Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
Zardoz;311433 Wrote: I'm pretty contend with what I hear and am actually selling the RME. Regards, Z. Good choice. :) -- NewBuyer NewBuyer's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=7862 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
Hi EricM, hi Nonreality, @Eric: thanks for mentioning other DAC candidates, I've read about them but I'm not willing to spend the necessary 1000s. Then I'd rather go with the Transporter. The RME-DAC was just a test to what extend a midprice external DAC can contribute to the sound. @Nonreality: Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just adding more and more devices to take part at the gearporn ratrace. Being honest, I'm pretty contend with what I hear and am actually selling the RME. Regards, Z. -- Zardoz Zardoz's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=18036 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
How about trying something else? The Benchmark, Lavry, and PS Audio DLIII come to mind, I'd be really suprised if you didn't hear adifference with any of those. -- ErikM ErikM's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=7576 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
How about another approach. Are you maybe, just maybe, happy with the sound you have? That 600 would go a long ways to a nice recliner that I'm sure would improve you sound a lot. :) -- Nonreality -IF THE RULE YOU FOLLOWED BROUGHT YOU TO THIS, OF WHAT USE IS THE RULE.- HTTP://www.last.fm/user/nonreality Nonreality's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=15723 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
Thanks for your explainations so far. I just read a thread about the positive effect of cheap DACs Made in China. Still I have a hard time believing that professional mastering gear like the ADI-2 has ZERO effect on sound qualiy while some cheapish 100 plastic boxes are praised for their performance. My setup: Squeezebox Duet (Optical/Coax Connection via Oehlbach Digital Cable - RME ADI-2) Solen Tigre Hybrid Amplifier (Valve Pre, Transistor Power Ampl.) Silent Wire Audio Physics Yara Evolution That way I can directly switch inputs with and without the external DAC. Except for a small difference in volume there is NO audible difference between both options. There's also no difference in Optical/Coax digital connection quality. Is it possible, that the speakers are too bad to hear the difference? It's just because there's a lot of people euphoric about external DACs and also some who don't see any differnce at all. As a former scientist, maybe I'm looking for a measurable explanation... ;) The reason why I'm still dealing with the issue is - should I keep the DAC and check if a speaker update will make the improvement audible or should I just quit thinking about external DACs for the time being? -- Zardoz Zardoz's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=18036 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
Hi StigErik, I heard about the importance of equal volume when comparing sound devices. I had expected to hear at least a little difference, a slight coloration or something between both scenarios, but there is nothing. This made me even think that I might have done something wrong. Maybe it's like you said, the quality of the internal Burr Browns and the ADI-2 is on the same level. That said, there's really no use in spending 600 for this specific dac. -- Zardoz Zardoz's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=18036 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
Hi, since last weekend I'm the proud owner of a Squeezebox Duet. I also bought a RME ADI-2 mastering quality DAC to improve audio quality. The funny thing is, to my ears there is no audible difference/improvement when I compare its output to the Duets analog jacks, neither with optical nor coax connection. In the upper scenario I used the Squeezeboxes clock to slave the external DAC. As far as I know, the ADI-2 can also be used as a master clock for the Squeezebox. When I try to switch the DAC into the correct mode (44.1khz) the sound is worsened by dropouts. Could anyone help me in this, because I'm about to sell the DAC and use the Squeezebox without it. Is this behaviour the same with every other DAC or is it related to the ADI? Thanks in advance, Zardoz! -- Zardoz Zardoz's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=18036 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
I've had an RME ADI-2. Nice DAC, but not top notch. Its far behind the brilliant Transporter. I've never heard the Duet, so I cannot comment on its sound, but it wouldn't amaze me at all if the Duet is at least as good as, if not better, than your ADI-2 The dropouts are a typical clock synch problem, indicating that the DAC and the source are not using the same clock source. -- StigErik StigErik's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=16340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
Thanks StigErik, that's weird. I'd never thought that the squeezebox would actually outperform a professional production level DAC 600 worth! To be honest, I'll give it another test run this evening. I've learned that in order to make the ADI-2 the clock master, I'd have to connect the ADIs digital out to the squeezeboxes digital in for clock synchronizing. The regular Duet doesn't come with a digital in, so there's no way of using the clock of an external dac as master. It works with the transporter though. For 2000 the transporter is not an option for me right now. As far as I see it, there's no audible sound improvement by adding an external DAC. At least in the price range under 1000. Do you feel the same? Hopefully this doesn't lead to flamewars, I'm just thinking about rerouting the money I spent on the ADI-2 to something else if it doesn't improve the sound. Cheers, Zardoz -- Zardoz Zardoz's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=18036 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
Zardoz - to be clear the ADI-2 doesn't have a word-clock output (or input). It always uses the clock in the spdif or ADAT/Toslink signal or it replaces them with its internal clock. To really get a big improvement on the SB internal DAC, you'd need one with word-clock output (so the DAC can drive the SB) - and the SB would need to have a word-clock input added (modders can do this). These tend to be expensive DAC's! Also, opinions are divided on just how much better this arrangement would be over a closely coupled DAC as in the Transporter. -- Phil Leigh You want to see the signal path BEFORE it gets onto a CD/vinyl...it ain't what you'd call minimal...SB3+Stontronics PSU - Altmann JISCO/UPCI - TACT RCS 2.2X with Good Vibrations S/W - MF X-DAC V3/X-PSU/X-10 buffer (Audiocomm full mods)- Linn 5103 - Linn Aktiv 5.1 system (6x LK140's, ESPEK/TRIKAN/KATAN/SEIZMIK 10.5), Townsend Supertweeters, Kimber Chord cables Phil Leigh's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=85 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] RME ADI-2 - External DAC issue
Zardoz;310088 Wrote: Thanks StigErik, that's weird. I'd never thought that the squeezebox would actually outperform a professional production level DAC 600 worth! To be honest, I'll give it another test run this evening. - For 2000 the transporter is not an option for me right now. As far as I see it, there's no audible sound improvement by adding an external DAC. At least in the price range under 1000. Do you feel the same? Hopefully this doesn't lead to flamewars, I'm just thinking about rerouting the money I spent on the ADI-2 to something else if it doesn't improve the sound. Cheers, Zardoz I didnt think so either, but when I heard the Transporter I was very very impressed with it. It crushed the ADI-2, and compares very well with my 3000$ RME ADI-8 QS. It wont surprise me if the SB3 compares well with the ADI-2. I have two SB3, but I have never listened too closely to their analog out to make any serious comment (one is used on the porch, and the other one only with digital output). My 0,02$ would be to save up for a Transporter. Then you'll have the best media player on the market, and maybe the best DAC in its price range. I got mine for ~2000$, which is ~1500. Not to bad. -- StigErik StigErik's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=16340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48679 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
