Power, Network, Connection, Which one matters the most to you?

Preston8452

Member
Jan 5, 2022
12
2
5
33
Hi guys,

When it comes to sound quality, I've realized there're freaking many factors could affect it, some say the DAC is the paramount thing to be taken care of; some say the speakers are the real crucial part, given that you hear all the sounds from them, there's no certain right or wrong here I'd say, after all, " Sound Quality " is absolutely subjective...

I'd like to know which section would you invest more? cuz I read that some power cables are more expensive than speakers, I was pretty impressed by that though, I'm sure the know-how must be real high-class, or some people even rearrange the wire management in the households, or even spend tons of money on router or network switch!

For me, I might invest more on the " Power " part though, I mean, let's face it, all electronic gears require power signals, not just audio system, it's like bloodstream to them, so if the power source is stable & strong enough, I imagine that the high-end audio gears would have better performance(? that's why people use external linear power supply rather than a simple power adaptor hahaha.

Share your insights or your experiences below, I'd be grateful to learn, or telling me what you're looking for to upgrade your system is cool too.

Best,
 

joelle jonas

New Member
Feb 22, 2022
2
0
1
27
Hi guys,

When it comes to sound quality, I've realized there're freaking many factors could affect it, some say the DAC 192.168.100.1 192.168.1.1 is the paramount thing to be taken care of; some say the speakers are the real crucial part, given that you hear all the sounds from them, there's no certain right or wrong here I'd say, after all, " Sound Quality " is absolutely subjective...

I'd like to know which section would you invest more? cuz I read that some power cables are more expensive than speakers, I was pretty impressed by that though, I'm sure the know-how must be real high-class, or some people even rearrange the wire management in the households, or even spend tons of money on router or network switch!

For me, I might invest more on the " Power " part though, I mean, let's face it, all electronic gears require power signals, not just audio system, it's like bloodstream to them, so if the power source is stable & strong enough, I imagine that the high-end audio gears would have better performance(? that's why people use external linear power supply rather than a simple power adaptor hahaha.

Share your insights or your experiences below, I'd be grateful to learn, or telling me what you're looking for to upgrade your system is cool too.

Best,
power I think the rest is easy to mod and fix
 
Last edited:

Blackmorec

Well-Known Member
Feb 1, 2019
755
1,287
213
Hi guys,

When it comes to sound quality, I've realized there're freaking many factors could affect it, some say the DAC is the paramount thing to be taken care of; some say the speakers are the real crucial part, given that you hear all the sounds from them, there's no certain right or wrong here I'd say, after all, " Sound Quality " is absolutely subjective...

I'd like to know which section would you invest more? cuz I read that some power cables are more expensive than speakers, I was pretty impressed by that though, I'm sure the know-how must be real high-class, or some people even rearrange the wire management in the households, or even spend tons of money on router or network switch!

For me, I might invest more on the " Power " part though, I mean, let's face it, all electronic gears require power signals, not just audio system, it's like bloodstream to them, so if the power source is stable & strong enough, I imagine that the high-end audio gears would have better performance(? that's why people use external linear power supply rather than a simple power adaptor hahaha.

Share your insights or your experiences below, I'd be grateful to learn, or telling me what you're looking for to upgrade your system is cool too.

Best,
Hey Preston,
essentially what you are listening to in a hi-fi is a DC current, modulated by certain components according to certain standards and concepts, depending on the function of the component. But the result you hear starts life as a DC stream and that starts its life as an AC voltage and current….so any faults that find their way through to your hearing, and there are plenty, will modulate and deteriorate the sound quality in order to let you know they‘re there. What a lot of people dont realise is the level of purity, beauty and pure unfettered emotional enjoyment a REALLY well sorted hi-fi can deliver. They can make you feel as though you are at the performance venue listening to live musicians playing real instruments. They can involve the listener 100% and allow no conscious thoughts, your mind occupied 100% by the music. But you only get all that when you pay attention to the power and to the network and to vibration control and to EFI and RFI and to power supply noise and power supply impedance. Pay attention to all those things and even rather modest set ups will reward. I have network components with cables that cost 5X the component price, with power supplies at 20x the price? Why? Because the power supplies and cabling make a huge contribution to what we hear in the end. Get your power and network right and you are well on the way to a highly enjoyable system. Diddle Around at the edges and that‘s how your system will sound…..uncommitted and very ‘average hi-fi’ rather than the gorgeous music that could be available from a full effort.
 

Kingrex

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2019
2,949
2,412
350
You want good power. But that does not mean expensive cables. You want a good switch for streaming. You have to have a good speaker. And place it properly in a room. For me, the source and amp are in question over which has a bigger impact. Provided you did not wipe out with the amp speaker pairing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pokey77

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing