This does sound like a horrible idea but part of me wants to see what happens when you…
I mean it shouldn’t work, it should be impossible to sync effectively. TotalDAC disagreed though and is kinda sorta doing that with their split L/R signal so what do I know?
It was, don’t do it
It can be done, but that’s not really apples to apples in the end from what I was doing. The totaldac has it’s own custom synced dual aes output from it’s reclocker/splitter box, AND a clock and sync cable running inbetween monoblocks, there’s plenty of other DAC makers who do this, it’s a thing that will at least work just fine
I did mess around with some pro gear in my setups from either taking 2 dacs using the same aes signal then blending them together with a summing mixer to see how they blend together, or the running similar amps in a biamp config but with different dacs handling the tweeter/mids and another handling the woofer, and other things of that sort. None of them really worked well, but was a fun thing to mess around with a few hours (which the dealer also helped me in supplying a quad of a specific model of amp to test that, since he was curious too lol, but that was very short lived)
Well today was a lot of work putting everything back together after it had been basically all ripped around to different setups lol, here’s an update on how everything is set up now
Yes it’s a few days in the future, but that’s because when the dealer comes to pick up the emm stuff, he’ll be taking my bricasti gear with him, then it will be up to date and accurate. Felt bad that I didn’t like the dv2, so I gave him a good price on that source combo, I didn’t use it that much at this point so I’ve relocated the speakers to the desk for the time being (well, moreso just in the room on stands, not actually set up yet lol), helped free up a nice chunk of cash to put toward the lampi. I do still get another week with the horizon, and I have yet to sell the apl, so I’ll still be playing with those, but I’m going to be very sad when the horizon has to leave, working on sourcing one in the meantime. I was told I can hold onto the rs3 for as long as I like though, but I would feel rude doing that so I’ll likely be giving that back sometime soon.
I was considering also grabbing something like an antipodes k21 for the horizon setup, but honestly awhile ago I got in a sonore signature rendu se optical tier ii (yes that’s the name), and been pretty impressed for it with the money, that + the ideon reclocker really is pulling weight with the horizon so I really might just stick with that
I’m also going to be selling one of my hp amps to a friend as well later on to further slim that down. Looking pretty damn set right now. Still feeling out the FM, and it’s pretty awesome the more I get into it. Although I now ended up with a desk setup that while the FM gear and MK is small, the fucking dacs take up the most space lol. Oh well, it is what it is, I can at least put the dacs off to the side and have the amps closer to me here. Literally anything feels like the worlds best after listening to a cooler master headset into a laptop for a day out of laziness lol
And a few general updates when it comes to interconnects, selling headphones that I wasn’t really using often (800s and 1.2)
you could always get a Oladra for the listening room and put the K50 on the main desk :theface:
So actually that is on my list, but I’m going to wait a bit after what I was told about it
Always an impressive setup (and undertaking to put everything in a concise chart).
On there I saw the RNDAC listed with future amp/speakers (?). Is that something you recently acquired? I’m so curious as to your impressions on that one.
I see it’s currently Out of Stock on their website, but the RNHP is available again.
Thanks for all the time you put in here!
Yep, although haven’t given it too much time yet, will comment on that later
AKM shortage killed it
NP 
Alright, this took me a while to get through what with my hummingbird fluttering away at the slightest distraction. (Which made the inclusion of tables and the Shit Scale so much more valuable!!!)
It’s a great and extensive article that I’m glad exists. At this point I don’t think I’m quite at the level to understand everything that’s being described, but it does give me the motivation to learn more about describing audio gear and I’ve been reading through our wonderful thread about audiophile terms. It’s allowed me to assess my hps in new and exciting ways.
I appreciate the visual way you write. It underlines both the subjectivity of the experience as well as the high level of insight you can offer.
Well done, great job, can only aspire to reach this level at some point.
Sweet writeup! I’ll have to re-read it about a half dozen times to absorb it all but it seems like the Berkeley Alpha Reference 3 is my future end state goal. In the mean time I’m saving for a Nagra classic so should be a fun stair step over the next few years.
Incoming Topping full product offerings CONFIRMED!
Sneak peak for PT4 lineup:
Topping D90
Topping D90 MQA
Topping D90 LE
Topping D90 SE
Topping D10 Balanced
They measure so well, they must be the end game you seek.
(Also i scrolled down and saw the real lineup)
I missed something. There will be a pt4?
I don’t really have a source that will measure good enough to show the differences though, I think I need to get a checks asr list Topping L30 II (apparently this is best sinad now)
I do have an amp that was designed entirely with measurements, and the creator only listened to them when he was setting them up at CES after he had finished them, so the entire design process was measurements and only measurements. Don’t think it would be ASR approved though
Possibly, but it would only be for shits and giggles. One interesting idea @Littledrummerboy proposed to me was to do a vintage dac roundup and grab all the DACs I remember fondly from back in the day and see how they hold up today, but that’s a lot of work, and I don’t know if I really want to put the energy toward that
I think if you were going to do that, a more interesting take is taking former high end DAC’s and comparing them to modern DAC’s that you can get at the same used price point.
Some of the older dCs stuff is terribly reasonably priced now and I have to think that given they are going for 25c on the dollar in some cases, they probably still hold up against the modern used stuff which is closer to 60c on the dollar.
Obviously assuming you can live with 96/24 maximums and you have a good digital source.
Though I think the issue with any comparison like that is going to be sourcing enough vintage DAC’s in a way that doesn’t just end up costing you an arm and leg.
I’m going to write one on sub 200 dollars DACs, I’m lazy and since they all sound the same, easy peasy.
That would be pretty fun, and yes more helpful to the average reader.
Yeah for sure, there’s a ton of potential options
Or a lot less lol. But the digital source thing is something you shouldn’t neglect anyways regardless of the age of the dac
Yep, that’s going to be a pretty painful process in the end. And I also can’t really verify if they would be in truly good working order or not either
How long you think it would be? I’d honestly still be really interested in reading that lol, as long as they aren’t boring cheap dacs
Actually we can to a Top Gear kind of segment!
We all are given a budget that we have to stay under and then submit our best DAC for under $1k that @M0N has to then run through their paces and declare a winner. lol
I feel like the answer is going to be “It depends”.
Nooooooo I don’t want to write anymore lol, someone else should do it since it’s a really fun idea though