Popular Post mav52 Posted August 9, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted August 9, 2020 #1 Speakers #2 Room treatments Audiophile Neuroscience, daverich4 and vmartell22 1 1 1 The Truth Is Out There Link to comment
daverich4 Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 11 hours ago, robocop said: Source, upgrading recently from an I7 4790K, quad core switch mode power supply to a Phasure Stealth MKIII Xenon 12 core with linear power supply. Both only used exclusively for audio. The MKIII takes the sound to an easy 3D level over 2D for I7. This is a far greater sound improvement, than I've ever had for a long time. The whole sound and everything within it, is improved to the point the former source can't compare in anyway. The I7 was a large step up from an I3 laptop. I suspect this difference is greater than upgrading Dac's, speakers and amplifiers. All are important no less, but the old story started by Mr Linn (Ivor Tiefenbrun) many years ago "Your System Is Only As Good As Your Source" No matter if it's analog or a digital front end, it's still garbage in, garbage out. Best source I've ever owned!!! Robert Link to comment
Audiophile Neuroscience Posted August 10, 2020 Author Share Posted August 10, 2020 11 hours ago, daverich4 said: Wasn't really a convincing post in terms of scientific rigour (Dennis wasn't claiming this). If I was inclined to the cynical I might say I never liked Krell products especially their CD players 🙄. I would say digital sources have improved just a bit since 2004 Sound Minds Mind Sound Link to comment
JoeWhip Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 The most startling improvement for me was updating my old McCormack DNA1 amp to the full gravity base upgrade by Steve McCormack and Pat at SMc Audio. Article in progress. Link to comment
bobbmd Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 my new Yggdrasil GS coupled with new Ragnarok amp and Legacy Audio stereo HD monitors Link to comment
Ron Ippolito Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 For me, it was Speakers DAC upgrade Room treatments Speaker isolators Nobody mentioned Chord M Scaler. Since I have a Chord DAC, can anyone who has one please explain why you didn't put it on your list? Thanks... Ron Link to comment
MarkusBarkus Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Ron Ippolito said: Nobody mentioned Chord M Scaler. Since I have a Chord DAC, can anyone who has one please explain why you didn't put it on your list? Ron, in your case, adding the MScaler to the Qutest, IMO, would be a real boost. It certainly was for me. In my case, about a year ago I decided to try streaming and to expand my digital footprint. I built up a system with an RPi 3+, WD NAS drive, with a Shanti PS. This driven through my Luxman D-05 SACD machine DAC. The sound was very good. Smooth. With proof of concept "proved" I decided to expand the system. In that regard, the MScaler was not as monumental as other upgrades. That is why you didn't see the MScaler on my short list. Not that it wasn't a significant and welcome contributor; rather, that other things had more impact, given the more "entry-level" proof of concept mode I was in. N.B. And no offense intended to the great Pi peeps out there. It is an amazing, versatile option and it really was my "gateway drug." I would recommend it to anyone if it fits your sensibilities, budget, etc. I was amazed I could get where I did with that system. I'm MarkusBarkus and I approve this post. Link to comment
Kal Rubinson Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 On 8/4/2020 at 11:30 PM, Audiophile Neuroscience said: n your audio system, what has produced the greatest improvement impacting on sound quality or better musical experience? Not just 'maybe a bit different' but in your opinion clearly better. Discrete lossless multichannel playback. Kal Rubinson Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile Link to comment
Popular Post Kimo Posted August 16, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted August 16, 2020 Alcohol botrytis, vmartell22 and Audiophile Neuroscience 1 2 Link to comment
Audiophile Neuroscience Posted August 16, 2020 Author Share Posted August 16, 2020 2 minutes ago, Kimo said: Alcohol When purchasing or listening to the gear?😄 Sound Minds Mind Sound Link to comment
bobbmd Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 the only alcohol should be Lagavulin with a NUB cigar and never when purchasing only when listening Audiophile Neuroscience 1 Link to comment
jcbenten Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 15 minutes ago, bobbmd said: the only alcohol should be Lagavulin with a NUB cigar and never when purchasing only when listening Lagavulin good...Cigar bad...lots of particulates to deflect the musical waves... Audiophile Neuroscience 1 QNAP TS453Pro w/QLMS->Netgear Switch->Netgear RAX43 Router->Ethernet (50 ft)->Netgear switch->SBTouch ->SABAJ A10d->Linn Majik-IL (preamp)->Linn 2250->Linn Keilidh; Control Points: iPeng (iPad Air & iPhone); Also: Rega P3-24 w/ DV 10x5; OPPO 103; PC Playback: Foobar2000 & JRiver; Portable: iPhone 12 ProMax & Radio Paradise or NAS streaming; Sony NWZ ZX2 w/ PHA-3; SMSL IQ, Fiio Q5, iFi Nano iDSD BL; Garage: Edifier S1000DB Active Speakers Link to comment
Kimo Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 12 hours ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said: When purchasing or listening to the gear?😄 Not sure. I was going to say power cables, but changed my answer at the last second. Link to comment
Audiophile Neuroscience Posted August 17, 2020 Author Share Posted August 17, 2020 11 minutes ago, Kimo said: Not sure. I was going to say power cables, but changed my answer at the last second. All power to you ! Sound Minds Mind Sound Link to comment
PeterG Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Nordost QKore/QBase grounding system with single Frey 2 power cable to wall vmartell22 1 Link to comment
Popular Post Kimo Posted August 17, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted August 17, 2020 Actually, I want to say speakers, since they impart the most character. I have to say amplifier, however. I would rather listen to mediocre speakers and a great amp, than great speakers and a mediocre amp. fas42 and Rexp 2 Link to comment
fas42 Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 5 hours ago, Kimo said: Actually, I want to say speakers, since they impart the most character. I have to say amplifier, however. I would rather listen to mediocre speakers and a great amp, than great speakers and a mediocre amp. Yes ... most don't appreciate this - something I've demonstrated to myself, over and over again ... Link to comment
GregWormald Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 On 8/5/2020 at 1:00 PM, Audiophile Neuroscience said: In your audio system, what has produced the greatest improvement impacting on sound quality or better musical experience? Not just 'maybe a bit different' but in your opinion clearly better. It could be software, hardware, room treatments, tweaks whatever. What single thing or things stands out that you would definitely recommend to others? Sorry, I can't resist. 🤣 Going from a $20 portable "transistor radio" (1950 something) and a cheap tape recorder to high quality (but not overly expensive) gear (receiver, Thorens t/t, and AR 2ax speakers). Audiophile Neuroscience 1 Link to comment
botrytis Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Two things 1. I would say understanding that not every piece of kit will work well with each other and to understand that for putting together a system. 2. Understanding how to setup speakers and treat a room for better acoustics was money well spent. Audiophile Neuroscience 1 Current: Daphile on an AMD A10-9500 with 16 GB RAM DAC - TEAC UD-501 DAC Pre-amp - Rotel RC-1590 Amplification - Benchmark AHB2 amplifier Speakers - Revel M126Be with 2 REL 7/ti subwoofers Cables - Tara Labs RSC Reference and Blue Jean Cable Balanced Interconnects Link to comment
ASRMichael Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 I have a new one! Recently got Mitch to create Convolution filters. No idea why I waited till now to do it! jiminlogansquare 1 Link to comment
Popular Post Ralf Hutter Posted August 19, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted August 19, 2020 23 hours ago, GregWormald said: Sorry, I can't resist. 🤣 Similar situation for me. A life-long music lover who got his music fix on a 1950's vintage AM table radio from age 4-5 till I was in Jr High, then "upgraded to a AM-FM Stereo cassette "boom-box". Sometime during high school I was gifted my dad's (hand-built) Dynaco ST-35 + Dynaco tuner and some home-made speakers. I was in heaven with the fidelity improvement and that lit the audiophile fire inside me. Haven't stopped since! GregWormald, Teresa and Audiophile Neuroscience 3 Link to comment
Chris A Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 On 8/4/2020 at 10:30 PM, Audiophile Neuroscience said: In your audio system, what has produced the greatest improvement impacting on sound quality or better musical experience? Not just 'maybe a bit different' but in your opinion clearly better...It could be software, hardware, room treatments, tweaks whatever. What single thing or things stands out that you would definitely recommend to others? 1) The room itself, treated for near-field early reflections, was likely the most important ingredient (see https://audiophilestyle.com/profile/26684-chris-a/?tab=field_core_pfield_3 for a listing of room and equipment). 2) A very close second were the loudspeakers themselves--employing full-range directivity (same link). 3) Dialing everything in using a good DSP crossover for each channel in the 5.1 (manually)--with flattened phase response. Bringing the centerline of the HF waveguides closer to the centerline of the bass bins (left, right channels) also significantly improved listener involvement on stereo music tracks. 4) Multichannel 5.1 (especially all channels carefully time aligned and their phase response flattened using fractional order crossover filters). Native DSD multichannel music files in particular sound really good, i.e., those recordings retaining as-recorded phase response. In short, it wasn't electronics or computers that made the difference (other than the DSP crossovers used in the 5.1), but rather the measured acoustic fundamentals. The greater the fidelity of the direct arrival acoustic energy without intervening early reflections or embedded/added electrical/electronic phase growth within the reproduction chain, the greater the subjective listening performance--disproportionately. This dramatically increased subjective listener involvement (see this link for further explanation). Only then did the "magic" start to occur, and then very small improvements in music sources (quality of music tracks) and electronics fidelity become clearly audible. Chris "Those professional loudspeakers with dedicated electronics have a huge advantage over passive loudspeakers. Consumers in general, especially high-end audiophiles, have not caught up with the advantages that technology has to offer. Good loudspeakers and amplifiers can deliver good sound, but merging them with dedicated digital crossovers, equalizers and amplifiers designed for those specific loudspeaker components, in their specific enclosure, can yield even better sound." F. Toole, 2018, Sound Reproduction the Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms, 3rd ed., chap. 12.5, pg 356. Link to comment
Popular Post Audiophile Neuroscience Posted August 21, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 21, 2020 10 hours ago, Chris A said: 1) The room itself, treated for near-field early reflections, was likely the most important ingredient (see https://audiophilestyle.com/profile/26684-chris-a/?tab=field_core_pfield_3 for a listing of room and equipment). 2) A very close second were the loudspeakers themselves--employing full-range directivity (same link). 3) Dialing everything in using a good DSP crossover for each channel in the 5.1 (manually)--with flattened phase response. Bringing the centerline of the HF waveguides closer to the centerline of the bass bins (left, right channels) also significantly improved listener involvement on stereo music tracks. 4) Multichannel 5.1 (especially all channels carefully time aligned and their phase response flattened using fractional order crossover filters). Native DSD multichannel music files in particular sound really good, i.e., those recordings retaining as-recorded phase response. In short, it wasn't electronics or computers that made the difference (other than the DSP crossovers used in the 5.1), but rather the measured acoustic fundamentals. The greater the fidelity of the direct arrival acoustic energy without intervening early reflections or embedded/added electrical/electronic phase growth within the reproduction chain, the greater the subjective listening performance--disproportionately. This dramatically increased subjective listener involvement (see this link for further explanation). Only then did the "magic" start to occur, and then very small improvements in music sources (quality of music tracks) and electronics fidelity become clearly audible. Chris Nice post, nice room! Audiophile Neuroscience and Chris A 1 1 Sound Minds Mind Sound Link to comment
firedog Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 1.upgrading speakers 2. acoustic panels 3.DRC Audiophile Neuroscience 1 Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
Popular Post Lightstream Posted August 22, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted August 22, 2020 On 8/5/2020 at 5:30 AM, Audiophile Neuroscience said: In your audio system, what has produced the greatest improvement impacting on sound quality or better musical experience? Focusing on the sources and experimenting with other PSUs (on my streamer and on my router). On my streamer Teddy Pardo's 12 V / 2 A power supply made the sun rise. Replacing the network cables and isolating the cables on the PSUs using JSSG has also brought significant improvements. I feel sorry for speakers, because most of them can't show what they're capable of. A considerable amount of SQ - especially in big streaming networks - is often lost before. Rexp and Audiophile Neuroscience 1 1 Go where you feel most alive. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now