Gentlemen ... A somewhat technical question.

Jonathan90

New Member
Sep 20, 2010
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Toronto
What are your opinions on non defeatable tube D/AC’s that upsample 24/96 – 24/192 without the 44.1 sample option? – Some have the option to engage one of the three modes on the fly - This is proving to be not an easy endeavour since I'm come to like the HDCD playback on the old Parasound D/AC - Finding a tube D/AC that incorporates the feature is futile at this time – which beckons the question – 'With the higher sampling rates employed does the HDCD decoding become moot'? If so, any recommendations on tubed D/AC's is most appreciated.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
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Seattle, WA
If the source has > 16 bit resolution, then HDCD is moot. But if your source is the CD, then HDCD still has value.

And no, I would not get a DAC that does not have 44.1. Oversampling does not always create better fidelity and you want a switch to try it out yourself.
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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Reference Recordings 24/176 hi-rez recordings are still HDCD encoded for even higher resolution.
 

muralman1

New Member
Jul 7, 2010
479
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Sacramento Ca
Jonothan90,

I have only heard one non-oversampling DAC without tubes. The topographies of of my tubed NOS player and the other are very different as well, so I can't really say the differences I heard are based on tubes, or power supply, or DAC chip. The fact is, my tubed NOS player is far more lively sounding than the no tube DAC.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
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If you're concerned about a DAC having the highest fidelity possible, why would you want one with a tube in it?

--Ethan

Because the best way of cleaning analogue signals from digital nastiness is obliging them to jump through the vacuum! (the nasty signals are afraid of falling in the vacuum and do not jump ;) )

PS - I own an ARC CD8.
 

Ethan Winer

Banned
Jul 8, 2010
1,231
3
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75
New Milford, CT
^^^ If you can successfully define "digital nastiness" and be articulate in clearly explaining how audio "improves" after passing through a tube, I'll be glad to discuss this further. Maybe we can do an Invited Debate? But you have to be willing to define your terms very specifically.

--Ethan
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
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Portugal
^^^ If you can successfully define "digital nastiness" and be articulate in clearly explaining how audio "improves" after passing through a tube, I'll be glad to discuss this further. Maybe we can do an Invited Debate? But you have to be willing to define your terms very specifically.

--Ethan
The comment was intended to be a satire, not worth starting a long debate that will end with a reference to listening tests followed by a discussion about their validity and methods.
 

muralman1

New Member
Jul 7, 2010
479
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Sacramento Ca
I don't believe in using tubes in the service of buffering nasty OS signals. As for NOS signals, I have yet to hear a better DAC bereft of tubes. I recently passed up buying a non-tube DAC because the music lacked the vitality of my NOS tubed DAC.

I have heard the AR CD8. It is serving the music to the best of Pass gear. The sound is very nice.
 

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