DAC

[razer 0]

For me, I do not use the PC as a transport. Its more of ripping them using EAC and playing back from there. I liked the PC based system for its convenience but alternatively, I also like the CDP system for its pure musical bliss and interference free-ness....Its really hard to decide. But Mackie has given me a good suggestion and I'll really look into it. I called up High End Research and enquired about the player and it seems like a very good buy although price is kinda steep for me....(a little over my budget.... ) Cause I never planned spending so much on a source. However, when I thought about it, the player should and would offer me a stable platform to built on in the near future if i were to venture off into the hi-fi world....Moreover, I would like to get a system that lasts for at least a decade or half... The EMC-1UP seems to have all of the great features that I've been looking for. I was thinking of getting a Transport + a DAC like the benchmark DAC-1 but there were problems of system synergy, jitter as well as the power source for two units....I guess that would end up costly....Thus I looked into the $2000 range CD players and wanted to find one that has a DAC that at least matched up to that of the Benchmark DAC-1 if not better but it seemed to be a futile attempt. Then I looked at PC-based systems and then there was this convenience that was hard to beat but things seemed a little complicated here because I'am beginning to deal with more complicated things here....Noise from the computer and fan, troublesome ripping of CD's to EAC (i agree with that) as well as possibility of hard disc crashes and the amount of space taken up from all the songs... What's more is that the DAC's recommended for the PC setup all seem to have their group of loyal supporters and its hard for me to decipher what's good and what's not from all the different comments posted online. I was kinda keen about the Zhao Lu DAC at first but read a few very very negative comments about thier built and durability, let alone the sound. Then some were suggesting the Stello DAC while people said that USB connection isn't a wise choice because of the amount of interference. Moreover, PC based solutions also had problems of jitter....

 

So there I have it, Jitter, EAC, harddisk failure, a sea of DAC's that I've no experience with + all the troubles of setting them up...

 

And then I saw Mackie's EMC-1UP, steep price, but seems like a wholesome and complete enough setup to satisfy my lusts....Plus the good looks....Maybe I'll start saving for it. Tell you what, this is the first and only CDP/source that I've really got the urge to purchase....Moreover, its available locally which means I'll be able to audition it...That's a major PLUS PLUS! However, if somehow down the route, I've decided to go back to my PC-based solution route, I guess I'll get either the Benchmark DAC-1/Grace 902m. The Stello's the Bel Canto's as well as the many other stuff that I've looked through these few days just don't seem to satisfy my needs well enough...Durability, (future proof?), and performance, none of the stuff I've looked at really meets all these 3 points.

 

 

[cmk 0]

The EMC 1UP is a good choice. I would recommend you bargain the price down as this unit has been in the market for some years already.

 

Actually Viix post about Squeezebox has piqued my interest in a dedicated PC based system. Just wondering how to integrate this into my current system, then I thought I might spend my money better elsewhere. Anyway, its a good solution for a future wired up home.

[Barradio 0]

However, if somehow down the route, I've decided to go back to my PC-based solution route, I guess I'll get either the Benchmark DAC-1/Grace 902m.

 

If you want to use the DAC headphone out, I advice you to get the Grace 902m it much better than the Benchmark DAC. If you going to use only the DAC out to the speakers system than the Benchmark is ok.

I had the Benchmark DAC - Balance out (XLRs) to the HD650 and preferred the GW 2.6F (Philip Miniwatt A frame ECC88 tubes) with the HD650 much better SQ.

[razer 0]

I'll be using the headphones out from an amp. However, that is after I've gotten my amp...

[evil-zen 0]

how about a headroom home amp with a max dac? A great dac inside a great amp as well. No interconnects only 1 cable needed.

 

Yours for only S$3700.

[mirage 0]

btw, can the Dared MP5 be bought anywhere in Singapore? See Discussion at Headfi

[viix 0]

You can order from daredtube.com and email Julia. They deliver to you door in 3days and cost S$280 thereabouts.

[adhoc 0]

for all those who mention computer power supplies being 'noisy', well yes, that is true. but does it really matter?

 

consider that your typical switching computer psu is located mere centimeters away from your cpu, which not only has billions of transistors, but does a couple hundred million or so calculations per second...

 

...all without any error.

 

or how about the meters of pcb tracing in your computer? no shielding for that either. or the data cables hanging free inside your computer? no shielding for that either. and yet trillions of calculations are performed per day, flawlessly.

 

what many people fail to realise is that a cd transport reads your cd 'afresh' each time it spins up. it corrects and fills in the gaps on the fly each time you press play. if you properly rip a cd, you have no worries with that. you'll always get a perfect play, everytime.

[Fang 0]

You can order from daredtube.com and email Julia. They deliver to you door in 3days and cost S$280 thereabouts.

 

 

Are you sure about this because the US retail price of the MP5 is about USD500. Are there any differences besides the voltage?

[Mackie 0]

for all those who mention computer power supplies being 'noisy', well yes, that is true. but does it really matter?

 

In the context of AV, "noisy" defines not only noise pollution but also ripples (seen on an oscilloscope), distortion to signal (as in dirty power supply - subjects to interference, lack of filtering etc). All these affect audio/video signal eventually. If your have lived in a country where supplied voltage is not constant or areas near a transmitter (high RFI), you'll know how much havoc it does to AV equipment. In the context of video, I'm sure you're familar with the effects of a noisy reception/signal where you see snowy picture.

 

consider that your typical switching computer psu is located mere centimeters away from your cpu, which not only has billions of transistors, but does a couple hundred million or so calculations per second...

 

True, what's deemed detrimental to sound/video quality does not affect the calculations done by a pc nor the functionality of a cdp or dvd player. However, you must know all audiophile criteria are not tangible but yet they do improve or worsen the final sound production if ignored. I reckon it's not a fair analogy.

 

or how about the meters of pcb tracing in your computer? no shielding for that either. or the data cables hanging free inside your computer? no shielding for that either. and yet trillions of calculations are performed per day, flawlessly.

 

True, power lines in an audio equipment will not be disrupted by RFI/EMI, just like those in a pc, nor would the audio gear malfunction. However, interference to power supply of an audio gear can affect its sound quality albeit not performance. The pc is not subjected to this risk as it is meant to produce the correct binary bit 1 and 0 and not how beautiful and truthful the bits should be. In contrast, an audio gear is tasked with producing an analogue signal (sine wave) with as little distortion as possible.

 

what many people fail to realise is that a cd transport reads your cd 'afresh' each time it spins up. it corrects and fills in the gaps on the fly each time you press play. if you properly rip a cd, you have no worries with that. you'll always get a perfect play, everytime.

 

Tell the vinyl followers about how CD technology was introduced to the world with a promise "Perfect sound forever!". Until now, it's still none too perfect and in fact, new ways are still being explored to improve cd sound quality; influx of XRCD, SACD (ironically invented to emmulate the analogue sound of LPs), DVDA and now Blue Ray reaffirms this view. If it's perfect, there won't be any need or ways to improve further. No cd gets a perfect play and if this is achievable, there won't be any need for correction and play the cd in real time, much akin to playing a tape or LP. You are right in one aspect, when a cd is read by the laser pickup, the system memorises and fills in any gap during playback. Therefore, quality of the media (cd coating) can also affect sound quality. Try a cd with pitholes (large enough for your eyes to see) in its aluminium coating and I guarantee you will hear sharp and piecing spikes from you hifi system. No amount of correction or memory on the onset can rectify this problem. Yes, the cd medium does not have physical contact with a transport system, unlike stylus on an LP, head on a tape, but there's still contact between the cd aluminium coating and plastic surface and the laser from its pickup albeit through air. As such, dirt stirred up by the spinning motion of cd can interact and distort the laser beam to cd surface, thus, resulting in greater amout of correction, which contributes to the so-called digital glare/grittiness in the resultant analogue sound. Unless the whole process is done in a vacuum, I just don't see how there's perfect playback of cd.

 

Finally, please do not mistake my replies as antagonistic. I only wanna share my views although they contradicted yours.

Edited June 29, 2006 by Mackie

[viix 0]

You can order from daredtube.com and email Julia. They deliver to you door in 3days and cost S$280 thereabouts.

 

 

Are you sure about this because the US retail price of the MP5 is about USD500. Are there any differences besides the voltage?

 

Yes, the US version and asian versions are different. If you see the website of US resellers, you'll notice it states only US Version.

 

Taken from Xtremeplace forums:

Unit px - US78

Shipping - US52 (they use a courier service fm Hong Kong, door to door, received within 2 working days, shipped on Fri, received on Mon afternoon)

Bank Charge - US20

 

Total USD150

 

Local Bank Charge for TT application - S$30

 

Total - S$269

 

Contact email - dared@daredtube.com

Contact person - Ms Julia (very responsive, replied all my emails on the same day, she is part of the reason why i made the buy).

 

[cmk 0]

for all those who mention computer power supplies being 'noisy', well yes, that is true. but does it really matter?

 

consider that your typical switching computer psu is located mere centimeters away from your cpu, which not only has billions of transistors, but does a couple hundred million or so calculations per second...

 

...all without any error.

 

or how about the meters of pcb tracing in your computer? no shielding for that either. or the data cables hanging free inside your computer? no shielding for that either. and yet trillions of calculations are performed per day, flawlessly.

 

what many people fail to realise is that a cd transport reads your cd 'afresh' each time it spins up. it corrects and fills in the gaps on the fly each time you press play. if you properly rip a cd, you have no worries with that. you'll always get a perfect play, everytime.

 

Hey Adhoc, long time no see.

I have some questions about the RS1, can I borrow yours for a week?

 

[adhoc 0]

hey cmk, i would love to, but i'm studying right now in australia. sorry man!

 

and mackie, good reply.

[evil-zen 0]

Did you actually lug your tube amp and cdp to Australia?

[Mackie 0]

hey cmk, i would love to, but i'm studying right now in australia. sorry man!

 

and mackie, good reply.

 

 

Enjoy your life there, which part of OZ land, please tell? Perth? (I love this place!)

 

You'd better had your system with you as life could be rather boring after sundown.