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A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming


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Most important: please realize this thread is about bleeding edge experimentation and discovery. No one has The Answer™. If you are not into tweaking, just know that you can have a musically satisfying system without doing any of the nutty things we do here.

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3 hours ago, ElviaCaprice said:

will be replaced with a Paul Hynes SR7 once received

I'm trying to decide if i should order from Paul but heard the delivery time unbelievable. How long have you been waiting for?

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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  • 2 weeks later...

This is my current mini setup. And you can look into adding the audiograde router for even greater improvements.

E3988D6B-71FB-4BF2-8E88-1B4A70284009.jpeg

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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57 minutes ago, Johnseye said:

So, with an IR in the chain is the tx-USBultra necessary?

Yes, the tx-usbultra is a step up compare to IR.

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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6 hours ago, lmitche said:

My problem with the DC input boards is that you lose control over the quality of the DC to DC power supply as it's embedded in the board. If you use standard ATX boards there are a wide range of choices that are eliminated here.

That is correct, and that doesn’t matter how good your 12 or 19v LPS are, you still limited and filter by the mobo dc section.

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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4 minutes ago, Johnseye said:

Well, it actually does matter how good your LPSU is.  The power you feed that DC input of the board will definitely impact the sound quality. 

Yes, of course good quality on LPS is always matter. What I mean are the improvements is limited by the mobo dc section. 

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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4 minutes ago, afrancois said:

For me theoretically, PCM and DSD should sound the same. It all comes down to implementation. Actually, there's no battle between formats, be it PCM or DSD. Perhaps PCM is harder to implement than DSD, but when it's done right it should sound the same as DSD. And visa versa.

Interesting,  i like it to be the same. but i hasn't heard of a DAC that perform both PCM and DSD with the same sounding. It either better on DSD than poor on PCM or visa versa.

 

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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19 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

Funny - I recently met several folks ("blokes") from this thread at a "pub" at RMAF. Can't say we agreed about much of anything, least of all what to drink! :D

 

But in all seriousness, I am going to invoke my OP privileges here: we are NOT going down this rathole. If we do, I will be getting Chris's help to delete posts as needed.

 

Why don't I just stipulate up front that this thread is intended for people who trust their ears, and are willing to share their listening impressions. Audio science and measurement skeptics are welcome to start another thread.

+1 

i second to that.

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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  • 4 weeks later...
12 hours ago, austinpop said:

Preliminary Review of Paul Hynes SR-4

 

I received the SR-4, along with the silver DC3FSXLR with 2. 1mm Switchcraft cable the day I was leaving for a week long vacation. As a result, @limniscate got to spend some quality time with it, and put in some hours of burn in! Since then, it has received another 150 hours of burn in chez moi, along with all the other new gear in my system.

 

I had a chance to do some comparisons of the SR-4 vs. the LPS-1, both in my system and Eric's. The reason I am calling this review preliminary is because I wanted to go deeper, and experiment with these two PSUs in different parts of my chain, but this has been interrupted due to the failure of my tX-USBultra. When I get a chance after my tX-USBultra comes back, I will update this review with new findings, if any.

 

As it stands, I looked at 2 scenarios:

  1. Powering the tX-USBultra in my trifecta: modded switch > modded sMS-200 > ISO-R > tX-USBultra > Codex > Cavalli LAu > HD800
    • I set the SR-4 to 7V, to match the LPS-1
    • I used the DC3FSXLR silver cable on the SR-4
    • I used a Ghent Canare 4S6/Oyaide cable on the LPS-1
    • The switch, sMS-200, and the ISO-R were all powered by LPS-1s - I only varied between SR-4 and LPS-1 on the tX-USBultra
       
  2. Powering the dX-USB HD Ultra in Eric's setup: Zenith SE > dX-USB HD Ultra > Yggdrasil > AR Ref 6 > Sanders Magtech > Magnepan 3.7i
    • We set the SR-4 to 12V, and compared it to 2 x LPS-1s in series (each set to 7V and 5V respectively)
    • We used the DC3FSXLR silver cable on the SR-4
    • We used a home brew Canare 4S6 serial cable on the LPS-1s
    • In this config, we used the internal music player in the SE, with music files on local SSD.

Sonic Impressions

In setup 1, I felt both PSUs performed at equivalent "quality." While the LPS-1 had just a tad more air and apparent resolution, it was also the brighter of the two. Remember - this is not a criticism. These are purely comparative remarks. Both PSUs sounded wonderful.

 

The SR-4 had its own charms. There was a calmness, a blacker background. The mids in particular had a more natural, sweeter tonality and richness that was very appealing. Consistent with the apparent brightness of the LPS-1, the SR-4 had a darker tonal palette, overall.

 

In setup 2, the differences between the two were smaller. The LPS-1 did not appear brighter at all, while still delivering just a smidge more resolution and micro-detail. The SR-4 had a tad more bass. Again, both sounded wonderful.

 

Conclusions

The SR-4 is a fantastic PSU. While I have not (yet) heard the legendary SR-7, it is clear the SR-4 is a stellar design. In comparison to the LPS-1, it has comparable performance. Arguably, in some systems it may have a sonic edge, but it would be hard to generalize that statement. While the price of the SR-4 plus cable and shipping is just north of $600, it does have the benefit of voltage settings of 5, 7, 9, and 12V, and the ability to deliver upto 3A of continuous current. 

 

In contrast, the LPS-1 continues to be a champ at its $400 price bracket. My admiration of this PSU continues unabated. If your PSU needs fit within 7V and 1.1A, you really need look no further than this beauty.

 

Win-win!

@austinpop Thanks for the quick review look forward to your more detail version of it. So LPS-1 still holding up nicely.

 

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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  • 1 month later...

@Johnseye Dave by itself can’t up sampling. Blu2 is the upsampling unit. 

DigitalDac: Chord DAVE, Amp: MC275 Mono, Preamp: FirstSound, Source: Esoteric K01X, Cable: TaraLab GME interconnect,
CASSOtM Trifecta Mod 75ohm MCI, TheLinearSolution TCXO Router

Analog: SME 20/2, SME V, Skala, Esoteric C03 Phono

 
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