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Some tips to improve my HIFI setup?

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:24:05 +0000

I am just getting into HIFI and have seen some tips on speaker placement, but because my space is not exactly a typical example case, it is difficult for me to apply what I have observed. I've made a plan with what I found relevant, maybe I missed some details, if so, let me know and I'll rectify it.

Having said that, would anyone care to give me some tips on how to improve the listening experience? Is there really anything that can be done? I know that the possible speaker positions are very limited.

Amp. NAD C368 + NAD MDC BluOS2i

Speakers. Jamo S 807 B (I know, is a transitional situation)

Battery Power For Audio - EcoFlow Pro

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 21:59:31 +0000

Thank you so much for this post - I found it while I was going through a TONNE of issues (McIntosh / Sonus Faber and a hum). Yours (and a few others) led me down this path to clean power.

THIS WORKS.

This is my post to call out that Power Conditioners are snake oil and that these solutions work (I did EcoFlow).

The industry doesn’t like this due to these being highly scaleable systems with economics that kill a StromTank. Yes it works. No the price point is stupid. And to the poster on certifications, these systems are all certified - so sure, get an electrician to install it versus DYI. Isn’t that like anything?

My journey can be read in the below link where I cover everything. The summary is this:

1. Have a McIntosh system (5 amps, MX123, C12000), and Sonus Faber speakers.

2. Installed new amps which are MC hybrids (half tube, half SS) and bi-amped them. Noticed a very loud hum.

3. Went though the following trouble shooting (and more) based on “feedback” from people in threads and “experts” in stores

- ground loop. NO. Turned off all breakers, disconnected all non-stereo systems (PS, blu-ray), was on dedicated 20AMP line. Still there so no ground loop. Also did all the other things - hum plugs, no ground plugs, moving to Audience FR power cables, etc. etc. Nothing.

- noise in the system - tried Niagara 5000, Torus, Puritan, PS Audio and a few others, still noise

- Rejected those who said “Power Conditioners are not meant to reduce hum” - nonsense - read the TrippLite and Niagara which talk about reducing grounding noise and explicitly call out - hum. It should have helped.

- In the below post - the only solution I did not test was “rip out all the wiring in your new home and have it reinstalled” and “install a 8’ ground rod” (which is a actually wrong, should be 12’). No. My wiring is fine.

Then I read about StromTank which is - a fancy battery. That is it. The price is stupid - sorry.

Then I read this post and others. I went to Costco, bought an EcoFlow, and brought it into the stereo room plugged it in and VOILA. No noise. (Plugged into the 20amp).

GONE. Black as black can be.

The Niagara 5000 - no change in sound with or without it. It is a very expansive door stop other than:

1. It is another surge protector behind the battery

2. I have a 1800w Gravis VI that would go crazy due to draw issues. The Niagara has a power well to help with that (although the new EcoFlow handles 21KWh output when configured at max)

You can read all of the high quality challenges to my post below - where I methodically go through each. In this use case, the issue is dirty power, the sensitivity of a tube amp (It is bi-amped, and the SS component had no hum) and in the end ….

WORKS. SOLVED.

The caveat being I have this actually in the stereo room (not wired to the whole house yet) so the fans get loud on a Delta Pro but are silent on the new Delta Pro Ultimate. I will get around to that .. when I have time (with an electrician - doing the whole house because I am DARN impressed).

Of interest, the toxic “audio expert” trolls are on full display as many posted derogatory comments without taking the time to add to the discussion.

Sad really.

But many did make good challenges, which I went through line by line.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/amp-preamp-hum-power-conditioners-are-useless-snake-oil-batteries-do

THANK YOU. You are right!

And now .. I would not buy a StromTank. It works sure.

But I do not need it.

I solved the problem for 1/8th the price.

AS DID YOU!

Well known ALLO products are back again with new name but same team from India

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:02:31 +0000

All community members it's for everyone's information, well known ALLO products such as Digione Signature, Digione, Boss DAC, Miniboss DAC, Shanti LPS and Nirvana SMPS are ready to ship now. As you all know ALLO has stopped operations after covid and we the team ALLO in India lost the jobs. Now we the team of Ex-ALLO employees in Bangalore, India are ready to re-launch the products and started working on the upgrades as well. We will be offering the after sales support and service as well through dedicated team.

To get further details please send mail to marketing@rabas.in, you can visit our website https://rabas.in

Best Regards....... Team Rabas

DCS Suing GoldenSound!

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 17:02:53 +0000

A little disappointing to see a normally top notch outfit like DCS take this route.

MQA is Vaporware

Mon, 02 Jan 2017 16:59:12 +0000

MQA was launched on December 2014. It is now January 2, 2017 so let’s see where MQA is at today.

Remember all the people who said that MQA was not Digital Rights Management? Well Utimaco disagrees. “MQA turned to Utimaco, a leading manufacturer of hardware-based security solutions that provide the root of trust to keep cryptographic keys safe, secure critical digital infrastructures and protect high value data assets. “ “Critical to the continued success and monetization of the streaming and download services of the entertainment industry, is the ability to secure and safeguard end-to-end transmission of intellectual property. A market leader in hardened encryption, Utimaco is at the forefront of enabling the authenticated delivery needed to drive next-generation entertainment consumption.”

Now turn to content. As of today there is no music in the genres 80% of American buy, Rock, R&B/Hip Hop, Pop and Country. Add Latin and EDM and you are at about 9 out of ten people buying music in America have no MQA encoded music to purchase. Don’t wait for licensee Warner Music Group to suddenly turn a switch and their music become available because they told the SEC in their latest financial statements they haven’t figured out how to distribute digital music.

There are 10 companies that produce equipment with MQA decoders. None of the products have enough units in the hands of consumers to make any impact. Many companies announced they would not support the format. The view of companies neither producing products nor announcing they would not support the format is indifference. Hardly a must have feature.

I said earlier this year that I would need 200 artists producing new music in the genres I regularly buy for MQA to be viable a viable format for me. I don’t see any interest by those artists in recording high resolution much less with MQA encoding. Those genres are rock, alt rock, alt country and bluegrass. And personally I will not test any MQA equipment until eight of the nine albums I use as my reference are available in MQA.

The Doors “Riders on the Storm “was used as demo of MQA not realizing there was no master to authenticate. Something that was well known but apparently unknown to the MQA people and audio journalists.

As of January 2, 2017 two years after its splashy launch we have a lot of audiophile press about MQA, announcements and demonstrations. But there is a limited supply of equipment to decode MQA files and no music encoded for nine out ten American music buyers, classic vaporware.

Silversmith Audio Fidelium XLR Interconnects

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:38:34 +0000

Silversmith Audio's Fidelium XLR Interconnects are not yet available to the public, but I was lucky enough to get an early pair, so am sharing my experience. I’m guessing that my being a very early adopter of the Silversmith Audio Fidelium speakers cables played some factor in Silversmith’s proprietor Jeffry Smith’s decision to allow me early access to his new Fidelium interconnects. Whatever the reason, I’m absolutely delighted he did.

With assurances of a 30 return period I was able to purchase for trial a pair of 4.5 foot XLR ICs, priced at $1,125. I was not expecting a large sonic change. My existing ICs are Nordost Heimdall II’s, and Jeffrey indicated in an email that my Nordost's had already had some of the physical characteristics that made his ICs sound so good. So I wasn’t expecting much. That plus I assumed that no interconnect could make that much of a difference until I first made upgrades to my room, speakers and amps. My assumption was that with my current high quality ICs, there was no way they could be a weak link in the chain.

The cables arrived in simple - yet quite adequate - packaging. I’m given to understand that fancier packaging is in the works, the absence of such now being a part of the reason why these cables are not yet on the market.

I found the cables to be of nice, quality build. Not heavy at all and very flexible. The XLR connectors appear to be well constructed, with the conductors themselves hidden inside a black mesh cable sleeve. Jeffrey tells me that the conductors themselves are narrow foils that are 20% better than the foil conductors in the Fidelium speaker cables, sitting on top of each other and separated by a thin cotton layer. The foil is somewhat visible through the black mesh sleeve, appearing gold or amber due to the foil's thin Kapton insulation. The cables have a thin red tracer spiraling through the black mesh of the right cable, and a thin white tracer spiraling through the left cable. IMO it looks nice. Clearly the cable geometry is designed for a very low dielectric - mostly air - which is great.

In my digital-only system my Meitner MA3 DAC connects directly to my PS Audio M700 mono-block amps via XLR interconnects, and that’s where these Fidelium ICs were placed. The MA3 sits on a set of three Symposium Rollerblocks (titanium bearings), so it is a somewhat free floating component. The current Nordost Heimdall II XLR interconnects are both stiff, and heavy. The Rollerblocks make a quite audible sonic improvement over stock MA3 footers, but I’ve always been concerned about the weight with which the Heimdall’s pushed them down, and the restriction they placed on free-floating DAC movement. Happily the light, flexible nature of the Fidelium ICs improved things in both respects, quite a bit.

So now it gets down to the sound. I’m not very good at describing what I hear, but I’ll try.

In short, the difference was huge. Huge. Jeffrey Smith said that I should hear immediate improvements in the “time domain”. I’m not sonically technical enough to understand what that really means, but when playing well recorded acoustic tracks, the resolution of the space the instruments were played in was just amazing. Rooms played in sounded larger. Cymbals - in particular - had a clarity I’d never heard before. Drums more distinct, less muddy. And vocals took on more immediacy, more in-your-face clarity. It may be more accurate to say that everything was rendered with greater clarity. How much more?

Hard to put a number on that, but in 45 years as an on-a-budget audiophile, I’ve never heard so much of an improvement between two components that should have been comparable; those components being the old and new ICs. For just a few minutes I put the old ICs back, just to make sure I was not imagining things. IT was immediately clear that I was not.

I've got a good friend that is a true golden ear, so I had him come over for a listen, doing a little A/B between the cables. My system is in a mostly enclosed stand, so it was not possible for him to see which IC was in use, but he might guess. So I had my wife flip a coin to determine if I would start with the old cables in place, or the new. The coin toss dictated we start with the old cables.

When my friend came by for a listen, we played 2-4 minutes of four tracks on the old Nordost Heimdall IIs. Then I switched - not visible to my friend - and began replay of the same four tracks. Thirty seconds into the first track he said he'd already reached a conclusion, though he did not want to say anything yet, but was ready for the next track. He didn't need to hear the whole track. About 15 seconds into it he said, "Next track". He did the same thing on the next track, ready for a new track in 15 seconds. Whatever he was hearing, he clearly was not needing to listen to much of a track to know that he had identified a difference.

After playing the first 15 seconds of the last track, he declared that the "A" connection (Nordost Heimdalls) was so vastly inferior to the "B" connection (Fidelium ICs) that the difference in clarity - across all frequencies - was night and day. I mentioned that I agreed, and that I felt it was at least a 15 to 20 percent bump in the quality of that sound. He replied that I was being foolish, for he felt it could be 50% improvement, that the improvement was "Massive".

This improvement is similar to what I heard when I swapped out my Nordost Blue Heaven II speaker cables for Fidelium speaker cables a few years ago. But as dramatic as change was, this even more more dramatic. Could I be hearing such a huge difference because I have - with the benefit of the Fidelium speaker cables - a highly resolving system now? Jeffry Smith has told me that my thinking is incorrect, because quite humble systems will also resolve audibly better.

As with all system upgrades and changes, over time your ear gets used to the new sound. I got these new Fidelium IC's two months ago, and have listened to them many, many hours, and had assumed I had become used to the new sound. But this past week I got a major surprise.

I am a life long Pink Floyd fan. My favorite of their albums being Dark Side of the Moon. But I've listened to that album too many times. Now I probably don't put it on any more often than annually. The other day I put it on - my best copy, a PCM RIP from a Japanese SACD, 30th Anniversary Edition - and was nothing less than shocked and thrilled at what I heard.

I've heard this album hundreds and hundreds of times,but this time everything changed. Detail was off the charts. I heard voices singing that for all my life I thought was a single voice singing, but now was clearly a single voice overlaid (at a tiny timing variance) by itself. Is that overdubbing? Like a chorus of a single voice. Whatever it is, I’d never heard it before. Detail - needless to say - was quite audibly more evident than I’d ever heard hundreds (thousands?) of times before. And the changes were tonal also… a richness to vocals I’d not experienced before. Tighter bass, and much better localized (spatially) images. MUCH better resolution of the recording space, and far, far more easily understood vocals. The alarm clocks' clanging was even much less grating because they resolved so well.

In conclusion, I cannot recommend giving a listen to these interconnects more highly, once they become publicly available. Short of a change in speakers, I have never experienced a larger improvement by changing a single "component". I've a very few come close, but I'm giving Fidelium XLR interconnects my lifelong top spot for system upgrades. IMO they are a game changer, and should give some big industry players a run for their money.

Vulnerability of Networked Audio Equipment?

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 23:17:20 +0000

For a long time now, my Netgear Armor monitoring and protection service has been sending me, sometimes multiple times in a day, notifications of attempted unauthorized connections to my network via one of my audio devices (see a recent example below).

To date, I have simply accepted the assurance of Netgear Armor that the attempted connections were blocked, and I also have seen no evidence of malfeasance on my other networked computers.

But ...

Does anyone have insight into the potential source, nature, purpose, and level of concern associated with these (blocked) intrusions? Should I be concerned?

Isn't it time for audiophile type companies to offer quality Home Theater receivers/pre-pros

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 22:03:41 +0000

Given the increasing using of multichannel formats (Dolby Atmos, multichannel dsf, blu-ray audio) I wish that quality audio companies would start to offer higher audio quality devices. I have a Denon 4800H, and while is it OK, it does not have the audio quality of even cheaper components like those made by Schiit Audio. I hope these companies reconsider.

Another feature I hope companies that make streamers consider. I have a zidoo UHD8000 and it has an audio only HDMI output that outputs high quality multichannel flac and dsf streams. I hope that companies like Lumin, Auralic and even NAD consider this.

Enhancing aperio's performance

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:53:46 +0000

Aperio has a great DAC particularly as Aperio's entire premise much like Apple in computers is the total engineering control of the unit components designed to match into the all in one system.

That said, I am assuming you still can improve on the DAC with something even more TOTL. Anyone have a paring suggestion?
I thinking of Rockne Wave Signature to start my research from. Any other thoughts?

RA Acoustics @ UK Hi-Fi Show, Ascot 2024

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 11:35:35 +0000

Excuse phone notes - can provide only outline of surprise listening experience at UK Hi-Fi Show, Ascot 2024.

Today wandered into listening room of RA Acoustics.

RA = Robert Auer - German artisan-type speaker fabricator. Hard-working - brought their own room treatments to Show.

Speakers only - no electronics.

All speakers made of panzerholz.

Listened to model Versura V4.

These are the adjectives I wrote in order as I listened:
precise
refined
sensitive
transparent
low distortion
curiously quiet background
easy going
non- fatiguing

Source was Innuos Statement.

Amps were Solution Audio, Switzerland

These RA V4s are on my shortest of short lists.

Impressive listening experience. Big shout out to this guy anyway.

VID20240922113021.mp4

Product Reviews With and Without Comparisons

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 02:34:50 +0000

There isn’t a single style of review that pleases everyone. Some people demand product comparisons while others don’t.

Question: What do you prefer and why?

Vivid Moya vs. Siltech Symphony

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 16:23:52 +0000

Right now at UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2024 at Ascot. Having already heard his talk, we (wife & I) had nice personal chat with affable Laurence Dickie designer of Vivid Moya. Moya is passive as all Vivids. 400k GBP. Very impressive speakers. Homogenous sound. Everything hangs together beautifully and powerfully. Full range. Front end was a Grimm MU1 or MU2. Amps were Halcro monos. tbh tho' to my ears a little "muddy" compared with Siltech Symphony (365k GBP) on Nagra electronics. Heard Siltechs during A/B (hosted by Matthias Böde, Stereo magazine Germany) of Cadence Garrard 301 (idler having all new parts except top plate) with SME 12" arm vs SME Model 60 with 9" arm. Respective decks favoured depending on type of music imo. Pleasant conversation with Cadence rep and Matthias about the Garrard bespoke plinth not being able to carry 2nd arm for 78s. Whereas Moya looks philosophically correct (even without "ostentatious" [by presenter's own admission] curves of G1 Spirit), and the Symphony looks a bit Star Trek, probably I would take the Siltechs in forced choice. Incredibly imposing and soundstage (esp. with the Garrard). Please excuse notes as I am on phone and these are of course only cursory listening impressions with fundamentally different front ends. Laurence Dickie is in front row of Siltech vid and seems to be enjoying himself.

VID20240921165728.mp4

NB: Siltech vid is not from decks A/B referred above.

VID20240921125856.mp4

It’s only a matter of time before my kids and wife find out!!

Wed, 22 May 2024 03:43:26 +0000

That I stole all the mega bloks from the kids and the chop boards from the wife!!!

🤣

High End audio show moving from Munich to Vienna in 2026

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:31:40 +0000

https://www.highendsociety.de/newsletter/nl_902.htm

Wuppertal, 11th September 2024

The HIGH END is moving to Vienna: a step into a promising future

The HIGH END international audio show will change to a new venue in 2026. This move from Munich to Vienna signals a groundbreaking step and was announced by the HIGH END SOCIETY at today’s annual general meeting of the Association for High Quality Audio and Video Reproduction. With the decision, the organizer is marking an important milestone on the future path of the world’s leading trade show for enthusiasts of high-quality audio technology.

Offering the best conditions for shows and exhibitions and setting new standards

The HIGH END 2025 will be held in the MOC Event Center once again from May 15 to 18, 2025. But then just a year later, the internationally renowned audio show will exhibit to visitors for the first time in the Austria Center Vienna (ACV) in May. The first-class event venue in the heart of Austria’s capital has undergone extensive remodelling in recent years and was equipped with the latest digital technology. The venue offers a variety of modern rooms in different sizes for exhibitors to best showcase their products and technologies. Additional rooms and spacious halls are available for exhibitors to set up their individual stands. The ACV has a total of 26,000 square meters of exhibition space on several levels in the main building as well as the adjoining halls, enabling exhibitors to find optimal conditions for their various needs. The companies that took part in FINEST AUDIO SHOW Vienna in November 2023 received a first impression of this. The consistently positive feedback and the current registration figures for this year’s FAS Vienna only underscore the fact that the ACV is an excellent choice for the new home of the HIGH END.

The next level for an event with a long tradition

The HIGH END SOCIETY sees promising prospects and optimal opportunities for the further development of the HIGH END audio show with the change of venue. The ACV offers a modern, future-oriented setting for this. “The Austria Center Vienna not only scores with excellent exhibition conditions, but also with a progressive environment that will raise the level of the HIGH END and ensure its success in the coming years,” confirms Stefan Dreischärf, Managing Director of the organizer. The timing for a change had to be carefully thought through after more than 20 years at the same venue. The decision to move the international audio show to Vienna stands for a new beginning, renewal and forward-looking prospects. “We are convinced that we can take the HIGH END show to a new level with this move and we look forward to the opportunities that this change will no doubt bring,” says Stefan Dreischärf, underlining the significant step.

Vienna as a brilliant and attractive location for exhibitions, shows and music

The cosmopolitan city on the Danube river impresses with its international flair, rich history and outstanding cultural opportunities. Year after year, Vienna attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. The Austrian capital is easily accessible and, as a music capital of the world, provides the perfect backdrop for the HIGH END audio show, which is all about excellent sound reproduction and music. What’s more, the excellent logistical conditions make Vienna an ideal choice for the trade show organizer. “The new location creates a perfect connection to our trade show and will also be a win-win for everyone involved in terms of atmosphere,” says Dreischärf.

The Association’s approval

The board of the HIGH END SOCIETY e.V., the Association for High Quality Audio and Video Reproduction, has been actively involved in the further development of the successful HIGH END and supports the decision one hundred percent. “We see the move to Vienna as a great opportunity to make the HIGH END even more attractive, to strengthen it as the leading meeting place in the world for the industry and to make it fit for the future,” explains Jürgen Timm, Chairman of the Board of the Association. “We look forward to a new era in the more than 40-year tradition of the HIGH END audio show.”

As a strong community, the HIGH END SOCIETY is looking forward to the upcoming trade shows with high hopes, as the move from Munich to Vienna will mark a groundbreaking step into a promising future.

The dates for the events:

HIGH END Munich 2025 – May 15 to 18, 2025

HIGH END Vienna 2026 – May 28 to 31, 2026

HIGH END Vienna 2027 – May 6 to 9, 2027

HIGH END Vienna 2028 – May 25 to 28, 2028

Information on the HIGH END:

The HIGH END, the internationally renowned audio trade show, is the undisputed leader when it comes to impressively setting the tone for top-class music reproduction. It has been providing ideas and impetus for producers, sellers and consumers of high-quality consumer electronics for four decades. On the four days of the event in May, the entire world of audio experts and professionals will gather in Munich to visit hundreds of exhibitors from more than 40 different countries as they showcase their latest innovations in the halls and atriums of the MOC Event Center. After 21 successful years in Munich, the HIGH END is moving to Vienna in 2026.

www.highendmunich.com

Downloads


HE_Vienna_2026_LOGO	HE26_Transfer_Videoclip

ACV_Event_Venue	ACV_Rooftop

Please contact us if you need more download material.

HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH | Vorm Eichholz 2g | 42119 Wuppertal

Amtsgericht Wuppertal: HRB 8617, Geschäftsführer Stefan Dreischärf

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Grateful Dead - the Most Overrated Band Ever?

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 15:00:43 +0000

Maybe the question I asked (frankly this wasn't a question but let's say a suggestion) on the 'Eric Clapton' thread actually deserves a separate thread. I expect the discussion may be quite hot.

Repeating the essence of my post:

When I was a kid and I had only possibility of reading about Grateful Dead (they didn't play their music on the radio where I lived, in general the band has always been much more popular in the US) - I imagined, this must have been the greatest band of all time. Getting their first LP 'Terrapin Station' was the biggest disappointment in music in my life. The music was just bad and utterly boring. I still tend to think that Grateful Dead was actually a bad, boring and probably most overrated band ever. Many claim they were best while playing live (allmusic on 'Terrapin Station': "The theory is that the band's momentum is best experienced during the ebb and flow of a live performance rather than the somewhat clinical tedium of a recording studio.") but maybe their audience was simply usually too high to notice that apart from their ability to create a specific kind of connection with their audience they were in fact a bad, boring half amateur band..

I guess some are gonna hate me for this

Let's stay relaxed..

Allo Digione Sig on a Pi5?

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 20:37:27 +0000

Have a Allo Digione Signature running on a Raspberry Pi4 through PiCorePlayer 8.2. Will the Allo run on a Pi 5?

Poll on Retail price of Your Complete Audio System

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 04:45:51 +0000

There was a similar poll back in 2018 – please don’t link to it at this stage but it will be of some interest later to compare

Voter names are not made public

The price is for brand new non-discounted recommended retail of all hifi gear inclusive of all cables, room treatments (if any) and paraphernalia excluding physical media (vinyl collections etc)

This artwork was done by Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane) and I want it more than any Art I have ever wanted before.

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 16:40:58 +0000

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/grace-slick-napping-signed-limited-edition-etchin-3132-c-969459d9b4

Who here knows the art world well enough to point me in a direction where I could find one of these for sale?

Better PoE (Power over Ethernet)?

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:16:50 +0000

I'm looking at a new switch for my Ravenna network and I really like using PoE to power my Merging Anubis D to D converter. A single cable going into the unit is really nice. I can get a switch with built-in PoE or purchase a PoE injector to power the Anubis, or just use the wall wart that ships with the Anubis.

This got me thinking, has anyone created a high end PoE injector with really clean "audiophile" power? I don't think I've ever seen one, but of course I could be mistaken.

Ferrum Hypsos hybrid PS, variable 5-30V DC / 6A

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 14:04:09 +0000

Gets a lot of praise. Did anyone compare this PS to the Farad Super3, Paul Hynes supplies or the Uptone JS-2?

The variable voltage makes it a very interesting player in my view. Or as the manufacturer says: the possibility to find / set exactly the voltage sweet spot of the connected device.

link: https://ferrum.audio/hypsos/

'FeralA' decoder -- free-to-use

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 03:39:02 +0000

Here is the promised FeralA decoder. It hasn't been through the full Windows testing, but I have been beating the Linux version up for quite a while. There were a few last minute fixes -- like usual, as I am famous for 'stuttering' when I release software. I come from the good old days where there were actual software testing groups -- -no longer have that luxury.

* I fully expect that the decoder might be frustrating to use at first -- contact me if you have problems. I'll try to answer/help reasonably quickly

There is a .txt file that describes lots of various commands and options along with a general purpose manual for the full decoder -- too complicated for what is needed for FA decoding.

This is a *command line* program, very ugly to use by today's GUI standards.. The program does work if you can get past the command line issue.

This program also contains a DolbyA compatible decoder, but won't work as a DolbyA decoder unless you have a license file. I'll make you one if you want to try actual DolbyA decodes instead of FA decodes. The FA decodes are specified by using the --fa switch early in the command line.

For just playing around, you can just use the command line in the same directory as you unpack the binaries. Eventually, you might want to stash the binaries (all of the files in the distribution) into another directory, and use the PATH environment variable... My guess is tha only 10% at most of the people who actually try to use the decoder will be happy, esp since the program is command line.

So 1) Unpack the program. 2) find a CD .wav file 3) decode the CD .wav file 4) play the result, assuming that the file is 'normal' (which is probably 3/4 of the proper feralA recordings.) One note: many feralA recordings HAVE been molested by the distributor, so sometimes it can be hard to find a good .wav file. When you do find a good wav file, then the program should work fine... Here is how to do it: (assuming you have an AVX compatible CPU use da-avx.exe, otherwise for older SSE only CPUS, use the da-win.exe)

(also, with --info=2 you get the full progress indicator, while if you use --info=1, you get 'dots' across the screen)

> da-avx --outgain=-4.5 --info=2 --fa --basic --input=infile.wav --output=outfile.wav

(command above is the lowest quality, but fastest decode -- still better than if you used a DolbyA)

If you have a .flac file, and use/have sox -- you might be able to do this:

> sox input.flac --type=wav - | da-avx --outgain=-4.5 --info=2 --fa --basic | sox - outfile.flac

If everyting is working okay, you MIGHT be able to play the .wav file output instead of saving it to a file:

> da-avx --info=2 --fa --basic --input=infile.wav --play

Good luck, contact me either in this forum for general questions, or PM me if you want to talk about this privately.

Remember to look at the documents in the download area.

Note that I fully own the software, and have given you permission to do FA decodes to your hearts content.

(Note that reverse engineering might be fun -- the binary is really evil/ugly :-)). When I have had to look at the binary to effect

bug fixing -- it is really entertaining to see how efficient the compiler is, producing really good SIMD code... It is AMAZING.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1srzzih0qoi1k4l/AAAMNIQ47AzBe1TubxJutJADa?dl=0

I'll probably update the code as I find bugs (hopefully none or minor.)

John

How many times have you been told…….

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 13:09:18 +0000

Over the (many) years I have been involved with this hobby I have on a few occasions taken advantage of various return policies that provide the option to return within a certain time frame.
I recently made a purchase from a company that has been in business for 20 plus years that offered me a trial period on a long time popular product of theirs. When I informed them that I wanted to return the item for a refund I was told that I am the first, only person to make such a request. This isn’t the first time I have got this response either.
I find it very difficult to believe that this is actually the case, but before I make any final judgement I wanted to find out what others have experienced in this circumstance.

thanks in advance.

Show us your equipment / kit !

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:32:24 +0000

Might be of interest for members to post photos of their gear for the benefit of others.

Let's see your system!

AVAA C20 and AVAA C214 Active Bass Traps

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 19:06:59 +0000

Has anyone here tried one of these? They are more expensive than most passive designs, but they also take up considerably less space.

https://www.psiaudio.swiss/avaa-technology/

What are your thoughts?

Reaching Out for Some AS Community Opinions & Recommendations

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 00:56:53 +0000

Hello Fellow Audiophiles!

I'll be perfectly honest upfront, for me posting the following few questions here, I'm outside my range of knowledge or experience with the current world of 120/240V audiophile systems & technology. I reside is in the world of high-end SQ on the 12/18V side of things. I know this site has nothing to do with car audio! Fortunately, our 2 worlds can coexist as I believe 99% of us share the common intrest of music/sound and hearing it reproduced in its purest & most realistic form. With that being said, I have a few questions that I'd like to get your opinion on as they relate to your world, but can be used to reshape and enhance mine. Appreciate any feedback in advance!

So, I'm not to sure how many follow or will know about the latest in the aftermarket automotive audio & competition scenes but let me tell you a little about my side of things so you understand why I've come to you. I currently have 2 trucks, one being purely SQ and the other being SQ+/PL, that I show & compete with. The SQ truck is at the top and I compete at a Pro 1 level. The system is a full Audiotec Fischer BRAX Matrix Series build which all their pieces are hand built to spec, in-house at the AF headquarters in Germany. The primary BRAX components of the system consists of (18) speakers from 1.1" to 10", (5) Amps & (1) DSP. I take my equipment, the music reproduction and competitions seriously as this build cost me just shy of $150K and I want it to be the very best it can be. This is where this community comes into play as I want to explore totally different opinions & options that are completely outside of strictly car audio platforms.

Question #1 & #2 go hand in hand...

#1 - Reference/SQ Tracks

In order to tune my system across all 5 amps & within the DSP, myself or 3rd party tuners have to listen to several typically used tracks in an isolated/noise barrier room first to then try and duplicate the horizontal & vertical stagging, impact, phase as well as bringing CDT in as close as possible. I have enough noise and R2L & U&D stagging tracks, useful but boring. I would love to try different and (I've) never heard of tracks to expand the tune out. What are some of your favorite or known best tracks that display all/most of these factors? Lyrical & Non-Lyrical?

Question #2 - Reference System

To listen to the recomended tracks above, what components would you suggest to create an above average reference sound system. I need/want to create my own reference room but have no idea where I should begin or look. ** I'm not looking to drop another 100K as I'm sure you could easily do, but I figure around 5K to 7K?? Honestly, I don't know.

Question #3 - Streaming Services

I currently use Tidal (with their top-tier plan for the Masters) for competitions and everyday listening. Is there something better/newer out there than the typical advertised ones we all see everyday?

Question #4 - DAPs

All of my competition tracks are coming from my Astell & Norma MKII and out directly to my BRAX DSP. The Norma does what it's supposed to but I also know it's out dated to today's DAPs. I've been looking at the latest ones from A&K, FiiO, Sony, etc. but what are some of your recommendations??

That's it, for now... I hope this received well and I can get some honest opinions & answers. Again, I appreciate any Audiophile, be it 120/240V or 12/18v! Thank you for you time - Peace!

A few snapshots of my BRAX competition build...