I happen to own the stellar stack in one of my systems and have to say I’m pretty impressed with its sound quality overall, and very much so on a value basis. It’s quite smooth and very easy to listen to, but not soft or lacking detail. I have a few other systems, one is considerably more expensive. While it’s different, and probably better, the PS Audio stuff is what I’d get again for the price.
I use the coax input on the pre/DAC coming from a server. I’ve also tried the USB. Both inputs are good. I’m not sure about the optical input as I haven’t tried it. Some others claim optical in general is jittery and the last input source you should use for any DAC. I really can’t say as I’ve never used optical anywhere. But, as a way of getting sound through from HT sources, I’m sure it’d be fine.
BTW, I too have SACDs but have gone so heavily into working off of a server and streaming via Tidal (and hopefully Qobuz when it’s here) that I don’t worry about that too much anymore. But, when called upon, I use the analog outputs of my player into the analog inputs on the pre/DAC. The DAC in the Stellar unit is probably better than in my player, but for my limited use, it’s not a problem for me. I guess it depends on how extensive your SACD collection is.
Best, |
I think the Steller Gain DAC would be absolutely awsome in your system because of several factors:
- SACD and PCM audio is already compromised by HDMI interface and reduces the sound quality due to timing/clocking issue inherent in the HDMI protocol.
- Steller Gain uses fully discrete Class A analog circuits which would just "sing" in comparison to your Denon
- The i2s is pretty much the best digital transport signal to send digital audio.
- Steller Gain will also be used in "Home Theater Mode" as a pass-through for the Denon when doing multi-channel movies. The Class A analog stage of the Steller Gain will actually improve the left/right signals from Denon and give it more "life" and "singing".
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Thanks for the input. Regarding the I2S connection, is that only a PS Audio technology, or might there be some less expensive CD player that has I2S output that I could connect to the Stellar Gain?
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The i2s connections are usually proprietary to the manufacturer. Just because Steller Gain uses an HDMI plug/cable for the i2s does not mean that any old SACD player that has i2s HDMI output will use the same HDMI pins for the signals. There is no "industry standard i2s connection" like there is for digtal COAX or HDMI. You may end up having to buy a PS Audio transport if you want i2s (PerfectWave Transport $1999 or DirectStream Memory Player $5999).
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However, just have your current disc player convert SACD to PCM and use the digital COAX output to connect to the Stellar Gain. I can almost guarantee that this will be immensely better than pure SACD through the Denon. I know it won't be true SACD/DSD, but I think you'll be very surprised on how good it PCM can sound.
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@ auxinput,
Thanks for that tip about using PCM from the Oppo. At least that will get me nice two-channel SACD audio from the Oppo, although I'll still have to use the Denon AVR to listen to multi-channel SACDs, which often sound significantly better to me than their two-channel versions.
So, I would need to acquire a quality coaxial digital cable to go from the Oppo to the Stellar Gain, a quality USB cable to go from my laptop to the Stellar Gain, and quality XLR interconnects to go from the Stellar Gain into my Krell power amp. Does this sound like all I would need? And, any suggestions on the cables?
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Ah, you didn't mention what player you have. If you have an Oppo 105 or 205, then it would be much better to use the Oppo to "play the SACD" and output pure analog using the 5.1/7.1 RCA analog outputs to your receiver. Much better than sending SACD over HDMI and having the receiver decode/DAC the SACD data.
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For digital COAX, my standard "low cost" recommendation is the Beldon 1694A from Blue Jean Cable. Make sure you get a minimum 6 foot cable (even though you don't need it). A digital cable that is too short will have signal reflections back to the transmitter and cause errors in the square waveform pulses. The 1694A is $20 plus shipping for an ultra cheap solution that I have found beats a lot of other cables.
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For a big step up, I would recommend the DH Labs D-750 digital COAX. Solid-core silver plated conductor (which is what you want for digital transmission). A 2 meter cable is typically around $225 or so, unless you can find one used.
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Or you can look at some of the Audioquest cables in between.
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I have not done much USB cable testing, but usually solid-core and silver or silver-plated are the best digital transmission wires.
For RCA or XLR interconnect, I make all my own cables using 20awg solid-core braided conductors and Furutech Rhodium RCA/XLR connectors. However, if you're looking for a manufactured cable, either Audioquest or Wireworld are the two that I would generally recommend. Gold-plated connectors will generally sound warmer with rolled off highs. Silver-plated will increase the speed, but they could become bright/harsh.
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If you're looking for the best pure solid-core silver, the Audio Sensibility has a model that's called Signature Silver XLR. At $1100, you can't buy another cable that uses pure OCC Silver solid-core conductors (they use 3 different gauge conductors per XLR pin: 20/22/24). They put on Futurech gold-plated XLR to help add a little warmth back in. It's an excellent resolution cable, but with all silver, it can easily push the system over the line into too harsh/bright.
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Thanks, actually, I have the Oppo 203. I also have an Oppo BDP-83 in the bedroom system.
Thanks for the ideas for digital COAX cables. What about an XLR cable to go from the Stellar Gain DAC to the Krell power amp?
Edit: Oops, I just saw your last reply.
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Heh, just like speakers, once you ask "what cable should I buy", you will get 18 different answers! lol. However, in all my R&D and testing, I have always found solid-core to just sound better than any stranded conductor cable. Audioquest pretty much uses only solid core (except for their cheaper power cord and speaker cables). Wireworld is not quite fully solid core - but it's not that bad because they align all the conductors in a row side-by-side instead of clumping them together in a single bundle.
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Since you're using Oppo 203, you could still try using pure analog out of it as well. You could try first with just left/right to get a sense of what it sounds like through the Denon AVR and then invest in another 3 RCA cables if you feel that's good enough for multi-channel SACD (if it's better than SACD through HDMI).
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Another thing that will significantly improve the Oppo quality is to get one of those linear power supplies from companies like Oppomod or Clones Audio. These are in the $300-400 range and will be a great improvement over the stock switching power supply. And it will allow you to do fuse upgrades in the Oppo.
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@ auxinput
Thanks, I've been looking at a DIN phono interconnect from Audio Sensibility for my turntable.
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Cool. One comment about Audio Sensibility. If you are looking at the Statement Silver or the Signature Silver DIN phono cables, I don't think you can get anything better (if silver is what you are after). I have experience with the Impact and other Audio Sensibilty copper cables. Even though he uses OCC copper in these, they are NOT solid-core, and aren't that great. If you are looking for an OCC copper based tonearm cable, I would recommend the Wire World Eclipse 7 tonearm cable instead.
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Yeah, often you get what you pay for. You could try the Kimber
TAK-CU for $265. I think that's the next nearest thing to solid-core. Audioquest has their Wildcat for $89 - it is solid core, but I don't know if it performs well for phono. lol.
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So, I purchased a Stellar Gain DAC/pre, which should be shipped today. For my XLR cable to the power amp, I'm currently looking at Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 or 8. The only problem is that I need 1.5 meter length and the seller is asking $700 for the only used one I can find. Yikes!
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Awsome. Sorry, but I don't know much about phono cables. I have done a lot of testing on general interconnects, hence my recommendations for the Wire World. You could try posting in the "Analog" forum to ask about DIN phono cables.
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Not looking for phono cables just now. Now, I just found out that Silnote is having a big sale on cables. Looking at their
Morpheus Reference Classic XLR, which will cost me $345, which is quite a bit less than my Wireworld Silver Eclipse option.
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Just beware of the silnote sale. I've never tried their cables but they are always on sale - seems to be a marketing technique from what I can tell. |
Yeah, I figured that might be the case, but at least they do show up at audio shows and put their cables on the line for people to hear. I'll give them a try, at least.
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I just got my new PS Audio Stellar gain set up and installed the
Silnote Morpheus
Reference Classic
XLR cables. So far, I've only listened to it in Home Theater bypass
mode, but I will say, in that scenario, I feel like I've lost a bit of
clarity in the highs. I'm not sure if that might be the result of the
Stellar Gain softening the highs, or the result of now involving two
sets of analog interconnects in my chain.
I was previously using my Denon AVR as a pre-pro, so the Denon was
connected directly to the Krell power amp. Now, there is one set of
interconnects from the Denon to the Stellar Gain, and then the Silnote
XLRs run to the Krell. I still need to listen to just the Stellar Gain
playing into the Krell before making any strong judgements on the
Silnote cables.
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If it is a brand new unit, I would burn it in for at least 200 hours before making a judgement. That being said, it is possible that you may be getting a slightly softer sound because it is going through another set of interconnects and the PS Audio does have a Class A audio stage. If you have gold-plated RCA connectors between the Denon and the Steller Gain, they can be softening the highs as well. If the Silnote cables are new, they will need to be burned in as well.
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@ auxinput
Thanks. It is a brand new unit. My signal is going through an additional set of interconnects, as I indicated.
The interconnect cables between the Denon and the Stellar Gain is High Fidelity CT-1. But I've already been using them for years now, so there should be no difference there. It's just that they were connected directly to the power amp. Any softening of the highs would have to be either in the Stellar Gain or in the Silnote XLR cables.
As to the Silnote cables, Silnote burned them in on their machine from last Friday until Monday. Or, at least they said they did and held up shipping them during that time.
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You have an analog set of interconnects coming from the AVR to the Stellar? If I understand correctly you must be evaluating based on a source through the AVR (TV/DVD?). I would look at a musical source directly fed into your stellar to evaluate the sound of the unit. I’m not sure how the stellar’s HT bypass is setup, but I would think the gain/pre stages are completely bypassed and the signal is sent directly to your power amp. The AVR is still doing all of your processing/DtoA conversion in the configuration you have.
I have an integrated 2 channel and home theater system. I use my AVR for home theater but all of my music sources are fed directly into my DAC so that I bypass the AVR completely. That sounds far better in my opinion. |
