cliveb;529290 Wrote: > I take it that you have compared your external DAC with the > Transporter's analogue output and prefer the DAC? You mention that you > connect the DAC to the power amp via XLR, so of course to do a fair > comparison you need to use the TP's balanced outputs. And make sure > that the comparison is level-matched. > > The reason I ask this is that the TP's own DAC is extremely good, and > I'm surprised you find any need to use an external DAC. Out of > curiosity, what is the external DAC? > > There's an implication in one of your other posts that you're using the > TP's volume control at a fairly low setting. If this is the case, then > the SNR degradation that will result could overwhelm any minor > differences between the TP's DAC and the external one. I think you need > to make sure you get the gain staging right (with appropriate passive > attenuation) and operate with the TP's volume control at a reasonably > high setting before you can come to any sensible conclusions regarding > the relative merits of the DACs.
I had a SB3 and bought an external DAC to improve SQ. That was an Audio-GD DAC-200, without any doubt a major improvement compared to the SB3 dac. In February I upgraded the DAC to the Audio_GD Reference 7, which is their top of line DAC (8 PCM1704UK DAC chips and a sophisticated powersupply). Again a substantial improvement. After 2 weeks I was able to have a great deal on a Transporter. I have listened to the Transporter's DAC but to be honest, I haven't done a thorough A?B comparison as I automaticly assumed the Ref 7 DAC should be the best and I installed the Transporter to this DSAC (with AES/EBU). Perhaps The Ref 7 is a better dac than the Transporter (specs and the build say it should), but perhaps the Transporter would surprise me when I would do a proper test. Responding on the volume degradation issue: I currently listen to a -48dB volume level (Transporter) and I have read somewehere that at this level there are still 16bits left so degradation not noticable. And to be honest, at this level the music sounds great, better then with 100% Transporter volume via my Meridian G02 preamp. -- Fxdwg123 Synology 209+II --> Transporter --> Audio-GD Ref7 DAC --> Meridian G57 --> Wilson Audio WP7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fxdwg123's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=37207 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=76659 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
