No batteries? Don't you have any stores that sell AA's?
I wish I was bored. Too busy to be bored these days.
-Ed
I wish I was bored. Too busy to be bored these days.
-Ed
Modding the RME HDSP 9632
- Thread starter Iron_Dreamer
- Start date
Quote:
Not close enough to bother driving to, just for that. Hopefully the whole smash will be done Monday, sent on to lan mid next week.
| Originally Posted by Edwood No batteries? Don't you have any stores that sell AA's? I wish I was bored. Too busy to be bored these days. -Ed |
Not close enough to bother driving to, just for that. Hopefully the whole smash will be done Monday, sent on to lan mid next week.
Quote:
LOL, you live out in the sticks or something?
I guess Fresno is not like LA where there is a Rat Shack around every corner.
-Ed
| Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer Not close enough to bother driving to, just for that. Hopefully the whole smash will be done Monday, sent on to lan mid next week. |
LOL, you live out in the sticks or something?
I guess Fresno is not like LA where there is a Rat Shack around every corner.
-Ed
Adriel
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Yes. I did that finally and now there's no turning back.
1 1/2 years ago, I was into modding my soundcard. It was fun. But eventually it was time to move on to better sound.
When you have a DAC, all you need is a soundcard that sounds good on digital output, and if necessary one more soundcard for gaming. Route them so they are switchable to your DAC. If an upgrade is needed, just upgrade the DAC. You no longer have to worry about any upcoming soundcards.
| Originally Posted by Scrith ...I'm wondering if I'd be better off just getting a good external DAC...rather than upgrading my sound card everytime a new one comes out... |
Yes. I did that finally and now there's no turning back.
1 1/2 years ago, I was into modding my soundcard. It was fun. But eventually it was time to move on to better sound.
When you have a DAC, all you need is a soundcard that sounds good on digital output, and if necessary one more soundcard for gaming. Route them so they are switchable to your DAC. If an upgrade is needed, just upgrade the DAC. You no longer have to worry about any upcoming soundcards.
yeeyy
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Somehow I still feel that the quality of E-Mu 1212m better than the RME HDSP 9632, after looking the RMAA result.
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It all makes sense, but I wonder, how good of an external DAC do I need to better the quality of these modded soundcards? Right now I'm looking at going to modded 9632 ($500+$125 parts) whereas I could go to modded E-MU digital card ($165+$70 parts) which would leave about $400 of my "budget" for a DAC. All these new non-OS DAC's sound intriguing, but I wonder just how good they really are, never having heard one. The Nixon TubeDAC I guess would spark my interest most, simply because I now know what tubes are capable of. Most "badass" DAC's seem to start in the $1000+ range. To me it is a question of funds in this regard.
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I know, it looks like the EMU should win hands down, but as we have seen in the past, RMAA does not tell the whole story. Once dynamic range passes 100dB (already past the highest level possible on CD's) I don't know how much it means. You'd think the distortion difference would be audible, but AFAIK it ain't. To me the STOCK 9632 when used with upsampling to 176.4 sounds more enjoyable than my heavily modded E-MU, though not quite as fast or detailed. Add some good blackgates, and the 9632 retains its' enjoyable characteristics, and goes up to the modded E-MU's level of fidelity. I will find out tomorrow, hopefuly, just how high this card can climb with the opamps. I think there is definitely something to this 4x US'ing, since the mids and soundstage have a magic that just isn't there at 44.1.
| Originally Posted by Adriel Yes. I did that finally and now there's no turning back. 1 1/2 years ago, I was into modding my soundcard. It was fun. But eventually it was time to move on to better sound. When you have a DAC, all you need is a soundcard that sounds good on digital output, and if necessary one more soundcard for gaming. Route them so they are switchable to your DAC. If an upgrade is needed, just upgrade the DAC. You no longer have to worry about any upcoming soundcards. |
It all makes sense, but I wonder, how good of an external DAC do I need to better the quality of these modded soundcards? Right now I'm looking at going to modded 9632 ($500+$125 parts) whereas I could go to modded E-MU digital card ($165+$70 parts) which would leave about $400 of my "budget" for a DAC. All these new non-OS DAC's sound intriguing, but I wonder just how good they really are, never having heard one. The Nixon TubeDAC I guess would spark my interest most, simply because I now know what tubes are capable of. Most "badass" DAC's seem to start in the $1000+ range. To me it is a question of funds in this regard.
Quote:
| Originally Posted by yeeyy Somehow I still feel that the quality of E-Mu 1212m better than the RME HDSP 9632, after looking the RMAA result. |
I know, it looks like the EMU should win hands down, but as we have seen in the past, RMAA does not tell the whole story. Once dynamic range passes 100dB (already past the highest level possible on CD's) I don't know how much it means. You'd think the distortion difference would be audible, but AFAIK it ain't. To me the STOCK 9632 when used with upsampling to 176.4 sounds more enjoyable than my heavily modded E-MU, though not quite as fast or detailed. Add some good blackgates, and the 9632 retains its' enjoyable characteristics, and goes up to the modded E-MU's level of fidelity. I will find out tomorrow, hopefuly, just how high this card can climb with the opamps. I think there is definitely something to this 4x US'ing, since the mids and soundstage have a magic that just isn't there at 44.1.
yeeyy
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Iron_Dreamer, I understand, coz listening is more towards personal preference.
However, judging by measurement, the E-MU is definately a better card than RME in terms of sound reproduction.
However, judging by measurement, the E-MU is definately a better card than RME in terms of sound reproduction.
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Sure, and perhaps if I were using them in a studio environment, dumping computer sound onto tape, or archiving vinyl, or something like that where every last dB of range or spec of distortion avoided mattered, I'd pick the EMU. But for just listening to music, forget about it, at least now.
| Originally Posted by yeeyy Iron_Dreamer, I understand, coz listening is more towards personal preference. However, judging by measurement, the E-MU is definately a better card than RME in terms of sound reproduction. |
Sure, and perhaps if I were using them in a studio environment, dumping computer sound onto tape, or archiving vinyl, or something like that where every last dB of range or spec of distortion avoided mattered, I'd pick the EMU. But for just listening to music, forget about it, at least now.
Adriel
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I had a difficult enough time just getting a soundcard to sound as good to me as a $200 cdp. OPA2604, JFET cascode, BG caps, all just to make it more competitive with a cdp (give it more of that real, in-the-room sound and focus).
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Well the tube is just a buffer. I went with the unbuffered version. The SN Chibi Saru is a very quick and lean sounding DAC. I'm looking to upgrade to the Ack however, hoping it is voiced with more refinement.
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Shortly, they excel at communication and PRAT, and have the most musical midrange. They measure like garbage of course, but apparently our ears filter it fine.
| Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer It all makes sense, but I wonder, how good of an external DAC do I need to better the quality of these modded soundcards? |
I had a difficult enough time just getting a soundcard to sound as good to me as a $200 cdp. OPA2604, JFET cascode, BG caps, all just to make it more competitive with a cdp (give it more of that real, in-the-room sound and focus).
Quote:
| The Nixon TubeDAC I guess would spark my interest most, simply because I now know what tubes are capable of. |
Well the tube is just a buffer. I went with the unbuffered version. The SN Chibi Saru is a very quick and lean sounding DAC. I'm looking to upgrade to the Ack however, hoping it is voiced with more refinement.
Quote:
| All these new non-OS DAC's sound intriguing, but I wonder just how good they really are, never having heard one. |
Shortly, they excel at communication and PRAT, and have the most musical midrange. They measure like garbage of course, but apparently our ears filter it fine.
ayt999
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Quote:
its Monday!! too early though I guess.
cannot wait to read about what the opamps and the other stuff that has yet to be put on the card will do.
maybe lan has a camera to photograph the card with when he gets the card.
| Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer Not close enough to bother driving to, just for that. Hopefully the whole smash will be done Monday, sent on to lan mid next week. |
its Monday!! too early though I guess.
cannot wait to read about what the opamps and the other stuff that has yet to be put on the card will do.
maybe lan has a camera to photograph the card with when he gets the card.
Jasper994
Organizer for Can Jam '09
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Quote:
What card were you using?
| Originally Posted by Adriel I had a difficult enough time just getting a soundcard to sound as good to me as a $200 cdp. OPA2604, JFET cascode, BG caps, all just to make it more competitive with a cdp (give it more of that real, in-the-room sound and focus). |
What card were you using?
Adriel
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Oh, Audiophile PCI.
cadobhuk
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Heh, toss it into trash then.Mod the hell out of it just to make it competetive with $200 cdp
Jasper994
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Yeah really, or try the EM-U 1212m or RME Hammerfall... At the meet we compared them to some very nice standalone players and were very impressed by how well they stood up to the standalones. The standalones we were comparing against included a NAD, and a couple Meridian players (508, 588).
| Originally Posted by cadobhuk Heh, toss it into trash then.Mod the hell out of it just to make it competetive with $200 cdp
|
Yeah really, or try the EM-U 1212m or RME Hammerfall... At the meet we compared them to some very nice standalone players and were very impressed by how well they stood up to the standalones. The standalones we were comparing against included a NAD, and a couple Meridian players (508, 588).
Adriel
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Well, I enjoy your sarcastic comments. Seriously though, I'd be loosing my best S/PDIF output and fastest ASIO device if I threw it in the trash. You have to understand that the Audiophile had 5532 opamps... it was just another prosumer design for Propellerheads, not the discerning ear. A good budget soundcard if you work with that software, but sub-par musically.
You'll find that making any $50-$150 soundcard competitive with a $200 cdp is a good thing, not a bad thing.
| Originally Posted by cadobhuk Heh, toss it into trash then.Mod the hell out of it just to make it competetive with $200 cdp
|
Well, I enjoy your sarcastic comments. Seriously though, I'd be loosing my best S/PDIF output and fastest ASIO device if I threw it in the trash. You have to understand that the Audiophile had 5532 opamps... it was just another prosumer design for Propellerheads, not the discerning ear. A good budget soundcard if you work with that software, but sub-par musically.
You'll find that making any $50-$150 soundcard competitive with a $200 cdp is a good thing, not a bad thing.
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