New Poll - CD, Streaming from PC/NAS, Streaming from Web only?

[Richard]

Originally Posted by Phil Y

Hello Richard,

When I get a minuite, I will try the RG59 again and check that I can still hear a difference. I didn't swap back and forward at the time, I just said to myself "OK, so I need to order a cable along with the DAC"
You never know, it might have been a dirty connection or something.

Phil.

Thanks Phil, (sorry just noticed you'd posted before Col)
Be interesting to hear what you find re-visiting this.

I think a ground connection via the braid both ends is the usual way for a coax SPDIF cable but it can sometimes cause an earth loop if the units are already earthed or grounded.

The AES standards and some better gear provide a transformer coupling to stop this, otherwise we're back to disconnecting one of the grounds or using TOSLINK.

If it's not a safety issue I'd keep the coax cable intact, to ensure a good signal and ground for the digital signal, then isolate the offending unit's extra earth/ground connection elsewhere (probably mains or to another unit).

Fortunately SB and many dacs aren't mains earthed so keeping the ground connections linked in a single chain is often possible.

[colin.hepburn]

Originally Posted by Richard

Thanks Colin, yes my SPDIF cable is a similar length of coax but I've connected the braid both ends as I'm using a Squeezebox which would be floating otherwise. The SPDIF cable connects SB ground to DAC ground. DAC ground is connected to pre-amp ground via its analogue interconnect braids.

Hi Richard
Yep sorry the Braid is connected at both ends its the thin copper foil that covers the braid that is connected at one end only not sure if it makes any difference or not
The cable I made up I sent out to other's members on the old WD forum to try in there system and it got favorable reports at the time so still using them today

[Phil Y]

Hello all,

Well, I have had a play and I still think the Audioquest cable sounds better than the RG59. These things are always difficult, running from one end of the room to the other to swap a cable before playing the same track again but you all know that !

The difference I think is, with the RG59 the sound is more trapped between the speakers. Narrower and shallower, and with more grain on vocals. It remains exactly the same tonally though.

Whether this is because the Audioquest cable is "good" or the RG59 is "bad" who knows ?


Phil.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by colin.hepburn

Hi Richard
Yep sorry the Braid is connected at both ends its the thin copper foil that covers the braid that is connected at one end only not sure if it makes any difference or not
The cable I made up I sent out to other's members on the old WD forum to try in there system and it got favorable reports at the time so still using them today

Hi Col, ah ok I thought you might have left one end disconnected for reason of hum.

Did you build your own dac? I know I'm a bit late to the party but would love to know what folk are using. Philip and Greg have been a good help.

Two other members have asked me how it's going, what to use etc, so I think quite a lot of folk are still on the sidelines with streaming

[Richard]

Originally Posted by Phil Y

Hello all,

Well, I have had a play and I still think the Audioquest cable sounds better than the RG59. These things are always difficult, running from one end of the room to the other to swap a cable before playing the same track again but you all know that !

The difference I think is, with the RG59 the sound is more trapped between the speakers. Narrower and shallower, and with more grain on vocals. It remains exactly the same tonally though.

Whether this is because the Audioquest cable is "good" or the RG59 is "bad" who knows ?


Phil.

Thanks Phil, yes very difficult to AB unless it's really black and white, you'd have to do it un-sighted with someone else changing the cable I suppose.

[colin.hepburn]

Originally Posted by Richard

Hi Col, ah ok I thought you might have left one end disconnected for reason of hum.

Did you build your own dac? I know I'm a bit late to the party but would love to know what folk are using. Philip and Greg have been a good help.

Two other members have asked me how it's going, what to use etc, so I think quite a lot of folk are still on the sidelines with streaming

Hi Richard /All
DAC 2496 (AK4393) DAC KIT with CS8416+AK4393+5532
I have this DAC with an Fet Buffer feed directly off the AK4393 Dac chip works very well and its cost less than £50 .00
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digit...93-5532-a.html

WM8741+WM8805+TE7022 DAC Good sounding Dac but Caps get to hot from the regulators’ so needs work on it to run cooler
http://www.world-designs.co.uk/forum...highlight=Ebay
And I have The CS8416/CS4397 board at 96 kHz which I intend too put a LAMPUCERA valve buffer on it http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/...ampizator.html

[Richard]

Great thanks Col, some reading to do there, I'm quite enjoying the new projects :-)

[Ali Tait]

Richard, I used to run a Touch, I found the Soundcheck mods to make a big improvement-

http://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.co....oolbox-20.html

Fun to play with, and easily reversible.

There is also the LDO mods if you want to output usb.

I also found a linear supply to make a big improvement, I bought one of Nick's from MRCU.

You really haven't heard what the Touch is capable of without these mods IMHO.

[pre65]

Originally Posted by Ali Tait

Richard, I used to run a Touch, I found the Soundcheck mods to make a big improvement-

http://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.co....oolbox-20.html

Fun to play with, and easily reversible.


You really haven't heard what the Touch is capable of without these mods IMHO.

Hi Ali, I've got the MCRU power supply, so am interested in TT3.

Is it really as simple to play with as you suggest ?

[Richard]

Thanks Ali will look into that Are you still streaming and what with these days?