"So near and yet so far..."
So, this months edition of Hi-Fi Choice has a blind testing of
reasonably-priced streaming solutions:
Cambridge Audio Sonata NP30
Cyrus Stream X
SB Touch
Marantz NA7004
Rotel RDG 1520
Yamaha NP-S2000
I like the blind testing approach. The Touch came out as Group Test
Winner. :-)
However, once again the magazine lets itself down with a basic lack of
understanding of anything to do with computers or networking :-(
For instance:
Page 23 (talking about TCP transmission of audio data)...
"...jitter can effectively be measured in seconds..."
NO - stupid. There is no clock and so there is NO jitter. Doh!
However, much worse is this: (page 54 callout box on "Tech Labs"):
"One problem facing streaming devices is the susceptibility to
interference and degradation of a signal as it passes through a
network. Such problems can amount to drop-outs of the audio in the
extreme but MORE SUBTLE ARTEFACTS MAY APPEAR AS DISTORTION, REDUCED
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO AND DYNAMIC RANGE."
Oh really? - I want some of those drugs please. Please explain how a
"signal" which is represented as one or more packets of TCP data can be
degraded without anyone noticing?... I think the entire Internet-based
world we inhabit would like to know about that. Certainly my employer
would be interested, as would the criminal fraternity...
As for data corruption (because that IS what is being described here)
inducing distortion, reduced SNR and DR... well, again I'd really like
to understand how on earth that is supposed to happen. (Oh no, my
internet browser page has gone all fuzzy and indistinct...)
I thought that a corrupt TCP packet would be retransmitted...Guess I
must be stupid, huh?
{Shrugs shoulders and rolls eyes in disbelief/despair.}
--
Phil Leigh
You want to see the signal path BEFORE it gets onto a CD/vinyl...it
ain't what you'd call minimal...
Touch(wired/XP) - Audiolense 3.3/2.0+INGUZ DRC - MF M1 DAC - Linn 5103
- full Aktiv 5.1 system (6x LK140's, ESPEK/TRIKAN/KATAN/SEIZMIK 10.5),
Pekin Tuner, Townsend Supertweeters, Blue Jeans Belden Digital,Kimber
8TC Speaker & Chord Signature Plus Interconnect cables
Stax4070+SRM7/II phones
Kitchen Boom, Outdoors: SB Radio, Harmony One remote for everything.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phil Leigh's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=85
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=90496
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