Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Stock Touch sound quality - Variable
Hello cparker. I'm not sure if you understood me. After 50-100 hrs of running in the analogue section from new, the sound out of the analogue section has suddenly transformed, form rubbish to very very good indeed. By very good, I mean up there in the £1000+ cd player world. I have £2000 cd player that is better but not by much, and inferior in imaging. I am now very excited about bypassing the output caps, going wired and ding the software mods. I think I'm going to agree with John Swenson after doing so that the internal DAC is very very good indeed. I'm playing through £5000 of valve pre power into Loather DX2 horns, and separately Sugden A21 (amazing but selling on ebay I'm afraid) into electrostatics. I am amazed at the 3D sound-stage, top drawer imaging, and really spine tingling sound, especially through the electrostatics. The only thing lacking compared to my reference is a full-bodied organic texture to instruments. I would say in this department the internal DAC is at about 70% of my reference. I know that what I'm saying is not what most others are saying about the internal DAC, but it makes me wonder if they'v run in the analogue section. Before i ran it in i was dismayed by its sound quality and preparing myself for a DAC purchase. Now i just want to bypass those caps! -- gilbodavid gilbodavid's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=45159 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=87168 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Stock Touch sound quality - Variable
Thank you for the advice. Well, very strange in a good way. I've tried wav files again and I am astounded. The sound quality has transformed, and is really good. I had the touch volume at 100% before, so its not that. I'm guessing its a run-in thing. Anyway, the sound quality of wav files are really good. Amazingly good. I've been fretting about affording a new dac, bu i'm now thinking that if i do the output caps mod and do the software mods i shall have absolutely no need, specially when John Swenson is saying that with these mods (i'm not brave enough to disengage the screen yet) it is an extremely good dac. I shall do the mods shortly and repeat Meanwhile the analogue out is really good, almost up with my Newtonia Optia CD player, a rare but wonderful high end machine. I'm getting width and depth to the sound stage, really sharp imaging and placement of instruments, tonality, musicality and PRAT. The bass is deep, not bloated at all, tuneful and tonally very goo, treble is very very good, and maybe there is a bit of a lack of power to the lower midrange, but that may be my system. The last bit of richness and dynamic power isnt quite there, but hey, I have been too busy listening to care tonight. If the mods are as good as they say, i'm in for a treat. This is an extremely good dac. -- gilbodavid gilbodavid's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=45159 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=87168 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
[SlimDevices: Touch] Stock Touch sound quality - Variable
I've had the touch for about 3 weeks, £170 was too good to say no to! I'm pleased with it, the choice of radio stations is great, specially as I listen so much to jazz. Been listening to TSF Jazz Paris jazz station at 192kb and its been remarkably good. Amazing even. Dynamics, tonality and musicality and PRAT are really good, with really deep extended bass that is tight and powerful, very unexpected. Jazzfm at 92kb is very acceptable. Strangely i have not been able to get radio 3 to sound good enough, my Sansui TU-717 is on a different planet. But then the Sansui is better than my £2000 cd player too, so its on a different planet to most things. Playing WAV files from a USB-tethered external hard drive, I would say is decidedly average. My pre-power is excellent,TOTL Croft EL34 power and Foundation Audio valve pre, and I'm using Lowther DX2 horns, and my CD player, Newtonia Optia, I preferred to the Wadia's being demonstrated when I bought it. I just compared Talk Talk's wonderful Spirit of Eden on the CD player to the Squeezebox. Through the Squeezebox the WAV file sounded relatively flat, lifeless, uninspiring, lacking dynamics, tonality and a wealth of detail. And the sound stage wasnt up to much either. I would guess that the right £50 CD player used on ebay would match it, and my Arcam DV88 DVD player is certainly much better. Maybe the Squeezebox needs more than the 50 hours burn-in it's had so far from new. I am beginning to think that a DAC and some of the mods to improve sound quality are going to be essential. I have high hopes of improving the sound quality though, from what I've read. In some ways my findings don't make sense, as the 192kb jazz station was far better than my WAV files froma hard drive. any advice on this much appreciated. Any advice on DAC's of the bargain giant-killer used variety would be much appreciated also. Thanks, David -- gilbodavid gilbodavid's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=45159 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=87168 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
