photonblur

Amazon has the Sabaj D5 for $470. ES9038PRO d/a chip. Nice reviews at audiocircle and audiosciencereview. Anyone know for sure that the S'D5 is compatible with an edo enabled squeezebox touch? Also, I need to research if a secondary seller on Amazon infers the same e-z return policy; if I get 2 yeses I might be a customer. The top performance D/A chip ES9038PRO from ESS Technology. and high-performance power supply chip ES9311, the noise of ES9311 is lower than 1uVrms, to pushed ES9038PRO to the limit. XMOS XU-208, true 32bit audio processing, support DoP and Native DSD, and reaches 32bit/768kHz and DSD512. Ultra-low phase noise NDK Japan crystal oscillator and high-speed CPLD is used for clock processing, to achieve very low Clock jitter. All inputs support DSD streaming, including coaxial and optical (DoP64). Special design of discrete components high current headphones amplifier for higher damping factor.Built-in high efficiency and low vibration transformer provides sufficient and low noise power supply. Special design of discrete components linear regulator for analog circuit. 4 high-end dual op-amps OPA1612 and a lot of audio grade components are used.JAS Hi-Res certification. pb-

What are the security concerns when integrating a Nuc music server into a Mac ecosystem? I currently run Intego antivirus/net barrier on my multiuse iMac. The iMac has finances,photos LMS music server etc. For simplicity's sake I would prefer to use the same router for the Mac and Nuc. Thank You, gad-

Treating your head is more economical than treating your room.

Paraphrasing a computer whiz from the big thread, "AL nuc's are not for everyone." I am a member in good standing of this category, but I want an AL Nuc for cheap. Is the day on the horizon where one could purchase a stock nuc, a usb flash drive with preinstalled plug and play AL, and bingo bongo your done? pb-

Being perceptive, I get barrows likes this dac. There are dac's in a given system that will out perform, as in objectively sound better, but there are $2,000- $5,000 dacs that would be embarassed by that cutesy Qutest. It's even small. Approaching the final keep or return date on my 30 day $ back trial has a way of focusing my audio evaluation facilities. The usb regen is out of the picture. Qutest is naked. No pumped psu. No ultra this or that, just streaming from the squeezebox touch/LMS tidal app. Two days ago I installed drapes over the glass side of the living/listening room; combined with dac burn in I'm getting a smooth dynamic sound that never happened with old Yggy. Kinda liquid like a piano with a sustain pedal effect. So much for vague objectivist meanderings, bottom line, despite the stock mrkt. this is sounding like a keeper. pb-

Audiophile honeymoons may end with a bad settlement, but on occasion............. After an ambivalent involvement with the original yggy, selling it, slumming with squeezebox touch, behold, Qutest on a trial $ back basis has been gracing my system for 2 wks. My modest digital train is Imac-SBT/EDO/LMS-usb regen-Qutest, feeding unbalanced pre/amp/big spkrs. It's all about synergy. Yggy just never clicked. I didn't want to go down the regenerate/repower rabbit hole which might have modified yggy sound to something I wanted. I have a thing for black, and visually was tired of the yggy military surplus ambience, so enter a cool black brick with Toys R Us ambience. Another poster memorably said the Chord2Qute, the qutest predecessor, is amazing for what it does w/o extras. Improvable, yes, but almost there from the start. Immediately noticeable was a vastly improved soundscape, sounded bigger because it wasn't hugging the left spkr. Ambient cues popping like never before. With Yggy and Wyred4Sound a lot of music was rendered so some elements , often bass, sounded disjointed, not in the same room. Vocals on both these dacs in my system were often back in the mix with a too low relative volume that mushed lyrics. No doubt these dacs excel in other systems. I suspect that often balanced dacs sound best in balanced systems. Initially the highs and mids had a mysterious intoxicating quality; vocals were big and emotive, bass was an afterthought; after 4 or 5 days and inserting a usb regen the music attained a balanced cohesion and BASS came home and sealed the deal. Call it tone, emotive impact, whatever; my system has never had this level of foot tappin enjoyment, nevertheless, I'm glad I have 2 more wks. to be surer. pb-

Hello. Well its mid October, do you still have the same high regard for the Qutest? Does your brother now have one? If so, your opinion please. thanks, pb-

I am burdened with a too healthy skepticism regarding all things audio. Buying decisions are fraught with the lingering fear of a future resell hair cut, or worse, getting fed up with the not uncommon crap storm selling on line invites and relegating gear to closets or attics to collect dust. Not a pretty picture; but sometimes when the music feels really good, I can't help myself and buy the promise of that new dac. Fortunately my house has numerous closets and a good sized attic. pb.

I'm interested in a sq. comparison of the oppo sonica dac vs. the oppo udp 205 for usb in rca analogue stereo out. I'm not concerned with video or multichannel applications. I heard a 205 with an uptone regen before and after a 72 hr. burnin. The improvement was dramatic. Are power supplies and dac implementations identical, or are there factors that may favor the sound quality of one over the other? thanks, pb- .

As a veteran of the audio wars, no need to thank me for my service, when something sounds too good to be true I'm eager to try it from dealer/distributor who offers a reasonable satisfaction guarantee trial period with no restocking fee a la musicdirect or similar. Will this dac be broadly offered by current iFi USA distributors.

Great. If my info is correct the SBT has a 5.5mmx2.5mm dc barrel connector. Would this adapter https://www.amazon.com/OMNIHIL-Adapter-Converter-Female-x2-5mm/dp/B01N812NKL/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1516947196&sr=1-5&keywords=5%2C5mm+female+to+2.5mm+male+adapter be the one for the LPS-1.2 connector? Thanks-

Would the LPS-1.2 be compatible with a squeezebox touch used as both a dac and server?

https://www.futureshop.co.uk/chord-electronics-qutest-standalone-digital-audio-converter?___SID=U Wow, Excluding VAT 995.83GBP=$1,393, close to the discounted USA price for the previous model Chord2Qute. Well worth researching delivered USA price, shipping/customs/insurance/ tax, if USA domestic boutique dealers want boutique prices.

Thanks. Chord is on my radar. I could easily get comfortable with a black 2Qute at the right price. The Qutest is the qutest. Might be killer with new UpTone Ultra Cap LPS-1.2; also no XLR envy. As of today USA price "to be determined." Probably quite a bit north of half my budget, tempting.

Moon audio has a confusing web page showing the Qutest priced at $1,995, and on the same page in red print saying "price to be determined", and "usa price not finalized". British price is listed at 1,195 GBP= $1,656. Anyone going to England please contact me