ZMF November 2024 // Schedule - Announcements and MEGATHREAD!

[vsrrr]

 

[OnlySoMany]

Not pairing with the headphones specifically, but more so with the chain in general.

And yes, dacs sound different. Just as cables do.

Also, (responding to my own post), it's more of a long-term system upgrade. I think that even as good as some of this equipment is, I think the ZMF's have more to give. My ultimate goal is to combine the Aries Cerat Helene with a Genus and migrate the Viva and Formula to its own setup, using the Lumin X1 as the streamer for now.

 

[jonathan c]

.... to combine the Aries Cerat Helene with a Genus and migrate the Viva and Formula to its own setup, using the Lumin X1 as the streamer for now ....

 

[ThanatosVI]

A DAC pairing with a headphone? You mean that you would spend huge money on a device that is absolutely not supposed to alter the sound at all, but actually does? Correct me if I'm wrong, but would a DAC that actually colors the sound not be really bad?

Personally I'd say it needs to sound good.

If a DAC isn't supposed to alter the Sound in order to make it sound better (more pleasant is probably a better term here) a headphone or speaker isn't supposed to do that either.

Why is there never an outcry when headphones alter the sound?
Technically they also are only supposed to reproduce the sound 1:1 how it would sound in real life and is saved on the recordings.

Many of us who build a setup, choose their devices for how they alter the sound.
Jason Stoddard once said, that everyone is basically looking for the right distortion profile.

 

[Orange5o]

If a set was made vegan, is it possible to convert to leather? I know the strap can be gotten BBB, but what about the band?

 

[ThanatosVI]

If a set was made vegan, is it possible to convert to leather? I know the strap can be gotten BBB, but what about the band?

I would assume so, they are easily user exchangeable via the same screws that hold the strap.
Not sure wether they sell the headbands standalone

 

[Sonic Defender]

Personally I'd say it needs to sound good.

If a DAC isn't supposed to alter the Sound in order to make it sound better (more pleasant is probably a better term here) a headphone or speaker isn't supposed to do that either.

Why is there never an outcry when headphones alter the sound?
Technically they also are only supposed to reproduce the sound 1:1 how it would sound in real life and is saved on the recordings.

Many of us who build a setup, choose their devices for how they alter the sound.
Jason Stoddard once said, that everyone is basically looking for the right distortion profile.

Well that is a pretty easy controversy to flesh out. With something like a speaker, or headphone, physics guarantees that it is almost impossible to not introduce some colouration simply because of uncontrollable factors that I expect you are already aware of so no need to get into that. A DAC has ONLY one job, and only one, to faithfully take a digital signal and convert it to analogue. Why would you possibly want a DAC to alter the signal in anyway? You wouldn't, that is simply silly. We know for absolute, 100%, unquestionably that it is extremely simple today to create an audibly transparent DAC. Heck you can get dongle DACs that are audibly transparent for under $100 easy peazy. The notion of needing an expensive DAC is clearly false.

Go for yourself and look at the advertising from people who make DACs. The vast majority do not advertise their products talking about how they deliberately colour the sound, they talk about faithful reproduction, and incredible detail retrieval and accuracy. They know darn well what a DAC does. Sure they let customers tell themselves all kinds of stories. Why not, it helps sell products.

 

[theveterans]

would you possibly want a DAC to alter the signal in anyway? You wouldn't, that is simply silly.

Because not everyone wants the sound coming out of a DAC that conforms to the cookie cutter parts used to generate 0.000000000000000000001% THD+N on an AP Analyzer

 

[erics75]

Well that is a pretty easy controversy to flesh out. With something like a speaker, or headphone, physics guarantees that it is almost impossible to not introduce some colouration simply because of uncontrollable factors that I expect you are already aware of so no need to get into that. A DAC has ONLY one job, and only one, to faithfully take a digital signal and convert it to analogue. Why would you possibly want a DAC to alter the signal in anyway? You wouldn't, that is simply silly. We know for absolute, 100%, unquestionably that it is extremely simple today to create an audibly transparent DAC. Heck you can get dongle DACs that are audibly transparent for under $100 easy peazy. The notion of needing an expensive DAC is clearly false.

Go for yourself and look at the advertising from people who make DACs. The vast majority do not advertise their products talking about how they deliberately colour the sound, they talk about faithful reproduction, and incredible detail retrieval and accuracy. They know darn well what a DAC does. Sure they let customers tell themselves all kinds of stories. Why not, it helps sell products.

In the end we all like what we like, why judge? We're all here to enjoy music in the end, lets do so together, not apart. Who cares how we get there?

And speaking of musical enjoyment, this new album has really captivated me. I'm not a huge classical guy but this has been on repeat for far too long now...

 

[jonathan c]

.

 

[dbull12]

Well that is a pretty easy controversy to flesh out. With something like a speaker, or headphone, physics guarantees that it is almost impossible to not introduce some colouration simply because of uncontrollable factors that I expect you are already aware of so no need to get into that. A DAC has ONLY one job, and only one, to faithfully take a digital signal and convert it to analogue. Why would you possibly want a DAC to alter the signal in anyway? You wouldn't, that is simply silly. We know for absolute, 100%, unquestionably that it is extremely simple today to create an audibly transparent DAC. Heck you can get dongle DACs that are audibly transparent for under $100 easy peazy. The notion of needing an expensive DAC is clearly false.

Go for yourself and look at the advertising from people who make DACs. The vast majority do not advertise their products talking about how they deliberately colour the sound, they talk about faithful reproduction, and incredible detail retrieval and accuracy. They know darn well what a DAC does. Sure they let customers tell themselves all kinds of stories. Why not, it helps sell products.

I don't understand why you asked the question in the first place since you already knew the sort of answer you'd get and I'm sure the sort of reply that you wanted to send in response. This topic has been covered ad nauseam and you're not going to change our minds about what we hear. This hobby is about getting the most enjoyment out of audio as they can (and obsessing about gear), so best to just let people do that the way they want and not claim there's only one thing that matters when it comes to DACs. Many here including me don't agree and I think much still needs to be learned about digital audio, and repeating the same old points won't get people to switch sides and agree with you.

 

[chrismoyer]

I just received a Grumpy Goose I ordered to for my Atrium Open. The wood doesn't match, but I think the darker wenge + ebony of the Goose lets the lighter color wood of the Atrium standout. I hit the 300 hours of burn in a few weeks ago, and holy smokes... these are lovely. It's such a different presentation than the Susvara/E3 I had been using. I love 'em.

 

[zach915m]

I think I've had enough EAD (Enlightened Audio Design) Dac's repaired and re-capped to last time. I don't know what it is but those PCM63 (I think I got that right) chipped EAD Dac's from the 90's are the GOAT for me. They don't offer anything beyond CD quality playback - but they're definitely my jam. I love the theta DAC's from the 90's too but the EAD ones just have the vibe I want. And they have a nasty looking steel chassis so I can throw them on the ground when I'm in a mood.

#EADlyfeclub

For modern DACs I'm often using the Cayin stuff because we carry it, and I like the different modes. The Chord stuff is lovely too, there's a ton of nice modern DACs and they can blend together more than the vintage stuff. Who will make the next gold-face-plated Dac?

 

[zach915m]

I just received a Grumpy Goose I ordered to for my Atrium Open. The wood doesn't match, but I think the darker wenge + ebony of the Goose lets the lighter color wood of the Atrium standout.

Wenge matches with everything hahah. I absolutely love Wenge and Pheasantwood.

 

[zach915m]

4K wallpapers in 16:9 and 21:9 for every major LTD release, would be great.

We're redoing a number of aspects on the website this year - I'll make sure to have a section that has downloadable wallpaper.

We're also going to try to have some ZMF History time-line and archive stuff. But if there's specifics you guys want to see keep it coming I love the requests and ideas!