Quote:
OK, so what differences would someone expect to hear on an optical versus a coax connection if the optical were worse (or even different)?

Great question.

I have heard some pretty bad optical connections in cheap equipment, but I can't say how much was due to bad optical or simply bad electronics period. These are pretty gnarly and obvious under par.

However, I am not convinced that I can hear a difference between optical and coax on a decent or better piece of equipment. There are those that state they can - which may very well be true. The differences in jitter can be measured however.

I'm not so sure that the Apple TV device is going to be a serious limitation. If going to a two-channel system the use of a good DAC should relieve serious jitter problems with an optical digital connection or you could even try the analog RCA outputs as the DAC in the Apple TV belies its $330 price. If using a multi-channel preprocessor you could first try using the optical digital connection and if you don't like it then try HDMI for your audio. It would be a shame to lose your investment in the Apple TV as music server. Of course lossless digital music files are a must.

More zeros and ones or on/offs equal better sound.

I have studied the curve's for FRED's but would like a explanation of how they help improve the power supplys performace.

This is my first post; although a longtime subscriber to Stereophile.

Currently running (2) Hafler 9303's bridged on the high range panels and a Adcom GFA-5800 on my base coloume's of my Infinity RS-1b's.

I would think about replacing the bridge recfiers in all my amps if it would improve or help the power supply's performace. The BR are old and would be cheap to replace.

Also; any suggestion's of values for high speed bypass caps to add to the power supply's?

Thanks to anyone who reads this.

Steve 

I listen mainly to classical music, but a lot of other stuff also, and my personal listening experience has been that Adcom power amps are fair, but a long way from what satisfies me.

Maybe I can be more helpful by rating my classical listening experiences with various amplifiers I have owned or listened to extensively and putting them on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 would be the sound quality of a $200 Pioneer receiver and 10 would be a $8000 Mark Levinson 532H or Ayre $18K monoblocks or Bryston 14B-SST).

The speakers I use are Vandersteen Model 3A with two Model 2WQ subwoofers, and the power amplifiers were driven by an Audio Research LS-26 preamp (the best preamp I have ever heard except the AR Reference 5)

Bryston 3B-SST = 9 (I have used this for 5 years; the best that I can afford and it IS excellent)

Conrad-Johnson ET250S = 8

Musical Fidelity M3i Integrated amp = 7

Audire Forte Amplifier with Dynamicap upgrade = 7

Cambridge Audio 650A Integrated amp = 6

NAD 326 BEE Integrated amp = 5

Adcom 555 = 5

NAD 356BEE Integrated amp = 3