Vinyl

progbethyname wrote: ^^^ from the above comments.  It's great to experience and experiment sonically the best of both worlds (Analogue or Digital) with quality audio equipment to boot. I find each have their own unique and defining characteristics. Right now I'm kind of enjoying the best of both worlds through the use of a DAC. These things are great. I get the cleaness of digital while getting that extra warmth of analog, which is greatly exposed by the punchy bass that is so intimate and vibrant that you just don't get with digital. I'm getting it all and best of all my DAC is an amp as well and helps give me some extra Juice to power my Sennheiser HD 800's. it's amazing. Glad to get a good taste of both worlds. One is really not better than the other. Just different, but that largely will depend on what audio equipment you are using. It's important to get the goods!!!

Just put this one on, great album for sure..

oooooooooooooooh ok

Unless I hit the Lotto, I will never own such a pc of gear..but these tables are really cool looking.
I believe this thing will also make you a mean cup of java!



Edited by Catcher10 - April 28 2014 at 10:12

Dean wrote: progbethyname wrote: ^^^ from the above comments. It's great to experience and experiment sonically the best of both worlds (Analogue or Digital) with quality audio equipment to boot. I find each have their own unique and defining characteristics. Right now I'm kind of enjoying the best of both worlds through the use of a DAC. These things are great. I get the cleaness of digital while getting that extra warmth of analog, which is greatly exposed by the punchy bass that is so intimate and vibrant that you just don't get with digital. I'm getting it all and best of all my DAC is an amp as well and helps give me some extra Juice to power my Sennheiser HD 800's. it's amazing. Glad to get a good taste of both worlds. One is really not better than the other. Just different, but that largely will depend on what audio equipment you are using. It's important to get the goods!!!      I've never seen the attraction of external DACs, mainly because those in the price range I can justify spending use the same Burr Brown / Wolfson DAC chips <span style="line-height: 1.2;">(or at least technically comparable ones)</span><span style="line-height: 1.2;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.2;">as the CD/DVD player, and those are arguably of an audiophile level anyway. You say that you get "that extra warmth of analog"ue, but that can only come from the analogue preamplifier circuitry that the DAC chip drives into, and again that is very likely to be the same kind of solid-state components as used in the CD player itself, so any warmth that you perceive to be attributed to the DAC would be the result of that amplifier modifying the low end frequencies (which is a little unlikely) - in other words the preamp is not a flat response (which, as I said, is unlikely). </span> <span style="line-height: 1.2;"></span> <span style="line-height: 1.2;">I suspect the truer explanation is contained in "</span><span style="line-height: 1.2;">and</span><span style="line-height: 1.2;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.2;">helps give me some extra Juice to power my Sennheiser HD 800's" ... as I once went into great detail to explain, HD800 are medium impedance headphones whereas the headphone output of most domestic equipment (and all portable equipment) is designed for low impedance headphones. By having a better impedance match and a greater voltage swing (power, P, is V²/R ... so by using a higher impedance headphone you have increased "R", which has subsequently decreased "P" thus requiring more "V" to achieve the same "P") you have improved the ability of your HD800s to reproduce the low-end frequencies, something they were incapable of doing when driven from an amp designed for low impedance headphones.</span> <span style="line-height: 1.2;"></span> <span style="line-height: 1.2;">Incidentally, (and out of </span>voyeuristic<span style="line-height: 1.2;"> </span>curiosity<span style="line-height: 1.2;">) what external DAC are you using, and what is the source of your digital signal?</span> <span style="line-height: 1.2;"></span>

DAC's are very useful and coveinanant for those who love to travel and bring their high quality CANS wherever they go.
At the moment I'm using a portable DAC (ALPEN FiiO E17) which is a moderately priced and quality based DAC, that may run you 140$ to 160$ (CAN). I use it primarily as a power (voltage) source for my HD 800's mainly and I either combine the DAC's power source with either my stereo amp or Harmon Kardon receiver for wonderful listening experiences. In my situation, It is useful to have a Global power source combining my receiver and DAC to compensate for my SEN 800's impedance level (300Ohms) which is a moderate impedence level compared to most HIFI serious CAN's. you're right about that. Some Audeze and Bayerndynamic headphones have over 1000 ohms!!!
All in all. My DAC is a fair pairing with my 800's, but it is not incredible on its own since my DAC's range of power is between 30 Ohms to 300ohms exactly. Therefore I'm maxing out my DAC's impedence range, which makes me have to increase the GAIN option and mess with the treble and bass only if I am using the DAC alone paired through a direct AUX connection with an I pod or CD player. However, when I use the SPDIF(24/96k) sound option through an optical cable connection paired with my Harmon Kardon receiver the sound is out of this world and I am definitely getting the most out of all my sound equipment that way.
Anyway. Back to the DAC specifically. I notice a big difference in Bass tonality when I don't pair my DAC with my equipment. That is mainly the only thing....well that and it makes my music either through a CD player or I pod sound less crispy. You see, the HD 800's are hardwired as a very bright sounding Headphone and are tailored for live music listening because they are such a dynamic pair of CANs. The treble and bass are kicked up quite a bit, so punching a pure analogue signal such as with use of a DAC will help lower that bright, overly crispy sound that the Sens carry.

One more thing. I believe my FiiO E17 is naturally in a 'Flat' EQ setting, but I'm not sure about its direct frequency response. All I know is that it's a pretty decent DAC and the left and right frequency channeling are nearly identical
From one another. It's not the best portable DAC out there, but its the very best for its price.
Anyway. I'm quite pleased with it and it makes an added difference. It is great for travel. For instance, I travel with a pair of V-MODA CROSSFADES 80LP's and they are about 200$ and paired with my DAC they sound like a 500$ pair of headphones even through just using a direct AUX connection with my I POD. It's huge.
I Would totally reccomend my DAC player to and for 'Vinyl Junkies' so they can hear their digital music files converted into a warmer analogue signal. I was really surprised that DAC's work. For the longest time I thought they were bullsh*t, but they are indeed not.
Happy listening.

Been really stuck on this one for a while now....This is my Rhino half speed remaster version. I just received and installed a new cartridge and been really liking what I am hearing...even more so.

Catcher10 wrote: Been really stuck on this one for a while now....This is my Rhino half speed remaster version. I just received and installed a new cartridge and been really liking what I am hearing...even more so.

Oh god how beautiful.

smartpatrol wrote: Think I forgot to post this here. My stuff from Record Store Day. Going back on Thursday cause my Grammy's staying here for a week and wants to go with :D   I'm a lucky b*****d

Nice haul Andrew!! Great record buys..

Pretty big news from United Record Pressing...answering the call for more vinyl.

I don't listen to his music...but this is pretty cool stuff from Jack White on his new vinyl issue.

Some old vinyl features rehashed again...the locked groove at the outer edge, never seen before.

Also very nice gear in the background, McIntosh amplification and B&W bookshelf speakers.


Edited by Catcher10 - May 08 2014 at 14:41