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The Stax Thread III
Sep 12, 2015 at 11:37 AM Post #6,076 of 25,541
Hi astrostar59,
 
Latest news they told me  - PAVANE  is best on their system.
As i know no HIGHRES data is involved so it should be all 44,1 redbook.
.At the beginning of the hearing sessions a CD transport was best sounding but after checking cable stuff, Computer was even or better.
 
Don`t know which software is used by them but for me, owning almost all software versions for a MAC and testing for some time,
add-on software for Itunes or stand alone is not that important any more.(except for switching a dac automatically or modify sound with a implemented EQ.)
 
As you know i use a D-02 which is on paper a little bit better to the DAC inside the K-01.
K-01(i had also) to D-02 is no difference in sound to my ears, i just don´t need a transport any more. But that´s a personal preference of mine.
 
Tested Dac´s for example where Totaldac (standard version), a modded Stello Signature, Wavedream Rockna DAC, Metrum Octave and Pavane.
Totaldac had some distortion problem vs. the Pavane. Rockna some problems with USB connection.
 
Next will be a Metrum Musette, a kind of low level Pavane.
They don´t asked for my Esoteric by now and as i was not invited to a hearing session i´m also happy with that.
The system they use is in fact different to my equipment which is all electrostatic stuff.
 
Sep 12, 2015 at 11:44 AM Post #6,077 of 25,541
karlgerman said:
  Hi astrostar59,
 
Latest news they told me  - PAVANE  is best on their system.
As i know no HIGHRES data is involved so it should be all 44,1 redbook.
.At the beginning of the hearing sessions a CD transport was best sounding but after checking cable stuff, Computer was even or better.
 
Don`t know which software is used by them but for me, owning almost all software versions for a MAC and testing for some time,
add-on software for Itunes or stand alone is not that important any more.(except for switching a dac automatically or modify sound with a implemented EQ.)
 
As you know i use a D-02 which is on paper a little bit better to the DAC inside the K-01.
K-01(i had also) to D-02 is no difference in sound to my ears, i just don´t need a transport any more. But that´s a personal preference of mine.
 
Tested Dac´s for example where Totaldac (standard version), a modded Stello Signature, Wavedream Rockna DAC, Metrum Octave and Pavane.
Totaldac had some distortion problem vs. the Pavane. Rockna some problems with USB connection.
 
Next will be a Metrum Musette, a kind of low level Pavane.
They don´t asked for my Esoteric by now and as i was not invited to a hearing session i´m also happy with that.
The system they use is in fact different to my equipment which is all electrostatic stuff.
Click to expand...

 
Was that the TotalDac D1-Dual?  It would be nice if you could discribe "some distortion problem".   Sounds like it could be related to "That" particular Dac.
 
Sep 12, 2015 at 12:10 PM Post #6,078 of 25,541
No, i think it was a D1-single Dac -- the entry level of totaldac series.
My friend said that the Pavane sounded clearer vs the Totaldac????
All i can say right now.
I hope they will get a higher level Totaldac also.
Only a Dac with a volume option is suitable to my system.
 
It is just a exciting experiment to see them testing best part´s for a new Hifi system and Money is not an issue.
But for my taste some selections will be different so i will not overrate what they decide.
 
Sep 12, 2015 at 1:28 PM Post #6,079 of 25,541
earspeakers said:
   
Nice, looks like the one I'm building (we probably got the chassis from the same source?) You might be aware there's some theory that a Delrin volume shaft extension is preferred over metal, due to the heats involved. I'm going metal at first, possibly Delrin if it proves an issue. 
Click to expand...

Probably, I got the chassis from georgep (who's been nothing but helpful with my build).
 
Yea, I kept the delrin rod just in case. But the stainless steel doesn't bend at either extreme of the RK50's rotation.
tongue.gif

 
Sep 13, 2015 at 1:07 PM Post #6,080 of 25,541
karlgerman said:
  No, i think it was a D1-single Dac -- the entry level of totaldac series.
My friend said that the Pavane sounded clearer vs the Totaldac????
All i can say right now.
I hope they will get a higher level Totaldac also.
Only a Dac with a volume option is suitable to my system.
 
It is just a exciting experiment to see them testing best part´s for a new Hifi system and Money is not an issue.
But for my taste some selections will be different so i will not overrate what they decide.
Click to expand...


This is really interesting. I think we should have an R-2R thread for talks about non oversampling DACs. I will start one later today with some photos of my DIY Audio Note DAC 4.1.
 
Karl, I think when you get chance you should hear an R-2R in your system as a home demo over say 3 days+. The sound of a non oversampling DAC (bit perfect ladder DAC) can be quite a shock. They sound less 'in your face' and less 'hi-fi'. In a demo in a show room you may like a DS DAC better for the 'wow factor' and over detailed or forced presentation. I couldn't be relaxed about DS. It always sounded  manufactured and never fooled me to realise the music or emotion. I never felt in a concert or sat in front of a musician. Is was like a well recorded copy to me, it is hard to describe. The hidden magic of an R-2R is the closeness to the source, as though IMO the electronics have vanished and you hear the performance as it would be with no effects or emphasis, EQ or forced treble energy.
 
The truth is I find I play louder and listen longer since I went R-2R, so that must mean it fits my own emotional connection with the music.
 
My theory behind all the digital era we have all gone through is the obsession of manufacturers with detail retrieval and 'fixing' the flaws in RedBook. I watched a seminar by a guy who actually worked on the DS chips in the 90s to 2010. He said they NEVER listened with their ears! Only looked at wave analysers and testing equipment. Of course they 'saw' stepped wave forms in RedBook, and measured high frequency reflections in the upper band. Thus they began engineering these out, by adding heavy handed filters and incredibly, chips that guessed the wave form gaps called 'apodizing'. I firmly believe this is where everyone went wrong. The connection with the Redbook data was lost, it was compromised, altered, changed, up sampled and filtered.
 
So IMO we have come full circle, and R-2R is having a revival. It is all good IMO, and the more manufacturers who design audiophile level R-2R DACs (which are more expensive by far to build the DS) the better. The current crop using multi resistors to convert data to analogue is good as it allows the conversion of higher sampled music i.e. beyond 44.1.
 
Regardless I am very happy with my RedBook files through an R-2R DAC. Feed it a great USB/SPDIF signal and you are done.
 
BTW my DAC is an Audio Note 4.1 but is a kit version which I have upgraded with higher spec parts. Audio Note Kits has just released a new DAC 5.1 with shunt regulated power supply and separate PS for the output boards and digital board. It is an amazing piece of kit and is very affordable.
 
Of course talk about an alternative to DS will rock many boats and the investment over the years of many audiophiles. For the record, the best DS DAC I have heard so far is the K-01. I could live with that. But I do prefer my R-2R.
 
Karl, your love of Panel speakers, I get that, they will be fast and delicate, very sensitive  and 3D, not unlike the 009s in fact.
 
Sep 14, 2015 at 5:39 PM Post #6,082 of 25,541
Hello everyone.
 
Could someone please provide me with a comparison between the SR-007 and the SR-009 (preferably when paired with an SRM-323S)?
 
What would I be missing out on by going with the SR-007 instead of the SR-009?
 
Thank you.
 
Sep 14, 2015 at 5:47 PM Post #6,084 of 25,541
nopants said:
treble
Click to expand...

Thanks for the prompt response.
 
I appreciate your brevity, but a little more info would help. For example, how much?
 
And what else is different about the two headphones? I'm guessing there's something else besides treble that justifies the almost double price tag of the SR-009?
 
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