The State of Digital

[muralman1]

Jack,

Could you open the top of both the transport and the DAC to see what diodes are applied? In the case of all Audio Note DACs the diodes are of poor sonic quality. It is the reason why folks talk of the Audio Note DACs as being musical but lack excitement. I just took the diodes out of the transport, an old Lambda, and DAC and replaced them with the fastest Shottkys, and that kicked the Audio Note into a whole new realm.

 

[JackD201]

Alas muralman, I probably couldn't identify a diode to save my life. Even if I could, 47 Labs is notorious for being secretive. I know quite a few people that have tried to clone both their Phonocube and the Shigeraki DAC, they all got the same results as folks that have been trying to clone their Gaincard amps. First hand reports are that the parts are unidentifiable. They've been able to figure out the values but not find out what or where the parts hail from.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I've had a couple of NOS DACs in for listening, and "more texture" and/or "more like vinyl" seems about right to me. They seem, to me anyway, to have a sound of their own. That's something I avoid in a source, but can understand it's attraction.

P

 

[muralman1]

I've had a couple of NOS DACs in for listening, and "more texture" and/or "more like vinyl" seems about right to me. They seem, to me anyway, to have a sound of their own. That's something I avoid in a source, but can understand it's attraction.

P

I have had quite a number of sources to listen to. I haven't found two that sound the same exactly. As I stated before, the NOS DAC I am using has been uplifted tremendously by the swap of diodes. As for vinyl, some folks would be pleased no end with their digital player compared favorably with vinyl.

 

[FrantzM]

muralman1

Let me get it clear. Are you saying that your NOS CD player or DAc is to your more satisfying than Vinyl/LP?

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I have had quite a number of sources to listen to. I haven't found two that sound the same exactly. As I stated before, the NOS DAC I am using has been uplifted tremendously by the swap of diodes. As for vinyl, some folks would be pleased no end with their digital player compared favorably with vinyl.

I have a number of sources to listen to as well, and while they don't sound exactly alike, if any two sound significantly different playing the same file, I assume one, the other, or both are doing something wrong. That's just fundamental to how I expect a source to behave but, of course, your mileage may vary. If I had a digital source that compared favorably to vinyl, I would remove it from my system. Your mileage may vary on that one, too.

P

 

[JackD201]

I'm sitting this round out guys.

 

[muralman1]

muralman1

Let me get it clear. Are you saying that your NOS CD player or DAc is to your more satisfying than Vinyl/LP?

I thought I already posted an answer to you, Frantz. I must not have pushed, "Post." The answer is, listening to any number of vibrant classical music, the CD produces simply huge crescendos from gentle quiet interludes. Vinyl cannot approach the dynamic swings. That alone makes the music more realistic.. Also, CD play makes no self noise. The detail in most CDs is phenomenal. It is the pulling back veil after veil that has guided my audio choices.