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david.parker83

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  1. The amount of clipping in the Amazon/MP3 Direct versions is gross. I ended up going with the MFIT version for now (on the road, iPhone listening). Since they bump the db of each track down a little bit to avoid clipping, my guess is the CD version will have the same DR as MFIT version but be a tad louder on some tracks.
  2. I haven't posted in awhile due to being a new father. But couldn't resist sharing my budget, wife-approved setup for my little two month old. It includes a Tivoli Audio Model One (150$), iPod (used 150$), and dock (used 10$). I mostly leave the local classical music station going (no commercials), but occasionally pump through some Pandora or mp3. At night, I put on some pink noise for her. Hey...she can look back and know that dad made an effort to start her young! Not a bad little budget setup, even if it is mono. And of course, mom can listen to podcasts while she's doing...uhh...mom stuff. :-) The mono speaker sounds very smooth and musical. Voices in particular come across with ease. With no hint of boom or congestion in the midbass. And you can crank it pretty loud without any hint of distortion. A very nicely designed table radio indeed. Much better than any of the iPod docks that I've heard. <p><a href="/monthly_2013_07/IMG_0037.jpg.8f89093482526274fa65186c6139bb7b.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28193" src="/monthly_2013_07/IMG_0037.jpg.8f89093482526274fa65186c6139bb7b.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2013_07/IMG_0037.jpg.1d3c93f0bb235f7ea02bcd04db772545.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28443" src="/monthly_2013_07/IMG_0037.jpg.1d3c93f0bb235f7ea02bcd04db772545.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
  3. Slowly posting them in the blogs section of the site. My new Dacmini will arrive this week, so that will definitely motivate me to listen deeper into the mix for differences between the formats. :-)
  4. Until Apple changes the "made for iPod" standard, I'm sticking with standard resolution for portable applications. My experience with portable devices is that I am rarely using them in a quiet environment where I can appreciate the sonic benefits of high res. I was recently in a hotel and trying to listen to some stuff off my laptop...had to turn off the air conditioner...and then some kids started screaming out at the pool. All my hard work for high res ruined! :-)
  5. Since the db levels of the MFIT and ALAC versions are different (MFIT is a tad softer), they need to be matched up for listening comparisons...dang it, this was supposed to be easy. So far there is little to report...the only differences being because of the db level, and now those differences are gone. One of the benefits of MFIT is the ability to check for clipping, which can be a problem when converting to AAC straight from the CD master. I used iTunes to generate my own 256kbps AAC version of the album. I loaded the tracks into Audacity, well holy shredded sine waves Batman! There was indeed some clipping in my AAC version. But now the good news: the MFIT version shows absolutely no clipping, and this probably explains why the db level was pulled back a tad. Check out what Apple has to say about MFIT if you haven't already.
  6. The image below shows a comparison between the MFIT (Mastered for iTunes) and ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Compression) versions of John Mayer's "Queen of California." This is track 1 from his latest album, Born and Raised. MFIT is on top, ALAC is on bottom. What do you see? To me, the MFIT version is mastered at a slightly lower volume. I can't see any visual evidence that the dynamic range compression is different: since the loudest and softest parts both appear louder on the ALAC version. Hope the image turns out ok. If not, I will upload somewhere else. <p><a href="/monthly_2012_09/HeadroomComparison.jpg.155eb1bb747a3284a5e06a98d06e740e.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28127" src="/monthly_2012_09/HeadroomComparison.jpg.155eb1bb747a3284a5e06a98d06e740e.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="/monthly_2012_09/HeadroomComparison.jpg.9ad257f55f93e85f0dc90b543437c0ec.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="28377" src="/monthly_2012_09/HeadroomComparison.jpg.9ad257f55f93e85f0dc90b543437c0ec.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
  7. Oops didn't see that thread somehow. Your suggestion works for me. How do I close it?
  8. Hope this rumor turns out to be true. May be a step in the direction of supporting high res audio. Apple AirPlay Direct planned for September launch - Telegraph
  9. I have downloaded the Mastered for iTunes version and also purchased the lossless CD version. I have ripped the lossless CD as ALAC and also converted it to standard 256kbps aac within iTunes. I plan to do some extensive listening tests and analysis on these three versions of the album. If anyone has specific tests they'd like to see done (freeware software only please), let me know. I will definitely be taking a look at the compression and noise floor. Results will be blogged as I go.
  10. I have the XDA-1 in my living room: Apple TV-->Toslink-->XDA-1-->Audioquest Sidewinders-->AudioEngine N22/P4 DVD player-->Coax-->XDA-1 Observations: The clarity and detail of my setup is really good. The XDA-1 remote control is very hefty and will probably not get lost in your recliner. I personally loooove the digital volume control, but my living room rig is not really for critical listening so I don't obsess over it too much. My impression of the midrange is it is a little thin. But that is an assessment of my system not the XDA-1. Reading other reviews I have heard terms like "clinical" popup. Bottom line, if it was me I'd try to pickup a Peachtree DacIt for a little more dough. I just got one on eBay for 200$ believe it or not. They popup all the time on there. If remote volume control on your dac is a must, then XDA-1 might be your best bet. I looked around at other budget options with remote control and didn't see much in the sub-500$ zone that also met my connectivity requirements. Good luck!
  11. is inconsistent. The specs on the 2011 iMac only show 96K as the upper limit for optical output of PCM. AC3 (Dolby) does still show 192K (see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4619, bottom of the page). "PCM: 16, 20, or 24 bits per sample at sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, or 96 kHz AC-3: 16 bits per sample at sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, or 192 kHz" But you've likely seen the other Apple support pages where they don't break out this detail and simply say the optical goes up to 192. Yeah, it sucks and has confused lots of people. I'm still confused, since they are claiming to support 16/192 AC-3 but the AC-3 specs clearly limit it to 16bit/48kHz. Read this thread too: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Trouble-192khz-output-new-Mac-Mini-Benchmark-DAC1-HDR What it boils down to is the limitation of 96kHz is not hardware but at the OS level.
  12. [/url] http://www.7digital.com/find-music/7digital-recommends/flac From their customer service rep: "...we plan to add more FLAC content going forward, but currently we only have a few other FLAC releases in our stores. Please visit our dedicated FLAC page for further information and to view our FLAC releases."
  13. this would be more appropriate for the forums. MBP optical output goes up to 24/96. When it comes to mini-Toslink there isn't much high end stuff out there that I've seen. Basically you want glass instead of plastic. Check out this site: http://www.wireworldcable.com/ This cable looks pretty good: http://www.wireworldcable.com/products/93.html Keep length below 2 feet as a general rule.
  14. on Getting Better Sound. Here is a sneak peek: http://www.scribd.com/aswath698/d/40400201-31-Secrets One of the things he mentions is that speaker toe-in and distance can affect brightness. He found that by moving the speakers a tad closer together and adjusting the toe-in outwards slightly can warm things up. Ultimately experimenting with the room is the only solution (unless you have evidence that a component is really the problem).
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