Recommendation for MOST DETAILED, ANALYTICAL, X-RAY - 3D HOLOGRAPHIC DAC available?

[Killingbeans]

Any cap will introduce distortion and phase errors.

I know. But to an audible degree?

 

[A800]

Isn't it plugged into it's power supply during testing? What is this output stage you keep referring to that isn't already measured? And what is the etc. that is slipping through?

Ok.
For me the DAC is the chip itself.

 

[A800]

In the common language, a DAC is an assembled and working/ready to use device ≠ DAC chip alone. Amir is measuring DACs, meaning the all implementation. You can't separate chip from the all assembled unit when you measure performance.

I got that now.

 

[A800]

I know. But to an audible degree?

For me? Yes.

 

[StefaanE]

For me? Yes.

You mean to say you can reliably hear whether there is a capacitor in the signal path or not?

 

[FrantzM]

For me? Yes.

With knowledge of what DAC's playing ? Right? Not level matched ... either?

 

[A800]

You mean to say you can reliably hear whether there is a capacitor in the signal path or not?

I never tried direct A/B but it should be possible.

 

[StefaanE]

I never tried direct A/B but it should be possible.

Forget it. With a SINAD of 100dB your capacitor would need to introduce 20dB of distortion to be perceivable.

 

[insoc]

Have you considered going to a psychic, then?

No because it would be very expensive. The psychic would have to summon not only the artist, but the instruments as well, the other members of the band, an acoustic hall et al. It's cheaper to buy the best DAC in the world...

 

[insoc]

Thanks, Holmes. I might also want to point out that separating the words "x-ray" and "3D with a hyphen doesn't change the fact that x-rays are 2D. So which one do you want - 2D or 3D? And are you sure you want an x-ray and not a CT, or an MRI?

Like a 3 yo child: 3d is for depth, XRAY 2d is to hear every subtle detail in the recording...

 

[ahofer]

I was referring solely to the type of digital product and measurement spread under discussion in the thread, sorry if I didn't make that clear enough by forgetting to include a list of everything that has ever existed in the entire history of the universe that I wasn't referring to.

As to your assertion that I might not have read much on the forum, congratulations for going straight in at the ad hom with anyone who presents a criticism you don't line up with..

Nice move, classy.

I’m afraid that’s not an ad hominem, it’s a simple accusation, based on the evidence here - your broadly worded assertion that ”the problem with this site is...etc.” NOT refined by product type. However, there are plenty of threads on this site on audible thresholds for DAC performance if you would care to look:

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...olds-of-amp-and-dac-measurements.5734/page-24

Accusing someone of being classless (via sarcasm or not) is, however, an ad hominem.

 

[HighImpactAV]

You mean to say you can reliably hear whether there is a capacitor in the signal path or not?

A coupling capacitor will roll off the low end frequencies and is easy to tell when outputting to a subwoofer or full range speaker. It has nothing to do with distortion. All my DACs and audio processor are DC coupled and have no coupling caps.

 

[preload]

Like a 3 yo child: 3d is for depth, XRAY 2d is to hear the every subtle detail in the recording...

I see, thank you for clarifying what you meant when you used the words "x-ray" and "3D" to describe qualities of a DAC. As I'm sure others have pointed out, these terms may carry a distinct meaning to you, but they do not carry that same meaning to others. 3 yo children often make up words or give them special meaning as well...

 

[StefaanE]

A coupling capacitor will roll off the low end frequencies and is easy to tell when outputting to a subwoofer or full range speaker. It has nothing to do with distortion. All my DACs and audio processor are DC coupled and have no coupling caps.

I think we weren't arguing that specific use of a capacitor .

 

[Killingbeans]

A coupling capacitor will roll off the low end frequencies and is easy to tell when outputting to a subwoofer or full range speaker.

Doesn't the high input impedance of the following gear push the cutoff frequency way down to the infrasound domain, assuming that the cap doesn't have a tiny value?

 

[Blumlein 88]

Doesn't the high input impedance of the following gear push the cutoff frequency way down to the infrasound domain, assuming that the cap doesn't have a tiny value?

Yes, if you size the cap so the -3 db point is 2 hz, then it is pretty much pristine from 20 hz and up. You can see that in prosumer recording interfaces where even on the microphone inputs they'll go very flat to very low frequencies. They have caps in the signal path to block phantom power.

Here is the FR of the Motu M4 as measured by Amir.

 

[oldsysop]

I think insoc is Thomas Savage who is having fun

 

[VintageFlanker]

I think insoc is Thomas Savage who is having fun

Thanks. You made my day.

 

[Jimbob54]

Thanks. You made my day.

Mine too.

 

[paddycrow]

I guess the Nagra DAC didn't interest him.