Shunyata Alpha USB 1.5

[RH67]

Originally Posted by DMelby

I guess just speaking to my own experience on digital cables (YMMV), the bright edge yuck sound is common during breakin so I don't worry and just let it burn in. The Shunyata KPIP has cut down drastically on breakin but its still present, and if you heard a good sound to start and it got really bad then just need to be patient and keep the data flowing through the cable. The end result in my experience is substantially better than first listen. A new cable or even power distributor for me honestly is like a lost week or two in terms of music listening as it can be kind of not so good at times until finally breaking in. I just take it as par for the course. I'd give it at least another 4 days (100 hours) of constant data flow through your USB cable before making any further judgements (just my experience).

Thanks, i`m not giving up yet.

[jimtranr]

Originally Posted by RH67

I know it does not sound right and that`s a big reason i`m upset. If it was even a side ways move i would not like it but it would be better than two steps back. The Nordost and Uptone Regen were the cables feeding my one off Lampazator DAC and for now the Alpha are replacing the Nordost.

Have you tried removing the REGEN (and unplugging its power supply from the AC outlet) from the loop and connecting the Alpha directly to your DAC?

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by RH67

I know it does not sound right and that`s a big reason i`m upset. If it was even a side ways move i would not like it but it would be better than two steps back. The Nordost and Uptone Regen were the cables feeding my one off Lampazator DAC and for now the Alpha are replacing the Nordost.

RH67,
Can you provide us with some details on your digital setup? How are things connected? For example, what is the source (e.g., a music server with HD, streaming service eg Tidal or QOBUZ, or disc player), and how is everything connected to your DAC?

Also, where are things (e.g., a computer serving as a music server) located?

Thanks.

[RH67]

Originally Posted by jimtranr

Have you tried removing the REGEN (and unplugging its power supply from the AC outlet) from the loop and connecting the Alpha directly to your DAC?

The Regen is not connected the Alpha is going straight in.

[RH67]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

RH67,
Can you provide us with some details on your digital setup? How are things connected? For example, what is the source (e.g., a music server with HD, streaming service eg Tidal or QOBUZ, or disc player), and how is everything connected to your DAC?

Also, where are things (e.g., a computer serving as a music server) located?

Thanks.

Using QOBUZ via a 2012 Mac Mini and i have also used my MacBook Pro plugged directly into my Lampazator DAC. There is no issue with the Nordost and Regen in place.

I`m just going to let the Alpha run for a few more weeks and fingers crossed i will experience what others have reported here.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by RH67

Using QOBUZ via a 2012 Mac Mini and i have also used my MacBook Pro plugged directly into my Lampazator DAC. There is no issue with the Nordost and Regen in place.

I`m just going to let the Alpha run for a few more weeks and fingers crossed i will experience what others have reported here.

Hi RH,

Is your Mac Mini plugged directly into your DAC via the USB cable?

[kennyb123]

Originally Posted by RH67

Using QOBUZ via a 2012 Mac Mini and i have also used my MacBook Pro plugged directly into my Lampazator DAC. There is no issue with the Nordost and Regen in place.

I worry that the problem is that you are able to better hear the harm the Macs are doing. I think many of the folks saying good things here about the Alpha were using audiophile music servers. The Regen you had been using was helping to clean up some of what was coming out of the Mac and maybe that’s why the Nordost sounded better.

[SCAudiophile]

Originally Posted by RH67

I know it does not sound right and that`s a big reason i`m upset. If it was even a side ways move i would not like it but it would be better than two steps back. The Nordost and Uptone Regen were the cables feeding my one off Lampazator DAC and for now the Alpha are replacing the Nordost.

Try putting the Regen back in...if it helped you with the connection when the the Nordost USB was in the system, I cannot think of any logical reason to remove it.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by kennyb123

I worry that the problem is that you are able to better hear the harm the Macs are doing. I think many of the folks saying good things here about the Alpha were using audiophile music servers.

Yep, exactly, Kenny.

The Alpha USB is revealing all the problems of connecting a high-bandwidth computer directly to a DAC. All the reasons why this is problematical are too many to go into in detail here, but suffice it to say, it is not a good idea to directly connect a computer to a DAC with a USB cable. These problems are further exacerbated if the computer, in this case, a Mac Mini, is using a switch-mode power supply (which the Mini, in fact, uses).

Placing your Mac Mini as far away as possible from the main audio rack that the DAC is on, and using a streamer or a network bridge (e.g. even an Allo DigiPi, UltraRendu, SOtM, etc) to connect to the DAC will pay very big dividends in improving the sound quality, and you will hear what the Alpha USB really does for the presentation.

[kennyb123]