Dac vs TT

werd · « **Reply #20 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 05:33 pm »

If I had room to build a vinyl collection I'd do the TT thing over dac. Well both if I could afford it. I just don't want to make room for a vinyl collection.

woodsyi · « **Reply #21 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 06:46 pm »

It's not a versus thing. You really need both if you love music. There are some new music that's not on vinyl and there are some old music that's not been digitized. I need both to listen to music I love. So I have spent a ton of effort to make both good. And they are good.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #22 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 06:49 pm »

Quote from: paul79 on 12 Nov 2014, 06:25 am

What dac's, players have you tried?

I can't really recall every one I've tried. Too many to name. Currently I have a Meitner MA-1 powered by a Stealth Dream Digital PC with a Revelation Audio Labs Dual USB cable.

Don't get me wrong, it sounds good. I think it all depends on where your sonic priorities reside. Digital does that black background, music emanating from out of no where, type of sound.

For whatever reason, and trust me, I would almost prefer for it to be different, because vinyl music is more expensive, my analog sounds better in every other quantifiable (minus noise floor) way to me.

The sound is at once open and transparent, while also being natural and flowing.

I quit analog once, and tried to do all digital. I lasted three years, and couldn't do it anymore. I stopped really listening to music like I had with vinyl. There is just a quality to the sound with analog that I can't quit.

woodsyi · « **Reply #23 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 07:04 pm »

I mean I love vinyl. Heck, I took the vinyl circle over from TCG. But some of the new stuff are not issued on vinyl. If I want to listen to new artists in current productions, I have to listen to digital. The hirez really makes digital palatable for me. Redbook is alright. I refuse to do MP3. I don't even bother to download the free MP3 that comes with new vinyl.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #24 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 07:08 pm »

Quote from: woodsyi on 12 Nov 2014, 07:04 pm

I mean I love vinyl. Heck, I took the vinyl circle over from TCG. But some of the new stuff are not issued on vinyl. If I want to listen to new artists in current productions, I have to listen to digital. The hirez really makes digital palatable for me. Redbook is alright. I refuse to do MP3. I don't even bother to download the free MP3 that comes with new vinyl.

Content is definitely a problem sometimes. Fortunately, a lot of the new music I listen to, has recently been also released on vinyl, so I am buying it up while it is readily available.

paul79 · « **Reply #25 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 07:54 pm »

king,

That DAC is pretty substantial for sure. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I understand completely why you feel the way you do about vinyl.

I too was at wits end with digital at one time. I literally bought several DAC's, each improving with costs, and then I tried the Vega. This coupled with my Mac Mini was incredible to me. Not only that, it was the cheapest of the DAC's I tried! This really surprised me... Very intoxicating vocal reproduction and layering was present in the soundstage like no other DAC I had tried. It's as if the DAC was made for the ears.

My latest purchase was an all out leap of faith, based on the fact that I have never read a bad comment about any of the products. I have the Totaldac Monobloc DAC's with the Totaldac Server/reclocker. This has been an absolute dream here, and this setup betters any source I have ever heard. It is fast, very fast, musical, and extremely transparent. It is more about substance, absolute neutrality, with no artifacts or color of the sound. Everything is very solid and locked in place within the stage. This DAC also gives tremendous height and depth of stage, that I thought digital could never do. Classical music is no problem. I can hear every single instrument as if they are a group of individuals rather than a combined sound, if that makes sense. Instruments and artists are always detached from the speakers. I can never tell where my speakers are, unless the recording is absolute crap. It has a way of extracting the best from everything. My emotional involvement is off the charts and I just want to get up and dance. I love it completely. The only thing wrong with it is the cost

Then again, you get what you pay for....

kingdeezie · « **Reply #26 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 08:57 pm »

I just looked up the TotalDAC, that thing looks insane! I am sure it sounds great, enjoy.

paul79 · « **Reply #27 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 09:29 pm »

king,

I used the Revelation Dual before getting a couple other USB cables. The Revelation is very vivid, but I found that it really smeared the sound and I could never get a sharp stable image from my setup using it. The center vocalist was always about 4ft wide, and background artists tended to wander instead of being locked in place.

The AudioQuest Diamond is pretty dang good, but this one still smeared the sound a bit. It pulls off the detailed yet smooth thing really well though.

The Totaldac USB Cable/Filter is the best one I have tried for tone density, inner detail, and rock solid image focus. What it does is immediately obvious. Artists are locked in, always in their respective locations, and never wander. You might give this one a shot. It was sort of my gateway drug into Totaldac. This cable is very impressive and in important musical ways. This cable alone may help you live better with your DAC. This quality translated to all the DAC's I tried also.

werd · « **Reply #28 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 10:24 pm »

I like to stereotype (pun there) system synergy using the big ole class A tube amps with vinyl and transistor amps with dacs or cd playback.

Art_Chicago · « **Reply #29 on:** 12 Nov 2014, 10:39 pm »

Quote from: woodsyi on 12 Nov 2014, 06:46 pm

It's not a versus thing. You really need both if you love music. There are some new music that's not on vinyl and there are some old music that's not been digitized. I need both to listen to music I love. So I have spent a ton of effort to make both good. And they are good.

100% Agree, but I'd like to add-- some new stuff issued in both formats is significantly less compressed on vinyl as LP is positioned as an audiophile product.

G Georgopoulos · « **Reply #30 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 01:42 am »

Quote from: kingdeezie on 12 Nov 2014, 08:57 pm

I just looked up the TotalDAC, that thing looks insane! I am sure it sounds great, enjoy.

it cant compete ha?...

paul79 · « **Reply #31 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 01:52 am »

What are you doing George

G Georgopoulos · « **Reply #32 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 02:00 am »

I have only one thing to say,how is 105dB s/n ratio is going to sound bad!...

a.wayne · « **Reply #33 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 03:12 am »

Quote from: woodsyi on 12 Nov 2014, 06:46 pm

It's not a versus thing. You really need both if you love music. There are some new music that's not on vinyl and there are some old music that's not been digitized. I need both to listen to music I love. So I have spent a ton of effort to make both good. And they are good.

Bingo +2

a.wayne · « **Reply #34 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 03:17 am »

Quote from: rollo on 12 Nov 2014, 04:29 pm

DAC's require 500 hours to sound right. As of now an unfair comparison. Be patient.

charles

500 hrs to sound good , a DAC for retirees .....

kingdeezie · « **Reply #35 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 03:51 am »

Quote from: G Georgopoulos on 13 Nov 2014, 01:42 am

it cant compete ha?...

I thought how the designer built the DAC with a ton of matched Vishay resistors was very cool. I also liked the look of the product, and was shocked by its 12.5K-40K price tag depending on configuration.

I would be willing to bet, I still wouldn't give up my analog rig for it, and my analog rig is not 40K. Spend 40K on a vinyl rig, and my comment still stands, it won't compete.

Quote from: G Georgopoulos on 13 Nov 2014, 02:00 am

I have only one thing to say,how is 105dB s/n ratio is going to sound bad!...

Signal to noise ratio is actually the first specification I look for when buying equipment. It really tells you how something sounds.

G Georgopoulos · « **Reply #36 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 04:02 am »

Quote from: kingdeezie on 13 Nov 2014, 03:51 am

Signal to noise ratio is actually the first specification I look for when buying equipment. It really tells you how something sounds.

s/n ratio is actually dynamic range,isnt that important?(silence,small and big sounds),well i wish you
have a good time with what you want...

kingdeezie · « **Reply #37 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 04:17 am »

Quote from: G Georgopoulos on 13 Nov 2014, 04:02 am

s/n ratio is actually dynamic range,isnt that important?(silence,small and big sounds),well i wish you
have a good time with what you want...

Name me one digital recording with a 105db dynamic range.

Plus, whats your ambient room noise floor when quiet? 40dbs? You get 145 db peaks?

werd · « **Reply #38 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 04:43 am »

Quote from: kingdeezie on 13 Nov 2014, 03:51 am

I thought how the designer built the DAC with a ton of matched Vishay resistors was very cool. I also liked the look of the product, and was shocked by its 12.5K-40K price tag depending on configuration.

I would be willing to bet, I still wouldn't give up my analog rig for it, and my analog rig is not 40K. Spend 40K on a vinyl rig, and my comment still stands, it won't compete.

Signal to noise ratio is actually the first specification I look for when buying equipment. It really tells you how something sounds.

The spec is not going to tell you what it sounds like. But it will tell you what it doesn't sound like. And that's a piece with lots of noise. Usually high noise in SS gives you bad treble clammer too along with noise floor.

a.wayne · « **Reply #39 on:** 13 Nov 2014, 06:01 am »

Quote from: kingdeezie on 13 Nov 2014, 04:17 am

Name me one digital recording with a 105db dynamic range.

Plus, whats your ambient room noise floor when quiet? 40dbs? You get 145 db peaks?

Bingo .....