A Deep Dive

[joe schmoe]

As I delve into high end audio equipment, the more confused I become. I am extremely new into this world and slowing improving my system...Good thing I found this forum, except it really hurts my wallet when I come and visit and read around!

While reading all the current magazines and online content (namely here), everyone is searching for analog audio nirvana in a digital world, yet everything except Class A or AB tube amplifiers are digital. Which from all of my reading is a miserable failure compared to analog recordings.

Where do you draw the line? DSD, FLAC, or has digital even come close to even remotely sounding as "good" as a vinyl record through a tube amplifier?

Then to add to the chaos and confusion, there are now the interconnect cable arguments/discussions is HDMI king? Is XR balanced King? Are super high end RCA calbes King? Or is TOSLINK?

Going from remote discrete device (Blu ray/CD/Tuner/Phono/DAC) to a Pre/Pro to an amplifier to the speakers? Some say distance is an issue, others say just get bigger gauge wire with proper impedance. Where does the madness end??

Oh and I haven't even touched don bi-amping which I would like to do but then that introduces twice the amount of wires. By the way I'm OCD about seeing wires so all of mine are run inside the walls, which evens goes into the rabbit hole of wiring and lengths....

Is this a never ending journey trying to find audio nirvana? Does it end with every penny earned outside of paying bills going towards better equipment, wires, interconnects and so on??

Sorry to ramble on, but again the more I delve into this world the more confused I get.

[Family Progtitioner]

It shouldn’t be like that. Start with speakers and setup in the room first. That is magnitudes more important than worrying about cables or digital vs analog. Measure your frequency response at your sitting position to get an idea of what the bass is doing. Get your speakers away from walls if possible.

Worry about all of that other stuff after. Once I positioned my speakers, measured and corrected the most heinous errors in my frequency response, the rest became simple.

[Cohibaman]

Originally Posted by joe schmoe

While reading all the current magazines and online content (namely here), everyone is searching for analog audio nirvana in a digital world, yet everything except Class A tube amplifiers are digital. Which from all of my reading is a miserable failure compared to analog recordings.

Actually most descent amplifiers are either Class A/B or Class A. Class A/B is much more prevalent than Class A, mostly due to better efficiency. Both are analog devices.

Digital amplifiers (technically, switching amplifiers) or Class D amplifiers are mostly reserved for low frequency applications like subwoofers. However, in the last few years, they have been used as full range amplifiers, but mostly low end stuff. Their benefit is super high efficient operation.

[crwilli]

Keep Calm! . You have a lot on your mind. Let me touch one element of what you are perseverating over.

As for what type of file (DSD, FLAC, etc), the sound quality of any format is a function of how well the source recording was. I have CDs ripped to 16/44.1 FLAC that sound absolutely awesome. I also have SACD rips to DSD2.8 that are shunted and closed in.

So my advice, research the specific music you like and find the best recording. Don’t stress over the front as much.

[joe schmoe]

Originally Posted by Family Progtitioner

It shouldn’t be like that. Start with speakers and setup in the room first. That is magnitudes more important than worrying about cables or digital vs analog. Measure your frequency response at your sitting position to get an idea of what the bass is doing. Get your speakers away from walls if possible.

Worry about all of that other stuff after. Once I positioned my speakers, measured and corrected the most heinous errors in my frequency response, the rest became simple.

When you say "Measure your frequency response at your sitting position to get an idea of what the bass is doing."

What are you measuring with?

Speakers are off the wall by 2 feet or so (back wall is our brick fireplace)

[Family Progtitioner]

Use a laptop with a program like REW with a usb mic like this
https://www.minidsp.com/products/aco...urement/umik-1

[Family Progtitioner]

Better yet, get a good room correction solution like Dirac or lyngdorf room perfect and make it simple for yourself

[joe schmoe]

Originally Posted by Family Progtitioner

Use a laptop with a program like REW with a usb mic like this
https://www.minidsp.com/products/aco...urement/umik-1

Cool! Thank you!

I just (few hours ago) used the onboard MCACC on the Pioneer Elite SC-65 to reconfigure my speakers. I was going back through the manual of the receiver and found delay and balance all out of whack...I think it's been this way since I got my Bryston Mini-T speakers this summer....

They sound so much better now...I was listening to KD Lang Live in London a couple of days ago and thought I was going deaf in one ear due to the poor audio quality...That's what lead me to find out the Pioneer had far off settings for my set up.

I'll get the mic and check the programs out you mentioned also.

[Family Progtitioner]

I was down the rabbit hole like you a few years ago. I moved and set my stereo up in the new house. It sounded like absolute garbage. I was a neophyte like you back then and didn’t realize the massive impact the room has on even a great stereo system. Apparently, without my knowledge, my old listening room was quite ideal. Now the new room sounded like crapola. Bright, boomy and slap echo. It was awful.

I went to my dealer for solutions and they suggested all kinds of changes to improve the sound. New DAC, wires, source. None of it made a lick of difference. At least it was all on trial basis.

It wasn’t until a salesperson there recommended the McIntosh men220 room correction that my problem was solved. That unit literally transformed my system. I then began to research room effects and applied room treatment which has led me to my highly simplified system today. Now I just worry about what album to play