Auralic Vega DAC

jtwrace · « **Reply #140 on:** 10 Feb 2015, 09:14 pm »

Quote from: *Scotty* on 10 Feb 2015, 08:19 pm

The Short Block USB Filter will probably do the same thing for $199 and you can keep your own cable in the system
Scotty

I'll be getting the UpTone Regen to try...

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=131183.msg1387676#msg1387676

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/uptone-audio-regen-22803/

hi5harry · « **Reply #141 on:** 10 Feb 2015, 10:28 pm »

I don't think the short block is compatible with the Vega.

loving_it · « **Reply #142 on:** 10 Feb 2015, 10:35 pm »

Quote from: hi5harry on 10 Feb 2015, 10:28 pm

I don't think the short block is compatible with the Vega.

I dont see why it wouldnt work , what makes you think it wont work with the Vega

hi5harry · « **Reply #143 on:** 10 Feb 2015, 11:11 pm »

I have a Short block, but didn't try it because I thought it was NOT compatible with the Xmos usb. I'm not sure of this at all and I would be glad to loan it out for any AC member to try.

hi5harry · « **Reply #144 on:** 10 Feb 2015, 11:14 pm »

Yep, I just looked at the Empirical Audio site and it is NOT compatible with the xmos chip.

ebag4 · « **Reply #145 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 05:37 am »

As a follow up, I received my Totaldac USB cable and am using it with the Vega. The combo has been together for 10 days or so. Tonight I had the best listening session I have experienced, this combination resulted in a very nice improvement to my system, Neil and Eva were here....or I was there may be more accurate, completely satisfied.

Best,
Ed

loving_it · « **Reply #146 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 05:55 am »

Glad to hear that love mine

jtwrace · « **Reply #147 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 02:03 pm »

What's the claim on why this USB Cable is so good?

nickd · « **Reply #148 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 03:59 pm »

This thread is killing me

I have been wanting to upgrade my PS Audio DAC to the new DSD directstream version. But the Vega sure sounds like it is a crowd pleaser

Anyone have the chance to compare the two DAC's on the same system yet?

mca · « **Reply #149 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 04:04 pm »

Quote

What's the claim on why this USB Cable is so good?

Science.

jtwrace · « **Reply #150 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 04:08 pm »

Quote from: nickd on 26 Feb 2015, 03:59 pm

Anyone have the chance to compare the two DAC's on the same system yet?

Yes, and I still have my Vega.

jtwrace · « **Reply #151 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 04:08 pm »

Quote from: mca on 26 Feb 2015, 04:04 pm

Science.

OK, by doing what?

srb · « **Reply #152 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 04:09 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 26 Feb 2015, 02:03 pm

What's the claim on why this USB Cable is so good?

Quote from: mca on 26 Feb 2015, 04:04 pm

Science.

"A shielded aluminium box embeds high performance filters to suppress digital pollutions coming from the computer or the music server. The filter box embeds also a circuit to better protect your DAC from the possible over-voltages coming from the computer."

jtwrace · « **Reply #153 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 04:17 pm »

Quote from: srb on 26 Feb 2015, 04:09 pm

"A shielded aluminium box embeds high performance filters to suppress digital pollutions coming from the computer or the music server. The filter box embeds also a circuit to better protect your DAC from the possible over-voltages coming from the computer."

Right. Since the Vega doesn't use 5Vdc on the buss what's it doing?

Tyson · « **Reply #154 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 05:55 pm »

Quote from: nickd on 26 Feb 2015, 03:59 pm

This thread is killing me

I have been wanting to upgrade my PS Audio DAC to the new DSD directstream version. But the Vega sure sounds like it is a crowd pleaser

Anyone have the chance to compare the two DAC's on the same system yet?

I have - no contest the Vega is better, IMO.

paul79 · « **Reply #155 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 06:24 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 26 Feb 2015, 04:17 pm

Right. Since the Vega doesn't use 5Vdc on the buss what's it doing?

That is not really a question that can be answered technically. It is Vincent's magic box, and I don't believe he's going to tell anybody what is in it.

But basically, I know that the power and the data lines are filtered. I have compared this to many USB cables, and this one is head and shoulders above the rest. No question based on my findings, and this translates to any DAC I have tried it with. Take the Totaldac challenge JW! I am willing to bet you keep the sucker

srb · « **Reply #156 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 06:28 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 26 Feb 2015, 04:17 pm

Right. Since the Vega doesn't use 5Vdc on the buss what's it doing?

I assume it's trying to "filter" noise that might be riding on the USB signal lines. The over voltage protection wouldn't apply to the Vega. I didn't say the science was sound or not, that's just their explanation.

Outside of filtering (whether there's anything to filter or not, audible or not) I personally don't see too much advantage over a USB cable that meets USB specs. S/PDIF is a different story where impedance and proper transmission line length or attenuation to avoid reflections is measurable on an oscilloscope.

As I said, I personally don't buy expensive USB cables. When a "heavy into audiophilia" acquaintance "needed" to improve on his generic Monoprice USB cable, I doctored a Monoprice I had with Techflex and heat shrink. He waxed poetic about more air, separation, bass, blah, blah, blah using the same exact cable as he had. From that point I gave up on USB DAC cables. I don't even want to get into using specialty USB cables for hard drive data transfer before it's even converted into a digital music stream!

But if someone thinks they hear a difference, real or not, it frees them from obsessing further about it and they can free up time and energy for more important things in their life.

At least you get an aluminum box and some internal passive components that might actually filter something that might affect the digital square wave leading and trailing edges and rise time instead of just a cable and connector ends for your several hundred dollars.

But it would be interesting to see some before and after oscilloscope screenshots of the pulse, corroborating the science.

Steve

jtwrace · « **Reply #157 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 06:50 pm »

I look forward to trying the UpTone Regen. That has a chance since John Swenson designed it.

paul79 · « **Reply #158 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 07:37 pm »

Good luck with that. I'm sure the Uptone will do wonders as you have yourself sold on it already. My USB cable hunt ended after getting the Totaldac USB Cable/Filter. I tried about any of them you can think of, and they all made a difference. I don't care who designs what, the thing works. I believe Vincent to be more than competent and absolutely trust the guy. Every product I have gotten from him has been leagues ahead of anything in digital land, DAC's included. The noise floor specs on his DAC's are better than any other on the market. He knows what he is doing.

jtwrace · « **Reply #159 on:** 26 Feb 2015, 07:43 pm »

Quote from: paul79 on 26 Feb 2015, 07:37 pm

Good luck with that. I'm sure the Uptone will do wonders as you have yourself sold on it already. My USB cable hunt ended after getting the Totaldac USB Cable/Filter. I tried about any of them you can think of, and they all made a difference. I don't care who designs what, the thing works. I believe Vincent to be more than competent and absolutely trust the guy. Every product I have gotten from him has been leagues ahead of anything in digital land, DAC's included.

OK, since you sell them can you tell us what it does for the data?