Thoughts on a bunch of DACs (and why delta-sigma kinda sucks, just to get you to think about stuff)
Apr 11, 2015 at 5:52 AM Post #3,901 of 6,500
True true.
That is the one. The one on top of the X12.

 
Thanks a lot for the confirmation.
And is it really that good ?
For good i mean mostly 3dimensional, with good dynamics and a robust bass.
 
However i am looking at Theta dacs but there are so many models.  All nice ?
Is it possible to get a ranking of their dacs ?
As i said i am looking for something 3dimensional, with good dynamics and a robust bass.
 
Thanks again,  gino  
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 9:31 AM Post #3,902 of 6,500
   
Thanks a lot for the confirmation.
And is it really that good ?
For good i mean mostly 3dimensional, with good dynamics and a robust bass.
 
However i am looking at Theta dacs but there are so many models.  All nice ?
Is it possible to get a ranking of their dacs ?
As i said i am looking for something 3dimensional, with good dynamics and a robust bass.
 
Thanks again,  gino  

I think the U12 is a very good USB converter. The DI-V2014 is another, more costly one. Others include Melodious [not yet available] and Tanley Audio [also not yet available]. They all get the job done.
In general the Thetas go like this Pro Gen [II < III < V] > Basic [I < II ? III] > Prime [I < II] > Progeny [= SE Prime II]. All used to be upgradeable to A version [slightly improved] but the difference shouldn't be too big.
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 9:39 AM Post #3,903 of 6,500
AS you know I am testing right now a ARM DP-777 SE new DAC and I have mixed feeling about it's sound quality. The importer told me to verify if the load and the neutral are not inversed, because his DAC is quite sensible to inverted phase (load).
 
I therefore did some simple tests it looks like my power system is totally mess-up:
 
LOAD should be on the right prong (tester should light-up) and neutral on the left one (tester should NOT light-up) ? Correct ?
 
but...according to the tester which light-up on EACH prong, It seems that I have load on right and on left ( see pictures ).
 
-> Is it wrong ? can this reduce the sound quality of my DAC & AMP ? or damage them ?
 
  
 
sincerely
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 9:57 AM Post #3,904 of 6,500
Here's an interesting article from Positive Feedback Issue 77 that I haven't seen mentioned here yet:
 
Musings on DSD: Using Offline Conversion from DSD to High-Resolution PCM Files Rather Than Using a DSD-capable DAC
by Andy Schaub
 
It can be viewed here.
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 11:13 AM Post #3,905 of 6,500
  AS you know I am testing right now a ARM DP-777 SE new DAC and I have mixed feeling about it's sound quality. The importer told me to verify if the load and the neutral are not inversed, because his DAC is quite sensible to inverted phase (load).
 
I therefore did some simple tests it looks like my power system is totally mess-up:
 
LOAD should be on the right prong (tester should light-up) and neutral on the left one (tester should NOT light-up) ? Correct ?
 
but...according to the tester which light-up on EACH prong, It seems that I have load on right and on left ( see pictures ).
 
-> Is it wrong ? can this reduce the sound quality of my DAC & AMP ? or damage them ?
 
  
 
sincerely

Only one should light up. It seems you might have some household appliance shorting to null a bit and/or poor conduction from null to main powerlines. (how's your electricity bill?)
A neighbour next door of me had water boiler that shorted to ground, and had ground connected to null.. i had 80V in my null line vs real ground. It could do serious harm to sensitive equipment.
Is the extra ground wired?
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 11:56 AM Post #3,906 of 6,500
  Here's an interesting article from Positive Feedback Issue 77 that I haven't seen mentioned here yet:
 
Musings on DSD: Using Offline Conversion from DSD to High-Resolution PCM Files Rather Than Using a DSD-capable DAC
by Andy Schaub
 
It can be viewed here.

I'm not a DSD believer...still, it is kind of hard to take this guy seriously given that his "uber Rega Dac" consists of approximately $5500 worth of cables, etc. on a $1000 DAC (currently on sale for $795 on line).  
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 12:07 PM Post #3,907 of 6,500
  I'm not a DSD believer...still, it is kind of hard to take this guy seriously given that his "uber Rega Dac" consists of approximately $5500 worth of cables, etc. on a $1000 DAC (currently on sale for $795 on line).  


LOL, so freakin funny. While I'm a cable agnostic, you just have to know that there is no way on the planet (unless there is a very special new group of laws of physics) that a cable can make enough of a difference to warrant that disproportionate an amount of investment. If they make a difference at all, it is at best subtle and more of a finishing detail from what I gather. So you would be so much further ahead to spend the extra cash on speakers or headphones where you can get an audible return on investment. 
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 12:40 PM Post #3,908 of 6,500
 
LOL, so freakin funny. While I'm a cable agnostic, you just have to know that there is no way on the planet (unless there is a very special new group of laws of physics) that a cable can make enough of a difference to warrant that disproportionate an amount of investment. If they make a difference at all, it is at best subtle and more of a finishing detail from what I gather. So you would be so much further ahead to spend the extra cash on speakers or headphones where you can get an audible return on investment. 


hehe well I think cables are more of a "fine tuning" sort of investment. I don't believe they make a significant difference to a headphones overall sound signature but high quality cables DO sound different than their stock counterparts. I am a cable believer but not a cable zealot. It doesn't make more than a 1-2% incremental difference but that in itself is noticeable to me after spending months with the stock cable before my purchase last year.
 
Once you have headphones you really love it doesn't hurt to buy cable because usually the stock cables included suck.
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 12:43 PM Post #3,909 of 6,500
 
  Here's an interesting article from Positive Feedback Issue 77 that I haven't seen mentioned here yet:
 
Musings on DSD: Using Offline Conversion from DSD to High-Resolution PCM Files Rather Than Using a DSD-capable DAC
by Andy Schaub
 
It can be viewed here.

I'm not a DSD believer...still, it is kind of hard to take this guy seriously given that his "uber Rega Dac" consists of approximately $5500 worth of cables, etc. on a $1000 DAC (currently on sale for $795 on line).  

 
Well, I'm sure that he just used whatever cables he had on hand.  They probably won't degrade the sound too much.
 
The part that I found interesting was that converting DSD to PCM via software before sending the audio stream to the DAC sounded better than streaming the DSD directly.
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 1:12 PM Post #3,910 of 6,500
  I'm not a DSD believer...still, it is kind of hard to take this guy seriously given that his "uber Rega Dac" consists of approximately $5500 worth of cables, etc. on a $1000 DAC (currently on sale for $795 on line).  

Yes, how do I start selling one $1,000 USB cable per week?  Good work if you can get it.  Easier than making and selling a DAC.  So no, not taking advice from that source.  
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 1:22 PM Post #3,911 of 6,500
  Yes, how do I start selling one $1,000 USB cable per week?  Good work if you can get it.  Easier than making and selling a DAC.  So no, not taking advice from that source.  

USB cable,are you joking??
 
That being said-I bought a VanDel Hul XLR inter-connect from Currawong,last year...$1K-USED..OUCH !!!
Without a doubt,the finest cable I own..
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 1:25 PM Post #3,912 of 6,500
It constantly amazes me how so many participants on Head-Fi can make such accurate determinations regarding specific empirical matters without having to have any of the relevant experiences.  Science can now move forward at a staggering pace due to this exciting development.  
 
Just making the above statement is the proof itself!
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 1:25 PM Post #3,913 of 6,500
Yes, how do I start selling one $1,000 USB cable per week?  Good work if you can get it.  Easier than making and selling a DAC.  So no, not taking advice from that source.  

To be fair, I heard a $500 USB cable at Canjam and ab'ed against a regular cable. The difference was obvious and more than just 1-2%. And this was from a friend, not someone selling a cable.

No idea how or why it makes a difference and I didn't believe it until I heard it for myself. I wouldn't expect others to believe it, but I urge you to try it yourself if you ever get the opportunity.
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 1:32 PM Post #3,914 of 6,500
To be fair, I heard a $500 USB cable at Canjam and ab'ed against a regular cable. The difference was obvious and more than just 1-2%. And this was from a friend, not someone selling a cable.

No idea how or why it makes a difference and I didn't believe it until I heard it for myself. I wouldn't expect others to believe it, but I urge you to try it yourself if you ever get the opportunity.

+1,,Stillhart
 
And of,course Currawong{ the gentleman that he is.} told me,if I didn't hear any difference in sq,to return it after 7 days.....,when I plugged the cable in-it took me all of 30 minutes to be convinced
 
Apr 11, 2015 at 1:33 PM Post #3,915 of 6,500
  +1,,Stillhart
 
And of,course Currawong{ the gentleman that he is.} told me,if I didn't hear any difference in sq,to return it after 7 days.....,when I plugged the cable in-it took me all of 30 minutes to be convinced

 
please can you tell what cable exactly do you speak about !
 

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