Is computer audio a bust?

The improved SQ has to do with reduced jitter which is easier to accomplish without the moving parts of a mechanical transport being involved.

In my experience very few transports match the best computer audio such as the Off-Ramp. In fact I know only of one and it is really wild, but even then its not universally thought by everyone that heard the difference the transport was better.

The real value of computer audio is not that is SQ is inherently better - transports can sound as good - but its rare - its the paradigm shift it engenders of being able to tap into you entire music library from your litening position with something like an Ipad.

Thanks
Bill

Audioengr, The reason I bought the cables I have is based on pure performance, Price had NOTHING to do with it, if it did, I would not have Bought them, I do not agree with cable pricing, or alot of the cost of High-end audio, there is a 600% to 1000% mark-up on the retail prices out there any way, also, I wanted to point out that you said, your cd-player will become an antique, no disrespect steve, I like alot of your products, I am perplexed on why you said that,, Computers are obsolete before you can get them out the store after purchase, most Dacs, Transports, CD-players have a much longer shelf life than a computer, all audio will become an antique in a matter of time, and if you were meaning that cd-players, Transports, Dacs, will go the way of becoming antiques, that's funny, you sale dacs, It will be a long time before spinning disc is over, If ever, an example of what I am saying is the analog turntable, still around, cheers to you steve.

07-20-14: Wisnon
Sorry, but DSD128 trounces any RBCD equivalent out there.

Depends entirely on hardware implementation and thus the logic of this thread. As for up sampling, it again depends on implementation. There is no shortage of DSD-upsampling dacs out there now (DSD sells boxes), and once again, its not always sonic salvation.

While natively recorded DSD128 can be the shizzle, you can only listen to that Swedish avant guard jazz trio so many times....:/

"That being said, can you state in specific terms what measurable variables are responsible for the improved SQ you perceive?"

Differences in digital sources are primarily due to jitter in the digital source, however reduction in common-mode noise and RFI can impact the DAC or interface indirectly by adding jitter. To fix the latter, one needs either common-mode filters like the Short-Block or galvanically isolated interfaces like many XMOS USB interfaces.

Galvanic isolation is not a panacea however. To do this, you need separate power for the input section of the USB interface, either power from the cable or another isolated AC supply. If this power is not really perfect (di/dt, regulation and noise), then it may actually sound worse than the non-galvanically isolated interface. I have experienced this myself. Therefore, with my new Off-Ramp 6, which is based on XMOS, I will be offering a "Long-Block" combination linear Hynes technology power supply and filter. The long-block can improve the performance of virtually ANY XMOS interface with galvanic isolation.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"there is a 600% to 1000% mark-up on the retail prices out there anyway"

That may be true from a few big companies, but most of these high-performance cables require huge investments to get the first batch made or they are completely hand-made and very labor intensive. Exotic materials like silver and expanded Teflon are generally not available in off-the-shelf cabling from any manufacturer. Certainly not in a USB cable. I know because I have looked. The designer must actually custom order 10,000 feet just to get these made. Fabricators will not even touch a 1000 foot order.

Computers are not obsolete either by any means. I actually use a win2000 workstation now for 15 years with the same hard-disk drive. The likes of Intel and the PC makers would have you believe that you MUST HAVE the latest technology and operating systems. They actually have marketing/development groups dedicated to developing apps and uses that require more powerful CPU's, more memory etc.. in order to get you to upgrade your PC.

The fact that most peoples PCs are fine for what they use them for and therefore they are not upgrading is a testament to the fact that they are not obsolete. This is precisely why PC sales are down.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio