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Anti-ASR gear
- Thread starter noobie1
- Start date
Since this is about "enjoyment", I think I can chime in.
Though I don't know how badly it measures, I use my A-100 in direct drive mode (with the jumpers engaged) for headphone listening. As a speaker amp it doesn't necessarily measure poorly. But measure it for headphone listening in direct drive mode it has an audible noise floor which can't be good for measurements. I'm imagining 40-50 db noise floor! Having said that it sounds fantastic.
I've also listened to a Schiit Gungnir multibit. Though it (or the Ygdrassil) doesn't measure badly it certainly doesn't measure among the top echelon of DACs out there. It's in the top five DACs I've listened to. It produced a large quick and full sound. If it had a tad more detail, slightly better tone on treble and a remote, it would have been a no brainer.
I've also listened to several tubes which can't possibly measure well. They are audibly colored but provided lots of fun.
Though I don't know how badly it measures, I use my A-100 in direct drive mode (with the jumpers engaged) for headphone listening. As a speaker amp it doesn't necessarily measure poorly. But measure it for headphone listening in direct drive mode it has an audible noise floor which can't be good for measurements. I'm imagining 40-50 db noise floor! Having said that it sounds fantastic.
I've also listened to a Schiit Gungnir multibit. Though it (or the Ygdrassil) doesn't measure badly it certainly doesn't measure among the top echelon of DACs out there. It's in the top five DACs I've listened to. It produced a large quick and full sound. If it had a tad more detail, slightly better tone on treble and a remote, it would have been a no brainer.
I've also listened to several tubes which can't possibly measure well. They are audibly colored but provided lots of fun.
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restorer-john
Grand Contributor
No. If it fails on my bench it doesn't go much further. Test first, listen later.
I expect we all know what preference is here, so if we define Hi-fi as truth to the signal, plenty of folks have a preference for devices that alter the pristine signal, and it starts with the selection and placement of the mic, then the mix, then the master and then you get to put some flavoring as well. I would not say its anti ASR as I understand our site we value gear that gives the signal to us with the least distortions, but we accept we are humans and our preferences in the end can not be disputed by another. Tube gear that is purposely designed for tonation is not really a problem, neither is the guy at the mix board or DAW who processes that pristine signal so it can sound "better or more realistic" over our simple two channel delivery systems.
I certainly can prefer DHT sound, and for reasons that have nothing to do with the minimum distortions a scientifically designed SET delivers as opposed to the complete sound of the whole system of which the DHT can be a part. Preference again. With plain old stereo, and the weirdness of it, I have no issues with making a system "sound" they way you want, even if it changes that pristine signal, but as my tag line says, measurements and preferences are each good things, but one does not have to follow the other or visa versa.
The mix and master engineers guess is your music source, but only should you decide to accept it.
I certainly can prefer DHT sound, and for reasons that have nothing to do with the minimum distortions a scientifically designed SET delivers as opposed to the complete sound of the whole system of which the DHT can be a part. Preference again. With plain old stereo, and the weirdness of it, I have no issues with making a system "sound" they way you want, even if it changes that pristine signal, but as my tag line says, measurements and preferences are each good things, but one does not have to follow the other or visa versa.
The mix and master engineers guess is your music source, but only should you decide to accept it.
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AMC 2030 Tube Hybrid / Fatman Tube Hybrid (rebadged Dared MP5) on old passive Tannoy bookshelf speakers, listening to noisy, distant 30ies and 40ies recordings or even Hans Hotter's Winterreise. Additional recommended audio accessories: a bottle of good wine, a fireplace, a very shaggy rug and a think layer of snow outside.
I swear sound quality improves as the level of wine goes down. My working theory is that the bottle acts as a variable resonator but, for some reasons, I haven't yet been able to measure the phenomenon. That is why, for the sake of science, I keep repeating my experiments.
I swear sound quality improves as the level of wine goes down. My working theory is that the bottle acts as a variable resonator but, for some reasons, I haven't yet been able to measure the phenomenon. That is why, for the sake of science, I keep repeating my experiments.
Nothing 'Anti ASR' about liking certain distortions especially if that's recognised and accepted for what it is.
Iv a pair of Bose earphones that I Bluetooth connect to when working out, 320 files from my phone and it sounds great , as dose my similarly driven JBL boom box at work. I dance about and feel emotionally connected to the music via both . Maybe the fact they master music to suit these replay methods plays a roll in it being so good.
Burn me.
Iv a pair of Bose earphones that I Bluetooth connect to when working out, 320 files from my phone and it sounds great , as dose my similarly driven JBL boom box at work. I dance about and feel emotionally connected to the music via both . Maybe the fact they master music to suit these replay methods plays a roll in it being so good.
Burn me.
LightninBoy
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Skull Candy "Grind" Bluetooth headphones. Love em cause they are convenient, comfortable and sound good enough.
Killingbeans
Major Contributor
Precisely. A lot of folks seem to look at ASR as place where people go to jump from one extreme to the other. But it's actually all about facing reality, if you ask me. Recognise your motivations and back up your claims with evidence. Basically just: Don't kid yourself.
BTW, all of my audio gear probably measures horribly
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
I'll also 'dance about and feel emotionally connected' to a bluetooth speaker with the correct quantity of beer.
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I love the sound of old Altec “Voice of the Theatre” systems driven by SETs, despite being aware of the various flaws inherent in the horns and the electronics (although to be fair these systems also do certain things better than most conventional modern box speakers).
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
Well spill the beans.
What gear sounded 'horrible' to you, and what was the implementation you employed?
Topping D30, D50, Chromecast audio, and a bit of Cambridge dac plus..Well spill the beans.
What gear sounded 'horrible' to you, and what was the implementation you employed?
by horrible I mean: you don't enjoy more than a few songs, you can't follow instruments and sometimes you can't distinguish them, like say a sax from a clarinet, it's hard to get to the tune of the song,
sorry, I'm not a native english speaker, but I think you got the idea.
One likes what One likes ... 
whatever float your boats
but please don't tell us that your new $15,000 USB cable ( yes there is such a product !!!) or that your similarly priced power cord, made the background blacker, the soundstage as wide as the Milky Way and the overall reproduction more ... "organic".
Keep this part of the enjoyment to yourself ...please
whatever float your boats
but please don't tell us that your new $15,000 USB cable ( yes there is such a product !!!) or that your similarly priced power cord, made the background blacker, the soundstage as wide as the Milky Way and the overall reproduction more ... "organic".
Keep this part of the enjoyment to yourself ...please
Ultimately audio equipment is just a tool to facilitate listening to something. If your equipment allows you to enjoy music or whatever else you may be listening to and enjoy it without feeling that equipment is getting in the way then it is doing its job.
If you refering to me, my audio gear sometimes is cheaper than those dacs,One likes what One likes ...
whatever float your boats
but please don't tell us that your new $15,000 USB cable ( yes there is such a product !!!) or that your similarly priced power cord, made the background blacker, the soundstage as wide as the Milky Way and the overall reproduction more ... "organic".
Keep this part of the enjoyment to yourself ...please
like Sharp dx-670
graz_lag
Major Contributor
Why?
I think to a large extent one likes what one is used to.
As I am an old bloke that applies to me.
Having written that I do try to use non-distorting kit at home. IME when something doesn’t sound good it is usually the room or speakers, or if a record player is being used, a badly set up cartridge, or one with a FR one doesn’t like.
For a non-accurate DAC to make a system sound “better” either one has got used to a coloured sound or your speakers or room have problems.
Changing electronics to fix a problem in speakers/room isn’t logical though plenty of people try it, and are not usually discouraged by dealers...
I remember well back in the ‘70s my great aunt who was a music lover had an ancient mono system with a Lowther Acousta driven by an old valve amp and old record deck. She decided to try stereo and went to a dealer in Canterbury where she lived who part exchanged the system for a modest modern stereo system. She was incredibly disappointed. The old system probably had a very coloured sound with very little treble and the new one was more neutral but with more treble and less bass. It was a really sad thing to see, she was devastated.
As I am an old bloke that applies to me.
Having written that I do try to use non-distorting kit at home. IME when something doesn’t sound good it is usually the room or speakers, or if a record player is being used, a badly set up cartridge, or one with a FR one doesn’t like.
For a non-accurate DAC to make a system sound “better” either one has got used to a coloured sound or your speakers or room have problems.
Changing electronics to fix a problem in speakers/room isn’t logical though plenty of people try it, and are not usually discouraged by dealers...
I remember well back in the ‘70s my great aunt who was a music lover had an ancient mono system with a Lowther Acousta driven by an old valve amp and old record deck. She decided to try stereo and went to a dealer in Canterbury where she lived who part exchanged the system for a modest modern stereo system. She was incredibly disappointed. The old system probably had a very coloured sound with very little treble and the new one was more neutral but with more treble and less bass. It was a really sad thing to see, she was devastated.
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