ezkcdude;230091 Wrote: > What are the differences between the dCS Professional and Audiophile > components? From the website, I gather the Audiophile gear is *more > expensive* (counterintuitively to my thinking). Both have balanced > inputs/outputs, word clock, etc.
The sonic differences between their pro and audiophile gear are negligible: internally, boards are mostly identical (except that the Elgar offers a more cost- and labour-intensive analogue output stage), so that whatever difference one might perceive is assumed to be due to the more solid chassis/cabinets of the audiophile versions. The devil is in the details: 1) Compatibility. Look at the DSD inputs/outputs, compression formats etc. No DSD playback connecting the consumer transport to the pro DACs, for example (due to Sony's unnerving copyright protection requirements - the pro gear's "fully open", but there's no transport there, you'd need to download all your DSD to hard disc and go from there). 2) Handling. The pro gear offers possibilities the average audiophile won't need, thus is less user-friendly. 3) Logically, software isn't identical. Again, the devil is in the details. You could download their manuals and compare them if you're really curious. Actually, the price difference is anything but counterintuitive: more elegant, solid and labour-intensive cabinets, heavy duty remote controls, IEEE 1394 boards to play back and upsample to DSD etc., a less QPR-minded clientele - no wonder the audiophile gear costs more. Remember, it's the studio market that is most competitive as far as QPR and absolute price limits are concerned. Audiophiles seem to figure, if this is (among) the best they can get, then so bit it. Those who suspect they might be paying too much proably aren't thought of as target clientele anyhow. In short, if you're not in the market for their Verdi DSD transport, don't mind pro gear handling, that is, reference to a manual once in a while, and/or have an engineer's mindset anyhow, the pro gear will cost you less, I'd just make sure it's in placed in/on a vibration-free rack. Greetings from Switzerland, David. -- acousticsguru ------------------------------------------------------------------------ acousticsguru's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=13298 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38637 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
