The Best for the Least

[Spacehound]

15 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

That's BS.

 Numerous members have obtained markedly improved SQ using a USB Regen simply by either grounding the 0 volts of the supplied Meanwell SMPS, or better still, using a low noise Linear PSU to power the Regen.

Even better is to power the Regen using a 12V Li Ion battery with no connection to mains earth whatsoever.

Even when using an R-Core transformer in a Linear PSU to power the Regen, connecting the transformer's shield wire to Mains Earth causes a small degradation in SQ due to the increased capacitance to mains earth.

 I fitted a toggle switch to this PSU to verify these results readily, simply by connecting /disconnecting the shield to earth connection.

Now tell us how many 'numerous members' didn't find any improvement.

[Ralf11]

Beats Headphones 

[Spacehound]

On ‎03‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 3:28 AM, Sonicularity said:

A plethora of anecdotal experiences in a field rife with biases feeding off absurdity in marketing has very little value to someone looking for tangible information to support a more objective evaluation.    

All very clever looking.

 

How about we were asked.

 

So we did our best, biases an' all. Though being human beings a 'discussion' arose, as it always will when people have the same 'pet subject'.

[TubeLover]

50 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

Beats Headphones 

I'm guessing this was clearly meant to be satirical, these clearly fall into a different category, "the least for the most"!

 

JC

[Ralf11]

18 minutes ago, TubeLover said:

I'm guessing this was clearly meant to be satirical, these clearly fall into a different category, "the least for the most"!

 

JC

 

No.  They win the thread, as they were free.

[sandyk]

1 hour ago, Spacehound said:

Now tell us how many 'numerous members' didn't find any improvement.

 

 Here we go again. Yet another closed minded computer guy who believes that all that matters is that the 1s and 0s are exported in the correct sequence from the USB port or whatever !

It's a waste of time anybody discussing anything with people like yourself.

 Going by your recent posts, it appears that like another member, you have a problem with Audiophiles in general.

BYE !

[Spacehound]

1 hour ago, sandyk said:

 

 Here we go again. Yet another closed minded computer guy who believes that all that matters is that the 1s and 0s are exported in the correct sequence from the USB port or whatever !

It's a waste of time anybody discussing anything with people like yourself.

 Going by your recent posts, it appears that like another member, you have a problem with Audiophiles in general.

BYE !

If we didn't know 100%  how computers worked  including the USB port  we wouldn't be able to make them. 

 

And many here and elsewhere don't know that in the USB protocol there aren't any spaces between the bits, so there aren't any 'leading or trailing  edges'   and any one bit is not distinguishable  from the next one  by 'looking at a scope' or whatever. Or that a '0' and a '1' are electrically identical  half  the time, on average,  so you can't tell by measuring its  electrical value  whether the bit represents a one or a zero.

 

So you can't 'improve'  its leading or trailing edge as a USB bit doesn't have either.  I can't bothered to  explain the 'electrical value' part. 

 

[sandyk]

7 minutes ago, Spacehound said:

If we didn't know 100%  how computers worked  including the USB port  we wouldn't be able to make them. 

 

 What a load of arrogant codswallop !

 

 Even .wav files with identical checksums can sound a little different, and it mainly depends on the PSU areas.

This also applies to when these same files are burned in pairs to the same CD-R, despite the .md5s still being identical after being ripped to HDD/SSD again.

 As a Pom, and now retired,  you have possibly heard of E.E. and technical journalist Martin Colloms (Hi Fi Critic magazine and Forum)  ?

 Well he has confirmed via 6 positive separate  Blind sessions on different dates, with 8 repeats in each session, from .wav files with identical .md5 checksums that I provided, that the PSU area does indeed matter.

 

 Many C.A.  members are also reporting the benefits of improved power supplies too, even with internal SSDs.

 

If you want further info, use the Search facility.

[Spacehound]

1 hour ago, sandyk said:

 

 

It's  not in the least arrogant. We make them from scratch, we don't pick them off a tree and try to figure them out.

 

I've seen you mention him often before. Every chance you get. So often that I was surprised he was missing from your first post. He seems to be the captain  of your tiny 'Praetorian Guard', though probably an unknowing one.

 

And a lot of the time you tell us how useless most EE's are. But when you find a rare one that happens to agree with one of your findings   about something he becomes  a 'valued expert'.

What's "many" C. A. members? There are 100,000 plus I believe. I don't see many of them  agreeing with you.

 

Anyway, this WAV  which, incidentally, we invented,  and checksum stuff  has got zero to do with this thread.

[Spacehound]

7 minutes ago, Spacehound said:

.

Double post...

[sandyk]

8 minutes ago, Spacehound said:

And a lot of the time you tell us how useless most EE's are. But when you find a rare one that happens to agree with your findings   about something he becomes  a 'valued expert'.

 

He is a valued expert , because unlike most of you so called "experts" ,  he went to the trouble of bothering to correctly perform DBTs to prove the issue one way or another.

Most of you just rabbit on about how all that matters is the correct sequence of 1s and 0s being all that matters !

I bet that you haven't even tried a USB Regen with a decent PSU either, yet you are willing to label them as useless !

[Spacehound]

15 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

He is a valued expert , because unlike most of you so called "experts" ,  he went to the trouble of bothering to correctly perform DBTs to prove the issue one way or another.

Most of you just rabbit on about how all that matters is the correct sequence of 1s and 0s being all that matters !

I bet that you haven't even tried a USB Regen with a decent PSU either, yet you are willing to label them as useless !

Read the last line  of my earlier post again - "zero to do with this thread".

[sandyk]

8 minutes ago, Spacehound said:

Read  my last line again.

Quote

Now tell us how many 'numerous members' didn't find any improvement.

0

 

 This implies that you believe that USB Regens are a waste of time, and would never even bother to try one.

Correct ?

[firedog]

12 hours ago, GUTB said:

 

I totally agree. My next big upgrade is going to be speakers. TADs are out of my reach....MAYBE thier latest entry level standmounts...but honestly I really want the Evolution Ones. Maybe the new entry level Magicos. I was really impressed with GamuT standmounts too. ProAc is on my radar. These made-in-China Quads might be a value proposition. I keep hearing about how amazing the Kii Threes are, who knows...there’s options.

Look also at the Dutch & Dutch 8c. Similar to the Kii, less expensive. 

[Summit]

On 2018-02-02 at 11:10 PM, The Computer Audiophile said:

The topic came up in another thread about getting the best performance for the least amount of money. A new thread was suggested. Here it is. 

 

What's the best performance for the least amount of money?

 

I think good in-ear headphone direct from a smartphone is great for personal audio and with some more money to spend I would put them on a Chord Mojo or iFi Micro iDSD BL.

[Spacehound]

12 minutes ago, Summit said:

 

I think good in-ear headphone direct from a smartphone is great for personal audio and with some more money to spend I would put them on a Chord Mojo or iFi Micro iDSD BL.

I suspect first time buyers of a system want something everyone can enjoy. Which isn't headphones.

 

But I certainly agree on the Mojo. it is outstanding.  It's so good I think Chord's main competitor is now  Chord's own  higher priced DACs. It's only disadvantage  in a home  system is that  lacking an input switch you have to pull the higher priority leads out to get  S/PDIF or optical.

[mansr]

3 hours ago, Spacehound said:

And a lot of the time you tell us how useless most EE's are. But when you find a rare one that happens to agree with one of your findings   about something he becomes  a 'valued expert'.

That it is possible to find the odd engineer, scientist, or even Nobel laureate who subscribes to some crackpot theory makes the theory no less crackpot. This is why appeal to authority is a mistake. Ideas must be evaluated on their own merits regardless of who is promoting them.

[Spacehound]

21 minutes ago, mansr said:

That it is possible to find the odd engineer, scientist, or even Nobel laureate who subscribes to some crackpot theory makes the theory no less crackpot. This is why appeal to authority is a mistake. Ideas must be evaluated on their own merits regardless of who is promoting them.

He hold on to that Colloms thing as if Colloms was the last lifeboat on the Titanic. 

[mansr]

Just now, Spacehound said:

He hold on to that Colloms thing as if Colloms was the last lifeboat on the Titanic. 

Valued.

[davide256]

On 2/2/2018 at 10:28 PM, Sonicularity said:

A plethora of anecdotal experiences in a field rife with biases feeding off absurdity in marketing has very little value to someone looking for tangible information to support a more objective evaluation.    

 I suggest you read up on the rules of brainstorming as you just failed miserably in participation.

[mourip]

1 hour ago, mansr said:

That it is possible to find the odd engineer, scientist, or even Nobel laureate who subscribes to some crackpot theory makes the theory no less crackpot. This is why appeal to authority is a mistake. Ideas must be evaluated on their own merits regardless of who is promoting them.

 

I could not agree more ...but would add that just because one believes that something should not be true based upon their own understanding of electrical engineering or acoustic theory it does not mean that the observed phenomena might not be real and just not understood yet. 

 

I would also add that this being the Internet it is sometimes hard to figure out who has real qualified experience and who is just repeating something they read. This seems to cause a lot of heated discussion here.

 

 

[davide256]

@mansr , @sandyk  , @Spacehound... Is it possible for you gentlemen to  stay on topic? It's really frustrating to see your "poison pill" exchanges dampen on topic thread idea participation.

[Spacehound]

18 minutes ago, davide256 said:

@mansr , @sandyk  , @Spacehound... Is it possible for you gentlemen to  stay on topic? It's really frustrating to see your "poison pill" exchanges dampen on topic thread idea participation.

For me, yes. I was going to respond to mourip but  now I  won't.

[bigbob]

25 minutes ago, davide256 said:

@mansr , @sandyk  , @Spacehound... Is it possible for you gentlemen to  stay on topic? It's really frustrating to see your "poison pill" exchanges dampen on topic thread idea participation.

 

 

Hear here!

I have never used a USB Regen, but I have used the iFi iPurifier2. I would like to put that up against the Schiit Wyrd (which they rather unceremoniously call  "The Original USB Decrapifier")

 

That would be the Battle Royale:  Wyrd @ $99, iPurifier2 @$109, and USB Regen @$175.

 

Now since this thread is about the "Best for Less" could you fellows please take the "distance of your urination" (pissing contest) competition to another forum.

 

On the topic of Electrical Engineers. I had my EE friend nearly choke on the guacamole that he was snorting out his nose, as he belly laughed at my description of a Rick Schultz MC -0.5 (http://www.highfidelitycables.com/products/conditioner/mc05/)

 

Had he heard the difference in an "A-B"? Nope, no desire to even hear a test. You see, he was an Electrical Engineer, so there was NO WAY this thing could work.

[Spacehound]

7 minutes ago, bigbob said:

 

 

Hear here!

I have never used a USB Regen, but I have used the iFi iPurifier2. I would like to put that up against the Schiit Wyrd (which they rather unceremoniously call  "The Original USB Decrapifier")

 

That would be the Battle Royale:  Wyrd @ $99, iPurifier2 @$109, and USB Regen @$175.

 

Now since this thread is about the "Best for Less" could you fellows please take the "distance of your urination" (pissing contest) competition to another forum.

 

On the topic of Electrical Engineers. I had my EE friend nearly choke on the guacamole that he was snorting out his nose, as he belly laughed at my description of a Rick Schultz MC -0.5 (http://www.highfidelitycables.com/products/conditioner/mc05/)

 

Had he heard the difference in an "A-B"? Nope, no desire to even hear a test. You see, he was an Electrical Engineer, so there was NO WAY this thing could work.

 

 

Having said "Hear here!" you promptly   do exactly what davide256 is  complaining  about.