KVR Audio

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:33 am

This is some very useful info for everyone, guys.

edit: I tried googling the TI1794A and couldn't find any reference boards, does anybody have some kind of a link?

Never mind the point nuffink, it's fun to do DIY stuff

.

Thanks,

and Cheers!

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:49 am

DuX wrote:Never mind the point nuffink, it's fun to do DIY stuff .

I agree and there's something nice about knowing that whether it can heard or not your kit is beyond criticism. Just don't take the subjectivist bullshit too seriously.

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:54 am

"there's something nice about knowing that whether it can heard or not your kit is beyond criticism."

Precisely!

How about a 9.95 preamp?

It's very good, actually. These today's IC's are rather nifty things...

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:07 pm

DuX wrote:How about a 9.95 preamp?

http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/p ... a2500.html

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:23 pm

Thanks for the link, man!

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:34 pm

and yet, I/O buffer is just a very small part of the signal chain of AD/DA converters. something needs to handle the clocking and AFAIK and the r'n'd for that is what brings up the prices in the high end sector. Not a whole lot of demand to bring down the price either.

not saying there isn't a whole lot of snobbery in that sector as well, as I'm fully aware of the nearly negligible difference between high end and workhorse (read PTHD, RME, lynx) converters.

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:39 pm

Nah. Modern DACs and ADC's have almost limitless clock error rejection. You could use the crystal out of an Albanian digital watch and they'd still work to spec.

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:44 pm

so then, where are these 50 quid high end stereo AD/DA converters? I wouldn't mind a few.

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:45 pm

All this stuff is easily measurable. Take two ADC's, push the same audio through them and compare the bits. If they're made by any half decent manufacturer they'll match bit for bit.

When Mark Levinson set up Cello he went one step further. He took a signal and passed it through his ADC and stored the bitstream. Then he passed that stream through his DAC and back through the ADC and compared this with the stored signal. The result - bit for bit identical.
This was in 1986. Things have got a bit better since.

aallvor · Post by **aallvor** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:47 pm

nuffink wrote:This was in 1986. Things have got a bit better since.

Only one?

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:48 pm

Kingston wrote:so then, where are these 50 quid high end stereo AD/DA converters? I wouldn't mind a few.

Why would you charge £50 for something when the market supports charging £500 or £5000 for the same thing in a fancier box. Particularly when the idiots are going to claim that the £5000 one sounds smoother, more focused, more detailed etc etc.

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:53 pm

Yup, pretty GUI works for hardware prices, too

.

This TI site is very interesting. i have much reading to do. Love that stuff...

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:57 pm

DuX wrote:Yup, pretty GUI works for hardware prices, too .

This TI site is very interesting. i have much reading to do. Love that stuff...

You might also want to check out...

http://www.cirrus.com/en/
http://www.analog.com/
http://www.akm.com/
http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/home.do

Ti are far from the only game in town.

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:59 pm

DuX wrote:Yup, pretty GUI works for hardware prices, too .

avalon...

and name helps a bit too. have a look at SSL preamp or bus compressor and UA 1176 designs.

understand even a half of it and realise their completely outrageous pricing. with a bit of luck the 1176 parts go for around 200e these days, maybe 300e for a stereo unit. SSL mixer channel preamps are generally around 40 quid projects (and they're completely average at that).

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 1:23 pm

I've coined a term: "brandcentric"

. Most of my acquaintances are like that. Protools, UA, TL Audio, Avalon, Focusrite, Neve, API... it's so tiresome and bad for wallet

.

The few things I'd never spare my money for are Speakers, CPU and a Furman line conditioner

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the best AD-DA stereo converter