Based on their posts in this thread hangups about SINAD and noise are probably the least of the OP’s hangups.I suppose OP is still hung up on SINAD and noise... as well.
You mean my posts?Based on their posts in this thread
Technically, yes. I'm just entertaining the idea of stepped amplifiers for fun. In practice, a schiit power amp is good enough.It is not needed at all.
He just needs an amplifier with a decent volume control and possibly a balance control.
OP just had a bad experience with the volpot on his cheap Aiyima.
I don't yet know how much dynamic range is good enough. Maybe, SINAD above 80dB is fine?I suppose OP is still hung up on SINAD and noise... as well.
Technically, yes. I'm just entertaining the idea of stepped amplifiers for fun. In practice, a schiit power amp is good enough.
I'm just thinking that stepped amplifier design should be common and cheap.
I don't yet know how much dynamic range is good enough. Maybe, SINAD above 80dB is fine?
Most amps and DACs will have a dynamic range that exceeds your hearing by far. It really is nothing to worry about.
I don't want to find out that my speakers have hiss and distortions after spending hundreds of dollars. I want to know in advance by looking at some numbers before pulling the trigger.As long as you cannot hear noise from the speakers when no music is playing the dynamic range already exceeds that of your hearing.
For example, with efficient speakers in a dead quiet room, even 80dB SINAD may not be enough.
Distortions are inaudible because the speakers are inefficient? Or, my ears are insensitive? Or, what?So... even a SINAD of 60 can be noise free and sound fantastic. It literally says NOTHING about the sound quality.
SINAD is not going to be higher than SNR. So, if SINAD is high, SNR is going to be high, too.You need an amp with a good S/N ratio, capable of driving the rated impedance of your speakers and has a good volume control.
Ears cannot detect distortion that well. There are plenty of online tests where you can test your hearing.Distortions are inaudible because the speakers are inefficient? Or, my ears are insensitive? Or, what?
Maybe, SINAD was measured at low volume levels? That's why SINAD is low?
Audible amounts of 'euphonic' distortion always go together with InterModulation distortion which can be anything but euphonic.I'm open to the idea of euphoric distortions as many people like the sound of tube amps.
SINAD is not going to tell you anything. The only thing it can tell you is what distortion at 1kHz is present opposite a specific level.But, I don't want to study what kinds of distortions sound good. I don't want to go that deep. For simplicity, I would just aim for clean transparent sound. Higher SINAD and SNR mean simplicity. Figuring out whether a 60dB SINAD amp sounds good requires some study if I don't have enough money to experiment with various products.
SINAD is not going to be higher than SNR. So, if SINAD is high, SNR is going to be high, too.
Yes, euphonic. My english still needs working.Audible amounts of 'euphonic' distortion
Yes, only harmonic distortion (not IM) at 1kHz and at a specified level. That could be near 'max. power' or a specific voltage.So, SINAD measures a specific kind of distortion at 1kHz. It doesn't measure all kinds of distortions across all frequencies.
Then, what measurements do I want? SNR number and a distortion graph?
What numbers should I consider good enough?
AC power 'quality' should not matter one little bit on your gear.Or, my AC power is cleaner than amir's AC power?
It seems SNR is higher than amir's measurement?
How would you do such a thing ?By the way, I try to keep my house wires as free from noise as possible.
How can you know that when you don't have the measuring equipment to measure it?It seems SNR is higher than amir's measurement?
What does this mean?Maybe, I have to add amplifier's gain to the DAC volume?
I replaced active PFC computer power supply with a passive PFC one. Active PFC in most computer power supplies creates a lot of differential-mode noise in the entire house. I also replaced a monitor that has a DC jack with a monitor that has an AC inlet which grounds its own noise through the AC cable instead of HDMI cable. Grounding monitor's noise through HDMI cable injects a lot of EMF noise into the entire computer system. I could just buy an actually grounded DC power supply, but I could not find a grounded 19V DC power supply easily.How would you do such a thing ?
Mains filter each and every device in the home ?
I have my ears?How can you know that when you don't have the measuring equipment to measure it?
AIYIMA A07's gain is reportedly 21.5dB. If I set DAC volume to -21.5dB, net gain would be 0dB. If I set DAC voulme to -91.5dB, the net gain would be -70dB.What does this mean?
At least, my LED lights reduced differential-mode noise by a ten~hundred fold, compared to compact fluorescent lights.The cheaper LED lighting can give much higher 'mains pollution' than FL.
Neither do I. I just have passive PFC power supply and LED lights and a monitor with an AC inlet. I think it's just good to reduce a lot of electrical noise if I can do so without spending a lot of money, energy, and time.I have NO extra filters anywhere in the house nor any audio equipment.