SoftwireEngineer wrote:
> What an interesting thread !! with things like jitter we could talk till
> the end of eternity :-) On a serious note, I think both ralph* and jh*
> have valid points. I do not have a very high end source/transport but
> mostly my focus in the last few years where I have been using "direct
> digital" amplifiers has been to reduce jitter. When I started the hobby
> (more than 15 years ago) I did not think that digital cables could
> influence the sound (I am EE/CS major). After quite a bit of reading, I
> think I get what jitter is all about. People like Steve Nugent at
> Empirical Audio are making genuine products addressing this issue.
> I am not sure one can tell the difference between a 2K player and a 10K
> player, but then again I do not have the "high resolution" amps and
> speakers as jh* asserts. I do believe the sound of a system is
> influenced in the following order - 1) Recording 2) Room
> acoustics/speaker setup 3) Speakers 4) preamp/amp 5) Source. Still
> increasing the quality of digital sources seems to bring about a large
> difference in sound that the Souce can also be in #1 position as
> playback quality is equivalent to recording quality. If there is any
> interest, I would further share how cost-effectively improve jitter
> performance in a system.
> (see my signature I am a cheapo-audiophile :-))
The audiophile hobby ("hi-end") boils down to passion for how well music
is reproduced in our home. This passion lends itself to manipulation by
a tiny % of those looking to net an easy profit while providing no
value. Sadly, this aspect overshadows all of the great gear and ideas
out there which legitimately improve sound quality. The thread topic we
have here should be relatively benign, but it hasn't turned out that
way. Sadly.
The very best reproduced music can be realized if the recording is well
done and digital mastering is excellent. Don't forget the mastering. I
could go on for quite a bit with respect to the importance of mastering
(pick up your favorite CCR album on Analogue Productions Hybrid SACD and
compare redbook layer to any other...and then thank Steve Hoffman). The
room likely comes next. Well, at least the positioning of the sweet
spot and the speakers. Don't bother spending much if the positioning is
all wrong. There are not enough thousands of dollars on the planet to
overcome poor positioning. Bass traps would be next or perhaps
absorption of the early reflections off of the side walls and floor
(ideally both).
Now, for the gear, most will claim that speakers have the next largest
impact. I can't disagree, but if the that's the case, then the source
compenent is next. If the source isn't retrieving the musical data
properly in order to send it on down the line, then pre/power amp and
speakers never have a chance to show their stuff. Digital sources are
complicated and it's not as easy as buying an off the shelf chip and
calling it a day. The resistor ladder implementations present many
problems just for starters. Vibration control and the design of the
power supply is crucial. Then we have the analog stage, which will have
to be true fully balanced in order to get the most out of the recording.
This circuitry is proprietary so we should be skeptical, but not
irrational. Measurements only tell so much, especially concerning
jitter. Note that dCS does not use a typical ladder design and further,
they have bespoke chip designs. Their new flagship, the Vivaldi, has
been received exceedingly well. Believe it or not, but dCS is doing
amazing work (and they aren't alone). None of us will likely ever own a
Vivaldi, but their research will pay off for us eventually.
The pre and power amp won't matter much if the other pieces aren't in
place. I suppose one could say this about any given component. That's
why we have sound SYSTEMS. A weak link anywhere in the SYSTEM is no
good. If the whole system, aside from the source component is weak,
then the greatest source compenent on earth (Vivaldi) will not do any
good. Now then, if the opposite is the case where the source is weak,
then an upgrade there can have a dramatic impact. And I do mean
DRAMATIC. If you are reading this and you haven't had this experience,
then I envy you. You've got a big surprise coming someday.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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