[anubisgrau]

I have the Attraction and slaved Lessloss in my house.  I don't think "kills it" is accurate, though the Lessloss solution is excellent.

well it wasn't my thoughts at all - i haven't heard the attraction yet let alone lessloss. there was a guy who was originally super enthusiastic about altmann and a few months later he completely changed the story, hyping lessloss to the max.

would you care to elaborate your thoughts re altmann vs lessloss in more detail?

thanks g.

[miklorsmith]

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=36518.0

Correction - the Lessloss upsamples up to 384 khz.

[1000a]

i would say this is completely expected considering a different approach to digital (lessloss is an upsampler if i may remember correctly - always resulting in improved resolution), however the price difference is approx 3-4 times more. resolutions freaks anyway never liked the altmann DAC, they are in the DAC-1 camp.

as soon as i make my attraction running i'll let you know how it sounds, esp. with the TVC.

actually now i remember i have at the moment 3 TVCs at my home so i can even post more impression what cores it likes the most. i have promi, bent 102 and DIY TVC killer with double-C core trannies, so i will let it run with all of them....

Hi anubisgrau

Thanks a billion for taking the time to answer my questions. its seems you are the guy with the hot rod DIY TVC cool(I remember reading about it before), the Bent and the Promi too, wow.   Congratutes on the DAC.  It seems there are about 6-8 people I am following alot in their thoughts and trails so maybe I need to make a chart record of you guy's systems so I do not get confused!   Take your time I look forward to hearing your feedback when your ready.

Thanks for the warning about going off the deep end w the tranny wave

From what I understand as of late at the base level (and in keeping with their ideas of good) the Lessloss is an oversampler uses the BB PCM 1704 (quite diff from an upsampler) but they do have numerous options to incude an add on upsampling feature too, so who knows what that guy has, I do know one thing its one expensive DAC loaded but realtive to the Big boys I guess still cheap and certainly seems to cover almost every base.  I do like their ideas on clocks and slaving transports.

I promise in my quest for low jitter and good impedance matching I will not turn into the guy with 23 transformers inline!

[anubisgrau]

I have the Attraction and slaved Lessloss in my house.  I don't think "kills it" is accurate, though the Lessloss solution is excellent.

i checked the a'gon archives - the guy was talking about lessloss in master mode as superior to altmann. pardon my mistake.

[miklorsmith]

Well, it's the same thing.  Lessloss promotes a master/slave (kinky) clocking relationship between the transport and DAC.  Normally, the clock signal is sent from the transport through the s/pdif connection and ferreted out by the DAC, which replaces its clock signal.  This process is imperfect, so Lessloss promotes a dual-cable approach where one carries the clock signal from the DAC (master) to the transport (slave).  The other, of course, is the data signal.

 If we keep this thought-train rollin', it probably deserves a separate thread.

[nicksgem10s]

I keep checking up on this thread hoping to learn more about how this Paul Hynes PS is sounding now that you have put some hours on it.

I only ask because I am very seriously considering the Altmann dac having had the chance to hear it in my own system just last week. 

I do not know about having the car battery sitting out in the open in my listening/living room. 

My wife tries to be understanding about my audio hobby but she may not be too thrilled with the Red Top battery decor. 

I do not have a rack that it could be enclosed in so this is a concern for me.

If it sounds better with the battery that is what I would choose.  If it sounds better with the Paul Hynes PS then it would be a huge benefit because it would resolve the battery issue for me.

I am really looking forward to some more information about your experience with the Paul Hynes PS and Altmann dac.

Thanks,

Nick

[Gordy]

If you do choose use a battery as the supply, it would be easy to build a nice box to contain it.  My UcD amp chassis's are really 90% battery disguise and 10% amps     Lacking a shop and or the tools, we've several very talented woodworkers and speaker cabinet builders here on AC that would probably be happy to take on the job if you don't know somebody local!

[nicksgem10s]

Gordy,

That wood box looks great and if I end up with the Altmann I would either get the Paul Hynes PS or have someone who has skills help with building an enclosure for the battery. 

Anything else to add about the Paul Hynes PS?  Has it changed much with break in?

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Nick

[denjo]

The Paul Hynes separate Power Supplies to my SB3 and Altmann Attraction DAC have elevated my digital source to a whole new plane and brought me closer to the elusive musical experience that all audiophiles aim but few achieve. The singer and band are now in my music lounge, while I sit in the front row, middle, just enjoying!

My audio gear consists of CIAudio D*200s for amplification, Bent Audio TAP (silver passive TVC), SB3 stock, Altmann Attraction DAC (with JISCO) and Thiel CS2.4 speakers. The SB3 is configured for digital out, volume control is disabled for best sound. Two separate Paul Hynes PSU powers the SB3 and Altmann.

Altmann owners will know that its creator, Charles Altmann, highly recommends powering the DAC with SLA battery, specifically a Red Top Optima, for the best sound. Although AC power through a convertor will work fine with the DAC, Charles Altmann preference for SLA battery power is unequivocal. Initially, I used the Altmann via an el cheapo Taiwanese-made universal AC-DC convertor, dialing 12v from a menu of voltage selection. I then moved up to a Vinnie custom built battery enclosure, complete with a selector switch to charge the diminutive10 Ah SLA battery. Sonic improvements were quite obvious, hinting at the promise of the Altmann. Not long after, the battery began to drain very quickly and failed to hold its charge. A few email exchanges with Charles ensued and, with his usual brevity and quixotic wit, his solution was plain and simple – get that Red Top Optima. Period.

The next few months were spent looking for a Red Top Optima. Other brands will do just fine but if you are looking for the best SLA battery (which, by implication will give the best sound), nothing beats the Optima. In my part of the world, few have heard of Optima and none stocked them. My determination increased in proportion to the elusive, unavailability of the Red Top. After weeks of futile search, I finally tracked down ONE supplier who was surprised I knew such a brand and type existed!! The quoted price was 3 x more expensive than my premium SUV battery! The price made me hesitate for a bit! My wife soon got wind that I might buy the Optima and issued an edict – “thou shall not cause to bring to the lounge any SLA battery in any form or guise, regardless that the battery may/will improve the sonic performance of your high fidelity”.  I have learnt over the years to obey such edicts because a little music is better than no music!

With the SLA battery option no longer an option, my choices narrowed and allowed me to focus on AC power. About that time, I read a post in one of the forums that a gentleman named Paul Hynes who hails from “God save the Queen!” was much sought after as an expert in the field of power supplies, amongst other things. When I learnt that he was also an audiophile, my piqued curiosity led me to exchange emails with him on the possibility of a custom built power supply. I soon learnt that he was technically very knowledgeable and passionate about this field. Although many of his comprehensive replies to my queries were technically beyond me, I knew that he knew what he was talking about. I soon learnt that the shunt regulated linear power supply was the “Rolls-Royce” of power supplies, at least on paper. After much to-ing and fro-ing, Paul Hynes began building me two separate power supplies for the SB3 and Altmann. Some months later, two well-padded envelopes arrived. I remember placing each in my hands and wondering how something so diminutive could be the ticket to sonic nirvana.

With nervous hands and a throbbing heart, the anxiety of a child beholding his unopened Christmas gift, the expectation of a father waiting to see and hold his firstborn, I carefully connected the new power supplies to my digital source. Power up. Red LEDs assuringly light to show no break in circuit. Volume up. I cannot describe that magical moment when sound began to ooze from my speakers. The next few hours were spent simply immersed in the music. Strangely, I had no desire to analyse the sound or want to describe what I was hearing. I simply listened to music. It felt right. It felt good. I was in the front row (premium seats) and the singer and band were right in front of me, singing to and for me!

After the euphoria had died, I still feel the same way about the music. It just feels right!

If you have read thus far and have been disappointed with my description of the sound, please forgive me. If I had said the soundstage is wider and higher, that voices have a palpable realism, sound is dimensional, organic, 3-D, instruments sound like real instruments … and use all of the terminologies that audiophiles are wont to use, it will not help because you will still not get a picture of what I am experiencing. It is difficult for words to describe an experience or an emotion and music is about these qualities that the listener is trying hard to convey in words what he hears in sound. If I can sit in my lounge, with the lights off and my eyes closed and after a while drift into that subconscious state and believe that the singer and band or orchestra is there in front of me and only wake up from that ethereal state to find that I am at home in my lounge, I am satisfied and fulfilled.

[rajacat]

Nice review.

Raj

[lonewolfny42]

denjo...

The Paul Hynes separate Power Supplies to my SB3 and Altmann Attraction DAC have elevated my digital source to a whole new plane and brought me closer to the elusive musical experience that all audiophiles aim but few achieve. The singer and band are now in my music lounge, while I sit in the front row, middle, just enjoying!

Very good news indeed......

[ferenc_k]

.... If I can sit in my lounge, with the lights off and my eyes closed and after a while drift into that subconscious state and believe that the singer and band or orchestra is there in front of me and only wake up from that ethereal state to find that I am at home in my lounge, I am satisfied and fulfilled.

Hi Denjo,

Nice review, perfectly well summarized my experience with the Altmann DAC driven by an Optima battery

[Den]

How much $ is the Hynes PS?

[tanchiro58]

How much $ is the Hynes PS?

It is around $400 included the PS, DC umbilical power cord and shipping fee.

[denjo]

Hi Den

Mine was a prototype PSU which Paul Hynes built and payment was in SGD rather than USD. Its best to drop Paul an email at paulhynes2@yahoo.co.uk and he will be happy to answer your queries and give you a quote. Paul's a great guy to deal with!

I am still very pleased with the PSU!  

Best Regards
Dennis