Perfect sense Audio
Well-Known Member
http://ariamusicserver.com/
The most complete, flexible and easy-to-use music server on the market imo.
The very best DACs today...
- Thread starter j.phelan
- Start date
http://ariamusicserver.com/
The most complete, flexible and easy-to-use music server on the market imo.
Some advice and do what you wish with.
While the Hugo is good pcm it's not good for dsd
The AmR does better dsd while the Hugo does better pcm.
Not meaning to bash or afend anyone.
If you really love dsd and it is important to you buy or demo a dac that does both well.
The server is also important and worthy of finding a good one.
If possible try out a lampi even level 4 or 5 with dsd option. It far exceeds the two i mention. Most who have dsd really do not know what good dsd sounds like simply because there is not to many really good dsd dacs. Even a 500 ifi dsd micro does good dsd better than a Hugo for sure not even close. The dacs I am posting about i own or have on loan. My observation is mine and I am not a reviewer but I do have a few favs that do dsd great. The choice is obvious if you had an opertunity to hear it. Dsd is very good more like analog but PCM has more bite. It becomes choice. Also for me upsmpling pcm to dsd is no good. It takes pcm and does make it dsd it simply changes it
Dsd is very special and needs the dac to be optimized to play it right. While most dac makers focus on pcm and dsd is not the main focus. I could name others who do not do dsd well. And the names mAy surprise you.
Give lampi a try even a ifi micro is well worth a listen to let you here the vast improvement over others in dsd.
Hope this helps and I do not hate hugo or others and I do own it. Rob watts who designed it hates dsd and feels its waste he feels the same of analog. So it's no surprise to me how it sounds. But some say it's great
To each here own.
Al
While the Hugo is good pcm it's not good for dsd
The AmR does better dsd while the Hugo does better pcm.
Not meaning to bash or afend anyone.
If you really love dsd and it is important to you buy or demo a dac that does both well.
The server is also important and worthy of finding a good one.
If possible try out a lampi even level 4 or 5 with dsd option. It far exceeds the two i mention. Most who have dsd really do not know what good dsd sounds like simply because there is not to many really good dsd dacs. Even a 500 ifi dsd micro does good dsd better than a Hugo for sure not even close. The dacs I am posting about i own or have on loan. My observation is mine and I am not a reviewer but I do have a few favs that do dsd great. The choice is obvious if you had an opertunity to hear it. Dsd is very good more like analog but PCM has more bite. It becomes choice. Also for me upsmpling pcm to dsd is no good. It takes pcm and does make it dsd it simply changes it
Dsd is very special and needs the dac to be optimized to play it right. While most dac makers focus on pcm and dsd is not the main focus. I could name others who do not do dsd well. And the names mAy surprise you.
Give lampi a try even a ifi micro is well worth a listen to let you here the vast improvement over others in dsd.
Hope this helps and I do not hate hugo or others and I do own it. Rob watts who designed it hates dsd and feels its waste he feels the same of analog. So it's no surprise to me how it sounds. But some say it's great
To each here own.
Al
I need the best DAC for 16/44 redbook !
*********************************
This may be against the curent high-res trend, but for some reasons I need to change my strategy !
Indeed, I just bought from a friend of mine who is an audiophile/opera fanatic a lot of 2500 rare classical CD. This was unexpected but now... I have a loooong ripping job to do
Anyway, this change my focus from HighRes to redbook. Indeed, now I need to find a system that can really provide it's BEST SQ out of 16/44 rather than a DAC that need super high resolution or DSD to be at it's best !
I have the hUGO and I am testing now the DP-777SE, and I am looking for other suggestion for a 16/44 champion ? I heard about the Berkeley reference serie as a 16/44 champ, but it is not imported in Europe due to lack of RoHS certification. Does the NAGRA HD DAC be a 16/44 champ or rather a DSD champ ? other suggestions ???
(same thing apply to the Music server: I do not want to mess with NAS, so I was investigating ARIES or AURENDER (with USB HD), but now I look instead toward Antipode DX & the Baetis Server rather than ARIES or Aurender because of their built-in ripping possibility. Any other suggestion for Music Server PLUS ripper )
thanks in advance
You should try the Computer Audio Design DAC and transport. Awesome in. My opinion. 16 bits of Music. Great people making it. You should contact Scott Berry.
Pricey and takes a frigging long time to get the silk capacitors burned in but when they are oh boy. This for me is what NOS DACS are all about. Texture, weight, density, yeah sure a wee bit of a droop but I don't care. The Light Harmonic Da Vinci is excellent. Even iTunes and iTunes+ files have guests saying "seriously? Those are MP3s?". With the arrival of the C1 around the bend I'm really looking forward to what it bring to the table in DIRECT comparison. I was after all mightily impressed with the C1 in the Oceanway/Viola presentation.
In the here and now there are so many great DACs around and most of these I have not heard. The Trinity's, The Lampis (which intrigues me because I am a DHT nerd myself) and others. That said, I AM living happily with the Da Vinci as well as the CD Player of choice the EERA Autographe. This coming from a dyed in the wool Analog guy. Not saying it's the best but I am saying that it should be on the list of DACs to audition if it is possible to do so. DO request for a unit that has been played at least 300 hours. The difference between new and settled in is, sorry for the cliche, night and day.
You'll have to trust me on this. I have had the chance to compare a fully burned in unit with a brand new Dual on the same system.
I'm in Osaka now and I'm pretty sad to report that while DSD lives on in file format, as far as Japan goes it appears the SACD is as dead as the proverbial doornail. They are now mixed in with CDs on the racks. What adorns the racks in the last bastion of optical media is a slew of the so called HM-CDs. I bought a whole lot but this is my first time. Anyhow, there's a 5% discount for non JP passport holders who exceed a total of Y5,000. So I guess I got a couple of "free" CDs in there. Ok I'm sick. I know but hot darn, what a selection!
Rodrigo y Gabriela have a new album out BTW. It's been five years. Go get it!
In the here and now there are so many great DACs around and most of these I have not heard. The Trinity's, The Lampis (which intrigues me because I am a DHT nerd myself) and others. That said, I AM living happily with the Da Vinci as well as the CD Player of choice the EERA Autographe. This coming from a dyed in the wool Analog guy. Not saying it's the best but I am saying that it should be on the list of DACs to audition if it is possible to do so. DO request for a unit that has been played at least 300 hours. The difference between new and settled in is, sorry for the cliche, night and day.
You'll have to trust me on this. I have had the chance to compare a fully burned in unit with a brand new Dual on the same system.
I'm in Osaka now and I'm pretty sad to report that while DSD lives on in file format, as far as Japan goes it appears the SACD is as dead as the proverbial doornail. They are now mixed in with CDs on the racks. What adorns the racks in the last bastion of optical media is a slew of the so called HM-CDs. I bought a whole lot but this is my first time. Anyhow, there's a 5% discount for non JP passport holders who exceed a total of Y5,000. So I guess I got a couple of "free" CDs in there. Ok I'm sick. I know but hot darn, what a selection!
Rodrigo y Gabriela have a new album out BTW. It's been five years. Go get it!
I need the best DAC for 16/44 redbook !
*********************************
This may be against the curent high-res trend, but for some reasons I need to change my strategy !
Indeed, I just bought from a friend of mine who is an audiophile/opera fanatic a lot of 2500 rare classical CD
Anyway, this change my focus from HighRes to redbook. Indeed, now I need to find a system that can really provide it's BEST SQ out of 16/44 rather than a DAC that need super high resolution or DSD to be at it's best !...
Congrats...sounds like quite a nice find/collection you have. My personal favorite is the Zanden DAC. If you ever investigate it there are some nice thing you can do in terms of isolation, NOS tubes, but overall i have not come across something to make me change my choice. A personal one, but one i enjoy every day. Good luck...there are loads of choices these days which are all great. Redbook has come a long way, and i get the sense from a number of the professional members of WBF that a lot of digital comes down to what happened in the mastering/remastering studio as opposed to the actual format.
I listen to 16/44 only and always have -- that's where all the music is. Who needs hi-res if your CDs sound great?
Indeed, I just bought from a friend of mine who is an audiophile/opera fanatic a lot of 2500 rare classical CD
Or you can buy a good CD transport and save yourself all the ripping...
Congratulations on your new CD collection!
AI M.
I do agree with your comment to a degree... The way my current system sounds, PCM never sounded so damn good...
However, I really wish more of the good music I love was available in DSD though.. DSD done right, does have an undeniably more dimensional sound. It just does. The artists are a little more spaced apart, cavernous depth more realized, etc... Anybody with me on this?
I do agree with your comment to a degree... The way my current system sounds, PCM never sounded so damn good...
However, I really wish more of the good music I love was available in DSD though.. DSD done right, does have an undeniably more dimensional sound. It just does. The artists are a little more spaced apart, cavernous depth more realized, etc... Anybody with me on this?
It can sound damn good indeed...
What you describe will of course also depend on both your DAC -- how it decodes diverse formats -- and the recorded material available. From what I repeatedly have heard, often the so-called 'hi-res' formats appear to sound better simply just because the mastering is done with more care, resulting in better quality -- not necessarily because the format is inherently better (which it may be to a certain degree as well). And as several audiophiles with experience in all formats have said, they'd prefer a CD with great mastering any day over a 'hi-res' recording with mastering of just average quality.
Just today I was marveling at the palpability of sound and imaging on a few very well recorded/mastered CDs, which appeared impressive to me even after I had recently experienced the undeniable palpability of the music on some very good recordings/pressings reproduced on a great turntable system.
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Hi to all.. I will not totally agree with Lampizator's constructions, pricing and of course the awards given..
I believe Lampizator's are doing much rough job with messy wiring and poor chassis work that not corresponds to the money they ask..
I have tried to build a tube tester from Lampizator's site that never worked and never was finished..
As for the DSD dACs they offer very often upgrading levels, so someone who bought the previous 'model' has to pay more and more for the 'upgrade'!!
I believe someone can get a 400 usd top Chinese DSD DAC and listen absolutely fine and for best results can just upgrade it with a fine power supply and a discrete output.. that's all, electronics are not magic, especially Digital..
best regards..
Emmanouil..
I believe Lampizator's are doing much rough job with messy wiring and poor chassis work that not corresponds to the money they ask..
I have tried to build a tube tester from Lampizator's site that never worked and never was finished..
As for the DSD dACs they offer very often upgrading levels, so someone who bought the previous 'model' has to pay more and more for the 'upgrade'!!
I believe someone can get a 400 usd top Chinese DSD DAC and listen absolutely fine and for best results can just upgrade it with a fine power supply and a discrete output.. that's all, electronics are not magic, especially Digital..
best regards..
Emmanouil..
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Computer Audio Design upgraded his first version of the CAD and it is not anymore (if ever it was to an undesirable extent) "NOS sounding". It is more precise and mire extended on both ends of the spectrum and more transparent to the event putting you a few rows front the musicians.
Great job
Great job
Please point us to this mythical $400 Chinese DSD Dac! Have you heard Lampi DSD? Where and when? When you decide to make a disparaging post like that, it would be nice for you to give some background and context.
Also, there have only been one DSD module available to date (64 and 128) and he is developing a new PCB for DSD256. No one forces anyone to upgrade and very few Dacs on the market can do 256 and above. Feel free to have your opinion, but dont represent it as fact.
I need the best DAC for 16/44 redbook !
*********************************
This may be against the curent high-res trend, but for some reasons I need to change my strategy !
Indeed, I just bought from a friend of mine who is an audiophile/opera fanatic a lot of 2500 rare classical CD
Anyway, this change my focus from HighRes to redbook. Indeed, now I need to find a system that can really provide it's BEST SQ out of 16/44 rather than a DAC that need super high resolution or DSD to be at it's best !
I have the hUGO and I am testing now the DP-777SE, and I am looking for other suggestion for a 16/44 champion ? I heard about the Berkeley reference serie as a 16/44 champ, but it is not imported in Europe due to lack of RoHS certification. Does the NAGRA HD DAC be a 16/44 champ or rather a DSD champ ? other suggestions ???
(same thing apply to the Music server: I do not want to mess with NAS, so I was investigating ARIES or AURENDER (with USB HD), but now I look instead toward Antipode DX & the Baetis Server rather than ARIES or Aurender because of their built-in ripping possibility. Any other suggestion for Music Server PLUS ripper )
thanks in advance
Important question: what's your budget?
I'd suggest the MSB Analog DAC. It's relatively cheap, can be upgraded over time, has an optional analog volume control (and analog input too). It does DSD beautifully as well.
alexandre
ALRainbow owns both the 35k MSB stack and the Lampi Big 7. Best to ask him for a comparison.
dear friend..
sorry for taking my opinion like fact, I did't mean that.. it was just my opinion..
I have written : Lampizator's are doing much rough job with messy wiring and poor chassis work that not corresponds to the money they ask.. that is quite truth..
I have also written about 400$ Chinese dacs.. Taking in mind that in all dac constructions, the dac chip, the receiver chip, the usb board, the clock, are 'standard closed electronic elements', that means no but nobody, nor Lampizators can modify them, the fields that someone can work and give some improvement are a. the power supply that can be done with high quality transformers with special core metals, tube rectification etc etc.. and b. the output, that can be done with opams, or with discrete elements like transistors, FETs or tubes.. That's why I was written that someone can buy a 400$ Chinese dac and upgrade it (if he knows electronics) that way saving money from Lampi's fancy and mega-buck constructions..
friendly.. Manos
I tend to feel same as you regarding internal tidiness of products and how messy the Lamp looks in comparison to other digital components.
However, it needs to be stressed the Lamp uses point-to-point wiring and this is a nightmare to look tidy, at its very best it still looks very untidy in comparison to PCB.
I would also state that point-to-point vs PCB is not clear cut on what can be deemed best as the quality can vary for both implementations, especially when it comes to less regulated-controlled manufacturing plants around the world and price vs product manufacturing line costs.
Cheers
Orb
My context was just a response to the previous post specifically about why the Lamp is "messy", not anything relating to sound.
Quality in my post was about engineering quality rather than sound quality.
Cheers
Orb
you 're quite right.. point-to-point wiring has nothing to do with mass production but can be tidy and well implemented..
behind are two fotos, the first one is from a phono stage built by a friend of mine.. (the procedure detailed is here), and the second is a Lampi construction costs some 1000's !!
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