[MMB]

Dear Audio-Circle!

Can anybody tell something about the sound-quality when using the Analog Stereo Input of the IDA-16 vs. the digital section?

With all of my digital sources, let it by CD, web radio, AppleTV/Airplay, USB from MacBook the IDA-16 opens up a new ultra precise listening dimension.
I love that, very much!

But as I connected my dear good Vinyl player, the sound turned into something completely different.
Not so crisp, clear and powerful. Just a flat bass. Voices are not so clear. Short: bad. 
In my setup that I used before I installed the IDA16 (last week), the analog and digital sources sounded nearly equally good.

Does someone of you have had similar experiences?

Thanks a lot + best regards,
Michael

[oskar]

Hi. Your dear vinyl player needs a phono pre amp. The IDA-16 does not have one. The analogue in is for for other analogue sources; tuner, tape player or other. Shop for a nice phono pre and then connect it to the IDA analogue input. You'll need to know whether your cartridge is MM or MC since they have much different gain.

[MMB]

Hi oskar,

thanks for your reply - my dear vinyl player  (a SONY PS-X555ES with an AT 412 OOC) is connected to a Creek Audio OBH-8 phono preamp,
and that combination is connected to the IDA-16 into the analog input.

That combination had been wired 12 years to a ROTEL pre + power amp before and sounded quite good.

Since I replaced the ROTEL duo with the new IDA-16, I have been surprised, that all digital sources sound great (better), but the analog source sounds kind of flat (worse).

Best regards,
Michael

[JLM]

If the IDA-16 lacks a designated phono input you'll need to continue to use the Creek phono pre-amp. 

[oskar]

Right I see. Well then I think you'll have to look at your LP playback chain to see what can be improved.
No vinyl here so someone else will chime in with advise. Good luck.

[MMB]

I tried to describe my problem in the attached picture.
I missed to mention, that the CD-Player had been connected to the analog input of the ROTEL (since it has no digital in), but it ist connected to the digital input of the IDA-16.

Hope somebody who also uses a turntable or other analog device attached to a IDA 16 could write about his/her experiences.

[John Casler]

From your description, it appears the IDA-16 has shown the differences between your digital playback chain and your analog chain.

I think the difference your hearing is the relative improvement to your digital sources because the IDA-16 DAC is exceptional.

This improvement then produces a sonic disparity.  It shows an exceptional Digital Chain, and the difference in the Analog Chain.

It is likely not an effect or affect of the Analog Section of the IDA-16, but that it allows you to hear the differences between Analog and Digital with your present gear.  The IDA-16, uses the same preamp and amp section both from the internal DAC and the Analog inputs, so the disparity is relative to your gear going into the IDA-16.

This sometimes happens when moving up, or upgrading.  You previous system was limited to "ALL ANALOG" and you were limited to the lesser DACs in the CD Player, so the disparity was not as prominent.

[MMB]

Thanks for your reply.

This was something, that I'd expected, already - unfortunately.
Where do you think, the best improvement could come from, when I will tune the analog section?
A new turntable preamp? ...perhaps with a tube section?
A new needle? Or complete new player? ...but I love the Sony - tangential...

[MMB]

Here ist my "all clear".

Believe it or not, I changed the cable between the phono preamp and the IDA-16 from an Oehlbach NF1, that was there all the time to a Monitor PC silver cable.
That solved the issue. A dramatical change, that I would have never expected from a C A B L E.

So, thanks to all, that helped me here.

Best regards,
Michael

[SlushPuppy]

Funny how something like a cable swap can have such an impact on the sound. Glad you got it sorted out 

[rustydoglim]

I suspect it is due to the grounding or shielding difference between the two cables.