[Tyson]

Nice setup!  Love how you've made the ho-hum treatments look very cool by the symmetry of the placement.

[K Shep]

My next system change is upon me.  I purchased a Mac Mini and will soon receive an Ayre QB-9 USB DAC.  My concern as it relates to this thread is the "digital sound".  I am very happy with the way my system currently sounds.  I hope the addition of a solid state DAC doesn't increase the edge I was familiar with, in my system, prior to adding my current tube preamp.  I am looking forward to the ease of storage and user interface, but I will have to see how the change sounds in my system.  I have auditioned the DAC 3 times through 3 different pair of speakers and I love the way it sounds.  Your thoughts please.

Kirk

[zybar]

huh, you put room treatment ahead of source? Are you high? I don't want to down play the importance of RT, but if you have a bad source no amount of foam padding is going to change that.  Not to mention us hen pecked gentlemen (yourself included) do not get the luxury of room treatment so we're pretty screwed to begin with, your order makes it even worse!


The again I suppose a lot of that has to do with how bad your room is. If it's really echoey then it could potentially be the number one most important. 

Pez,

He is right - room treatment is more important.

15+ years in this hobby and I wish I understood the importance of room treatments much earlier on...I would have had better sound and a lot more money in the bank!!

George

[zybar]

My next system change is upon me.  I purchased a Mac Mini and will soon receive an Ayre QB-9 USB DAC.  My concern as it relates to this thread is the "digital sound".  I am very happy with the way my system currently sounds.  I hope the addition of a solid state DAC doesn't increase the edge I was familiar with, in my system, prior to adding my current tube preamp.  I am looking forward to the ease of storage and user interface, but I will have to see how the change sounds in my system.  I have auditioned the DAC 3 times through 3 different pair of speakers and I love the way it sounds.  Your thoughts please.

Kirk

Kirk,

Looking at your listed gear, I don't see a tubed dac...am I missing something?

George

[K Shep]

Sorry George, you did miss "will soon receive an Ayre QB-9 USB DAC"  SS DAC.  "I hope the addition of a solid state DAC doesn't increase the edge"  or increase the brightness of the SS DAC.

Currently I enjoy my entire setup, my Arcam is less bright that other CD players I have heard and the Arcam fits well along with my other equipment.

I hope that helps.

Kirk

[bpape]

huh, you put room treatment ahead of source? Are you high? I don't want to down play the importance of RT, but if you have a bad source no amount of foam padding is going to change that.  Not to mention us hen pecked gentlemen (yourself included) do not get the luxury of room treatment so we're pretty screwed to begin with, your order makes it even worse!


The again I suppose a lot of that has to do with how bad your room is. If it's really echoey then it could potentially be the number one most important. 

And if you've got a crappy room, you can have the best source in the world, and you're still going to hear more of the room than the source.  IMO, the 2 biggest things impacting sound are the speakers and the room.  Everything else is a matter of matching.

Bryan

[zybar]

Sorry George, you did miss "will soon receive an Ayre QB-9 USB DAC"  SS DAC.  "I hope the addition of a solid state DAC doesn't increase the edge"  or increase the brightness of the SS DAC.

Currently I enjoy my entire setup, my Arcam is less bright that other CD players I have heard and the Arcam fits well along with my other equipment.

I hope that helps.

Kirk

Thanks Kirk.

I misunderstood and thought you were comparing the Ayre USB DAC to a tubed DAC and not your Arcam.

FWIW, a friend who tried the Ayre thought it sounded more like a tubed DAC than a solid state DAC.

I hope this works out well and that you are happy.

Best of luck.

George

[K Shep]

Speakers, treatments, preamp, front end, amp, cabling...

+1

[K Shep]

I never noticed until now, look at the middle right Auralex panel, its not square to the other panels.  I'll be right back!

[K Shep]

Sorry George, you did miss "will soon receive an Ayre QB-9 USB DAC"  SS DAC.  "I hope the addition of a solid state DAC doesn't increase the edge"  or increase the brightness of the SS DAC.

Currently I enjoy my entire setup, my Arcam is less bright that other CD players I have heard and the Arcam fits well along with my other equipment.

I hope that helps.

Kirk

FWIW, a friend who tried the Ayre thought it sounded more like a tubed DAC than a solid state DAC.

George

Thanks George,
I have heard the DAC sounds "analog" or "tube like", too.  From those trying to sell the unit.  I auditioned the QB-9 and to my ear it sounded more open and airy when compared to the Ayre C-5xeMP which is Ayre's top shelf CD player.  I am going to ask to take the Demo unit home for an over night test in my attic.  I will post my impressions when I have them.

Kirk