highstream

Hi — My choice of the 860 Evo was based on sound, vs. a small sample of others, including the 870 Evo. I have a 2 TB, which for an open box goes for $229 on Amazon. The largest is 4TB, which goes for $500 on up. The problem you face is that by their nature SLC’s are going to be more expensive and apparently limited in capacity. I think you’re looking for something there aren’t hardly any of, and definitely not at a reasonable price. Alternatively, you might contact some better server makers, explain what you’re trying to accomplish and ask if they would mind suggesting a few models they’ve found are good for music. They all test SSDs sonically. Good hunting, and if you don’t mind, pass along what you find out. Gene

Ah, a plausible explanation. Thanks.

The synergy has even more to do with the listener, i.e., what kind of sound they prefer. Hearing abilities and musical background growing up have a lot to do with it. To me, the Lightspeed was bright and not fun listening from its release several years ago. Generally speaking, the WW Platinum line is on the gorgeously warm and expansive side, very listenable for hours on end. The top of the line WW Diamond in most applications keeps some of the warmth, while being more accurate tonally and taking dimension and detail and oomph to a whole other level. That includes the Diamond USB cable, which left the FTA Calisto and Curious behind in my direct comparisons. The only place where the Diamond line has failed for me are the power cords to ATC SCM40A powered speakers, where they are tremendous in every respect except one: they’ve upended the modest warmth that my system had before (which includes Diamond PC’s and IC’s in almost every location except the subs, which have Platinums).

I never heard any noise from mine, but yes, HDD: https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Portable-External-Photography-STDR2000100/dp/B00FRHTSK4 (under Compare Similar Items)

Not rude at all.p, and obviously important to comparisons. Having not followed developments in HDD tech closely, I’ve assumed the thin Seagate is an SSD. Interestingly, Seagate doesn’t say one way or the other in its marketing materials, which lends to HDD, i.e., deception. The only thing I found from a quick search on their site is https://www.seagate.com/support/external-hard-drives/portable-hard-drives/backup-plus-fast-ssd/

I'm aware of the ups and downs and ups previously. He reestablished the business long enough to churn out SR4's, create a new model of SR4 and I assume some SR7's. What specifically is going on now?

Direction on inserted style is typically back to front, so I’d assume yours is. On common lateral holders, it’s left to right. Of course, listening will tell you, as the wrong direction will sound constrained. I have one Orange that was mislabeled. Is Paul Hynes’ operation really no longer?

Whatever was meant, it's not a very well thought through. First of all, are we talking about the cables the musicians use, if they even supply their own, or those the recording studio uses? And what if they use more than one brand? Then why only cables, what about the monitors musicians use, such as headphones or buds, along with those the sound studio or engineer uses? And let's not forget that many recordings, if not most, are not done ensemble, but in pieces, and not necessarily in the same physical location at all. Thinking of the typical studio engineer, he or she listens through more than one brand of monitor, to get a better sense of what the music might sound like on different types of equipment -- and adjusted according to their or the musicians' desires. And there are the sound boards: do those companies make components, including cables, for home use? What about the software, CD manufacturer, streaming company's gear, etc., involved in the chain? And finally, since we're listening through components, how about the cables and other gear makers of each piece use to tune their gear? The idea of trying to "reproduce the performance" really comes from the common, but not very well thought through notion that one can actually reproduce the original material, as created, in the end user's equipment. It's an idea -- in some cases an ideology -- that confuses the illusion in the end listener's head, one in fact created by the sound engineer, not the musicians themselves, with the multi-step realities of the reproduction chain.

I had forgotten that I had both, but neither made the final cut, although I didn't directly compare them.

Was the SR cable fully burned in? If not, you might give a honest tryout, at least 300 playing hours. 15 minutes for any cable, even one burned in on another system, but not used for awhile, is simply not serious. I got the more expensive Curious USB earlier this year and found it inferior to both the Callisto and Wywires Diamond, the latter being my choice.

I can add a 1TB WD Blue (3D NAND) to the rejection pile. Pulled it from my desktop, needing another TB of storage. The 860 EVO has a lightness, clarity and airiness that the others I've tried lack.

I appreciate your taking the time to take a look at what I posted. I didn’t say or imply anything about your systems. From what I can tell, it seems you are/were making a bits are bits argument. That argument is typically made to say audiophiles — and also many many sound engineers — are hearing things when they claim sound differences between digital cables and sometimes even components. This thread is driven by people who hear differences between SSDs. Are they (and I) making it up, i.e., consumed by illusion (and btw, why only in audio, why not in the rest of our lives, work and play, too)? I suggested that the proof either way is in the listening, not in arguments or theories. The fact that a lot is not yet understood, that measuring instruments are not yet up to the task, and what so very many of us hear doesn’t jibe with academic theory, is held against our credibility. It’s strange that people who question us would think that a whole commercial market could be built and maintained for decades based on wholly illusory hearing. What’s the theory to explain that? After all, audio is not ideology or religion, where illusory thinking does so often play a central role. I have pretty good, well-experienced ears, given that I’m an old guy too. I also have integrity: if I hear a difference, and I’m going about things in an appropriately systematic fashion, then there’s a difference (whether better or not relative to my tastes is a different matter); if not, or I’m not sure, then that’s the call, regardless of price, others’ opinions or what have you. I suspect that others who have contributed to this thread are the same way. If you don’t believe that the differences we hear are real, then create your own thread, because really your post (and my reply) is off topic.

While all my components are plugged into a PS Audio P15 regenerator, the SATA drive (in an enclosure) itself gets its 5v from the Oppo. The run from the Oppo to a Lampi TRP dac is spdif and on the latter end is an iFi spdif iPurifier 2 powered by a Paul Hynes SR4 LPS. I had and may still have a Samsung NAS drive in my i-7 Win 10 desktop, but since I disassembled most of its better audio system, and the PC's otherwise been working well for quite some years, I haven't kept track. I do still have Project Lasso running though. I have a Seagate external SSD picked up from Costco some time back that was worth a try, but it didn't sound all that good in my living room system. Cables do make a difference in that run between SATA and the Oppo, just like elsewhere. I share your sentiments about SSD sound quality. It makes upgrading in function or storage size a hassle. Enough that I have to deal with tubes!

@uselessoldman I have two replies to your questions, assuming your question is genuine and your mind open (i.e., you're not trolling): 1) Do you listen with your ears or your intellect? And to the extent you do listen and the intellectual side of why there are differences in sound between all types of digital (and analog) gear matters to you -- for the most part it doesn't to me -- what conclusion(s) do you draw if the two -- ears and intellect -- don't match? 2) Some others' thoughts about the general subject (mostly high level audio engineers, sound engineers, electrical engineers): - https://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/asking-the-right-questions/ (also the discussion) - https://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/purity-at-the-source/ (also the discussion) - https://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/damaging-digital/ (see paulsquirrel's comment) - http://thewelltemperedcomputer.unofficialmirrors.com/Intro/SQ/SoftwareInducedJitter.htm - https://www.jmaxwellusb.com/Articles/Computer-Audio-Basics.aspx - https://www.stereophile.com/reference/1093jitter/ - https://www.stereophile.com/features/396bits/index.html

I haven't compared different SSDs for music in my Win 10 desktop, but in my living room system I've found that there is definitely a sound difference between them, even different models of the same brand. For example, I've been using a 1T Samsung 860 EVO with music files into a heavily modded Oppo 203. Been happy with it. A month ago I picked up its successor, the 870 EVO, a much faster drive, and loaded it with the same files. Both are in Inatec enclosures, with bubble wrap added inside, and connected to the Oppo with a WyWires Diamond USB cable. As I listened to the 870 over the first three weeks, some things didn't quite seem right with its SQ, so several days ago I made a comparison, also swapping between three Inateck enclosures to cover the two variables in play. The 860 definitely had more clarity and sense of drawing me in top to bottom. Thinking SSD burn in might be involved -- why not? -- I ran the 870 through my laptop continuously for a few days and then compared again tonight. No change. The 870 is going back. What I don't know is if my experience with the 870 is a one-off or representative of the model.