Warming up for best performance.

[Racerxnet]

18 minutes ago, sandyk said:

Seeing many of the recent posts reminds me of a TV show last night where one of the good guys was thrown in the water and blood dumped in the water around him, with  a group of sharks heading in for the kill.

It is interesting to note that several of the members who regularly dump on Frank from a great height never appear to have posted anything positive to support the reason behind this forum, which is mainly to share information.

 

 

 

Sandy,

 

People ask straight questions and hope to get straight answers. That would be positive and "warm us up for best performance"! 

[sandyk]

17 minutes ago, Racerxnet said:

 

 

Sandy,

 

People ask straight questions and hope to get straight answers. That would be positive and "warm us up for best performance"! 

 

My reply wasn't particularly aimed at you.  I would hope that some members availed themselves of the use of the IGNORE facility.

 A few here appear to be trying to hound Frank out of the forum.

BTW, Frank does have quite a bit of experience in the I.T. area, and even I would find it quite daunting to pull apart a small laptop and getting it back to a fully functional laptop as he did recently, despite me being heavily into equipment modifications.

 It was hard enough replacing the degraded electrolytic capacitors in an earlier PC monitor which had resulted in it's failure due to the high internal temperatures over a period of time.

[KeenObserver]

8 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

My reply wasn't particularly aimed at you.  I would hope that some members availed themselves of the use of the IGNORE facility.

 A few here appear to be trying to hound Frank out of the forum.

BTW, Frank does have quite a bit of experience in the I.T. area, and even I would find it quite daunting to pull apart a small laptop and getting it back to a fully functional laptop as he did recently, despite me being heavily into equipment modifications.

 It was hard enough replacing the degraded electrolytic capacitors in an earlier PC monitor which had resulted in it's failure due to the high internal temperatures over a period of time.

 

By chance, do you and Frank have the same water supply?

[4est]

3 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

My reply wasn't particularly aimed at you.  I would hope that some members availed themselves of the use of the IGNORE facility.

 A few here appear to be trying to hound Frank out of the forum.

BTW, Frank does have quite a bit of experience in the I.T. area, and even I would find it quite daunting to pull apart a small laptop and getting it back to a fully functional laptop as he did recently, despite me being heavily into equipment modifications.

 It was hard enough replacing the degraded electrolytic capacitors in an earlier PC monitor which had resulted in it's failure.

Your are being too kind Alex, I say tar and feathers!

 

Seriously though, no one is hounding anyone out of the forum. They are simply asking him to put up or shut up. He doesn't seem capable of either.

[fas42]

43 minutes ago, Racerxnet said:

 When confronted as to what specifics are used to achieve the results, you ALWAYS come up empty handed. If you want to talk shit all day, guess what? Your going to get hammered on. Most everyone is proud of what they have, and are glad to share what they are doing specifically when asked. Most have some pictures of the system they have assembled. Are they perfect? NO! Is mine? NO! But its the best I can afford and have derived great pleasure from it. 

 

Because the specifics are things that people don't want to tune into - most want Porsche logos adorning their treasures; because that's a major part of the thrill! 😝

 

You see, the 'secrets' for the first rig coming good were: it was a very simple setup; the components had high intrinsic integrity; I took warming up very seriously; and I hardwired every connection in the chain ... there you go, I've just shared what I did - and it didn't hurt a bit!

 

What it did do was demonstrate that what most people went on about as being very important was quite irrelevant - which is the point I keep trying to make, on these forums 🙂.

 

I'm pleased that you're happy with your system - a key part of what I talk about is that it's quite unnecessary to buy expensive stuff; because careful evaluation and tinkering with what one has, right now, can reward one enormously - but one has to be prepared to start thinking that way ...

 

Quote

The only thing I warm up is the Tri Vista21 DAC. Its old, but sounds very good. 

 

I hope you have a pleasant day!

 

MAK

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the positive thoughts, 🙂.

 

[kumakuma]

 

8 minutes ago, 4est said:

Seriously though, no one is hounding anyone out of the forum. They are simply asking him to put up or shut up. He doesn't seem capable of either.

 

Certain not the latter.

 

As Keith Richards commented about rap music:

 

Quote

So many words, so little said.

 

 

[fas42]

23 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 It was hard enough replacing the degraded electrolytic capacitors in an earlier PC monitor which had resulted in it's failure due to the high internal temperatures over a period of time.

 

Speaking of which, you might have some experience here of value 😉 - I use an auxiliary monitor on the laptop, and the LG I was using for ages had something go sour, very suddenly, on its power supply, it appears. Didn't have the time to try and diagnose, so grabbed a Dell to replace it.

 

Symptoms are, the power supply tries to kick in, but the LED indicator never goes to green, meaning all OK. Extremely long shot, of course - but any thoughts?

[fas42]

Everyone is frustrated because I haven't a "magic formula"- well, I don't, because that's not the way it works ... I look at a rig that's producing sub-par sound as being faulty, and I diagnose what could be causing issues. And fix 'em.

 

You might as well be upset with a mechanic who "won't tell me how to make my car run better!" ... without saying at all what the car you have is doing wrong. That is, you start with symptoms, and proceed from there ... that's how it works ...

[kumakuma]

9 minutes ago, fas42 said:

Everyone is frustrated because I haven't a "magic formula"

 

That isn't why people are frustrated...

[fas42]

You want the start of a "formula"? Right, go out and buy a dCS Rossini  ... all the reports I've read since the model came out tick the boxes which say the engineering has been done well enough, so that the normal digital 'nasties' have been eliminated - so, at least one component is now "good enough" in raw form that it doesn't have to be fiddled with.

 

So, it costs money? Well, that''s how it works, if you want solutions ...

[kumakuma]

8 minutes ago, fas42 said:

You want the start of a "formula"? Right, go out and buy a dCS Rossini  ... all the reports I've read since the model came out tick the boxes which say the engineering has been done well enough, so that the normal digital 'nasties' have been eliminated - so, at least one component is now "good enough" in raw form that it doesn't have to be fiddled with.

 

So, it costs money? Well, that''s how it works, if you want solutions ...

 

Have you heard it? How does it compare to your current DAC?

[fas42]

Talking about being frustrated, have I mentioned that I'm steadily getting more peed off with Windows 10? 😝 Just before, it and Firefox got into a crazy dance when I was trying to type in a post - the interface lost the plot; Task Manager refused to come up, just blipped at me - who writes these junk OSes, anyway? 😄

 

 

[sandyk]

42 minutes ago, 4est said:

Your are being too kind Alex, I say tar and feathers!

 

Seriously though, no one is hounding anyone out of the forum. They are simply asking him to put up or shut up. He doesn't seem capable of either.

 Hi 4est

 Having been on the receiving end of much of this for around 10 years from the usual suspects I have some sympathy for Frank.

 However, sometimes it may be best to simply ignore posters that annoy the hell out of you, but I agree that sometimes  it's easier said than done.

I feel sure that we both have several posters in common that do this to us both ?

 

Regards

Alex

53 minutes ago, KeenObserver said:

 

By chance, do you and Frank have the same water supply?

No .

Please also note that I don't agree with many things that Frank reports.

[fas42]

11 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

 

Have you heard it? How does it compare to your current DAC?

 

Don't need to - what people who have heard it are saying, are what I look for in the qualities of the sound ...now, I need to cajole and treat with lots of TLC the DACs I use, to get those qualities emerging, So, if that unit can produce the quality without using any special tricks, that means the integrity is of a high order - and should definitely be taken very seriously as a means to an end.

[sandyk]

43 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

Speaking of which, you might have some experience here of value 😉 - I use an auxiliary monitor on the laptop, and the LG I was using for ages had something go sour, very suddenly, on its power supply, it appears. Didn't have the time to try and diagnose, so grabbed a Dell to replace it.

 

Symptoms are, the power supply tries to kick in, but the LED indicator never goes to green, meaning all OK. Extremely long shot, of course - but any thoughts?

 There are several suppliers on ebay etc. that supply kits of replacement electrolytic capacitors for many earlier models of monitors. Most monitors these days are backlit by LEDs so don't need a high voltage supply that causes the internal electros to degrade due to heat.

 P.S.

 Before first ordering a kit it would be advisable to check that key components do not have copious quantities of some kind of hard to remove " cement" on them

[kumakuma]

5 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

I need to cajole and treat with lots of TLC the DACs I use, to get those qualities emerging

 

 

What DACs do you own?

 

Can you share with us the modifications you've made to them?

[sandyk]

4 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

 

What DACs do you own?

 

Can you share with us the modifications you've made to them?

https://naturecanada.ca/discover-nature/endangered-species/american-badger/

[kumakuma]

7 minutes ago, sandyk said:

https://naturecanada.ca/discover-nature/endangered-species/american-badger/

 

[STC]

12 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

 

What DACs do you own?

 

Can you share with us the modifications you've made to them?

The one brought the so called magic 35 years ago was a JBC box set with Sharp speakers. I have the same speakers. 
 

He showed no such evidence so far except one Nad picture of two tiny wires sticking from it. It could very well not connected to anything inside. 
 

I think I have to some weeding here too since Frank is not answering questions asked but hijack every thread with his ....

[kumakuma]

6 minutes ago, STC said:

The one brought the so called magic 35 years ago was a JBC box set with Sharp speakers. I have the same speakers. 
 

He showed no such evidence so far except one Nad picture of two tiny wires sticking from it. It could very well not connected to anything inside. 
 

I think I have to some weeding here too since Frank is not answering questions asked but hijack every thread with his ....

 

I think he's playing an elaborate prank on us. There are just too many things that don't add up in his posts.

[fas42]

14 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

 

What DACs do you own?

 

Can you share with us the modifications you've made to them?

 

There's the original Yamaha CDP; another Yamaha, a CD-1050, which was just a second pickup, to use "in an emergency" - which I have not done much to; the Philips HT all-in-one which probably doesn't count 😄- but it used a half decent Crystal Semiconductor chip; and the current NAD CDP.

 

I don't make mods to the area directly around the chips; what I concentrate on is ensuring that the power supplies within the units see as little noise as possible. So, I have done many, many experiments trying to completely shield the DAC proper from any possible interference which can find its way through the mains supply; this means improving the filtering of the supplies within the boxes, and adding filters to the mains coming in - I've tried all sorts of DIY methods that have been mentioned over the years, rather that trying commercial units - these all work to a fairly decent degree, but I've never been completely happy with anything so far as doing the job to 100% effectiveness. Which means part of the process of getting best sound includes switching off all electrical noise makers in the house - not the ideal solution, 😞.

 

A critical part, relevant to this thread, is that the DACs always have to be heavily conditioned - many people leave them on 24/7, and I totally agree; further to that, is that I exercise them vigorously, playing stuff like high energy rock, say, for a couple of hours - before listening seriously.

 

So, I don't do anything particularly unusual - but I have to do it thoroughly; if I compromise, then I won't get the SQ I'm after.

 

What is so important about units like the dCS is that they appear to taken the measures necessary to get the optimum conditions in place, without jumping through these hoops. Doing it the way I am is just annoying, because one can't just switch on, and get "the sound" just like that - but it shows what happens when you get it right.

[fas42]

27 minutes ago, STC said:

The one brought the so called magic 35 years ago was a JBC box set with Sharp speakers. I have the same speakers. 

 

 

ST, it doesn't help when you get the story completely mucked up - JBC means nothing to me ... the rig 35 years ago was a Yamaha CDP, Perreaux power amp, B&W bookshelfs ... current rig is NAD CDP,  NAD integrated, Sharp speakers ... okay?

 

 

[kumakuma]

3 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

There's the original Yamaha CDP; another Yamaha, a CD-1050, which was just a second pickup, to use "in an emergency" - which I have not done much to; the Philips HT all-in-one which probably doesn't count 😄- but it used a half decent Crystal Semiconductor chip; and the current NAD CDP.

 

I don't make mods to the area directly around the chips; what I concentrate on is ensuring that the power supplies within the units see as little noise as possible. So, I have done many, many experiments trying to completely shield the DAC proper from any possible interference which can find its way through the mains supply; this means improving the filtering of the supplies within the boxes, and adding filters to the mains coming in - I've tried all sorts of DIY methods that have been mentioned over the years, rather that trying commercial units - these all work to a fairly decent degree, but I've never been completely happy with anything so far as doing the job to 100% effectiveness. Which means part of the process of getting best sound includes switching off all electrical noise makers in the house - not the ideal solution, 😞.

 

A critical part, relevant to this thread, is that the DACs always have to be heavily conditioned - many people leave them on 24/7, and I totally agree; further to that, is that I exercise them vigorously, playing stuff like high energy rock, say, for a couple of hours - before listening seriously.

 

So, I don't do anything particularly unusual - but I have to do it thoroughly; if I compromise, then I won't get the SQ I'm after.

 

What is so important about units like the dCS is that they appear to taken the measures necessary to get the optimum conditions in place, without jumping through these hoops. Doing it the way I am is just annoying, because one can't just switch on, and get "the sound" just like that - but it shows what happens when you get it right.

 

This clears up the confusion.

 

When folks here talk about DACs, they are usually referring to stand alone units, not the DAC circuitry within an ancient CD player.

 

I'm sure the $25,000 dCS DAC does a fine job. I'm a little surprised you would mentioned it though after all your posts raging about expensive equipment and "bling".

 

[STC]

3 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

There's the original Yamaha CDP; another Yamaha, a CD-1050, which was just a second pickup, to use "in an emergency" - which I have not done much to; the Philips HT all-in-one which probably doesn't count 😄- but it used a half decent Crystal Semiconductor chip; and the current NAD CDP.

 

You claimed your magic happened with the Philips and Sharp.  Now you it is Nad but you are evasive if the speakers because you claimed you have ripped the speakers to improve the SQ. 

3 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

I don't make mods to the area directly around the chips; what I concentrate on is ensuring that the power supplies within the units see as little noise as possible. So, I have done many, many experiments trying to completely shield the DAC proper from any possible interference which can find its way through the mains supply; this means improving the filtering of the supplies within the boxes, and adding filters to the mains coming in - I've tried all sorts of DIY methods that have been mentioned over the years, rather that trying commercial units - these all work to a fairly decent degree, but I've never been completely happy with anything so far as doing the job to 100% effectiveness. Which means part of the process of getting best sound includes switching off all electrical noise makers in the house - not the ideal solution, 😞.

 

A critical part, relevant to this thread, is that the DACs always have to be heavily conditioned - many people leave them on 24/7, and I totally agree; further to that, is that I exercise them vigorously, playing stuff like high energy rock, say, for a couple of hours - before listening seriously.

 

So, I don't do anything particularly unusual - but I have to do it thoroughly; if I compromise, then I won't get the SQ I'm after.

 

What is so important about units like the dCS is that they appear to taken the measures necessary to get the optimum conditions in place, without jumping through these hoops. Doing it the way I am is just annoying, because one can't just switch on, and get "the sound" just like that - but it shows what happens when you get it right.

DAC is supposed to reproduce the signal as original as they are are. Any reasonably built DAC Chip such as PCM63K is more than enough to be audibly transparent. You would not able to distinguish them. 
 

The major difference in SQ of a DAC is the output sensitivity. A 2V output will always appears to sound better than a DAC with 0.707V. Level match them and the difference disappear. 
 

All these are well known. Some may not agree but that’s the individual choice. However, if you want to claim they made a difference than shows us the difference. In every thread of mine, you will find ways to talk about soldering, integrity, Porsche with an iota if evidence that they ever existed. 
 

I initially paid attention to your post because on the surface they appeared to be valid but now it seemed all your writing were based on well established principles from others and reworded. You have avoided blindtests. You don’t post in them until someone else posted and you expend from there. 
 

Please don’t hijack my thread. Stick to your own. 

[STC]

15 minutes ago, fas42 said:

 

ST, it doesn't help when you get the story completely mucked up - JBC means nothing to me ... the rig 35 years ago was a Yamaha CDP, Perreaux power amp, B&W bookshelfs ... current rig is NAD CDP,  NAD integrated, Sharp speakers ... okay?

 

 

Yes. They were Philips box set. That would have made a HUGE difference.