audioengr

Responses from audioengr

Distortion from Airport Express setup?
Make sure that you have turned-off all of the DSP functions in itunes:http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93870 
Are Preamps necessary?
Preamps provide gain and current drive, both of which are usually necessary with most amps to get the maximum dynamics out of them and ability to control volume adequately. Some DAC's, such as the Benchmark DAC-1 have active volume controls built-in. 
Cheap - effective A/D converters?
ack dAck! and Birdland Odeon Lite are both very good values stock. 
URGENT HELP NEEDED: Marantz Clock Upgrade
Bailey - the frequency should be written on the SMT clock. It may be a crystal or a clock generator. Crystals typically have two terminals. These clocks are a bit tricky, especially when they are above 24 MHz. If he is wiring something in place of... 
Parasound - Pass Labs - VTL - Krell Amp Selection
Good soundstage and presentation of scale.Clarity - natural - openess.Truth of timbre and natural non-fatiguing presentation- it all happens in the midrange for me.Enough bass but not bass that overwhelms the midrange and hides inner detail.Clean ... 
Which CDR is the best for audio?
Why would you want to play disks with the CDROM? Just rip them to hard disk and play from memory. It's a computer, so you can use it this way. It is superior to CDROM playback. 
Theshold T800D throws circuit breaker.
Amps are often tested using inductive circuits, which limit the inrush current. The inrush current can actually be larger when they are plugged into a low-inductance high-voltage dedicated circuits. B&K's have been known to do this. They blow ... 
Benchmark DAC1 auditions out there? latest model
Are you saying the designers of high-end DACs don't know what they're doing? No, some of them are very competent circuit designers. What you must understand is that there are some very difficult areas of design, such as power delivery, grounding a... 
"The Law of Diminishing Returns"???
There is some truth to what you claim. Certianly, the cosmetics seems to be a big factor when the price is above $2K or $3K when it comes to amps. This is why I concentrate on Parasound, Plinius etc.., because they are a good value at their price-... 
Benchmark DAC1 auditions out there? latest model
I'm certainly not saying this. I'm just saying that John has never heard my reference DAC's. I spoke to him about this once. I've heard many of the "esteemed equipment" that you mention. Very nice, but all of them could benefit from mods IMO (and ... 
Benchmark DAC1 auditions out there? latest model
If you have never heard a world-class DAC, then you will likely be enamored with the Benchmark. It's all a matter of point of reference. I have spent years perfecting DAC designs and so my standards are very high. The Benchmark does have excellent... 
Airport Express / I Tunes PC Setup questions
"is a DAC required at one end or the other?"Yes, the AE feeds a DAC or SS processor. 80211.g is what the AE uses.Multiple sets of speakers from one amp is not advised. Most amps are only capable of driving one or two sets of speakers without sever... 
Best Audio Format for Apple I-Pod
AAC reduces the .wav file by 1/10. Apple lossless reduces it by 1/2. 
Airport Express / I Tunes PC Setup questions
iTunes is very easy to use and setup. The Airport Express can be a tad more difficult on a PC, but here is what I do:Initial setup - use the Utility Wizard and setup the first AE as a Base Station when connected to either a ethernet network or a c... 
Apple Airport Express Very Cool Product
Actually, converting the toslink to coax eliminates a few components at both ends, reducing the jitter....