[]eep]

I'd love to add a TT to my system, but just don't understand them. Tone arms, cartridges, direct drive versus belt drive...it's a black art.

I can't argue with that. But if you buy special éditions you can add some color to your life.

Did you see that YouTube video by Jay who always has those meganuck systems. He wanted to get into vinyl and was totally blown away by the sound of vinyl. He installed a 100k TT with a very, very expensive MC cartridge, I think it was 30k. Within a week he knocked off the cantilever while dusting. That's like wrapping your new Bugatti around a tree on your first drive.

People forget that it's about the journey, not the destination. Start at the beginning and learn to appreciate what you have and what you like. You don't have to start with the cheapest stuff but Pro-ject and Rega are sensible and very good. With their standardised tables and arms a lot of the mumbo jumbo has vanished. Later a high output MC cartridge will make a big step up. And after that low output mc with an upscale phono-amplifier.

I started with a then above average Dual 505 turntable. And have never really liked CD. It almost killed my hobby in the 90-ies. Then I got a Chinese MHZS Cd-player with tubes and that's when I started modifying dacs and other gear. And it almost matched my turntable. Then I sold my Linn for a Pro-ject Perspective and then it didn't anymore. A vinyl setup is costly however.

But what I noticed most: overall the equipment has improved a lot while the prices decreased. The dacs however are getting better but also more expensive.

 

[EJS73]

The Venus II 12th just arrived and is playing first music. First impression is very good, quite a revelation actually.

 

[EJS73]

Update after significant running in: this is a really excellent sounding DAC that shines with a hires PCM signal. I do get the occasional drop out or disappearing beat, which is annoying and needs addressing. It might be the old Soundaware D100pro that is feeding it, so will also connect the Aune X5S for a while (and have a D300ref on order) and see how that goes.

 

[George Hincapie]

The Venus II 12th just arrived and is playing first music. First impression is very good, quite a revelation actually.

I'd leave it playing a stream for a few days or so before settling down for any critical listening.

 

[Palyodgree]

Update after significant running in: this is a really excellent sounding DAC that shines with a hires PCM signal. I do get the occasional drop out or disappearing beat, which is annoying and needs addressing. It might be the old Soundaware D100pro that is feeding it, so will also connect the Aune X5S for a while (and have a D300ref on order) and see how that goes.

I’m still enjoying the honey moon phase of my Venus dac i really do believe there’s some sort of synergistic match with the rest of components and speakers going on , I’m enjoying my system more then I had in recent memory.

 

[medon]

Update after significant running in: this is a really excellent sounding DAC that shines with a hires PCM signal. I do get the occasional drop out or disappearing beat, which is annoying and needs addressing. It might be the old Soundaware D100pro that is feeding it, so will also connect the Aune X5S for a while (and have a D300ref on order) and see how that goes.

Which connection from the D100 into the Venus do you use? (SPDIF or USB or I²s)

 

[EJS73]

Which connection from the D100 into the Venus do you use? (SPDIF or USB or I²s)

I tried both toslink and coax, different cables as well. No dropouts so far when using the X2S as source so suspect the issue to be at the Soundaware end.

 

[medon]

I tried both toslink and coax, different cables as well. No dropouts so far when using the X2S as source so suspect the issue to be at the Soundaware end.

Hm... I can honestly state that both SPDIF options with my Denafrips DACs (first Ares II, now Venus II) were inferior to USB or I2S.
I did not use the transports you do, though.

Looking up the D300ref transport - that one seems to have an I2S output. I'd give this a shot with a HQ HDMI cable in the €€€ range.

 

[EJS73]

Hm... I can honestly state that both SPDIF options with my Denafrips DACs (first Ares II, now Venus II) were inferior to USB or I2S.
I did not use the transports you do, though.

Looking up the D300ref transport - that one seems to have an I2S output. I'd give this a shot with a HQ HDMI cable in the €€€ range.

Thanks. I'll try an HDMI cable if the D300ref exhibits the same symptoms as its forbear. Is there a cable you'd recommend?

 

[medon]

Thanks. I'll try an HDMI cable if the D300ref exhibits the same symptoms as its forbear. Is there a cable you'd recommend?

Currently I am running an Audioquest 0,6m Carbon.
This one seems OK, but I did not try higher quality cables yet.
I only check the other direction with a generic cheapo HDMI monitor cable, and the sound goes almost beyond belief.
My hope is that with something like the Carbon I'm 95% there in my chain - I have no doubts though that super-expensive cables in the €€€€ range still could make a positive audible difference.

 

[EJS73]

Thanks - for coax I went from Audioquest Diamond to Crystal Cable and even that could easily be heard. A Carbon seems a sensible way to test the waters.

 

[Palyodgree]

Currently I am running an Audioquest 0,6m Carbon.
This one seems OK, but I did not try higher quality cables yet.
I only check the other direction with a generic cheapo HDMI monitor cable, and the sound goes almost beyond belief.
My hope is that with something like the Carbon I'm 95% there in my chain - I have no doubts though that super-expensive cables in the €€€€ range still could make a positive audible difference.

My 2 cents a pure silver i2s cable is highly recommended to try and a quality OCC copper USB cable brand for what ever reason will open up your system while others stifle sonics ,.weird stuff however your ears will let you know .

A couple years ago I was at the home of the North American importer for Rockna ,selling wire isn’t his bread and butter and the brand of i2s cable I went home with for my Rockna pair he gave to me . He explained him and his partner have gone through all of the commercial brands of wire he told me the majority of i2s cables they tried stife performance. The cable he gave me was an early proto type they had made , he wouldn’t tell me their source of silver wire oh well.
Anyway something to try yourself whether you make a couple for yourself or buy a couple to try out .

the USB cable I currently use is from Audience , Front Row OCC copper , for whatever reason it’s hard to believe just how much this tiny fragile signal is molested from your source to the dac is . Though having a quality i2s / USB input and output is also paramount importance AudiophileStyle has an excellent step by step DIY forum for anyone interested .

 

[medon]

My 2 cents a pure silver i2s cable is highly recommended to try and a quality OCC copper USB cable brand for what ever reason will open up your system while others stifle sonics ,.weird stuff however your ears will let you know .
...

... indeed I already have a silver cable incoming... should be here in two weeks time. Will report.

 

[Palyodgree]

... indeed I already have a silver cable incoming... should be here in two weeks time. Will report.

Medon I meant to tell you I’ll be getting a Gaia after my wallet recovers from a new server I ordered . I know how good the i2s is having used a Rockna WaveDream Net server and Wavedream dac , direct comparisons between a super good USB cable into the Rockna pair and a silver i2s the differences is noticeable though not dramatic though I think the icing on the cake for me will be the new AfterDark server and Gaia .

 

[medon]

... if everything else is up to snuff or a bit better, than adding the Gaia will be the icing on the cake indeed.
BTW, today I played with different speaker cables and with bi-wiring for the first time - very impressive. Are you done with that already?