A $42,000 transport.

microstrip · Jun 26, 2017

Barry2013 said:
A word of caution on CD mats
I used an SDI one and after a few years the laser went on my then Sony 777ES CD/SACD player.
Could have been a coincidence but I suspect not

Any device that lowers the reflectivity of the CD will probably shorten the life of the laser - the laser diode will have to increase the current to read the pits. I have read that copied writeable disks have five times less reflectivity than typical original aluminum layer disk.

awsmone · Jun 26, 2017

MadFloyd said:
No doubt about it, the simplest source is a CD spinner. The only variables are power and digital cables.

Could this be the reason a lot like of audiophiles like cd spinners compared with other media delivery mechanisms , the other issues are reduced to

Media quality
Digital connection
Power
Support

With file based you need to add a lot of variables

Having moved to hq player the configurations alone are large, and that is not to mention all the other variables of file based delivery

On top of the four I listed above....

awsmone · Jun 26, 2017

microstrip said:
No. As far as I know Vivaldi users know what they expect from Vivaldi digital cables, will get support from their dealers and probably will try one or two types and will be happy with them. For me HQPlayer is a mysterious and complex system, relying on internet forums and it seems to me a single or a few person developments. It surely represents great value for money, but it is no way equivalent to digital cables!

BTW the Vivaldi filters are clearly described in the manual, including advice, technical details and figures of the impulse response for the technical minded user.

I don't see whether it's built by a team or individual is relevant... it's whether it delivers the goods

I agree about complexity, but the forums do help nail it down

I have been very impressed by the quality and adaptability and sound quality and differences wrought

I have learnt to really appreciate it as I dialled in the sound, just as with one of my turntables, setting it up accurately brings big sq rewards

awsmone · Jun 26, 2017

Mike Lavigne said:
not to be ignored is decoupling/resonance control for any spinner.

I found that the Herzan changed things a bunch when evaluating the Aqua La Diva. it allowed it to be head and head with the SGM into the Aqua Formula until further software advances moved the SGM farther ahead.

I would 'guess' that active vibration would have more performance significance than cables. it dramatically effects image focus, delicacy, bass articulation, ambient retrieval and ease.

Crystal oscillators in clocks are very sensitive to vibration

beaur · Jun 26, 2017

Alex,

I was speaking specifically about the model that does both video and music. Can't remember the guy's name but basically, he admitted that the model in question was a bit difficult to set up, had some software issues and didn't work as well as my current set up for movies. He also said that they were transitioning away from doing the video as the music only servers were becoming much more popular.

I am in agreement that their music only offerings looks pretty good and seem to deliver the goods.

asiufy said:
Beau,

In which way the Innuos wouldn't work for you? I've picked up the line, and I'm * * impressed by it. Sound quality, build quality, ease of use, features, it's all there!
They have specific models for movie serving, which I haven't explored yet, but I will, since there's a lot of demand for that. So I'm curious about how it wouldn't work for you...

Thanks
Alex

beaur · Jun 26, 2017

Alex,

Currently, I don't have a DAC capable of DXD or MQA playback unless you include my Audioquest Dragonfly. Most of my listening is with ripped redbook CDs or Tidal. Basically waiting to see where the dust settles on both resolution and format in the next year or so before exploring options. Fairly happy with redbook played through my system currently so I am not chomping at the bit to upgrade.

Also I was at the SGM listening session at Munich last year. Was clearly very, very good and I can see why peole love the machine. My one comment to Edward a tthe time was that it was almost too real/good. I used the analogy of Blu-Ray movies that to me sometimes are too good. Maybe I enjoy a little of that cinematic film "coloration" in my music also!

Also one of the better DACs I have ever heard is the CAD 1543, which is NOS. It's about the same price as an SGM and it would be a tough choice as to which way I would go if I had available funds!

asiufy said:
Again, I'm reading all these rationalizations why people stick to 16/44, and I don't get it. Even from a purely musical appreciation standpoint, it doesn't make sense to me. Why wouldn't you want to explore hi-res, even if it's "the same old repertoire"? It doesn't make sense to me. Specially in the classical domain, where most of the hi-res is actually good and proper, unlike some of the early stuff put out in rock/jazz, that were proven to be fraudulent upsampling...

Isn't this supposed to be "what's best"? Well, that particular Mahler 6 might sound "best" on hi-res/DSD. So why are you denying yourself the experience/pleasure of that? In the name of what?

It's not that there aren't DACs out there, at all price points, that will do 16/44 just as good as hi-res, so again, it's not like you're sacrificing your collection of CDs in favor of a handful of hi-res files...

It simply does not compute

asiufy · Jun 26, 2017

beaur said:
Alex,

Currently, I don't have a DAC capable of DXD or MQA playback unless you include my Audioquest Dragonfly. Most of my listening is with ripped redbook CDs or Tidal. Basically waiting to see where the dust settles on both resolution and format in the next year or so before exploring options. Fairly happy with redbook played through my system currently so I am not chomping at the bit to upgrade.

Also I was at the SGM listening session at Munich last year. Was clearly very, very good and I can see why peole love the machine. My one comment to Edward a tthe time was that it was almost too real/good. I used the analogy of Blu-Ray movies that to me sometimes are too good. Maybe I enjoy a little of that cinematic film "coloration" in my music also!

Also one of the better DACs I have ever heard is the CAD 1543, which is NOS. It's about the same price as an SGM and it would be a tough choice as to which way I would go if I had available funds!

Hi!

Thanks for the info on the Innuos. Shame if they really drop the video stuff, as there sure is demand for it. I know their standards for software is pretty high, so it must be difficult to get the video section to work just as smooth as the music part...

I think that CAD was playing in the Boenicke room this year in Munich. I can't say how much DAC contributed to it, but the room did sound very good.

cheers,
alex

gian60 · Jun 27, 2017

For my experience transport is important like dac.
Anf for pur test transport sound better than files
I had CEC TL 0 mk 2 and sound was very natural.
I had also Burmeister 969,also better than CEC,very natural sound
I listen also very well Kalista and Esoteric grandioso,and Kalista for me is better

I have now Wadia S7I,very good,but i listen 95% vinyl

morricab · Jun 27, 2017

awsmone said:
Crystal oscillators in clocks are very sensitive to vibration

Are you sure about that? I know they are sensitive to temperature, thus we see temp controlled crystal clocks in places even outside audio. I have never seen one isolated from vibration.

microstrip · Jun 27, 2017

morricab said:
Are you sure about that? I know they are sensitive to temperature, thus we see temp controlled crystal clocks in places even outside audio. I have never seen one isolated from vibration.

It is an well known effect - see http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?22904-New-Playback-Designs-Dream-Series-DAC-and-Digital-Transport&p=446240&viewfull=1#post446240.

There are tens of publications on this subject - it is an important area in space technology.

Mike Lavigne · Jun 27, 2017

microstrip said:
It is an well known effect - see http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?22904-New-Playback-Designs-Dream-Series-DAC-and-Digital-Transport&p=446240&viewfull=1#post446240.

There are tens of publications on this subject - it is an important area in space technology.

every dac I've ever placed on the Herzan (Playback Designs, Trinity, Formula, MSB Select II) has benefited and not just a little.

and from the Taiko Audio 'active' platform research, the SGM server had a larger delta from the 'active' platform than the dac....which surprised them since the case and footers of the SGM are particularly solid and had been engineered to minimize resonance and sound great. their perspective is that it's the clocks where the most significant benefit is realized....and the SGM has a formidable clock.

Audiocrack · Jun 27, 2017

Mike Lavigne said:
every dac I've ever placed on the Herzan (Playback Designs, Trinity, Formula, MSB Select II) has benefited and not just a little.

and from the Taiko Audio 'active' platform research, the SGM server had a larger delta from the 'active' platform than the dac....which surprised them since the case and footers of the SGM are particularly solid and had been engineered to minimize resonance and sound great. their perspective is that it's the clocks where the most significant benefit is realized....and the SGM has a formidable clock.

I am not surprised. When I bought my first (active) Halcyonics/Accurion device many years ago - the Micro 40 - I choose deliberately my Zanden cd-transport as the unit to be placed on top of it. The differences for the better were not subtle at all.

spiritofmusic · Jun 28, 2017

My second (and last, for the time being) passive Stacore has arrived, and my cdp is going on it to trial
Active Kuraka already shown to be highly beneficial, but I have higher hopes for the Stacore based on the experience of it bearing the Kuraka under my transformer

morricab · Jun 28, 2017

microstrip said:
It is an well known effect - see http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?22904-New-Playback-Designs-Dream-Series-DAC-and-Digital-Transport&p=446240&viewfull=1#post446240.

There are tens of publications on this subject - it is an important area in space technology.

I see nothing in these links about vibration...temperature for sure and it is well known for quartz oscillators that temp impacts the performance. Are you talking about the MEMS? To my thinking this is likely an inferior way to keep time.

microstrip · Jun 28, 2017

morricab said:
I see nothing in these links about vibration...temperature for sure and it is well known for quartz oscillators that temp impacts the performance. Are you talking about the MEMS? To my thinking this is likely an inferior way to keep time.

The picture shown in the link just shows the typical effect of vibration in quartz TXCO's. The purpose of quartz oscillators in digital audio is not keeping time - accuracy is not critical but precision is the keyword.

Just google "quartz oscillator" "vibration induced" - you will find tens of papers on the subject.

A add a few lines from a recent Texas Instruments report (2017)

"When designing a clock oscillator into a system, the impact of vibration is often overlooked. However, as
demonstrated above, oscillators with similar specifications can exhibit vastly different behaviors when
subject to vibration or shock, possibly resulting in the addition of tens of picoseconds of jitter and violation
of design requirements."

Search

Search

A $42,000 transport.

microstrip

VIP/Donor

awsmone

Well-Known Member

awsmone

Well-Known Member

awsmone

Well-Known Member

beaur

Fleetwood Sound

beaur

Fleetwood Sound

asiufy

Industry Expert/VIP Donor

gian60

Well-Known Member

morricab

Well-Known Member

microstrip

VIP/Donor

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member

Audiocrack

Well-Known Member

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member

morricab

Well-Known Member

microstrip

VIP/Donor

Attachments

Similar threads

Members online