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Personal confuser Audio which aspect has the greatest impact on SQ?

Hello all,

it usually goes with out saying that ‘everything’ in the audio system makes a difference in sound quality. as we all know, Everything Matters.

PC audio has metriculated into new vistas which now and then beg for more digital hardware such as, NAS, servers, ethernet renderers, USB converters, bridges, additional clocks, dual clocks, dual DACs (one per ch), and outboard power sups for many of these listed gizmos to boot.

even the media management and or streaming software seems to have its own influenece on the sonic presentation.

so lets try to sort out where the REAL money needs to go in the digital turn table arrangement, if indeed there has been significant changes in your opinion.

i read yesterday that the error correction used in iTunes is a very poor idea on that theme and it can in fact degrade the ripped product dramatically as it averages out multiple errors rather than addressing them individually, thus destroying or severely degrading the end result of your ripped cD.

as well, in the digital signal path we were concerned with pico seconds of jitter or distortion, degrading the sound quality, now we are faced with worrying about even smaller ’portions of these same pico second’ anomolies.

furthermore, there are the cabling and interfaces which must be connected so the signal can be found, accepted, and converted to analog, USB, AES, BNC, SPDIF, HDMI, I2s, Ethernet, and TOS..

at times even the overall lengths of the digital cables became quite impactful.

and we all know the dAC has been for darn near ever, either the ONLY link, or the most crucial link in this equation, but has it now been upstaged or set aside in its import for the quality of sound being produced?

IOW, has the bridge, renderer, power supply or cable tech become so improved the DAC is no longer the primary vital, highest priority ingredient for achieving better sound quality?

or….

Are the aforementioned digital ‘incidentals’ or accessories far less significant factors in achieving improved audio quality and the DAC still remains the most important key to obtaining great sound??

many thanks
blindjim

Showing 8 responses by mahler123

mahler123
3,031 posts
 
I think that the question posed by the OP is a very good one.
Essentially, if I may rephrase it, OP is asking: Formerly DAC Quality was was an issue in the chain.  Can we now assume that even the least DAC will have hit a minimum standard of quality that  attention, and resources, are best applied to the other links?
  One of my previous DACs was non asynchronous: PS Audio Digital Link III.
it was very good with it’s tos link and coax inputs, but terrible over usb-flattened the sound stage like a pancake.  When devices began to appear that reclocked the usb output of the computer, it finally started to sound listenable.  Today it would be hard to find a DAC that doesn’t correct this.
  Do all DACs therefore sound alike, and can we ignore differences between them?  The answer is decidedly no.  I recently had two DACs in regular use that sounded wonderful indidually but could not have sounded more different from each other.  I still think that the DAC will be the biggest determinator of the sound.  That isn’t to say that the other links don’t matter.
mahler123
3,031 posts
 
@blindjim 
 Afraid I cannot get into the DAC range that you mention.  The two DACs that referenced above were the Mytek Manhatten and the Bryston DAC3.  I would love to know how an EMM Labs or dCS would sound in my system and my room, but sadly, these will remain aspirational.  I therefore cannot comment on whether hitting this strata will upgrade your sound.

i can say that when I purchased these two DACs—coming from an Oppo 105 as my DAC- the changes in my system were profound.
  I recently added a Bryston BDP3 as my streamer, moving on from Bluesound.  It was a clear sonic upgrade, but not of the magnitude that the DAC upgrades were.  When I added Audirvana to my MacAir, another improvement, clearly audible, but again, not of the magnitude that upgrading the DAC.
  I therefore think that leaving all else the same, the DAC is the biggest factor in the digital chain, but we know that a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link...
  I am not sure if I answered your question.  I don’t think that there is a definitive answer to it
mahler123
3,031 posts
 
You are correct in in that I currently use a Bryston DAC3.  At the time that I bought it I had a Mytek Manhatten I which I was extremely happy with.  I added the Bryston because it has HDMI inputs, and I have a large SACD collection (as well as Blu Ray and DVD Audio) and my Oppo 105 can output the DSD layer of these discs directly over HDMI.  The Manhatten also lacked a usb input, substituting FireWire instead.
  The difference between the the two DACs was that the Mytek absolutely excelled in data retrieval and gave me a front of the Hall experience.  The Bryston is detailed as well but not quite the XRay machine of the Mytek.  The latter was also a bit to hot in the treble in my system, with my B&W 803D Speakers.  Some Piano recordings were just to uncomfortable through the Mytek.  
  With some of my SACDs, I have had the I can reach out and touch the Musicians experience via the Oppo-Bryston combo.  Both the DACs excelled at DSD via downloads using the Oppo as a transport, but I only have a few of those and given the expense and difficulty of 
downloading them will only be accessing DSD via silver disc for now.  Neither DAC did MQA, although Mytek offered to upgrade the Manhatten, which would have also eliminated the fw input for usb.
  In the  end, since I can only listen to one DAC at a time, and since I wanted the proceeds of the Manhatten to finance the purchase of another piece of gear, I sold the Mytek.
   In your case, I would define your budget and get the best Bel Canto DAC that you can afford.  I would then worry about the other links in the chain, as there may be ways to optimize them without having to break the bank
mahler123
3,031 posts
 
@blindjim 
I must have missed your earlier mention of Silverline Sonata III.  I was using Silverline Panatella as my two channel floor standers before upgrading to the B&W, and those Panatellas are now in a Surround Sound System.. I would love to hear their more upmarket models.
  I agree that optimizing red book playback should be the goal.  Fortunately the Bryston excels at everything, not just DSD.
  I am jealous of you being able to go with EMM.!
mahler123
3,031 posts
 
Well I hope that your personal security situation has stabilized.
I used the Oppo as a bridge for a while when my Bluesound was dead in the water.  If only they had developed a better app before folding their tent....it can be used but it isn’t very elegant.
mahler123
3,031 posts
 
The Bluesound app is decent.  I had a problem with my entire Bluesound system where I couldn’t use it or get it fixed for several weeks...detailed here and in the digital forum.  Anyway, I was using the Network function of the Oppo to control my NAS.  The Oppo app is terrible.  Audirvana worked much better using my PC, but that limited me to usb and I couldn’t use the pc and listen to music simultaneously.
  I don’t think the Audirvana can be used with the Oppo...I thought it was for pc only...perhaps someone can correct me if I am wrong.
mahler123
3,031 posts
 
That’s interesting.  However, I am thinking that will only work if you intend to use the DAC of the 203.  I would prefer to use my Bryston DAC.  It seems weird that 
one could have Audirvana on the pc, have the Oppo use it to find music, then instead of play it through the Oppo pass it to another DAC, thereby adding what seems to be an unnecessary link.
  I could try this, but frankly I am not that interested, as I am just starting to to enjoy the sound of my Bryston BDP3 as a transport, which is an order of magnitude better than the Oppo, the PCwith Audirvana, or Bluesound.
mahler123
3,031 posts
 
Good to know.  Will try it sometime 
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