"Yup," he replied. He'd known in advance that the Ragnarok wouldn't look good on standard tests. But he hadn't warned us: The Ragnarok's output-stage bias program responds to music sources, not signal generators.
Not to mention: What sort of people name their…
Audio sages know that DACs can sound as different from each other as do phono cartridges. They also know that the average DACs owned by most people sound broken, brittle, or defective, compared to even the lowest-priced phono cartridges.
Living mostly on handouts, the recycling of plastic bottles, and Scooby Snacks, I couldn't afford a dCS or MSB DAC. So for years I enjoyed my digital via a hand-me-down Halide DAC HD…
Description: Digital-to-analog converter. Inputs: AES/EBU (XLR), S/PDIF (RCA, optical, BNC), USB. Input capability, all inputs: up to 24-bit/192kHz. Input receiver: S/PDIF, AKM AK4113; USB, C-Media CM6632. Digital filter: proprietary, implemented on Analog Devices SHARC DSP processor. D/A conversion IC: Analog Devices AD5791BRUZ (2 per channel, hardware balanced configuration). Analog stages: fully discrete JFET buffers for balanced output; discrete JFET summing stages for single-ended output, direct-coupled throughout. Outputs: 1 pair balanced (XLR), 2 pairs…
Analog Sources: Palmer 2.5 turntable, Audio Origami PU7 tonearm, AMG Teatro cartridge; Roksan Radius 7 turntable & tonearm & Corus Silver cartridge; Dynavector 20X2L, Hana EL, LP Gear The Vessel A3SS cartridges.
Digital Sources: Mytek Brooklyn, Line Magnetics 502CA, Halide DAC HD DACs; Hegel Mohican CD player; Integra DPS-7.2 DVD-A/CD player.
Preamplification: Dynavector SUP-200, Bob's Devices CineMag 1131, Lounge Audio Copla MC step-up devices; Dynavector P75, Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III+, Parasound Halo JC 3+, Tavish Design Adagio phono…
I measured the Schiit Audio Yggdrasil with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It"). As well as the Audio Precision's digital outputs, I used WAV and AIFF test-tone files sourced via USB from my MacBook Pro running on battery power with Pure Music 3.0. Apple's USB Prober utility identified the Schiit DAC as "Schiit Audio Gen 3 USB" from "Schiit," and identified the USB interface device as being from "C-MEDIA ELECTRONICS INC." The USB port operated in the optimal isochronous asynchronous mode. Apple's AudioMIDI utility revealed that,…
The S5 Mk.II
Like the original S5, the S5 Mk.II is a three-way, floorstanding design, 4' tall. The twin, sealed-box–…
Ben Duncan, "Analog Equipment Design," Parts 1–5, Home Studio Recording, 1985–86.
Ben Duncan, "Amplifiers—So You Thought You Could Just Change the Amp?," Line Up (Institute of Broadcast Sound, UK), April 1992.
Martin Colloms, "Some Observations on the Results of Objective and Subjective Technical Reviewing Practice in High Fidelity," Proc. IOA (UK), Vol.13 Pt.7 (1991).
Inquisitive readers may like to hear what kind of garbage resides in their amplifiers' rails. Using an old AC-coupled power amplifier and speaker as a monitoring system, hook this amplifier's input ground to your hi-fi amplifier's central ground point (usually the 0V busbar between the reservoir capacitors). As you want to hear the AC signal on the rail, make sure that the DC voltage (which can be up to 100V) will be safely blocked. Connect a 100V, 100µF electrolytic in series with the hot input lead of the monitor amplifier, oriented so that the positive side of…
Seminars will be presented every half hour. Featured special guest Richard Vandersteen, Founder and Head Engineer of Vandersteen Audio, will demonstrate this system along with Vandersteen Global Sales Manager Brad O'Toole and Dave Gordon of Audio Research. This is Audio Advice's premiere annual event and requires pre-registration to attend. Please register here.