THE SOUND WHICH IS AFTER ALL THE MOST IMPORTANT

[Olive Empithrie]

You've confirmed your settings are ok but will suggest anyway just in case:

1. Check sample rate in audio midi settings matches your source material.

2. Turn off all EQ and sound enhancements etc. in iTunes (assuming you're using iTunes).

3. Try comparing all USB ports, you might they sound different from each other.

 

Olive

 

[rockerz]

Mark

 

I must say that I have some empathy for your situation. You said you were looking for experienced advice, so, briefly, I began selling audio in 1969. Over the last 40 years, I have sold audio in major cities across the US as well as owning my own retail store for 9 years.Additionally, I have worked in production for conrad-johnson and M&K. I certainly can't begin to say I've seen/heard it all, but I have seen/heard my fair share. In spite of achieving old fart status, I remain an active and curious audiophile. My current system, while not state of the art, is quite musical and has been very satisfying. My digital front end was a Naim CD-5/Flatcap. Always looking for something better, I ventured into computer audio about six months ago. There are many aspects of it which I love. I have had one ongoing problem with the sound regardless of the DAC I have tried. I listen primarily to vocal music and I find that whatever level of sibilants and edge the recording possesses are exaggerated when listening through the computer/DAC front end. Instrumental music, imaging have been wonderful. Detail and dynamics - great! I have tried changing interconnects, speaker cable, power cables, etc and, while the sound changes, often for the better, the essential problem persists.Ultimately, it makes listening very fatiguing. I remain undaunted in my quest to solve this problem. So, after all of that, here is my advice. I have long been a member of the congregation that says if it ain't right on the front end, regardless of what follows, you're never going to get it right. I have been focusing on the DAC and have gone through trying some pretty good products without success. I am going to concentrate much more on the computer itself. I have noticed an improvement with Pure Vinyl running iTunes and will continue to see what changes I can make in the performance of the Mac. Like yourself, I am interested in hearing any suggestions that might help( no, I'm not ready for a hearing aid). Good luck and have fun!

 

[barrows]

Welcome to Computer Audiophile. I would love to offer my help, but without all the details of your system it would be impossible to know where to start. I have heard the Ayre QB-9 in a few different systems, and I would not describe it as "digital" sounding (at least not in a bad way), so I suspect the problem is related to system set up in one way or another. If you provide full details of your system, I would be happy to give you my suggestions.

 

 

[PeterSt]

Hi rockerz,

 

Well, at least that is a story which sounds normal to me (and what I implied per my first post in this thread). I would even say : anybody encountering differently doesn't demand much. And let's remember, nobody will "understand" what you mean by sibilant etc., because it is subjective as hell, which starts with the remainder of the equipment (sibilant itself is not of course, but which doesn't imply that everybody would recognize what you mean in this case, because many forms of it exist).

 

It may be good if people knew my own experience on this one, because I too looked for quite some time for solutions, and the really only solution I found, was, well, write my own player. Isn't this ridiculous ?

 

No, it is not. It denotes that it might be true that most of it out there (and I am talking software only), just *does* sound sibilant, and tinny for a first property. Believe me, I have been there (and still am).

 

This may mean two things :

Either I am lying and I hear things which are not there

or

far most of you don't hear them. And hey, lucky you !

 

Of course I must say I am talking Windows only, because my experience just doesn't reach further. But I won't believe that e.g. Mac/Amarra will be so much better than random Windows, or otherwise I would have heard it from someone. But *if* that is so, well, get Amarra, and forget about iTunes TO START WITH.

Amarra is just an example of course.

 

Anyway, if I run into someone who has complaints like this (but after maybe a year of trying) there is no way I will not believe that, and there is also no way I would advise to change DACs or anything. Change software !!

 

Just 2c

Peter

 

[marcober]

Keith:

How do you know I didn't listen to the equipment before I purchased it?

Also, if I were your child I probably would have run away from home and joined the circus by now.

Love and say hi to mum

Mark

 

[marcober]

Thanks for your help and more likely you are correct in your analysis. The problem is that I am using a MAC (sorry for the caps) and downloading in AIFF (sorry again for the caps). I cannot find much older jazz, blues etc. available in high resolution AIFF downloads at 96 or higher. If I wait for my tastes in music to be available in high resolution downloads or data discs, then my equipment will likely be obsolete by that time. Or am I missing something (which is the real reason I came out of the woodwork and sought help here.)

It seems that very hi-res downloads are primarily available in classical symphony orchestral type.

I like Albert Collins and other music of that ilk, I just want the sound to compare to vinyl. Is that too much to ask?

Mark

 

 

[kana813]

24/96 jazz and blues DADs and DVD-As from companies like Classic & Chesky Records can be ripped to your HD and enjoyed on your new USB DAC.

 

 

 

 

 

[bottlerocket]

What Kana said. Try Chesky Muddy Waters 'Folk Songs' HDAD for hi-res files you can copy to your HD. Or David Johansen 24/96 from HDTracks. They both sound warm and open. Based on your mention of Albert Collins.