On Tue, 14 Nov 2017 11:00:46 +0000, David wrote:

> On Tue, 14 Nov 2017 09:45:16 +0000, alister wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 13 Nov 2017 14:08:41 +0000, David wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, 13 Nov 2017 14:05:09 +0000, David wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 13 Nov 2017 11:58:51 +0000, David wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Just looking at this:
>>>>> 
>>>>> I can see that I have to solder in the 40 pin connector but it isn't
>>>>> clear if I have to solder in the "new free one RCA connector" or if
>>>>> it just clips in somewhere.
>>>>>
>>>>> I assume soldering but there don't seem to be any detailed
>>>>> instructions.
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyone fitted one of these?
>>>>
>>>> Posted this before I saw the HiFi thread.
>>>>
>>>> To expand the question a bit further, which DAC would the team
>>>> recommend?
>>>>
>>>> The one linked above is £10.
>>>>
>>>> 
>>>>
>>>> is £33.
>>>>
>>>> However you often get what you pay for, and DACs in HiFi equipment
>>>> are not all the same. Burr Brown is a known name. The site above
>>>> doesn't say much about the specifications. However
>>>>
>>>> 
>>>>
>>>> says "Dedicated 192kHz/24bit high-quality Burr-Brown DAC for best
>>>> sound quality (ESS instead of Burr-Brown on DAC+ Light)" which looks
>>>> promising.
>>>>
>>>> Noted the price is shown as £45 as oppose to £33 above, but I haven't
>>>> checked that VAT and shipping is included in either price)
>>>>
>>>> Has anyone compared different DAC packages on the Pi?
>>>
>>> O.K. - just found "Also note that our prices do not include VAT for
>>> all shipping addresses outside Switzerland. Depending on your country,
>>> you may have to pay the VAT and/or additional customs and processing
>>> fees on import. Please ask your local postal provider about these
>>> costs."
>>>
>>> So at least another £6.60, plus shipping plus hassle organising to pay
>>> this.
>>>
>>> £45 is looking a more reasonable price, if a tad expensive.
>>>
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>>
>>>
>>> Dave R
>> Also consider the listening environment (& your own hearing which
>> deteriorates considerably with age for example at 50 I doubt that I cn
>> hear much above 12-13khz).
>>
>> in the average home environment the differences claimed by audiophile
>> quality equipment are simply in-detectable by the average listener
>> (probably why the 1st thing they tell you about their equipment is "It
>> cost £XXX)
>
> Hmmm......average home environment and average listener...audiophile
> equipment....cost...bit of an imprecise definition.
>
Indeed and deliberately so

> When auditioning audio equipment I listen to the same track on all set
> ups and generally the better equipment gives better stereo separation
> and more clarity to (or even reveals) additional instruments and voices
> in the background.

Which is what my point was designed to encourage
>
> I can tell the difference. For example I decided to go one grade better
> on the speakers with the last system after having a good listen. However
> individual components were in the £200 range so I have no idea if this
> qualifies as "audiophile quality" equipment. Oh, and I don't usually
> start out telling everyone what it cost.
>
> There are some obvious differences. One track is "Love is the drug" by
> Roxy Music where the introduction is the sound of someone striking a
> match, lighting a cigarette, then walking to a car, starting it, and
> driving away. Budget equipment doesn't even reveal this, medium
> equipment (especially speakers) does reveal it but not fully and better
> speakers reveal it with clarity.
>
> Perhaps not all people can hear this. Perhaps all people aren't active
> listeners. However up to a certain point better designed, specified and
> constructed equipment properly set up will increase the listening
> accuracy (not necessarily the listening pleasure) as you spend more
> money.
>

Which is why I encouraged you to make sure that you can actually hear the
difference & were not simply buying based on meaningless specifications
(super expensive speaker cable is something I consider to be a scam as I
do not believe the difference can be heard except with you head clamped
in the optimal position in an an-echoic chamber)

> I suspect that your comparison might work with wine, for example. Most
> people can tell the difference between a £4 bottle of wine and a £10
> bottle of wine. Many can tell the difference between a £10 bottle of
> wine and a £20 bottle of wine. However when you start comparing a £500
> bottle of wine with a £1,000 bottle of wine then I suspect that (except
> on very rare occasions) you are in the realms of buying the wine to show
> everyone that you can afford it.

I have had £4 bottles of wine that were much nicer than a £10 bottle,
price is no guarantee (& is something due to personal taste)
>
> If this is your benchmark range then it isn't really appropriate to the
> comparison of £10 DACs and £40 DACs. We are still in the £4 bottle vs.
> £10 bottle range. "Serious" DACs go from £100s to £1,000s.
>
> Oh, and I am over 50 but (regardless of khz range) I can still tell the
> difference between really cheap and modest budget systems.

Really cheap is bad as witnessed buy connecting the IPO audio out to even
a cheap amp. My post was aimed at the difference between Good equipment &
ludicrously expensive equipment which is not necessarily noticeable top a
mere human probably £20 V £500+ in your wine comparison terms

If you can genuinely tell the difference - in you home not a specifically
set-up demo suite then obviously purchase the one that sound best to you.
it does sound like you are actually listening rather than falling for
marketing PR which is good.

>
> Cheers
>
>
>
> Dave R





--
Reformatting Page. Wait...

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05