in the sauna at their health club and slowly realized it was Bjork sitting on the opposite bench. They all said "hi," and that was it (they weren't Bjork fans & had no idea what her singing was like). I went nuts when they told me about it...had to fill them in about this genius singer they met so casually.

 

[PopZeus]

Thanks a lot for the input. My ares is giving me Mac problems... you had same issues right? you told me already a usb 2.0 hub solved the issue, right? I´m thinking about a Douk Audio ddc unit, has psu input and several outputs... expensive though with a good clock though.

Well, I have a USB 3.0 hub and I'm not sure that was what fixed things but I kinda just left the Ares on all the time to not test any hypotheses. All I can say is with this new setup, I can put the Ares in and out of standby without any problems. The Mac is seeing the DDC instead. The sonic improvements are a bonus, as I was fairly happy with my sound before the F1.

 

[PopZeus]

YES!!

One of my favorite artists and test tracks.

 

[AlanU]

Pulse transformer is a key performance item. The other is a low jitter clock and PCB layout. Unfortunately Douk is a two sides design, without a common ground plane layer. In other words you can't expect a comparable performance with top products on the market.

As for audiophile-grade Ethernet switches, they are not reclocking audio signal, their clock is not for audio, but assembly packet frames, completely different. Similar to the USB reclockers, all marketing rubbish. These products work, as they redirect ground loops, have better power supply, thats all. An approach should be similar as with USB hubs. A dedicated switch for the DAC (no other devices connected) and a quality power supply.

With network devices there is a dilema. A cable always carries a leak and WiFi inside a device is a source of HF noise. What to do? Very simple. Disable internal WiFi and use a WiFi extender like this on the short Ethernet cable (working in wireless adapter mode). It is nice if it plugs directly to the wall socket.

Jumping back to the discussion of audiophile-grade Ethernet switches.

I will share my views on this topic, since we are all about sonics and "jitter" talk.

I have been using two Silent Angel N8 units. One switch feeds the 2nd unit in a cascade/daisy chain fashion. I do not use the "medical grade" wall warts. I purchased the Silent Angel - Forester F1 linear power supply.

This is where things get questionable to people that have not purchased such a product. SA recommends to maximize performance by using two N8 models with LPS. Now they have a new "all in one" N16 which I am considering.

Well the 3 units I have put together have 2 variables for a "tweaker". Using different power cords is incredibly a change in presentation. 2 channel world this is extremely noticeable.

I am currently now going crazy again. I am testing out the BASTEI Silent Angel upgrade DC cable (must purchase 2 cables to feed two switches from LPS). The "orange" coloured cable is both power and ground uses red copper. I had made the assumption that it will possibly change things. Focus of the music transformed immediately with these virgin cables. The stage grew in height and depth. The ears detect the layer changes from the vocalist and the supporting band members closer or further from your "seating position". I am a bit premature to discuss this as I just installed the Bastei directional cable last night. Next on my experiment is to get the silver "white" coloured dc cables.

This coming week my 3rd Mutec and Ferrum Hypsos (variable linear power supply 5-30 volts) will be coming in. The Ferrum Hypsos will feed clean DC to my Silent Angel rhein Z1 music server.

Han's take in his review on this linear power supply.



I've been the sort of person to painfully experiment in this fun journey. I'm now all about serious emphasis on source and clean power.

I've had people questioning my logic on Audio grade ethernet switches. I'll have to say.... if anyone has taken notes on my observation on how re-clocking DDC changes the world of sonics. This is where I've put just as serious investigation on the controversial topic of "rubbish" fake news audio grade switches. The transparency of my system makes a crazy clear and distinct improvement. Swapping the power cord and even the DC cable was a "what the heck??? how's this possible" impression to me and of course my daughter's ears (pianist) in ABX blind folded(non verbal) tests.

My word of advise is to believe in your ears. If you must, support your findings with blind ABX comparison tests with zero verbal communication. I'll say this is a very difficult test for your ears "IF" there is a question of minimal to no change. The recent DC cable swap was closer to What in focus and transformation of the stage. Holographic imaging changed to be even more distinct with blacker space surrounding the instrument. This was an increase in realistic holographic placement and not like a cookie cutter in your face, solid state "wall of sound" often heard in cheap and cheerful solid state DACS.

I appreciate my current setup as it adds tweak to the setup. More so than the Uptone EtherRegen product with no capabilities of more variables to tweak.

I just brought this topic up again on ethernet switch talk as it's certainly not even close to "fake news/rubbish". It's repeatable in catching changes in ABX blind fold tests, this is another analog flow change to the music.

 

[Lolito]

my daughter's ears (pianist)

That is very good Alan. What music do you play or normally play at home? same kind of type, or some own eclectic types, or... Just wondering, I would like to know which music you play in that level of system that you own, and which you do not play there. and then maybe we can recommend each other a couple tracks and share opinion of systems.

I feel like some music is accesible in a very good quality, chesky stuff, some classical well recorded in situ, with no tweaking, just very high res with two very very good mics with a perfect recording setup... Tehn other more popular music, harder to find decent sounding stuff. No real audiophile quality. No?

How do you like the new audirvana?? I prefer the old one, maybe I gotta get used to the new one. Playlists for me are important, and local files, streaming not so much. There are great things in the new version, but... some bad ones too.

 

[AlanU]

That is very good Alan. What music do you play or normally play at home? same kind of type, or some own eclectic types, or... Just wondering, I would like to know which music you play in that level of system that you own, and which you do not play there. and then maybe we can recommend each other a couple tracks and share opinion of systems.

I feel like some music is accesible in a very good quality, chesky stuff, some classical well recorded in situ, with no tweaking, just very high res with two very very good mics with a perfect recording setup... Tehn other more popular music, harder to find decent sounding stuff. No real audiophile quality. No?

How do you like the new audirvana?? I prefer the old one, maybe I gotta get used to the new one. Playlists for me are important, and local files, streaming not so much. There are great things in the new version, but... some bad ones too.

I must emphasize that I am just creating awareness of upgrade paths. These are not needed this second but in due time will open up the higher sonic joys.

I'm really into all kinds of music. late 80's R& B for nostalgic reasons, Piano, Trio, acoustic jazz vocals, chillout, meditation..........

From John Abercrombie, Bobo Stenson Trio, Any Sheppard Quartet, Diana Krall, Eva Cassidy, Melody Gardot, Chris Botti, Boz Scaggs, Fourplay, Manu Katche........

I will have to suggest to consider ROON. Pay for the year subscription or a month. The Roon Radio is one of the most incredible similar "genre finder" I've ever experienced. Spotify HIFI will be out soon and that will be a killer playlist creator.

So the evil cost for me is paying for roon since there is no longer lifetime license. But the Tidal family hifi/Roon combo is absolutely amazing for a non stop incredible playlist. SQ wise I will bite my tongue as my Audirvana 3.5 (lifetime license) is quite a bit better in SQ vs Roon. Audirvana Studio is another bump up in enjoyable improvements in SQ without snooty ultra high fidelity sound. To my ears it's like "real" music with such an organic feel and emotion.

The PROBLEM I have with Audirvana studio is that its NOT like roon in the creation of an "audirvana radio" which sadly does NOT exist. If Audirvana Studio has such a feature, I would very likely drop ROON. After using Roon Radio I would imagine many here on Headfi would freak in pleasure. Also it unbelievable how you can find new similar artists. Spotify is also great BUT roon's radio allows you to pick a specific artist than play the "roon radio". Suddenly you have non stop play of extremely similar genre.

If you are into playlists...... Roon is the absolute king. However you must maintain both roon and tidal cost.

This DDC stuff is cool. This is where in my personal experience has been about making the best with audio equipment. Now I'm seeking the digital source end. The audiograde ethernet switch stuff gets a tonne of laughs from people that have not genuinely auditioned. As I mentioned before.....I had the opportunity to get full money back if I was not satisfied. I ended up buying another ethernet switch and LPS. I will say that if it was just a mockery to audiofiles with no effect, I would not have spent this kind of money. I suppose mileage may vary.

 

[Lolito]

I don't mind to pay for stuff, I would like to pay for stuff, but just a little bit. I also do not rent software, I pay for a version+upgrades for a while, 10-15€, or 50€ for a good app, otherwise I crack it, I am not rich. I rather pay the artist in bandcamp and get higher res possible, or free in soulseek downloads, but I do not pay to mafia like spotify. I pay bandcamp or don't pay anyone.

If roon does not have SQ, I will not use it even for free. Audirvana 3.5 sounds better than itunes. Although we will have to reconsider what is better. Ares2 to me is like a downsampled DAC really, lowered resolution dac, with lowered treble and then you can listen to it for hours, LOL, well, it has been tuned for background music, no surprise there, at all. But that is another topic for another day...

I like audirvana 3.5, audirvana studio... too little fonts, playlists disappeared. I do not use streaming, **** that, I have my collection, with the bitrate I want, I don't trust those people form the san francisco bay area, that is 100% mafia.

Still, I want to research and learn how a good system works, without the fake hypes. I think ares2 is a downsampled dac. With real instruments and real music, the audiophile stuff you guys hear, all those guitars and strings and natural sounds, then the ares2 linger will be a real blessing, but for modern stuff. I have a feeling the delta sigma dac could be tuned to sound like an ares, but the ares to give the detail of the delta sigma, I don't think so... Maybe a ddc is all we need as Alan says. Douk Audio device should be commented, the poor man ddc.

 

[Lolito]

for acoustic guitars, spanish guitar, sounds great I have to say. Sounds lifelike.

 

[AlanU]

I don't mind to pay for stuff, I would like to pay for stuff, but just a little bit. I also do not rent software, I pay for a version+upgrades for a while, 10-15€, or 50€ for a good app, otherwise I crack it, I am not rich. I rather pay the artist in bandcamp and get higher res possible, or free in soulseek downloads, but I do not pay to mafia like spotify. I pay bandcamp or don't pay anyone.

If roon does not have SQ, I will not use it even for free. Audirvana 3.5 sounds better than itunes. Although we will have to reconsider what is better. Ares2 to me is like a downsampled DAC really, lowered resolution dac, with lowered treble and then you can listen to it for hours, LOL, well, it has been tuned for background music, no surprise there, at all. But that is another topic for another day...

I like audirvana 3.5, audirvana studio... too little fonts, playlists disappeared. I do not use streaming, **** that, I have my collection, with the bitrate I want, I don't trust those people form the san francisco bay area, that is 100% mafia.

Still, I want to research and learn how a good system works, without the fake hypes. I think ares2 is a downsampled dac. With real instruments and real music, the audiophile stuff you guys hear, all those guitars and strings and natural sounds, then the ares2 linger will be a real blessing, but for modern stuff. I have a feeling the delta sigma dac could be tuned to sound like an ares, but the ares to give the detail of the delta sigma, I don't think so... Maybe a ddc is all we need as Alan says. Douk Audio device should be commented, the poor man ddc.

Roon SQ is still quite good. It's just that Audirvana is better.

If a person listened to that low 16bit/44.1 on my system they would scratch their heads. I know my limitation is 24/192 with my coax feed. I do not upsample and use whatever native feed I get from Tidal. I do not ever yearn for more. I no longer even upsample with audirvana.

It's wishful thinking to have 1 dac that will suite all criteria in SQ needs in all genre's. So far for Melody Gardot, Eva Cassidy etc.

Youn Sun Nah - Shanandoah or Voyage. Her voice, using my 1940's modified Western Electric rectifier tube on my super rectifier power supply and Tube dac is creepy in how it will create chills down my spine in realism. Her voice is so organic and analog that it's literally a physical presence in my living room. An Aqua La scala - 10 grand dac would be a 7/10 vs my tube dacs 10/10. Goes to show that there is always strengths and weakness in any dac you buy....even if it's in the 30 grand range.

What we tend to do is "settle" and enjoy what we own.

I'm still trying to understand how you are getting a "downsampled" sound with Ares ii.
Feeding digitally stored FLAC is just as prone to jitter than streamed media.

 

[Lolito]

Roon SQ is still quite good. It's just that Audirvana is better.

If a person listened to that low 16bit/44.1 on my system they would scratch their heads. I know my limitation is 24/192 with my coax feed. I do not upsample and use whatever native feed I get from Tidal. I do not ever yearn for more. I no longer even upsample with audirvana.

It's wishful thinking to have 1 dac that will suite all criteria in SQ needs in all genre's. So far for Melody Gardot, Eva Cassidy etc.

Youn Sun Nah - Shanandoah or Voyage. Her voice, using my 1940's modified Western Electric rectifier tube on my super rectifier power supply and Tube dac is creepy in how it will create chills down my spine in realism. Her voice is so organic and analog that it's literally a physical presence in my living room. An Aqua La scala - 10 grand dac would be a 7/10 vs my tube dacs 10/10. Goes to show that there is always strengths and weakness in any dac you buy....even if it's in the 30 grand range.

What we tend to do is "settle" and enjoy what we own.

I'm still trying to understand how you are getting a "downsampled" sound with Ares ii.
Feeding digitally stored FLAC is just as prone to jitter than streamed media.

Let me tell you something, what I have in my hard drive, as long as I make backups, I know what is there. Now, what the mafia is going to send you by the internet depending of whatever they feel like at that particular moment, depending on internet traffic of cost saving or what not... No thanks. I also do not want any legal crime company to know whatever I hear or not.

24/192 is plenty. I do not want to use ARES OS model, I rather use NOS and just upsample x2 red book files. It gives them back the air and it sounds better than the OS done internally on the dac. Everybody who use the ARES says they prefer OS (internal or NOS+external OS), just watch darko review, or any youtube reviewer review. But, it is just exactly what you say: depends with what tracks, acoustic guitars, sounds lifelike, infinite resolution. Other stuff, just meh. I now wonder how a decent delta sigma dac can perform compared to my current cheap topping e30+linear psu... Like a singxer dac, or an RME, or an a70... just wondering...

Ares giving problems with the mac. Alvin told me to upgrade the firmware, so gotta do that. I wonder if a Douk Audio DDC would improve my system, and which one of the three options would be better. there are 3 clocks options...

everybody gets less detailw ith an ares, it is a less detailed dac. that detail is hidden in layers, more depth, more 3d, more holographic, more analog, more real, sure, but less detailed, less resolving. Just like everyone say in their review. Less squeaky clean, less polished flat glass.

 

[TheRealDz]

Let me tell you something, what I have in my hard drive, as long as I make backups, I know what is there. Now, what the mafia is going to send you by the internet depending of whatever they feel like at that particular moment, depending on internet traffic of cost saving or what not... No thanks. I also do not want any legal crime company to know whatever I hear or not.

24/192 is plenty. I do not want to use ARES OS model, I rather use NOS and just upsample x2 red book files. It gives them back the air and it sounds better than the OS done internally on the dac. Everybody who use the ARES says they prefer OS (internal or NOS+external OS), just watch darko review, or any youtube reviewer review. But, it is just exactly what you say: depends with what tracks, acoustic guitars, sounds lifelike, infinite resolution. Other stuff, just meh. I now wonder how a decent delta sigma dac can perform compared to my current cheap topping e30+linear psu... Like a singxer dac, or an RME, or an a70... just wondering...

Ares giving problems with the mac. Alvin told me to upgrade the firmware, so gotta do that. I wonder if a Douk Audio DDC would improve my system, and which one of the three options would be better. there are 3 clocks options...

everybody gets less detailw ith an ares, it is a less detailed dac. that detail is hidden in layers, more depth, more 3d, more holographic, more analog, more real, sure, but less detailed, less resolving. Just like everyone say in their review. Less squeaky clean, less polished flat glass.

I am not sure what you mean by less detail in the Ares. It is in fact soft sounding, but that's what's amazing - it can do that while extracting a lot of detail.

For perspective, my Ares replaced a detail monster - a Chord Hugo - in my system, and I hear way more musical detail with the Ares. Let alone it isn't hard on my ears...

 

[Lolito]

Yeah man, but I do not work on Denafrips you know. Some people buy something and because they bought it has to be the best ever in the world. Let me tell you something, this dac has less detail than the typical equivalent delta sigma dac of less than 200$ that measures very well in ASR. And it is not the end of the world, it sounds great, uber-hyper-musical. But it lacks detail compared to those. It will be ok, do not worry mate. Also, if you do your research you will find out that this DAC is always in OS mode, it is an OS dac, and even when you put it in NOS mode, it is doing some OS in the DSP anyways. Denafrips do not really reveal what they do inside, they want to keep the receipt for them. But let me tell you somethign very obvious: this DAC has less detail than that other dac, for sure.

 

[Lolito]

anybody here has updated the firmware to 3.4.1? I want to do it to avoid the mac issues, but I just have windows machine in parallels, that should work I guess

 

[daytrader]

Blah, blah, blah,…“it’s the best ever, transformed my system, a bargain at twice the price!” I’ll save you the time of watching the video if you don’t want t. It’s all true..