CEC TL0-X vs Berkeley Alpha USB

[amir57bs]

CEC is the best 16/44 transport in the world. no other transport even over 50k$ dcs/esoteric could be close to it.

i tested macbook/berkeley alpha vs cec.

 

cec had better microdynamics in all frequency , it sounded fuller like LP , cec TL0-x was absolute in one word.

berkeley was good maybe even better than many high price transports but it was not fuller than CEC.

 

i send an email to Michael Ritter to ask him about that. it seems CEC use a very good powersupply.

 

i tested many usb cables like curious, some reclockers like regen , some battery to power up usb and ...

I put over 1000 hours effort on my setup but it seems computer audio could not outperform CEC transport. very bad news to me :-((((

 

 

 

Macbook Pro mid 2014 Retina 13″ (USB output on right side of Macbook), 8Gig RAM, Core i5 + External HDD for music files (Thunderbolt port)

MAC OS X Mavericks + CAD optimization Script + iTunes EQ off

Roon Labs Player Software (true Bit-Perfect mode with exclusive access) + AIFF File Format

Purist Audio Anniversary USB Cable 1.0m

Berkeley Alpha USB (Special Thanks to Mr.Gordon Rankin for Streamlength asynchronous code) + Purist Aquila AC Cable 1.5m

Purist Audio Neptune 75 ohm coax BNC Digital Cable 1.5m

 

i used sudo renice command to increase coreaudiod priority.

[Norton]

Deleted.

[amir57bs]

Interesting but confusing, this reads as if you are comparing a transport with a DAC. Presuming it's a transport and not a player, what DAC are you using with the CEC?

 

my Berkeley is not DAC , it is usb to spdif converter.

 

i use AMR DP-777 DAC

[semente]

my Berkeley is not DAC , it is usb to spdif converter.

 

i use AMR DP-777 DAC

What's your next step?

 

I presume you'll try other USB-SPDIF converters, what are the contenders?

 

Can you upgrade the PSU of your Berkeley?

 

Are you feeding the AMR with 16/44.1 or upsampling in the Mac?

This is the first thing I'd try.

 

R

[4est]

CEC is the best 16/44 transport in the world. no other transport even over 50k$ dcs/esoteric could be close to it.

i tested macbook/berkeley alpha vs cec.

 

cec had better microdynamics in all frequency , it sounded fuller like LP , cec TL0-x was absolute in one word.

berkeley was good maybe even better than many high price transports but it was not fuller than CEC.

 

i send an email to Michael Ritter to ask him about that. it seems CEC use a very good powersupply.

 

i tested many usb cables like curious, some reclockers like regen , some battery to power up usb and ...

I put over 1000 hours effort on my setup but it seems computer audio could not outperform CEC transport. very bad news to me :-((((

 

 

 

Macbook Pro mid 2014 Retina 13″ (USB output on right side of Macbook), 8Gig RAM, Core i5 + External HDD for music files (Thunderbolt port)

MAC OS X Mavericks + CAD optimization Script + iTunes EQ off

Roon Labs Player Software (true Bit-Perfect mode with exclusive access) + AIFF File Format

Purist Audio Anniversary USB Cable 1.0m

Berkeley Alpha USB (Special Thanks to Mr.Gordon Rankin for Streamlength asynchronous code) + Purist Aquila AC Cable 1.5m

Purist Audio Neptune 75 ohm coax BNC Digital Cable 1.5m

 

i used sudo renice command to increase coreaudiod priority.

 

I am not sure what the problem is, and why it would be bad news to have something that good already. Your US$18,000 transport exceeds what you have been capable of getting via computer. Is that a big surprise? People will give you all sorts of advice on why and how this cannot or should not be, but nobody really knows and they tend to pull out their favorite fix or ire. From my perspective I would be grateful that I had such a nice transport. If I were looking to surpass that CEC, I'd expect to pay dearly for a packaged solution, or be prepare to really work hard at it and still pay nearly as dearly. What you got with that CEC is something that people have really worked over. In contrast, you are attempting to assemble this yourself, and I sort of get that you are not a computer genius or you would not be asking us.

 

My suggestion would be to contact Sound Galleries about their SGM if you are willing to spend. To me, it represents the present pinnacle of computer audio in my path.

[amir57bs]

What's your next step?

 

I presume you'll try other USB-SPDIF converters, what are the contenders?

 

Can you upgrade the PSU of your Berkeley?

 

Are you feeding the AMR with 16/44.1 or upsampling in the Mac?

This is the first thing I'd try.

 

R

 

i think no other usb to spdif converter is better than berkeley alpha usb.

no PSU upgrade is possible .

i just feed 14/44.1 bit perfect I no analog no digital filter. i use bit perfect setting. i do not use upsampling in any way.

[miguelito]

I am a bit lost. You are comparing the CEC transport vs the Berkeley USB/SPDIF bridge playing to what DAC? And what player on your macbook? You mentioned iTunes and Roon.

 

Computer audio is not the same as disc playing. It's farther apart than vinyl and CD. You can stream, you can play higher resolution than 16/44 or SACD, you can upsample... Many sources and many alternatives.

 

if you limit yourself to 16/44 media, then frankly I am not suprised you find something that sounds better in your system than the computer solutions you've tried. And that's great. I have an EmmLabs XDS1v2 and CD/SACD playback is great, I would not say any less great than computer based.

 

But then I'm addicted to Tidal. And a bunch of other high res formats. And above all Roon and it's database.

[amir57bs]

I am not sure what the problem is, and why it would be bad news to have something that good already. Your US$18,000 transport exceeds what you have been capable of getting via computer. Is that a big surprise? People will give you all sorts of advice on why and how this cannot or should not be, but nobody really knows and they tend to pull out their favorite fix or ire. From my perspective I would be grateful that I had such a nice transport. If I were looking to surpass that CEC, I'd expect to pay dearly for a packaged solution, or be prepare to really work hard at it and still pay nearly as dearly. What you got with that CEC is something that people have really worked over. In contrast, you are attempting to assemble this yourself, and I sort of get that you are not a computer genius or you would not be asking us.

 

My suggestion would be to contact Sound Galleries about their SGM if you are willing to spend. To me, it represents the present pinnacle of computer audio in my path.

 

 

SGM 2015 – Sound Galleries

[amir57bs]

i do not believe them.

i think i should find the key. the key is not shopping a music server.

no other transport could exceed CEC and i think no music server could outperform CEC.

before next step i should find the key .

[cmarin]

i think no other usb to spdif converter is better than berkeley alpha usb.

no PSU upgrade is possible .

i just feed 14/44.1 bit perfect I no analog no digital filter. i use bit perfect setting. i do not use upsampling in any way.

 

I have had the Alpha USB converter in my system for several years. I've used it in a number of progressively tricked-out and improved CAPS systems.

 

What I can tell about my personal experience over the last few years experimenting with transports in a fairly resolving system boils down to this:

 

First, this should be fairly obvious from the number of articles on CA that involve this topic, but there are a number of ways (both software and hardware including power supplies, cables, power cords etc.) that you can realize significant improvements in performance over a macbook as a transport.

 

Second, there's no question that the Alpha USB converter is very good. But my current and best configuration involves an SGM2015 server (concur wholeheartedly with 4est about his assessment of the SGM) with the newly released Playback Designs USB-XIII converter.

 

Of course YMMV. And it doesn't mean that the CEC transport won't best the SGM/PD USB-XIII in your system and your sonic preferences, but it would be a fairer comparison.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[amir57bs]

I am a bit lost. You are comparing the CEC transport vs the Berkeley USB/SPDIF bridge playing to what DAC? And what player on your macbook? You mentioned iTunes and Roon.

Computer audio is not the same as disc playing. It's farther apart than vinyl and CD. You can stream, you can play higher resolution than 16/44 or SACD, you can upsample... Many sources and many alternatives.

if you limit yourself to 16/44 media, then frankly I am not suprised you find something that sounds better in your system than the computer solutions you've tried. And that's great. I have an EmmLabs XDS1v2 and CD/SACD playback is great, I would not say any less great than computer based.

But then I'm addicted to Tidal. And a bunch of other high res formats. And above all Roon and it's database.

 

AMR DAC DP-777

i use roon labs, it is better than ammara/audirvana/itunes. i do not use itunes. i just turn off EQ in itunes.

i think there is a way to beat disk players by true music server

[miguelito]

AMR DAC DP-777

i use roon labs, it is better than ammara/audirvana/itunes. i do not use itunes. i just turn off EQ in itunes.

i think there is a way to beat disk players by true music server

A turnkey music server can sound great I'm sure. But I am tied to Roon, so anything that does not integrate it is a no go for me. Additionally I like HQPlayer upsampling.

 

 

I have tried many solutions and so far my conclusion is that the best is a computer separate from a renderer. I am using now a microRendu and it's the best I have heard so far. There are many other options, especially if you don't care for HQPlayer upsampling.

[amir57bs]

A turnkey music server can sound great I'm sure. But I am tied to Roon, so anything that does not integrate it is a no go for me. Additionally I like HQPlayer upsampling.

 

 

I have tried many solutions and so far my conclusion is that the best is a computer separate from a renderer. I am using now a microRendu and it's the best I have heard so far. There are many other options, especially if you don't care for HQPlayer upsampling.

you are not right. noise is no object. computer audio kill micro dynamics

[ecwl]

I second Miguelito. If OP already uses Roon, microRendu and the LPS-1 power supply feeding the Berkeley USB is probably the way to go. As others have said, OP is doing the wrong comparison. CEC vs Berkeley USB is incorrect. OP is listening to CEC vs Berkeley USB+MacBook Pro. The minimal comparison standard should be CEC vs Berkeley USB+microRendu+LPS1. But if OP still prefers CEC in that comparison, then go with CEC for CDs.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[amir57bs]

I second Miguelito. If OP already uses Roon, microRendu and the LPS-1 power supply feeding the Berkeley USB is probably the way to go. As others have said, OP is doing the wrong comparison. CEC vs Berkeley USB is incorrect. OP is listening to CEC vs Berkeley USB+MacBook Pro. The minimal comparison standard should be CEC vs Berkeley USB+microRendu+LPS1. But if OP still prefers CEC in that comparison, then go with CEC for CDs.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

 

 

i used iusb and regen uptone. bad result

i am sure microRendu will kill dynamics

[ecwl]

i used iusb and regen uptone. bad result

i am sure microRendu will kill dynamics

 

MicroRendu is not a USB filter. MicroRendu is a music renderer. So your laptop will go somewhere else in your home running Roon. MicroRendu will replace your laptop, plugging into an Ethernet connection and your laptop can choose what music will play from Roon and make sure MicroRendu received the music stream and the MicroRendu will play the music.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[semente]

i think no other usb to spdif converter is better than berkeley alpha usb.

no PSU upgrade is possible .

i just feed 14/44.1 bit perfect I no analog no digital filter. i use bit perfect setting. i do not use upsampling in any way.

Why don't you upsample?

16/44.1 should be filtered.

[miguelito]

you are not right. noise is no object. computer audio kill micro dynamics

Nonesense as a blanket statement. Maybe what you've tried so far does.

[Jud]

Good luck in your search for "the key."

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[miguelito]

I second Miguelito. If OP already uses Roon, microRendu and the LPS-1 power supply feeding the Berkeley USB is probably the way to go. As others have said, OP is doing the wrong comparison. CEC vs Berkeley USB is incorrect. OP is listening to CEC vs Berkeley USB+MacBook Pro. The minimal comparison standard should be CEC vs Berkeley USB+microRendu+LPS1. But if OP still prefers CEC in that comparison, then go with CEC for CDs.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

OP's DAC supports USB input. Suggest trying microRendu with whatever computer config is desired (running Roon). HQPlayer upsampling is even better, but simple Roon to microRendu is the first thing to try. This is the best I have heard in my system (details in my signature are up to date).

[Solstice380]

you are not right. noise is no object. computer audio kill micro dynamics

 

Electrical noise in the system and other issues with computers (OS operations, power supplies, etc.) can kill microdynamics, and these have to be addressed with computer audio.

[4est]

you are not right. noise is no object. computer audio kill micro dynamics

 

Maybe I was mistaken, and your first two posts in this thread were not questions, but statements? Some people are offering you pertinent suggestions, and you are discounting them outright. Can I also assume that I was mistaken, and you do in fact, have a lot of experience in computer audio?

[miguelito]

SGM 2015 – Sound Galleries

This is a Windows 10 based server running Roon and HQPlayer. Fully tricked out, massive physically, with fanless cooling. It is a gorgeous piece.

 

I auditioned one in my system, Edward was very kind to bring one over during a trip to NY. It sounded fantastic.

 

However, I would deem the sound of the microRendu as good, IN MY SYSTEM. This is hard to say precisely as we didn't switch back and forth. I will say it sounded better than my mini connected directly to my DAC.

 

One more comment: the CEC might sound great in your system and to your liking. Every component has a sound of it's own, all of them getting closer together as you increase the component quality. Best transport in the world? Hard to say.

[miguelito]

To this day I am not aware of a true turnkey solution for Roon+HQPlayer as a source. In all likelyhood this is not yet possible as there are a bunch of little tweaks and such required to get Roon+HQPlayer setup and working.

 

 

if you forego HQPlayer upsampling, then I would argue such a solution is very close to existing although it is not quite turnkey yet I don't think.

 

 

The closest I am aware of for someone who truly wants no mess no fuzz is probably the SGM server, as their team will remote in to help you. I don't know how seemless this experience is but at least you don't have to futz around yourself.

[miguelito]

One additional comment on the separation of computer and renderer...

 

 

The reason it makes so much sense to me is that computer processing keeps improving and it is hard and complex to keep updating your software and hardware if at the same time you have to bend over backwards to keep things electrically clean, etc.

 

 

So for example having a renderer connected over the network to a shit ugly noisy computer with a cuda GPU upsampling to DSD6568576576 in a closet away from your system makes incredible sense to me.