Thunderbolt HDD

[cyclocross12]

Recently switched from FW800 to a Thunderbolt drive (my dac is usb connected) - big improvement. Has anyone found these same?

[flatmap]

Recently switched from FW800 to a Thunderbolt drive (my dac is usb connected) - big improvement. Has anyone found these same?

 

Hi Cyclocross12, welcome to Computer Audiophile.

 

I've yet to switch to Thuderbolt... but very interested to hear what the nature of improvement is. For example, is it the kind of thing where you're hearing less noise on the quiet bits?

[cyclocross12]

Thanks for the welcome flatmap;

 

Yes, I do get the sense of less noise during quiet passages. The background also seems blacker too.

[DigiPete]

My whole setup is based on thunderbolt:

 

 

Promise Pegasus R6 6TB <-- Thunderbolt ---> | Belkin |

Weiss AFI-1 DDC <------- Firewire -----------> | Express | <-- Thunderbolt --> MacBook Pro

4TB Seagate Backup HD <------ USB3 ------> | Dock |

 

 

I hear no difference whether I play from internal SSD or HD or external USB3 HD or Thunderbolt drive.

 

 

The AFI-1 in turn is commuted by 3 AES3 to digital input monitors.

No analogue connections to pick up noise anywhere.

 

 

And welcome to Computer Audiophile, Cyclocross12.

[flatmap]

Cyclocross12, not sure I'll have anything to offer, but noise can enter the picture through various means. For example, I once had unaccountable noise in a sensitive preamp -- only to learn (after weeks) that the shield on one of the input cables was bad.

 

Can you say more about your setup? Were both of the drives powered through their respective bus? And did you happen to change anything else?

[cyclocross12]

I hear ya DigiPete thanks for sharing!

 

I tried the Belkin Express Dock in my system. Short version of the story is I returned it. With it in the chain, the sound quality in my system went away, no matter how or what I connected. It is just like you say everything sound the same and, in my case - bad.

[DigiPete]

I hear ya DigiPete thanks for sharing!

 

I tried the Belkin Express Dock in my system. Short version of the story is I returned it. With it in the chain, the sound quality in my system went away, no matter how or what I connected. It is just like you say everything sound the same and, in my case - bad.

 

 

Sorry, but that is the opposite of my experiences.

I get the same fantastic sound no matter how I connect things in my system.

 

The advantage of thunderbolt is that music loads into memory super fast through thunderbolt.

My large iTunes library is thunderbolt fast.

 

It may be due to the Weiss AFI-1.

[cyclocross12]

The firewire HDD was the Oyen Digital mini pro. The Thunderbolt drive was from Buffalo. Both were bus powered. Nothing else was changed.

[flatmap]

The firewire HDD was the Oyen Digital mini pro. The Thunderbolt drive was from Buffalo. Both were bus powered. Nothing else was changed.

Well really I'm clueless, but I'll note that each product has (obviously) different interface circuitry and may have different controllers. So perhaps one generated more EMI / RFI noise than the other. Are the DAC and HDD fairly close to one another? A long shot: perhaps the first HDD pulled more current, generated more heat, and more often activates the fans in your computer?

 

Grasping at straws....

[VCoak]

I am switching to mac mini headless and was looking to do either DAS (Thunderbolt) or NAS. Do you find one is better for sound quality? My mini will be for audio only. I am looking at the Drobo 5D.

 

Thanks guys

 

Mark

[flatmap]

I am switching to mac mini headless and was looking to do either DAS (Thunderbolt) or NAS. Do you find one is better for sound quality? My mini will be for audio only. I am looking at the Drobo 5D.

 

I don't know the answer, really. Perhaps you've already read this discussion: here. This does point out a potential issue with fan noise... but of course with NAS you can keep these in a different room.

[VCoak]

I do like the idea of the NAS in another room and I can easily add the NAS. A simple system that does not need much attention would be great.

 

I just installed the 16gigs or ram into the mini. So I am closer to switching out my old pc for the mini.

 

The fan noise could be cumbersome especially when listening to classical.