Popular Post dmance Posted July 26, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted July 26, 2020 It's all about RFI/EMI noise affecting the DAC ...more specifically its final D/A conversion from bits to volts that needs to be free of RF noise. Deviations in the DACs output clock and reference voltage will perturb the output waveform. These are caused by even impossibly small levels of RFI/EMI coming from digital devices, switch mode supplies, the AC mains, etc to impinge on the DAC. More RF noise = worse SQ and more fatigue. Our ear/brain only relents and relaxes to digital music when the DAC output is as RF noise free as possible ...well below what we can measure. Otherwise we all 'feel' the fatigue. I know all this to be true because I continue to research these boundaries and provide products and honest information. Here's a few good tips: - Use batteries to isolate the digital components from analog components. They are low noise and good sink for conducted RF noise. I recommend the Goal Zero lithium batteries - affordable and available on Amazon. - Use components with DC power inputs because this makes RF noise easier to tame. Add supplemental RF noise filters on DC power. - Use optical signal connections. (Toslink or OPTO-DX for Chord DACs). Modern DACs are 100% immune to jitter as the input and output clocks are independent. - Use highly shielded cables. For coax, look for 95dB or higher 'screening factor' from Belden. For power, look for triple shielded power from Gotham. And also go as short as possible. - Stop the pathways for RF noise at source and DAC. Use physical distance between Source and DAC components. Use aggressive RF-STOP shielding (like what I provide). Finally...Don't compromise. RF is insidious and gets in through any and all metal conductors. Your final system may look like a science project but it will provide phenomenally transparent SQ from any recording regardless of bitrate. Dan No Disc and fas42 1 1 Link to comment
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