#21
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However, there's not much discussion in that string (if any) of the sonic improvements for non-DSD recordings, and Hanson's dissing of DSD recordings suggests that I should think long and hard about upgrading my QB-9. I think I'll wait for a full professional review. The long back and forth at the Computer Audiophile site got pretty heated, and Mr. Hanson's sarcasm was in full bloom - so please correct me if I misunderstood the takeaway from what was said there.
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Clearaudio/Ortofon/Esoteric/Aurender/Ayre/McIntosh/Pass Labs/Harbeth/REL Last edited by ChrisAZ; 05-30-2013 at 08:52 AM. |
#22
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I think it is important to read the entire thread that was referenced. Hansen is notoriously short fused (for good reasons) and I am amazed how long he kept going!
Many of the points he makes are entirely valid. As many manufacturers are jumping on DSD streaming as the latest marketing tool trying to sell new equipment, I actually applaud Hansen's more pragmatic take rather than overselling something that has, and will have, extremely limited application. His negativity relates to DSD limitations in the recording process, continued use of PCM with brick wall filtering in the recording process, misinformation spread by Sony relating to quantization noise. And his most fundamental complaint - there is hardly any decent music available in a pure DSD form. Mind you, the amount of music recorded using his favourite ADC, his own QA-9, is even lower I have not read any comment, from any source, that suggests the new version of the Ayre DAC has a substandard performance on DSD - except for the last 2 posts here. It was also clear from the thread that the upgrade charge was much lower than the $1500 quoted in the thread title, now repeated here. But I did get the feeling that Hansen would prefer that most existing owners do not take up the offer as they can't cope with a high demand. He did make it clear that he felt the change to the clock crystals and DAC chip elevated the PCM performance of the QB-9, regardless of DSD. |
#23
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I have no quibbles over the $1.5k price tag if it really is 1.5k. Like I said, the Wyred4Sound upgrades to the DAC2 to bring it to DSD and SE spec will cost even more.
What I meant was why would you expect your customers to pay you 1.5k to be proven wrong based on his implementation of DSD? FWIW, I was a very stingy fellow when it came to spending on DACs, the most expensive DAC I had was a Bel Canto DAC3.5VB which I subsequently upgraded to Mk II specs so I could not imagine why people would spend so much on a CDP!? Then I heard the EMM Labs XDS1 and later the Playback MPS5 and I was sold. There's something pretty amazing about these DACs that have been designed not using off the shelf parts that does DSD superbly well. And I ended up with both. I gather dCS' even pricier boxes sound even better. |
#24
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Also, please let me clarify that I did not suggest in my post that the "the new version of the Ayre DAC has a substandard performance on DSD". I would have no reason to do so (since I am no expert on the subject and haven't heard the new QB9-DSD). It was Hanson himself that suggested that it was DSD itself that was not the latest and greatest technology. I will say, however, that SACDs using the DSD technology sound superior to Redbook CDs, at least to my ears. As for my comment regarding sonic upgrades in the new QB9-DSD for those of us not otherwise able to send a DSD signal to the DAC (which neither my MCD500 or Mac Mini will allow me to do, unless I download one of the very few hi-rez DSD downloads that are available), changing from one chip or one board to another is not sufficient to get me to upgrade unless there is a confirmed independent sonic improvement on other types of signals that I actually use given the long upgrade wait times (I'm less concerned about the cost). I must admit, however, that I am developing some concern about continuing to dump money into a DAC that has such limited connectivity (USB only). But I speak for no one but me.
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Clearaudio/Ortofon/Esoteric/Aurender/Ayre/McIntosh/Pass Labs/Harbeth/REL |
#25
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Personally, I don't think anyone would be too excited about DSD alone unless they own a large library of SACDs and a first gen PS3 to rip them with. However, the other improvements sound very promising. |
#26
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Kinda odd marketing it with a DSD moniker if that's the least important.
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#27
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I don't think Charles is allowed to do the marketing, LOL!
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#28
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I don't think he was being facetious when he kept stating that he was "only" an analog engineer. Digital is pretty specialised, and not what he has experience in. On the other hand, power supplies and output stages are something he knows much better than any of the armchair experts that were trying to take him on at CA. And these are, at the very least, just as important as the chip and software. Quote:
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I have downloaded a few DSD files, and some of them sound very good. But I also have some PCM files that sound very good too. Now I have tried it, I will go back to listening to the music I love, of which 95% is only via PCM (or records!) I completely understand your concern re. a single input. You can blame Gordon Rankin for that, Hansen's digital muse. Rankin firmly believes adding additional inputs compromises the performance, and only has a single input on his own Wavelength DACs. Best of luck with the upgrade, or not, decision |
#29
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Thanks for your thoughtful response Glisse.
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Problem is, that neither Hanson nor Rankin (as talented and gifted as they are) have the foresight to understand that in the end it may not be the personal computer that wins out in digital music wars (and it is unlikely they will because they're too complicated and scary for most users), but that another form of equipment (Bryston BDP2, for example) may do so that doesn't use a USB port. When I'm spending thousands of dollars I'd like to have some flexibility. And by the way, last I looked the Esoteric and DCS equipment have multiple inputs in addition to USB and that doesn't seem to hurt how they perform. To guote that trite old line, "sometimes the perfect can be the enemy of the good."
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Clearaudio/Ortofon/Esoteric/Aurender/Ayre/McIntosh/Pass Labs/Harbeth/REL |
#30
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It is ironic that the only easy way to extract DSD from an SACD, short of buying a $100k Sonoma workstation, is via a Sony PS3 |
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