Regen?

[DEANO2]

Another is does the DAC have a power supply or is it USB powered from your computer ?

[DEANO2]

I'll take a closer look. There is thread in the General forum's area about power supplies. You could look that up. But man that is heavy reading. If the DAC is USB powered you might get away with a USB power signal seperater. Google AQVOX , to get what I mean. It is a linear power supply for USB powered DAC's but they are English and might only have 240/230 volts. But it will give you the idea of what to look for.

[Jamesroy]

Mac Book Pro has 3 pronged. What is a power Board?

[DEANO2]

I like the trip lite idea. Just one more question after moving I found one power point where the earth had very little contact, one strand out of 15. Ironically that was where my computer and DAC was plugged into. I used to be a risk assessor so I used my polarity, earth checker. I'm sure you could try and borrow one but they cost about $20 bucks. Are you sure the power point is wired okay ?..

 

Sent from my SM-T113 using Tapatalk

[Jamesroy]

I don't understand any of what you wrote?

[4est]

I am not sure why everyone is talking about power supplies and computer drives. If I understand the issue, when you turn the volume past a certain point it sounds distorted. Is that correct? If so, how loud is the music, and describe the sound of the distortion please. If this is not the issue, could you clearly state what the issue is, not what you think might be the cause.

I don't understand any of what you wrote?

[Jamesroy]

OK before when I had a usb 3 external HD connected I couldn't go past 75% on the DAC without getting very harsh highest. After I switched to a usb 2 HD it got better, then I bought a firewire to thunderbolt adapter and the problem sorta came back, (no imaging in center just harsh highs. I took out the adapter and hooked the HD back the way it was,external HD into a Kanex usb to thunderbolt and sound good. I put the DAC volume at close to 90% and my B&K pre amp around -24dB. All my components are within 3ft of my power amp and pre amp because of the short rca's. The power on/off surge protector (or whatever you want to call it) it has a power cable about 2 feet. My preamp Mac and external HD is plugged into it. Into the wall out let is my power amp and the surge protector.

[Jud]

OK before when I had a usb 3 external HD connected I couldn't go past 75% on the DAC without getting very harsh highest. After I switched to a usb 2 HD it got better, then I bought a firewire to thunderbolt adapter and the problem sorta came back, (no imaging in center just harsh highs. I took out the adapter and hooked the HD back the way it was,external HD into a Kanex usb to thunderbolt and sound good. I put the DAC volume at close to 90% and my B&K pre amp around -24dB. All my components are within 3ft of my power amp and pre amp because of the short rca's. The power on/off surge protector (or whatever you want to call it) it has a power cable about 2 feet. My preamp Mac and external HD is plugged into it. Into the wall out let is my power amp and the surge protector.

 

Agree with 4est that you don't want to go spending money without being more sure that it will actually improve things.

 

It would help me personally in replying if I knew what speakers you have (apologies if you've already mentioned them) and what sort of budget range you're thinking of.

 

Meanwhile, the one other thing you can try for free when you have the time to spare is running the DAC direct to the amp. It may help, it may not, but it won't cost money.

[Jamesroy]

My speakers are Paradigm 100's they are discontinued but look like the Monitor 11 V7. My budget is tight. The last thing that was mentioned for me to get was the Tripp Lite IS250 112.00 on amazon. I would agree on this since what I've been using is extremely cheap like this on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-6-Outlet-Surge-Protector-2-Pack/dp/B0031RFVJ4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1440604787&sr=1-2&keywords=surge+protector

[Jud]

My strong guess is that a Regen would do more for the sound than changing surge protectors. But again, first thing I'd do is the free stuff.

[4est]

Is it loud when it is harsh? Describe harsh if you can, just try... bleached grey/white, tzzzy, shouty and on. In your early posts, my first thought was an analog in<>output issue. This may be a simple grounding problem as well. Computers are susceptible to loops with so many connections.

OK before when I had a usb 3 external HD connected I couldn't go past 75% on the DAC without getting very harsh highest. After I switched to a usb 2 HD it got better, then I bought a firewire to thunderbolt adapter and the problem sorta came back, (no imaging in center just harsh highs. I took out the adapter and hooked the HD back the way it was,external HD into a Kanex usb to thunderbolt and sound good. I put the DAC volume at close to 90% and my B&K pre amp around -24dB. All my components are within 3ft of my power amp and pre amp because of the short rca's. The power on/off surge protector (or whatever you want to call it) it has a power cable about 2 feet. My preamp Mac and external HD is plugged into it. Into the wall out let is my power amp and the surge protector.

[Jamesroy]

Harsh when it's loud. In between speakers no imaging just mixed together but when it sounds good I can pick out instruments and voices across the entire area of left spkr to middle and to right spkr. How can I solve the grounding problem if there is one. Also when I connected the firewire to thunderbolt connection from external HD to MBP right away in 10 seconds I could hear the mess. I have good ears just not technical savy like you guys.

bleached grey shouty

[4est]

What input on the pre amp, and could your be doing any digital signal processing?

Harsh when it's loud. In between speakers no imaging just mixed together but when it sounds good I can pick out instruments and voices across the entire area of left spkr to middle and to right spkr. How can I solve the grounding problem if there is one. Also when I connected the firewire to thunderbolt connection from external HD to MBP right away in 10 seconds I could hear the mess. I have good ears just not technical savy like you guys.

bleached grey shouty

[Jamesroy]

I don't know what digital signal processing is so I must not be doing it. I'm going into the CD inputs on preamp

[Jud]

What input on the pre amp, and could your be doing any digital signal processing?

 

He may be using A+ as he's asked about it on the forums, but I'd assume it's on default settings so no sample rate conversion.

[Jamesroy]

well i have this set up like this screen capture,

[YashN]

Any way the change to usb 2 was interesting because everything left the same DAC at 75% and pre amp at around -22dB was harsh but when I turned up the DAC and backed of a bit on the pre amp it was best so far. I know your not the boss of what I do but you guys have much more experience and thats why most of us come to you with many questions.

 

Everything you're trying right now is a waste: it would be much better if you stopped and read what people have been telling you with regards to using two pre-amps.

 

Have you seen any audiophile with Pre-amp -> Pre-amp -> Amp?

 

Get your gain-staging right and then you can add more stuff if you fancy.

 

No gadget you can buy will fix your system-connection mistake.

[Jamesroy]

Ok ok Some of the posts I read if not most of them are way over my head, I don't believe that should stop me from testing and educating myself. But one important post I posted naming all my system stuff and asking if it's too elementary for me to hear diferences I never got a concise answer but the answers I received show a list of equipment I could never afford. In any case I will try and not blow out my window and speakers and go with no pre amp. It's just that after looking and reading it appears I have the bottom of the line DAC.

[Jud]

Ok ok Some of the posts I read if not most of them are way over my head, I don't believe that should stop me from testing and educating myself. But one important post I posted naming all my system stuff and asking if it's too elementary for me to hear diferences I never got a concise answer but the answers I received show a list of equipment I could never afford. In any case I will try and not blow out my window and speakers and go with no pre amp. It's just that after looking and reading it appears I have the bottom of the line DAC.

 

What DAC are you using again? And is A+ showing the screen you gave a picture of for that DAC? Also, would you show the A+ "Filters" screen, please?

[Jamesroy]

ifi nano DAC yes using A+ with no filters selected. Yes the pic I sent was A+

hows this

[Jud]

I'm a little surprised you're getting sound at all. Click the drop-down list for preferred DAC and see if the Nano is listed. If it is, select it. See whether that changes anything.

[YashN]

I'm a little surprised you're getting sound at all. Click the drop-down list for preferred DAC and see if the Nano is listed. If it is, select it. See whether that changes anything.

 

Something similar happens to my setup too, whereby in this A+ screen, another output is shown, but on playback, A+ will still play the Nano.

 

Of course, anything in that screen or any other, nor any pic will fix the issue with gain-stage here.

[Jamesroy]

It is selected in Apples Utility pref's in Audio Midi set up.

For the drop down in sample rate conversion Converter all I get Apple core audio as another choice.

[Jud]

Something similar happens to my setup too, whereby in this A+ screen, another output is shown, but on playback, A+ will still play the Nano.

 

Of course, anything in that screen or any other, not any pic will fix the issue with gain-stage here.

 

Do you mean the DAC shown as active is different than the preferred, or both active and preferred are different than the DAC that is actually playing?

[YashN]

Ok ok Some of the posts I read if not most of them are way over my head, I don't believe that should stop me from testing and educating myself. But one important post I posted naming all my system stuff and asking if it's too elementary for me to hear diferences I never got a concise answer but the answers I received show a list of equipment I could never afford. In any case I will try and not blow out my window and speakers and go with no pre amp. It's just that after looking and reading it appears I have the bottom of the line DAC.

 

The trouble with trying to educate yourself is that for this to be effective, you need to listen and learn, which you aren't doing at all.

 

Case in point:

it appears I have the bottom of the line DAC.