[aaron313]

So, if I make a bunch of CDRs with a high-quality writer, will that be much better than the same album played using a USB connection to the DAC? Assume I am using your average $100 DVD/CD player. I am inclined to think it's better. I suppose a similar question is: how much degradation is there between a CDR and the original?

 

[tfarney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, if I make a bunch of CDRs with a high-quality writer, will that be much better than the same album played using a USB connection to the DAC? Assume I am using your average $100 DVD/CD player. I am inclined to think it's better. I suppose a similar question is: how much degradation is there between a CDR and the original?

All other things being equal, I don't think the original cd is superior to a USB stream.

Tim

 

[MCC]

The actual data in the USB stream should be the same, but be careful of the USB implementation of your DAC and noise. My Stello has issues with higher frequencies when using USB probably due to computer noise- I'd def. try running a 20Hz-20kHz sine sweep over your USB connection. You should be in the clear if it sounds consistent, but if you begin to hear harmonics and oscillations like I did with my Stello, you'll want a different connection.

I ended up interfacing my AV-710 to the DAC w/ an optical Toslink connection and all is well.

P.S.: Monoprice makes excellent (and cheap!) optical cables. The one I purchased uses a single strand of plastic for the transport medium but it works as well as glass to my ears.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCC /img/forum/go_quote.gif The actual data in the USB stream should be the same, but be careful of the USB implementation of your DAC and noise. My Stello has issues with higher frequencies when using USB probably due to computer noise- I'd def. try running a 20Hz-20kHz sine sweep over your USB connection. You should be in the clear if it sounds consistent, but if you begin to hear harmonics and oscillations like I did with my Stello, you'll want a different connection. I ended up interfacing my AV-710 to the DAC w/ an optical Toslink connection and all is well. P.S.: Monoprice makes excellent (and cheap!) optical cables. The one I purchased uses a single strand of plastic for the transport medium but it works as well as glass to my ears.

What you are hearing is probably just a ground loop as I have zero noise out of DA100 using USB and ASIO4ALL, but I have to run DAC and connected to it GS-1 off cheater plugs.

 

[aaron313]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfarney /img/forum/go_quote.gif All other things being equal, I don't think the original cd is superior to a USB stream. Tim

That's sort of what I'd like to hear, although you are certainly a(n) (educated) minority here. I value your opinion, though, so I'll be sure to do careful A/Bing of my feeds.

 

[silverrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, if I make a bunch of CDRs with a high-quality writer, will that be much better than the same album played using a USB connection to the DAC? Assume I am using your average $100 DVD/CD player. I am inclined to think it's better. I suppose a similar question is: how much degradation is there between a CDR and the original?

For a normal, non-defective recorder, a digital copy is expected to be a perfect copy. No degradation, like with analog copies.
My experience has shown this to be true.

 

[regal]

depends on how the music was ripped, if using EAC secure you are in good shape.

If your USB isn't bit-perfect ASIO it will be vastly inferior to the CDR's.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Never mind

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, if I make a bunch of CDRs with a high-quality writer, will that be much better than the same album played using a USB connection to the DAC?

Apples and oranges... There are too many different factors for the two methods to be directly compared (at least in a generalization).

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 Assume I am using your average $100 DVD/CD player. I am inclined to think it's better.

Maybe, maybe not. It will depend on the quality of the player versus the quality of the USB device you're comparing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 I suppose a similar question is: how much degradation is there between a CDR and the original?

None, assuming a good CD-R and burner. In some cases, CD-Rs can have less jitter and be of higher physical quality than the originals. Note that the quality of your playback device can reduce or increase jitter as well. Timing errors and correction can occur practically anywhere in the chain.