The DIY'rs Cookbook

[johnjen]

Yes I do try to make the sequence of the info contained in the chapters dovetail from one to the next.
Sometimes I'm more successful than others.
 
And I did go into the sound science forum and left with this bad taste in my mouth.
They really don't do themselves any favors in that forum as far as I can tell.
 
And I'd love to be able to learn something of value, but the whole experience was so off putting I have no desire to return and wade thru the very poor signal to noise ratio found there.
I figure it might have something to do with a lack of socialization skills, or perhaps a lack of being able to empathize with another (different) perspective and not resort to being rude and/or insulting, sometimes in the extreme.
And they wonder why they have such a bad reputation, go figure.
 
And this tendency seems to have developed to the degree that their ability to share their wisdom has diminished to the point that they are more or less exclusively preaching to the choir.  This is a sure sign of a downward spiral in terms of being able to effectively share their perspective and for others to learn something of lasting value.
I mean I know I'm not alone in not wanting to EVER return to that forum, and I would like to be able to tap into some of that expertise, but not with the degree of animosity that is all to prevalent.
Life is to short…
 
But perhaps that isn't their desire, and they just need to be 'right', regardless.
 
I have learned that THE most effective and efficient way of learning, is to be wrong and then learn from that experience.
But it certainly seems most are scared witless, of being wrong.
 
More's the pity…
 
This entire scenario reminds me of the saying we used to help those who find themselves in a similar situation,
"When you find yourself in a hole, the first order of business is to stop digging". 
That is unless you don't mind digging so deep you drop out of sight…
 
JJ

 

[landroni]

Yes, decidedly lacking social skills, among other things... Even if you're right, you cannot behave so obnoxiously in imposing your perspective upon others. Like when some resident sceptic ("objectivist" really is a misnomer) debarks and starts a crusade to "cure ignorance" among the hapless "subjectivist" hoi polloi...

 
 
Even when stating something factual in the SS section (a curiously fitting moniker for those with a sense of history), say describing a potential mechanism that might have an effect on sonic performance, before you finish the sentence the moderator will solemnly declare that they "[don't] subscribe to [your] paranoia" (aren't moderators supposed to moderate instead of attacking bystanders?) and that we should "realize when we're just being silly". And before you get a chance to understand What?! is going on, someone will descend upon you with righteous fervour and accuse you of "being mind bogglingly silly!". And when you genuinely attempt to discuss scientific methodology with them, as for instance what factors should be controlled for in DBT for audio gear, then the moderators themselves will quickly enough indulge in throwing at you that "you have your own agenda" along with accusations of "stawmen arguments" and patronizing statements along the lines of "why aren't we trying a bit too hard to argue that there are differences because we want there to be differences?", before informing you of how grateful we should be that they magnanimously aren't "deleting posts from trolls" who are unhappy with the SS treatment...
 
This is but a brief and incomplete history of my interactions with SS'ers, and I don't think I've been as much and as aggressively insulted, belittled and otherwise slighted elsewhere, like, ever.  Given the prevailing passive-aggressive behaviors in these corners (even apparently when someone simply presents some factual elements), it's no wonder that competent and open-minded engineers eschew these corners with incredible enthusiasm... I too know engineers around head-fi who won't step away from their measurements devices, and generally do hear a difference, but won't touch the SS section under no circumstances...
 
One thing that I cannot wrap my head around is WHY this extreme and forceful obsession with "scientific evidence, damn it!" in high-end audio? This is a hobby. I mean, hobbies are supposed to be fun and happy places where people enjoy what they're doing. And there are MANY hobbies out there where injecting science into them would be at best a futile endeavour. So in poetry reading, do we have a section of the audience strenuously defending that there is no scientific proof that you can perceive this or that emotion from that poem, because DBT shows a "no diff" or because commonly-accepted measurements don't show anything? Or in gardening, are people doubting that a flower can make you smile while another gives you a headache, because there is no scientific evidence for that effect? Or in pets? Or when eating ice-cream, do said sceptics doubt their perceptions of a difference between two flavors until they're presented with formal proof from a carefully set up DBT that controls for all factors, including the level-matched temperature of the said ice-creams, on an infinite sample size, published in Nature; and will they just assume that all ice-creams taste the same until scientific evidence emerges? And when cooking, say if you perceive that the food isn't salty enough, do you just trust your perceptions and add some more salt, or do you feel the need for further validation from instrumentation before taking further action? And have sceptics like ever gone about DBT'ing ski gear, tennis rackets, foot balls, golf balls, diving gear, TV sets, digital cameras, cars, planes, parachutes, keyboards, games, game consoles, programming languages? Surely there are differences between programming languages, but have there ever been formal DBT that show that programmers can perceive any differences between them? Or is it simply psycho-programming? Like I suppose there must be psycho-gustative or psycho-visual factors? And where does this all stop? Should we perhaps introduce DBT or other scientific methods in stamp collecting? Is there really any evidence out there, and I mean published peer-reviewed scientific evidence, that two different stamps will generate different perceptions in a philatelist? Or is it all philatephoolery?
 
Long story short, in my humble opinion some very very strange obsessions seem to be affect the sceptics' audience in high-end audio, and I can't find a single good reason for it to be there so markedly...

 

[johnjen]

When I run into this sort of reactive behavior I have found that it usually has a foundation in a sense of personal vulnerability WRT not wanting to appear as being weak or being wrong.
IOW it's a lack of confidence in oneself with some combination of tying ones identity with the object or subject of veneration.
 
Put another way it demonstrates a lack of maturity and allowance for other opinions and experiences.
And like I stated they are really only preaching to the choir of their choosing, which is a sure sign of dissolution in the long run.
It's just a matter of time.
 
JJ

 

[johnjen]

Progress report on the blossoming of my system.
 
The tLFF has just today markedly improved, to the point that I can now crank up the MOAR knob to between 2- 3:00, again.
This improvement in SQ can also be described as coming into finer and finer focus as the acoustic energy is more closely synch'd to itself, (instead of being smeared) in both time and amplitude.
Think of those 2 patterns making that moiré pattern, as they get close to matching back up.
 
Right now I'm listening to Led Zeppelin at seemingly elevated SPL's.
Except it isn't really that much 'louder'.
 
I recently noticed this on the speakers after installing the new ANTICables.
It seemed as though the volume difference, between HP's and speakers, reversed.
IOW where the speakers were louder (perceived volume) than the 800's, now as the new speaker wires are settling in, the speakers are now 'softer' than the 800's.
I noticed this same 'effect' when the tLFF took a major step up in SQ on just the 800's.
 
And speaking of speakers…
They are coupling better and better as my expert off axis SQ monitor reports additional nuances and intonations.
She can easily hear additional 'voices' in orchestral works and understand the lyrics from songs all the more easily as well.
 
And all of this should continue to improve as the overall system further stabilizes with these new(er) degrees of SQ.
 
JJ

 

[johnjen]

So I was talking to Gil and he figures we here in Seattle are a think tank for headphones.
 
A Can Tank…
 
So does that make us Can Tank R us?
Badda Boom tsisssss…

 
 
And the latest buzz, that I'm getting curious about are ethernet to digital audio network converter devices.
It replaces usb completely and some are reporting HUGE SQ gains as a result.
Perhaps they will share their thoughts here for others to learn about.  (hint, hint, muziqboy, Soundsgood2me…)

 
Anyway right now the gear is expensive and pro level audio stuff, meaning not really aimed at hi-fi or tweako audio.
I figure this will change and fairly quickly.
 
Early reports are most encouraging…
 
JJ

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

We need that minimeet going so you guys can experience it. Pricing wise, it can equal out if you've got quite a bit invested into usb. $300 cable, $300-500 transport, $300 power supplies (plural). The Rednet 3 itself is 1k and that's all you need, unless you want the full boat and daisy chain a mutec reclock for $700.

I'm really impressed by the shenxing f1 transport and supposedly the Rednet 3 itself is a level or two above it. I'm excited.. The Rednets are coming!

Also ping rb2013 who's secretly a Seattlelite as well and does quite a bit of testing on these units.

 

[johnjen]

Do you have a link to the shenxing f1 transport?
I did a search but it came back empty
 
JJ

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

http://m.shenzhenaudio.com/f-1-xmos-usb-digital-interface-board-xu208-chip-high-end-u8-upgraded-version.html

I got the name all jumbled up, brand is Singxer not Shenxing - the seller is Shenzen Audio but there's another gent on eBay selling them as well. I think there may be a slight backorder on them atm but specs can be read on them there.

 

[johnjen]

Excellent!
 
Thanks!
 
So it’s a usb to spdif converter board?
Hmm…
Isn't this the board those guys in the xmos usb thread are figuring a way to 'hack' it?
 
 
JJ

 

[johnjen]

snip
Also ping @rb2013 who's secretly a Seattlelite as well and does quite a bit of testing on these units.

Does anyone within the reach of this post know him?
Or should I just reach out?
 
JJ

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Not sure on the hacking part but it seems a linear power to supply the 5v is the thing to do - although it can utilize 5v from the host usb (what I'm doing but using an ifi purifier). I want to say it's got isolation properties as well, along with a host of goodies like excellent clocks and the latest faster xmos chip. Before the Rednet discovery this unit set the bar (when coupled with a power unit).

 

[Muziqboy]

Yes JJ!
 
This Audio-Over-IP is really an eye & ears opener. Been running it in my rig for almost 10 days now and it has been a big revelation.
The SQ is a big leap up when this is incorporated in one's set-up.
 
USB is a very noisy transmission line only meant for peripherals and not audio. There is always a new USB cleaner gizmo popping up and what they do is just try to reduce the noise.
Take the iFi micro iUSB for example (I was using this before in my rig), it has a measured .1uV of noise that it supplies to the USB to SPDIF or AES converters and that really is ultra low noise compared to the other USB cleaners out there and it does do a very good job of cleaning the USB line noise BUT it does not totally eliminate the noise. And any noise no matter how miniscule will veil the details of the music. We keep on piling USB cleaners, WYRDS, iFi stuff, Jitterbugs, Intonas, Regens, also expensive USB cables and USB-toSPDIF converters and before we know it, we have a mile-long USB chain.
 
Now the beauty of the RedNet 3 or D16 is it's 1 box solution. PC > Cat5 or 6 cable > RedNet > DAC. And the benefits are galvanic isolation which is inherent in Ethernet so there is ZERO noise riding in the line. Plus the added feature of Error Detection & Correction (CRC-32 Checksum). USB does not even have any error correction.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I've met him to pass some gear along and had a convo for a bit but that's about it. He's a cool person and really knowledgeable, from what I gather he's more a speaker guy.

 

[Muziqboy]

  Excellent!
 
Thanks!
 
So it’s a usb to spdif converter board?
Hmm…
Isn't this the board those guys in the xmos usb thread are figuring a way to 'hack' it?
 
 
JJ

 
This was the USB to SPDIF converter that I was previously using in my rig during the Bottlehead and Portland meet and learned about it's existence reading that XMOS thread. Been following that thread ever since the day he created it.

 

[johnjen]

Not sure on the hacking part but it seems a linear power to supply the 5v is the thing to do - although it can utilize 5v from the host usb (what I'm doing but using an ifi purifier). I want to say it's got isolation properties as well, along with a host of goodies like excellent clocks and the latest faster xmos chip. Before the Rednet discovery this unit set the bar (when coupled with a power unit).

Yeah hacking may not be the 'best' word but it seemed like they were figuring where the best location to supply power for the board and a way of accessing a few other functions etc.
 
Anyway $180 isn't to bad (well + ≈$150 for the PS)
 
Still, ethernet could be 'Better', but ya know ethernet is by no means the 'Best' hardware/software combination for communicating and transferring data.
But it is what we've got.
 
And I just tried to use the Dante Virtual soundcard to see if it would talk to my ethernet card in my PWD and it doesn't seem to wanna work, so I'll try calling Audinate down in Portland…
 
JJ