[kelly200269]

That's why I think USB will indeed sound better in the end, but you have to put some time, money and effort into it.

I couldn’t agree more:

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/what-chord-gear-do-you-have/75865/162?u=martin_kelly

The ‘chain’ means everything, and that includes what comes before the HMS/TT2.

 

[GeneralSensible]

I have similar experience with optical vs usb. Optical sounded a bit like dynamics were a bit squashed and soundstage was narrower but after careful listening and keeping in mind Robs knowledge I've chosen optical at it was much less fatiguing.

Thanks for this. I will repeat the test.

 

[GeneralSensible]

The ‘chain’ means everything, and that includes what comes before the HMS/TT2.

Yep, everything counts in large or small amounts......

That said, I'm curious if I hear the same as @alxw0w when I try optical again. I really like USB, but I'm looking for the most neutral, uncolored sound possible.
But I have to like what I hear, that's the main thing.

 

[zenlisten]

This album with the Mscaler gains so much . . . . it is staggering. I love the texture of the notes.

It's so beautiful I can't make myself stop listening to it, even though I should be asleep for quite some time

 

[ZappaMan]

This album is full on - but also recorded well. The Dead Weathers / jack white - Horehound - excellent vocals, bass and drums, really well recorded in my opinion.

 

[The Jester]

That’s the difference between “volume matched A/B testing“ and extended listening, brighter, sharper sound impresses initially but eventually fatiguing, a slightly “softer, more mellow” sound with a more noise free background reveals the delicate decay of instruments ….

 

[GeneralSensible]

That’s the difference between “volume matched A/B testing“ and extended listening, brighter, sharper sound impresses initially but eventually fatiguing, a slightly “softer, more mellow” sound with a more noise free background reveals the delicate decay of instruments ….

Totally agree on doing the more extended listening tests. A/B-ing is for quick impressions, not for serious listening imho.

I understand the part of reducing brightness/sharper sound with cables. While using USB this is the main reason that I have searched a long time for a decent cable. After QED, AudioQuest Coffee, Wireworld silver and platinum and many others I still wasn't satisfied. I kept on searching for the good cable and found it in Australia, linear some 10,000 miles from where I live.

Especially with the Curious Evolved USB cable brightness and/or sharpness are not a problem anymore. With this cable I experience the "softer, more mellow sound" (I'm not a Curious Cable employee, just a satisfied customer). I think this has mainly to do with good shielding in the cable.

I'm always willing to do some testing and will try optical again after reading all remarks and tips in this thread. Never too old to learn! However, what I can not explain is the worse bass (blurrier, less punch) I experience while using optical the last time I tried.

 

[burbster]

Especially the sound image was "narrower". I also thought it sounded compressed. As if the sound was being squeezed. That, along with the chunky bass, were the most notable differences.

Wow! That does surprise me, exact opposite in my case, the one negative with optical for me is it can sound a little lean, thin, but I think it just goes to show yet again how nuanced and complex the whole digital chain can be. also having owned both a G1 and original G2, I thought their optical out put was very good indeed, at least into the mscaler.

I have now gone full circle and I am back to feeding the mscaler with coaxial and enjoying very much! sometimes It’s nice to just hear a change

 

[The Jester]

Totally agree on doing the more extended listening tests. A/B-ing is for quick impressions, not for serious listening imho.

I understand the part of reducing brightness/sharper sound with cables. While using USB this is the main reason that I have searched a long time for a decent cable. After QED, AudioQuest Coffee, Wireworld silver and platinum and many others I still wasn't satisfied. I kept on searching for the good cable and found it in Australia, linear some 10,000 miles from where I live.

Especially with the Curious Evolved USB cable brightness and/or sharpness are not a problem anymore. With this cable I experience the "softer, more mellow sound" (I'm not a Curious Cable employee, just a satisfied customer). I think this has mainly to do with good shielding in the cable.

I'm always willing to do some testing and will try optical again after reading all remarks and tips in this thread. Never too old to learn! However, what I can not explain is the worse bass (blurrier, less punch) I experience while using optical the last time I tried.

After following Rob’s comments on RFI giving a bright sound I used CD transport and Toslink to the MScaler as a reference while listening to various mods on my PC based music server, including various USB cables, in theory Toslink should be a transparent link but it’s limitations are the conversion from electrical to optical and back again,
as an aside I used to be sceptical when reading reviewers comments like “ heard things I’d never heard before” on familiar recordings until I experienced it first hand, some subtle sound just appears in the mix, but equally unusual is once it’s heard it can be heard on different systems almost as easily, possibly our hearing system‘s ability to amplify and mask sounds depending on a specific thing we’re listing for might explain it ?

 

[alxw0w]

However, what I can not explain is the worse bass (blurrier, less punch) I experience while using optical the last time I tried.

Exactly, as RFI/noise is making bass "sharper, faster" - which sounds like it's better controlled, punchier etc..
So when you lower RFI/noise, bass becomes softer, mellower sometimes it can be even seen as less controlled.

 

[GeneralSensible]

Exactly, as RFI/noise is making bass "sharper, faster" - which sounds like it's better controlled, punchier etc..
So when you lower RFI/noise, bass becomes softer, mellower sometimes it can be even seen as less controlled.

I'm really curious if I can also hear this difference. I'll plan a test coming weekend. Really interesting stuff this. Thanks!

Off topic: Nice dog in your avatar. Is it a black German Shepherd?

 

[GeneralSensible]

“ heard things I’d never heard before” on familiar recordings until I experienced it first hand, some subtle sound just appears in the mix, but equally unusual is once it’s heard it can be heard on different systems almost as easily, possibly our hearing system‘s ability to amplify and mask sounds depending on a specific thing we’re listing for might explain it ?

Interesting. What track did you experience this with? And what did you hear for the first time?

 

[alxw0w]

I'm really curious if I can also hear this difference. I'll plan a test coming weekend. Really interesting stuff this. Thanks!

Off topic: Nice dog in your avatar. Is it a black German Shepherd?

Thanks, actually it's a crossbreed between Belgian malinois and something else, probably pitbull/amstaff.
She has the most characteristics of a Belgian malinois.

 

[kelly200269]

Yep, everything counts in large or small amounts......

Yep. Individual changes usually result in small changes. But accumulatively, together they can have a large effect.

Power cords, extension blocks and Ethernet cables together can have a demonstrable effect.

For example, one of the most profound changes I made recently was replacing the stock power cord feeding my Linn Klimax Kontrol with a length of Chord Sarum Super ARAY power cable. Profound…

 

[The Jester]

Interesting. What track did you experience this with? And what did you hear for the first time?

First time was Ringo Starr’s “Photograph“ …. Castanets in the mix towards the end to start with, ended up hearing them clearly throughout the song .
likely totally different for you, when trying any sort of ”critical listening” I’ve found just laying back and listening to the music as a whole, once you start focusing on bass detail or any specific part of the mix we have the ability to pull that forward …