Yes it does. Tag McLaren dac20 + audiolab 8000q
A 20+ year old DAC? I'd like to see Amir test that one.
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Yes it does. Tag McLaren dac20 + audiolab 8000q
Ignore the people saying a avr wth room correction will sound better than a analogue stereo that is basically a switch and pre amp.
My stereo analogue pre amp outclasses the AV pre by a mile, it simply sounds better, wider and higher soundstage
I do also wonder if it is hearing problems, or just lack of critically listening to 2 channel music, when I hear "all components basically sound the same..."
Would you please share an article which describes in details the hearing tests used to screen participants? Thanks!In Harman's listening test studies they screened the participants, and hearing was one of the selection criteria....."
Disappointing article....What was the speakers used?......
One can hardly find a single credible DBT in which the listeners could identify the amps they listened to consistently. In one case it was a DIY 35 W tube amp vs a 250 W SS amp, same different and apparently that was "shocking", expectedly imo. So we can all believe what we believe, unless it is done in a controlled fashion, claims of one sounding better than another are just subjective in nature.
CordellAudio.com - Home Entertainment Show 2007
Results of that test:
"There were no "night and day" results. Indeed, for many attendees the differences were difficult to hear. Moreover, those who perceived a difference were just as often wrong in selecting which amplifier they thought was the tube amplifier. This shocked all of us."
Disappointing article....What was the speakers used?
Here is a better one explaining why tube amps sound different with certain speakers:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...damping-factor-and-speakers.23968/post-808483
Would you please share an article which describes in details the hearing tests used to screen participants? Thanks!
Thanks!I don't remember the one I have in mind but here's one that sort of mentioned something like that too:
Audio Musings by Sean Olive: The Dishonesty of Sighted Listening Tests
You would have to download the two the article referenced. I requested it and got it for free, otherwise you have to buy the paper. Dr. Toole also mentioned the importance of hearing ability in listening tests in his popular book and for some reason you can now download it for free, it is the older version so may be that's why:
Sound Reproduction The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms Floyd Toole (2).pdf
Its a >500 page book but I would suggest you take a look of page 373 first. On that page, he mentioned a surprise finding:
"Surprisingly,
it was not the high-frequency hearing level that correlated with
the judgment variability but that at frequencies at or below 1 kHz."
I guess that explain why I never have trouble hearing differences between speakers.
Note that those are all about loudspeakers. If you read a lot of Tool's articles, papers and/or videos you would get the feeling that he wouldn't bother much on the electronics side because of the technological advance, they all have flat FR 20-20,000 Hz, low distortions etc etc..
What are your thoughts of the Marantz 7706??? I'm in the market to upgrade from my onkyo rz 830. Denon 3700h, Marantz 7706 and maybe emotiva xmc 2. Already have amps.
Well, even with flat FR, at least Amir still cares about Sinad, right?...
Note that those are all about loudspeakers. If you read a lot of Tool's articles, papers and/or videos you would get the feeling that he wouldn't bother much on the electronics side because of the technological advance, they all have flat FR 20-20,000 Hz, low distortions etc etc..
Well, even with flat FR, at least Amir still cares about Sinad, right?
Sinad of 70 vs sinad of 120, can one hear a difference? I remember Amir said after listening check of device with poor sinad:
Harsher highs and softer bass. Did anyone challenge him to do double blinds tests, no.....
Maybe we should start requiring Amir to prove what he heard? : P
Yeah, I saw that one a did tests with my headphones. I didn't like the quality of the songs.You may get a partial (and unreliable, I would think) answer here:
Distortion Listening Test | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum
He did not score that well, actually I did Okay and I could tell difference between my amps.
"Ones" hearing isn't the issue, yours is, since you make the claim of hearing the differences.You forgot about hearing tests.
Is one's hearing good enough to hear those minor differences between AVR vs direct DAC to amp?
I have the AV7706 along with a Emotiva XPA 7. Using balanced outputs Audyssey Room correction sets all of my speaker levels at -12db. Using RCA it sets the levels above -12db which I believe is correct. So I am using the RCA connections. I was told in short runs if there is no noise ie.. hiss,hum,buzz that there really is no difference between the XLR and RCA connections. Is this not correct?The AV7706 is a nice unit. Likely you would just install it and it will work. The AV7706 is best used in balanced output mode, that is, from the XLR outputs. This will provide a clean 2.4V output. The single-ended outputs will only be really clean to 1.2V or so based on ASR measurements and my own. An X6700H, which as a similar price, will provide cleaner SE output to a much higher level if levels over 1.2V are required.
For at least two channel use with an optical digital input (haven't tested other modes), the AV7706 provides better performance when not in direct or pure direct mode. It appears that Marantz uses a combination of digital and analog volume control that avoids sending signals over -3dBFS to the DAC process which reduces THD+N. at least that's my theory. AKM DAC IC's do provide worse THD+N performance at close to 0dBFS.
The AV7706 is very different from say an X6700H in this regard. The X6700H provides more consistent performance. This raises the interesting question of how do most AVP's and AVR's actually process digital data in other than straight DAC use. A mix of digital and analog volume control makes sense.
I have the AV7706 along with a Emotiva XPA 7. Using balanced outputs Audyssey Room correction sets all of my speaker levels at -12db. Using RCA it sets the levels above -12db which I believe is correct. So I am using the RCA connections. I was told in short runs if there is no noise ie.. hiss,hum,buzz that there really is no difference between the XLR and RCA connections. Is this not correct?
Thank You for your response. The Emotiva is the only power Amplifier I have ever owned so I have nothing to compare it with. Although I have had no issues with it and it sounds great. ML Motion 60XTI speakers have a 94db sensitivity so maybe I would have the same issue with the XLR outputs using another amplifierEvidently you have very sensitive loudspeakers or something else is your system allows you to use very little power. Setting the level at greater than -12dB, as you did, was the correct approach.
Your Emotiva has a special problem with XLR connections in that the polarity of the XLR's is reversed. While this can easily be remedied by reversing the speaker leads, using RCA's with the Emotiva XPR series is likely the best way to use the unit. Here are the measurements from Stereophile that note the reversed XLR inputs as well as providing other insights into the interesting measured performance of an XPA unit.
Emotiva XPA Gen3 two-channel power amplifier Measurements | Stereophile.com
Objective evidence is in the first post."Ones" hearing isn't the issue, yours is, since you make the claim of hearing the differences.
In science, when one makes a claim, he is asked to provide supporting evidence.
Without evidence the claim is worthless.
NO point argue this further with one who won't even hear 0.5db difference.
so maybe I would have the same issue with the XLR outputs using another amplifier