RKL_76

Hello, I´m anything but a computer expert and have only been using an iMac as source for my system (together with Pure Music and a Classé CP-800 dac/pre) for a few months.. While i´ve taken care to optimize the setup (disabling all unnecessary programs taking up memory etc), i was reading the manual to the latest update of Pure Music, where it´s stated that you shouldn´t use the System HD as a source when playing music.. Now i´ve just gone ahead and stored my iTunes library (about 300Gb these days) on the System hard drive since i got the iMac. The question is; how do i go ahead and create additional partitions to get rid of this potential "un-optimized" setup without having to clear everything on the computer? Also, is it really worth the trouble? All input and guidance greatly appreciated. Br, RKL

Hi, Yes, moving up the ladder can become a very expensive affair.... BUT, in my view, the difference between say, the Classé CP-800 and the NorthStar DAC32 are anything but subtle... The DAC32 is a very good product in its price range, but switching to the CP-800 was like removing a "veil" from in front of the music. At the same time, the sound became more dynamic and less "flat/digital", with a completely different sense of space. Again, we´re talking about a product which is 3x the price of the DAC32, so You´d expect it to be better. Which it is. Now I´m not taking any further steps up the ladder (for now) even if there would stil be many to go.. Br, RKL

....is excellent value for money, especially in Europe... However, having had the DAC32 and several others in my system for a few months, it´s clear there´s much to gain from "moving up the ladder" to other DAC-designs. The Ayre is very good, but the difference to the Northstar isn´t huge. If looking for a warm-sounding dac, the Blacknote dac30 is very interesting (as a dac, not so much as a dac/preamp). The first dac to come my way that was clearly better than the Northstar DAC32 on all parameters (except price) is the Classé CP-800. Br, RKL

Hi all, Anyone have any hints on where to find high-quality metal downloads these days..? HDTracks has something (very limited selection) to offer, but the "metal world" is otherwise very underrepresented in the universe of audiophile downloads... For sure, this kind of music is niche in the audiophile world, but decent metal recordings on a highend system can still be a very rewarding experience..) By metal i mean everything from bands like Slipknot, Unearth and similar to the Enslaveds and Dimmu Borgirs of this world.. All hints highly appreciated! Br, RKL

...now with a few more hours on it, opens up significantly already after a short burn-in. I must agree to the comment on dynamics above, but otherwise the sound is very neutral, calm and highly transparent. What the Classé brings is superb soundstaging and layering, with an ability to retain the natural echoes in the musical far better than what i´ve heard before. What i first thought was a lack of resolution actually turned out to be an absence of "glare", which brings out more of the natural top-end details instead of highlighting some of them in a "loudness-like" way... I´ll go on listening, but based on what i´ve heard so far i´m going to audition Classé power amps in the system as well, if they bring more of the same i may need to consider replacing my current Pass X350.5.... So very promising indeed...

After a whole lot of waiting i finally have the Classé in my shelf. Quite impressive build quality, with the exception of the power receptacle at the back, which seemed to budge a bit when i connected a heavy(ish) power cord... Also slightly surprising is the fact that the power cord plugs in right next to the USB, which seems a bit "risky", but the guys at Classé have probably thought this through. Intuitive to use etc, but most importantly; the sound.. First listening (2h), also being the first hours on the unit - neutral, calm, quite transparent with very good soundstaging...this is with an iMac running PureMusic through USB and on 16/44.1 .aiff material. Nothing really sticks out, in a good way, meaning the sound is very "together" and natural. I quite like it. Doesn´t seem to be the last word in dynamics or top-end resolution (though both really good), but let´s see when it gets a few more hours of play. All things considered a very promising piece of equipment, with excellent versatility (for example i´m running a sub in the system, the CP-800 has excellent connections for that). I´ll keep you posted once i´ve had some more time to listen. Br, RKL

....the model (CP-800) is the exact one being referred to earlier in the thread. I´m also very interested in getting some more info on the specs of that piece (technical specs of the USB, volume control, output stages etc). As usual, the machine itself looks great (curved aluminium panels, touchscreens etc) but that´s all secondary if there are too many compromises inside. Br, RKL

...to try the Classé as soon as it becomes available around here (Europe)... Bryston would be interesting as well, except my understanding is that it doesn´t accept high-rez files over USB (or doesn´t have USB at all). I think the Classé looks like a winner based on the (few) specs released so far. Br, RKL

Hello, Thanks for all the great comments! About the W4S, tried that at home, both with and without a preamp and while the sound was ok with a preamp (though not up to the level of the PS Audio PWD) it didn´t work very well when connected directly to the power amp. The new Classé introduced at CES this year looks like a strong contender (knowing Classé´s know-how in building preamps), at least based on the press release this seems to be a preamp with an add-on DAC...? Br, RKL

Hello, I´m looking at an "integrated" alternative for a separate player / preamp -setup (which I have now). The market is full of good DAC´s but most seem to have the preamp-capability added on as a "second thought". The most competent DAC/pre that I´ve come across so far is the PS Audio PWD but even that one has its limits compared to a very good preamp. I have a Pass X350.5 and it seems the power amp is more picky about preamps than I thought. So any ideas about (fully balanced) DAC´s with no-compromise preamps and volume controls built in? It seems many manufacturers are using digital volume controls which should be fine if properly implemented, but doesn´t remove the problem of weak or compromised output stages in most designs... Looking forward to hearing from You all. Best regards, RKL

I´ve both listened to the PWD at home (with and without pre) and tried to find out how the volume control really works. It all leaves me slightly confused....as it seems some manufacturers are supporting digital as the first alternative (such as PS Audio), others are going the analogue route and calling digital volume controls bad compromises and then we have the "middle way" (such as Weiss) where You have a bit of both. I felt there were pro´s and con´s to running the PWD directly to my power amp, but then again the PWD is being compared to a USD12k balanced preamp so it might not be fair. Regardless, i´m looking for a DAC/pre solution to replace the current preamp and I think there are more alternatives than information out there. Also, when looking more closely at the Wolfson chip used in the PWD, it turns out the volume control is part of the OEM chip itself. Does anyone know if this is the solution PS Audio is using or have they implemented a custom digital volume control? If the digital volume control is on the chip, how does it differ from the other digital alternatives out there (many of which should only be used to get the optimal working range for Your analog preamp... according to some manufacturers i´ve asked). So at the end of all this rambling; can anyone get more specific on how the PWD volume control is superior or different to other designs..? While I´m trying to get my head around the whole digital volume control issue, i´ll spend some time auditioning alternatives with analog resistor networks (the new Aesthetix Pandora looks interesting, as do the more expensive Msb tech alternatives). Best regards, RKL

thanks for all the comments. I assume this will work even if running it all on a wireless network...? Let´s see once I get to try the bridge.. Br, RKL

Hello, I currently have all my music loaded onto an iMac running iTunes + PureMusic (all files are .aiff). Currently, the PS Audio PW DAC (that i´m about to audition) only accepts 24/96 USB input. Would the Bridge be a solution to connect the iMac library to the PW DAC without any limitations? Any experiences? Best regards, RKL

I´ve now spent a few days with the Blacknote DAC30, with the following setup: - USB in (iMac running PureMusic) - Volume control bypass My expectations beforehand were a bit mixed, i was expecting warm(ish) tonal balance + a pleasant and "easy" overall sound (italian-made with tubes, what else...?). Even with this limited-time experience and despite the DAC only being broken-in for 20+ hours, i got something completely different. The DAC30 sounds nothing like what You´d expect from "italian with tubes". The sound is delightfully detailed and airy, coupled with a soundstage depth that beats most of the digital front ends I´ve had in my system. At the same time, the midrange has a certain fullness which prevents things from sounding too digital. Transient response and dynamics are simply excellent, with eg. sharp plucking of guitar strings rendered believably both in terms of the initial "twang" and the natural decay of the sound (example Private Investigations from "Love over Gold", Dire Straits). Drums and cymbals have all the required impact (unforgiving on bad recordings) coupled with the nuances that make it sound "real" (the drumstick hitting the skin/rim/cymbal), which tend to get lost with lesser machines. Compared to my previous cd rig (Audionet ART G2 + EPS power source), the iMac/DAC30 sounds more detailed, more transparent, more dynamic and more natural. There might be a slight loss of the finest details in the highest frequencies, but this might be attributed to the lack of break-in. Also, while the DAC30 clearly has better bass resolution, the Audionet might have had a bit better "grip". This is all with 16/44.1 material. The other point of comparison is the highly regarded Ayre QB9 that I had in the system a week back. In my own subjective view (and in my system, mind You), the DAC30 performs better in most regards. In terms of overall neutrality, the Ayre might have been a bit better, but it also tended to get a bit too "polite" overall, compared to the more "snappy" and forward character of the DAC30 (which I prefer). The Ayre was also a bit more dry in the lower register. BUT on most other parameters, i preferred the DAC30 - more air, much more transparency, better resolution of detail, better midrange presence, deeper and more expansive soundstage. And despite the bass being a bit softer, it still had more nuances than the Ayre presented. Dynamics (both macro- and micro) and transient response were better with the DAC30. Caveats? Well some; first of all, the display doesn´t show the incoming frequency when using USB. This was initially very confusing as the display reads "fs.44.100" despite PureMusic putting out 24/96 or 24/192. I checked with the factory, when using USB the display is actually showing the frequency on the "digital out", instead of the frequency currently being received. So it will adapt (and play, uncompressed) to any signal coming in automatically...with any other digital input the display will show the correct sampling rate . The other thing is the slightly flimsy feel of the two pushbuttons on the front of the unit, given the otherwise high level of build quality. I wasn´t very familiar with the Blacknote brand until now, but i´ve cetrainly been very impressed. The DAC30 is currently a strong no.1 contender on my DAC (very) shortlist. I can only speak for myself and i´ve only listened to my own system, but if You´re looking for a very high-quality DAC You should definitely give this one a try. I´ll keep updating when i move onwards in the dac-jungle... Br, RKL PS. The Lindemann, despite the website talking about a "fully balanced output stage" didn´t have XLR outputs, so I never got around to auditioning it...

Hello, In my DAC-search I came across the MSB Powerdac. The company has a good rep, they are at the forefront of development and known to provide upgrades to older products. So any experience with the most important part - the sound? Any experience and/or comparison to products like the W4S DAC2 or Ayre QB9? All comments appreciated as this would be one model I can't audition before ordering.... But still very interested... Br, RKL