I did level match, and quick switched. Also made one quieter and then the other and vice versa. It was a fairly obvious difference. Wife was the blinded listener. It may be that the Node X DAC is not great, or all of the poor measurements don't translate to subjective poor performance with the test tracks I was using. I wouldn't be surprised if I spent ~$1k+ on a modern dedicated DAC, I would hear something better. However, next upgrade $$ are going towards speakers...
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Audio-gd Master 7 Singularity Review (DAC)
- Thread starter amirm
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How did you do that particularly, tho? Hard to believe it is that great a difference....is the difference a noise level or actual conversion ?
It wasn't a huge difference but was unmistakable. In the past I have A/B tested cables, and when blinded, the results were equivocal to say the least. My goal in testing was to see if I could take the Audio-gd out of the system and get equivalent or improved performance. (I had just taken a Rogue Perseus pre-amp out of the chain and got an improvement. Now it's just used as a phono pre.)
I wasn't listening for noise level. I was listening to the tracks for clarity and separation. My approach wasn't hugely scientific. I adjusted volume slightly lower and slightly higher relative to each other, and attempted to match subjectively. The gd sounded better to my ears and so I left it in.
I wasn't listening for noise level. I was listening to the tracks for clarity and separation. My approach wasn't hugely scientific. I adjusted volume slightly lower and slightly higher relative to each other, and attempted to match subjectively. The gd sounded better to my ears and so I left it in.
In order for this to be any kind of valid subjective A/B comparison, the level out of the Audio GD and the Node DAC *MUST* be matched to ¼ dB over the audio range. This cannot be done by ear, some kind of accurate instrument is required. Also, it would be considered invalid if you knew which of the two D/A converters you were listening to during the test. Otherwise, it's placebo at best, not any kind of science or engineering. Without a scientific approach it is just subjective opinion and while everyone is entitled to their opinion, there's no truth that can be shown to be present in such opinions.
I knew what DACs were being used. My wife didn't and she was consistent over multiple listens. I hear you about scientific approach and objective AB testing. It's not ideal, but it's not just placebo. If you take that argument to it's logical conclusion, you could say that just listening to a $10 phone DAC vs a $10,000 DAC without matching by ¼ db over the audio range, with latter sounding better, is placebo with no truth present in the opinion. I will disagree with that view. But to each there own.
That's a poor procedure and probably just reinforced your expectations.
It may be poor procedure, but it confounded my expectations. My expectations, based on many online comments about the quality of modern DAC and that they all sound the same, was that the Node would sound better being at least 10 years more modern.
Hard to know what you've concluded on what.
You can stop right there… poor procedure is poor procedure. Results will be unreliable and should be discarded.
Obviously Audio GD is greatly improved. Stereophile has reviewed DAC and Preamp with glowing review and recommendations also approved of measurements of the preamp.
Can you point to one of these ? I've not seen good AGD measurements yet.
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