Going Digital!
- Thread starter slippers-on
- Start date
slippers-on
Music...let it move you!
Great system....I've heard alot about VTL products! Hold on to the pure silver....after the IFI comes into its own, its really on the warm side...the silver is whats needed. IF you find the silver doesn't add enough body, try silver over copper. Keep us posted.
slippers-on
Music...let it move you!
enginedr
Super Member
We should change the title of the thread to going IFI. The more I listen to the little box the more I am impressed . Thank you guys for a worthy recommendation .
I have not even went the DSD route yet as I have 300 GB of Red Book music on my mac mini in apple lossless . I am running headless using apple remote . There is much to explore .
I have not even went the DSD route yet as I have 300 GB of Red Book music on my mac mini in apple lossless . I am running headless using apple remote . There is much to explore .
slippers-on
Music...let it move you!
Well congrats on what you're hearing! And I'm glad I started this thread! It's paying off! And it's a fun journey on your way to DSD...so hold on! If you're feeling this way about PCM, just hold on to your hat!
enginedr
Super Member
The IFI warmed up a bit too much for my taste . Recently I upgraded my amps power cords to plated silver Furutech fp314ag cable .With my DSPeaker DAC it was a bit too bright with the Psvane 12at7 driver tubes .
I rolled in the mallard 6201s and it warmed up . Now back to the Psvane
tubes . More to my liking . Tubes and cables audio condiments .
slippers-on
Music...let it move you!
Thats just it. One way the designer helped the iFI have that more analog sound, (besides the fact DSD is closer to vinyl being 1 bit) is to give it a warm signature. I've tubes in my amp and preamp, and the iFi's warmness was a bit to much for me with all copper USB and RCA cables. Finding the right alloy in my cable was the key for me....seems like tubes do it for you. I ditched my Mullards a few years ago due to being overly warm...I run Valvo in the amp and Tungsram in the pre....nice tube presence without the classic tube sound of the old days....not SS sounding either but a very nice tube presence.
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keithpgdrb
Super Member
Yep, I just ordered the iFi Nano DSD. Couldn't just wait around and be curious. looking forward to digging it.
slippers-on
Music...let it move you!
Yes sir!
Kt77
Well-Known Member
As I've recieved the latest prototype CRL Silver USB in a day ago, and am listening to it at this very moment I'm inclined to believe that a better quality or grade of Silver in this case UPOCC at 7N is amongst the best sounding silver I've yet to encounter and here I'm talking extremely balanced top to bottom with weight and fullest as well as body that's quite rare for a silver based cable, as with their earlier 2 models sent to me one OCC and the second OFC Copper..........., I can see where each can be used as a means of voicing ones system to create a prefect balance throughout - as I see/hear it..........., it's the IC or USB as they're closest to the Source are the last place one should look to lock in the sound of their system as it passes everything sonically downstream.
But finding ones own flavor is vital in unlocking a sense of purity as well as fidelity, that I believe a great deal of music lovers can enjoy at very little cost, but as always..........., it's how one hears music that matters, either you can clearly hear said differences or not?, is another topic in itself.
* [ I forgot to add ].
That I for one can say with a sense of certainty silver cabling done with the best grade of silver instead of cheaper stuff under say 3N has a sense of balance and refinement that competes with Copper depending on how it's used during said voicing of ones system?, as to much of either tends to throw the sound out of focus, it's when one finds the right combinations of different alloys that one seriously gains more insight into the possibilities of perfecting the overall sonics of their system.
But finding ones own flavor is vital in unlocking a sense of purity as well as fidelity, that I believe a great deal of music lovers can enjoy at very little cost, but as always..........., it's how one hears music that matters, either you can clearly hear said differences or not?, is another topic in itself.
* [ I forgot to add ].
That I for one can say with a sense of certainty silver cabling done with the best grade of silver instead of cheaper stuff under say 3N has a sense of balance and refinement that competes with Copper depending on how it's used during said voicing of ones system?, as to much of either tends to throw the sound out of focus, it's when one finds the right combinations of different alloys that one seriously gains more insight into the possibilities of perfecting the overall sonics of their system.
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slippers-on
Music...let it move you!
Oscar.....as I am having a issue with sound right now...and trying to figure it out, I think I may have lost something with my sound card as I upgraded from w7 to w8.1. I may have to delete my sound card drivers and have to add it back, but that will be my last in TS....just trying to get it all figured out.
So just as at work where I do a lot of trouble shooting remotely with networks and configurations....I'm having to do trouble shooting here at home and I hate it.....tracking this thing down is hateful....to much like work.
But I have to chime in on your latest post. I've been yelling about crystal copper (OCC) for years, and no one was listening....and have all crystal copper interconnects in my system. And where I don't have crystal copper as in my speaker cables, I have cryod copper which is very very very close in characteristics to crystal copper. My Wireworld RCA's from the DAC to the preamp are also crystal silver over crystal copper. The notes linger longer....one has a sense of balance from top to bottom....a richer tone and a sense of realness that I believe is much better than OFC or Silver. So yeah...I'd have to agree with you.
So just as at work where I do a lot of trouble shooting remotely with networks and configurations....I'm having to do trouble shooting here at home and I hate it.....tracking this thing down is hateful....to much like work.
But I have to chime in on your latest post. I've been yelling about crystal copper (OCC) for years, and no one was listening....and have all crystal copper interconnects in my system. And where I don't have crystal copper as in my speaker cables, I have cryod copper which is very very very close in characteristics to crystal copper. My Wireworld RCA's from the DAC to the preamp are also crystal silver over crystal copper. The notes linger longer....one has a sense of balance from top to bottom....a richer tone and a sense of realness that I believe is much better than OFC or Silver. So yeah...I'd have to agree with you.
Kt77
Well-Known Member
Hey Bro.
I'm sorry to hear about you losing the performance of your setup due to merely changing to the latest version of Windows........, but I guess that's why I went with Mac after all, there's just something about a metal alloy chassis that I've come to adore more then plastics. I was beginning to wonder why I hadn't been hearing from you........., but I'm certain you'll sort things out in due course.
On the cabling tip, while I came late to cables being that I grew up with all things Naim/Linn/Chord Company between the periods of 1985 - 2000, at which point I went over to solid core in the form of Harmonic Technologies in 2000 and ending with Acoustic Zen in 2010, and gone through a few others since, but to my ears there's a certain beauty in how OCC Copper seems to have refinement and accurate dynamics done with such ease in the same passage, it's down right spooky.
But you know the old adage, once we've become exposed to more balanced designs, it's hard to go back to anything less and to my ears there's are very natural as well as dimensional in how they simply allow the notes to flow so much more delicately, yet responsive in a manner that has to be felt/heard to be believed, I'm with you on this one as well and only wish I had explored CRL cables years ago, I'd only imagine just how much they'd have added to a few of the well matched systems that got away because I didn't understand how to voice them at the time............., but those days are long behind me, as is the quest for newer components merely for the sake of change, but very little else.
Live, learn and be done with it I'd say. If a component isn't broken........, why then change it?.
Be well as always little Brotha.
Peace beyond to you and yours.
slippers-on
Music...let it move you!
naw...it only happened a few days ago....But as I've told you...its whats on the inside thats important, not that the case is plastic or metal....and trust me, Mac's/Apple have their share of issues as well. That dam iPad and its wifi card is about the worst I've seen....especially in building with a lot of walls.
Yeah man....OCC copper/silver/ Cryod copper is the way to go!
Kt77
Well-Known Member
There you are..........., I was beginning to worry you were down and out about not having things figured out, but it's nice to hear from you as it has been a few days. And truth be told, I'm just glad it's not me going through that issue, as I'm lost enough with this stuff as it is. Other then that............, not one single complaint with the Apple devices at all.
Cabling wise............, I'm stunned by the whole OCC Copper/Silver thing all together and know not to ever doubt the use of Pure Silver in my system again, as it seems it merely comes down to its purity and/or grade that has caused its bad reputation in years past, but I see hope in its application after all........., whom wouldn't thunk it?, certainly not I.
I'm eager to see where the cats whom just got in their Micro or Nano iDSD stand on the overall SQ?, guys what are your ears telling you?, was it a worthwhile venture?.
Peace to you all,
h
Kt77
Well-Known Member
Still deciding...
Will have mine at SMAC this weekend and compare it to a Modwright one that costs 8K. This will be interesting
Good thing Dave.
But in reality, it's that like comparing a Pro-Ject Genie ( $300 ) against a full blown Roksan Xerxes 20 Plus w/. Tabriz Zi Tonearm and Dynavector DV-20x2 and Reference PSU ( $10.800 )?, while I'd have to say while I'm very very very fond of the fidelity of said iFi Micro iDSD DAC, I wouldn't think it would be a fair assessment to compare it to say an $8.000 Cary or Mark Levinson DAC and come up roses.
Extreme measures and expectations on anyone's level I'd think.
Kt77
Well-Known Member
Indeed it shall prove quite interesting from that perceptive, and I for one would certainly love to hear the outcome, good, bad or indifferently.
Let's see, shall we?.
:scratch2:
Kt77
Well-Known Member
That's sad........., but I too know it to be the truth, as I've replaced $1.600 Siltech Cable Explorer Series 90L with $400 CRL ( Cable Research Labs ) Bronze Series LS Cables and couldn't be happier.
There are plenty of times where I've found cheaper items have had better voicing and merely passed along the signal instead of trying to enhance it with some sort of added " fake resolution " as I hear it. So I'm inclined to agree with your findings big time.
Kt77
Well-Known Member
Those cables went from 100K to 200K for the new ones. The low end ones are 1K. That is a huge spread and just sad.
It is quite like the Audio Research amps. I love their SS amps but most people want their tube amps. I feel the SS amps are underrated and undervalued by them.
Now their tube pre-amps are a different story
All of this is maddening to my ears/eyes.........., where's the cost materials to prove these are worth these crazy ass prices, man give me the old days where one could get a very nice system for less then $4.000 out the door and simply build upon it as funds permitted.
Greed indeed.
And to my ears, while I adored the ARC Tube Amps during the stages of 1985/95, to my senses their tube gear after these periods began to mimic solid state signature to much for me to even remotely recommend them to my friends with means - I'd much rather lead them towards say something from Shindo Labs or Croft Acoustics where sonics far outweigh greed based upon past accomplishments or reputations.
Yet we as the consumers can change things, by not supporting the so-called Hi-End that only caters to the 1 or 2% that can afford this crap as it stands, yet find those gems in the $1.000 - $5.000 sector where great sounding as well as built products reside.
Logic is............, audio pricing in itself has gone crazy mad.
:thumbsdn:_oh
Kt77
Well-Known Member
Hi enginedr,
Would you please take a moment to describe the sound of your dual head Auchtung USB Silver Cable for me?, as it looks interesting, and I'd love to investigate it further, but still would like to hear your impression on its sonics, is it balanced?, bright?, even keeled so on.
Thanks in advance,
scar
Kt77
Well-Known Member
I recall you praising his amps, while I'd assume you heard at Paragon Sight & Sounds?, as they do have a lovely setup as well as taste in their large room. As a former Graphic Arts student I was very impressed with the appearance of his Integrated, until I caught the price..........., man all of a sudden the Audio Note/Kondo Japan Overture Integrated looks cheap, if one can consider $33.000 as such?, at any rate give me one of those Acoustic Plan Sitar Hybrid Integrated's tomorrow - hell I'd much prefer to spend $11.500 on something that's both visually stunning as well as sounding.
I guess that's why I've always seen the need for Imports since the mid 60s, as their don't seem to be geared towards those with deeper pockets and more towards common folks, while not having 4" thick faceplates it's their sonic merits that exceed ones expectations and then some.
I've to call this one as see/hear it..........., cost doesn't a musical component make, in so much as bragging rights.