cepheid Wrote: > > I'm sure the preamp's digital input is perfectly fine, and you're right > that I like how it sounds with the CD player. What I'm trying to say is > that I suspect (but am not certain) that the SB's DAC is better than the > receiver's DAC, so what I'd like to do is send the SB's analog output > "unfiltered" to the speakers. I did not mean to imply that I'd rather > do extra processing with the receiver JUST to use the SB's DAC... I > meant that I'd rather be able to use JUST the SB's DAC. > > Now, obviously I don't know for sure that the receiver's DAC is > inferior, and clearly I do like it with the CD player, so it'd probably > be just as good using the SB's digital output. What I'm wondering is > whether it would be even better using the SB's DAC directly (without > extra processing by the receiver). > > If the receiver's "Direct" setting does indeed bypass the preamp's A->D > conversion, then I'll be able to "easily" test whether the SB's DAC is > better or not. If the "Direct" setting simply bypasses all the effects > but still goes through the A->D conversion, then that won't help. > > ... > > They're not actually separate inputs. The "Direct" setting is > toggle-able, and can be enabled or disabled on all inputs. If I'm > lucky, it shunts the input signal directly to the amplifier without > going through the A->D conversion... if I'm not lucky, it just disables > all the digital signal processing without modifying the signal path. > Since the manual doesn't tell me, I can't really know without asking > someone who's got detailed technical knowledge of this particular > receiver. >
I would be astonished if the amp had selectable totally separate analogue paths for all inputs. If it had, the manual would most likely mention it in some detail. It is just too costly, and gains so little for the average user. Even high-end manufacturers of processors don't often put in dedicated analouge paths. Instead they spend the money on better A/D chips, higher sampling frequency and greater bit-depth. The contact cleaner you mentioned should be just fine. Aren't you itching to at least unplug your CD-player and plug the very same TosLINK cable into the SB? (An easy test that does not introduce extra variables.) Too much theorising could lead to drawing foregone conclusions, and then hearing what you expect to hear.. ;-) (I think the old greek philosophers would have agreed, had they lived to see the raise of empirical science.) -- P Floding ------------------------------------------------------------------------ P Floding's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2932 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=22635 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
