What audio system do you have, or plan on getting?

[Harry]

@AnotherSpin

I ordered the Audes ST3000DC power conditioner, costing a bundle but the specs are much to my liking. I will audition this superb piece of Electronics.

Power rating: 3000 V∙A
Inlet: 16 A Inlet IEC C20
Outlet: 8 × 16 A/250 VAC Socket CEE 7/3
Power Supply Cable: 16 A/250 VAC Connector IEC C19
Dimensions (mm): 180 H × 477 W × 371.5 D
Weight: 33 kg

[AnotherSpin]

That must have been a big step for you, I could not imagine to part with such a piece of equipment, especially not if my heart was in it. I already have traumas parting with my Avalons Ceramiques.

There was a time in my life when I sold off all my audio gear, which I had spent years putting together—along with my CD collection, my books, my car, and my apartment. In the end, only my wife remained, and that, I think, is what kept me afloat  

Since then, I've rebuilt my audio setup, though on a much more modest scale. These days I stream music and read books digitally. I do have a place to stay, but because of the war, I keep moving around, here for a while, then there. It's not exactly comfortable, but I suppose I've grown used to it.

[Valentino]

I cannot put a like on that, @AnotherSpin, but I'm glad that you have a way to cope with the war.

...
I bought the MiniDSP ADept phono amplifier and ADC. It's a very nice piece of equipment, and I have a new side hobby called needle drops.
Now I'm in the lookout for a Yamaha SACD player to hook up to the ADept XLR inputs. I've never heard the SACD layer on my hybrid discs, but with the transparent ADC in the ADept I think I should plunge.

[Kalevala]

I cannot put a like on that, @AnotherSpin, but I'm glad that you have a way to cope with the war.

...
I bought the MiniDSP ADept phono amplifier and ADC. It's a very nice piece of equipment, and I have a new side hobby called needle drops.
Now I'm in the lookout for a Yamaha SACD player to hook up to the ADept XLR inputs. I've never heard the SACD layer on my hybrid discs, but with the transparent ADC in the SDept I think I should plunge.

Which model are you trying to find?

K

[AnotherSpin]

I cannot put a like on that, @AnotherSpin, but I'm glad that you have a way to cope with the war.

 

Thank you.

People get used to everything. And, importantly, troubles almost always look worse from a distance.

My life hasn't changed much. Or rather, the shifts in my day-to-day could've happened without the war the same. And, as always, there's good and bad in them.

[Valentino]

@Kalevala I'm a modest man... The CD-S1000 in silver of course is fine, and if I'm lucky there is one I can buy soon. No problems running its single ended outputs into the ADept differential inputs.

[Kalevala]

@Kalevala I'm a modest man... The CD-S1000 in silver of course is fine, and if I'm lucky there is one I can buy soon. No problems running its single ended outputs into the ADept differential inputs.

Are they still making it or and/or are you looking for a used one?  As an aside, I'd love to get a new SACD player here.

K

[Valentino]

It must be a used one. Yamaha is not making SACD players at the moment, and iirc the last discontinued one was the CD-S2100 which is a full digital front end that I do not need. I  only need a SACD+CD disc player and it has to be a Yamaha.

[Kalevala]

It must be a used one. Yamaha is not making SACD players at the moment, and iirc the last discontinued one was the CD-S2100 which is a full digital front end that I do not need. I  only need a SACD+CD disc player and it has to be a Yamaha.

Why does it have to be a Yamaha?  Just curious. 

K

[Valentino]

It's pretty face.

[Kalevala]

It's pretty face.

🤣🙃

K

[Holden]

I was very glad you posted this.  I have a Cambridge Audio DAC that I'd been meaning to hook up to my PC for ages - long story why I hadn't! - but your post prompted me to dig it out.  I have a pretty basic speaker system on the PC but the improvement does seem to be marked.  Quick question though - because I'm lazy I've plugged it into a basic front panel USB socket.  Would the audio quality be further improved by using one of the 'main' USB sockets on the back instead?

I have a Schiit Modi 3+ DAC connected to my PC and it's connected to a Schiit Asgard 3 headphone amp and the sound difference is amazing compared to listening directly from the PC headphone jack. My powered desktop speakers (Edifier) can also be connected to the Asgard via the Asgard headphone jack. The Modi is connected to one of the USB ports at the back of my PC and obviously I've selected the Schiit Modi 3+ as my output device via windows sound settings. This totally bypasses all of the windows sound set up and what comes into the DAC is direct digital data.

One interesting point is that when I installed VLC media player and also Foobar, I had to select the Modi as the output device for both and it is now the default. Qobuz also gives you this option. What I suppose I am saying is to make sure that any media player or streaming app that you regularly use is set to your DAC as the default.

To answer your question about USB ports, I've never plugged the Modi into my USB hub and I'm not sure that it would make a difference though research seems to indicate that it does.

[Fëanor]

I was very glad you posted this.  I have a Cambridge Audio DAC that I'd been meaning to hook up to my PC for ages - long story why I hadn't! - but your post prompted me to dig it out.  I have a pretty basic speaker system on the PC but the improvement does seem to be marked.  Quick question though - because I'm lazy I've plugged it into a basic front panel USB socket.  Would the audio quality be further improved by using one of the 'main' USB sockets on the back instead?

There is no particular reason to assume or predict that one USB connector is better than another.  That's not to say that sophisticated testing equipment might reveal some difference, but even then the result might be irrelevant to audio reproduction.

Credit where it's due:  the quality of the DAC is more important than the quality of the signal the comes out of the USB connector.  DACs incorporate an internal component referred to as USB "receivers" to interpret the signal from the computer, 'phone, or whatever source device.  (My own DAC is a Topping D90.)  The following is my simplistic explanation.

Bear in mind the all USB signals are analog representations of +/- signals.  However it takes rather gross distortions, (most often caused by RFI/EMI), of the analog signals to obscure the prominent +/- encoding.  "Receivers" in current DACs, even some pretty cheap ones, are extremely good at ignoring analog distortions.

"Jitter" is another potential concern;  that is minute timing irregularities of the arrival the signal from the source device.  But current DACs, (even some very cheap ones), are extremely good at regulating the signal timing.

As my audio player I use Foobar2000 on a Windows computer.  In Foobar2000 one may chose to device to which its output signal is to be sent, (in my case the Topping D90) -- this need not be the 'Default' audio device specified to Windows.

[Valentino]

It is a very long time since I stopped worrying about digital jitter and DAC quality. I find resampling and dsp algorithms much more interesting as they're much more likely to be sources of distortion.

[foxandpeng]

Pondering a shift from Sonos to Bose as we move house.

Hmmmm.....

[Harry]

Soon I will audition the Gigawatt PC-3 Evo+, Reference High End Line Power conditioner.
I expect a lot from this device.

[foxandpeng]

Soon I will audition the Gigawatt PC-3 Evo+, Reference High End Line Power conditioner.
I expect a lot from this device.

This all looks very impressive!

[Harry]

This all looks very impressive!

By the many reviews I read it is. I am still in the process of fine tuning my system. I am also wrestling with power cables by Asuz and Gigawatt, and a few other tweaks are on their way. I hope all is well with you, and the move to another home?

[Harry]

I am considering to insert this device the Ansuz Acoustics PowerSwitch X-TC3, it cleans up the internet issues which results in cleaner sonics. Some very convincing reviews too.

[foxandpeng]

By the many reviews I read it is. I am still in the process of fine tuning my system. I am also wrestling with power cables by Asuz and Gigawatt, and a few other tweaks are on their way. I hope all is well with you, and the move to another home?

I bet it will sound amazing!

All good, my friend. Slow progress.

We have spent all day shuttling boxes of books and household items to a storage unit ahead of the impending move. Tired now. Waiting for a final date, which will probably be in a couple of weeks.

Hopefully, the end of Spring in Holland is filled with colour and sunshine!