Computer Audio Bake-Off

[Alan Brown]

...."it'll take on anything at any price...... behind a curtain and out of view "

Like me!

 

[Purite Audio]

No need to make digital audio unnecessarily complex IMO.
Optical from a Mac into a £140 V-Dac is all you need, and it'll take on anything at any price...... behind a curtain and out of view

Handles 24/192 with noise, distortion and jitter all at ultra-low levels - the latter is down around the current measurement limit.

Job done.

You should try the M2tech Rob, I would be interested to hear your opinion.
Keith.

 

[Labarum]

Handles 24/192 with noise, distortion and jitter all at ultra-low levels - the latter is down around the current measurement limit.

I've not noticed the 24/192 before, but presumably it will not accept 24/192 by USB.

Is that right, Rob?

I looked at it but chose the Beresford because it would work as a Dac-Pre, having front panel source switching, a volume control and a phone socket.

 

[Purite Audio]

If you want 24/192 by USB you need a Hiface.
Keith.

 

[Labarum]

If you want 24/192 by USB you need a Hiface.
Keith.

I don't. I have a few 24/96 FLAC downloaded from

http://www.gimell.com/

My Squeezebox Classic will only handle up to 24/48 but Squeezeserve downsamples on the fly. The 24/48 is passed to the DAC. Its very clear, but my bests Cds are as good at 16/44.

You can overdo chasing numbers.

 

[RobHolt]

I've not noticed the 24/192 before, but presumably it will not accept 24/192 by USB.

Is that right, Rob?

I looked at it but chose the Beresford because it would work as a Dac-Pre, having front panel source switching, a volume control and a phone socket.

USB on most dacs seems to be less than great for a number of reasons.
Something like the Hiface seems like a good idea if using USB.

 

[Purite Audio]

USB ( with hiface ) sounds a bit clearer than optical out here.
Keith.

 

[Labarum]

On my Beresford Caiman I can't hear any difference between optical and USB inputs.

I was sceptical about the USB socket but it is truly plug and play.

 

[sq225917]

that's pretty good then Brian. On my macbook pro I can hear the difference between optical and USB into my headphone dac/amp, preferring optical. With a Hiface installed AI prefer that to optical and USB.

if you need more than 96khz and USb it's a great gadget.

 

[jcbrum]

On my Beresford Caiman I can't hear any difference between optical and USB inputs.

Neither could I with RME, Benchmark, ADM9 and 9.1, Transit, UA25ex, UA202, but only the RME, and the ADM9.1's will do 24/192 out of the box. It's unnecessary overkill anyway. 16/44 and 24/96 do all that is required.

I was sceptical about the USB socket but it is truly plug and play.

I agree, if you've got a good dac, and so is optical s/pdif.

 

[Richard Dunn]

The joint venture with Figlet is up and running in production prototype, ready for the Whittlebury National Hi-fi Show next weekend.

This was the unit that knocked me out at the bake-off, anyway this is the thread at Subjectivist about it with pics http://thehifisubjectivist.noadforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=252

 

[RobHolt]

Excellent, I'll be popping in for a listen.