Es el vinil mejor que lo digital ? La visión de un escéptico.

Are Vinyl Recordings Better than Digital?

 

 

To summarize the science, digital is the superior reproduction format, but analog (particularly vinyl) offers a particular type of sound that some people prefer. I liken it to a Ferrari versus a Mustang. They may have different metrics, but the people who like them for what they are don't care so much about that.

The best argument in favor of vinyl recordings need not be bolstered by unsupported claims about the technical quality of the recording, and that's the physical, tangible experience. Lowering a needle onto a record engraved with an actual audio waveform is comparable to building your own hot rod with greasy hands and case hardened tools. Its performance compared to that of a factory produced BMW is simply not relevant. It's about an experience, not about metrics or tabulated results. More senses are involved: the smell of the album cover, the touch of lowering the tone arm into the groove, the sight of the stroboscope indicating the precise turntable speed. It's a full experience to which the listener must dedicate focused attention and time. Vinyl records are a hands-on, personal connection to the actual audio, and that's something no amount of digital perfection can replicate. You can debate the validity of that connection all you want, and you'll find that it's a metaphysical, philosophical issue. There is no logic or practical connection. But some things, these types of connections — those for which no practical, quantitative explanation exists — are sometimes the most important.

Los japoneses siguen amando y comprando CDs

Why the Japanese still love music CDs - Video - Business News

Mientras en Japón y Alemania se mantengan EUA no me importa.

¿Qué creen ? Que siempre sí, los cables suenan diferente.

Do Speaker Cables Make a Difference 

 

Perdón que lo diga pero hace tiempo sugería yo que la interacción entre amplificador, cable y circuito de bocinas debía generar algo, un interfase específico acorde a la suma de sus características eléctricas... y así fue, claro que el respetable Brent Butterworth con el auxilio del encargado de investigación acústica en Harman lo hacen aquí de manera formal y ordenada. A veces la intuición y la sana observación nos puede llevar a premisas bastante aproximadas.

 

 

Al leer el interesante artículo me puse en contacto con Brent Butterworth y hacerle llegar una investigaciónde un ingeniero de nombre Fred E. Davies que se publicó en "Journal Audio Eng. Soc.,Vol.39,No.6, 1991 June",  y abarca las interacciones de amplificador-cable-bocinas en su conjunto, es  de lo mejor que he encontrado al respecto sobre el tema hasta antes de esta nueva investigación entre Butterworth y el jefe de inv. acústica en el grupo Harman.

 

Que hay engaño, publicidad y ego en muchas de las ofertas de cables, no lo dudo, pero para quienes enfocamos esto de manera seria e interesados en descubrir que sucede hay bastante por descubrir, el fenómeno está ahí esperando ser resuelto y no todo es engaño, estatus o psicología.

Y remataré como siempre, recomendando de todos modos mesura, sano juicio, paciencia y el debido tiempo para valorar y evaluar y no solo abrir la cartera y ya.

Vinyl, CD, MP3, Cassette,… ¿Cual suena mejor? ¡Preguntale al productor! | Rocker: The Lifestyle Magazine for Mature Hipsters

Vinyl, CD, MP3, Cassette,… which sounds best? Ask The Producer! | Rocker: The Lifestyle Magazine for Mature Hipstersnas

 

Y mientras tantos muchos se rebanan las audiófilas venas en busca del sonido apegado al sonido que se cree original del instrumento y espacio grabado:

 

 

"For those who don’t know, mastering is the last stop a recording makes before heading to the printing plant, or the web, for public consumption.  The original job of the mastering engineer was to transfer the audio from the recording format (analog reels of tape in the old days), to a consumer format (vinyl, cassette, CD).  “It’s also your last chance to tweak the sound of your product in the overall aspect,” says Grammy award winning mastering engineer Robert Hadley, “Adjust high end, or low end.  As you would on your stereo except in much more detail.  Once we’ve got it to the consumer format,” says Robert, “we give the client a reference print to take home and listen.  Then they can say, ‘Cut 4 sounds a little dull in comparison to Cut 3,” and we’ll go back in and make an adjustment.”  In addition, mastering is the stage at which the sequence of songs is finalized, fade ins and outs are tweaked, as is the time between each song.  The mastering engineer will also make sure all of the songs on an album play back at a similar volume to one another, so you don’t have to adjust your player’s volume between each song.  But most important to our discussion, mastering engineers make sonic decisions to maximize the sonic potential of each format."

 

Por eso siempre pregunto ¿A qué pureza se refieren? La del isntrumento, la del instrumento+acústica+micrófono o  instrumento+acústica+micrófono+grabación y mezcla o  instrumento+acústica+micrófono+grabación y mezcla +masterización?

Y nacía el CD

On this day in 1982 (Aug 17), Philips manufactured the world’s first Compact Disc.

Y las preferencias físico vs "in-físico" van así...

Pues entre neo mesías neo análogos y neo mesías de las descargas... yo sigo viendo los medios físicos más firmes de lo que las revistas y medios dan crédito, en EUA es notoria la tendencia de medios digitales y aun así solo es el 24%. Es curioso ahora como se quiere tener forzosamente un ganador pero antes coexistían CD, LP, cassette y no estábamos atentos a quien iba a ganar, no era una guerra exprofesa de medios sino simples tendencias de preferencias que terminaban marcando a un ganador por mayoría mas no absoluto como bien ha sido el caso del LP, el cual tampoco nunca murió.

 

 

Si amas los viniles esto es para tí...

Cientos de "viniles" y una tornamesa o dos incluso, un sistema de audio pero eso no basta.

 

Music Hall presenta la WCS-2, una  lavadora de LPs por vacío, el complemento necesario en una buena cadena de reproducción análoga

 

Más información en breve.

 

No existe el sonidoperfecto... existen los sonidos perfectos

Este es un artículo de nuestro buen compañero Noe Land Ia en nuestro espacio en Facebook, el escrito me parece muy entendible y directo, personal y creo que toca aspectos que sin duda afligen a más de uno. Aunque el audio tiene lineamientos claros y precisos a la hora de aplicarlo a nuestro gusto/entorno/presupuesto muchas cosas entran en consideración:

Noe Land Ia

Que es un buen sonido? ..muchas veces los clientes tienen inquietudes y me dicen ..quiero hacerme de un buen equipo de sonido, o me preguntan ¿Esas bocinas o ese amplificador tiene buen sonido ? ¿Tiene potencia ? ¿Tiene buen "bajeo" ?'

Yo personalmente pienso tienes que entender que no existe un solo buen tipo de sonido ..así como no existe un solo buen medio de transporte o solo un medio de trasporte para un carpintero el mejor vehículo es un pickup, para un ejecutivo tal vez un vehículo utilitario económico

Para empezar tienes que definir para que géneros musicales lo quieres y segundo que tipo de atmosfera o ambiente quieres crear
que va de la mano también con el genero

Para mi un buen sonido es un buen sonido ambiental cristalino muy definido apreciable y agradable a volúmenes que me permitan conversar con una persona sin dejar de apreciar la música

Un sonido que me permita trabajar de manera concentrada mentalmente hablando sin sobre estimular mi sistema de equilibrio del oído interno con tanto "punchis punchis" que a la larga cansa

Con bafles mas bien chicos tipo estantería o ambientales que reproduzcan bien música de varios géneros pero acústica.

Para otros clientes un buen sonido es un sonido que imite el car audio ..pero que esta muy prostituido con bajos y se sobrevalora la potencia sobre la fidelidad ..este tipo de clientes quieren echar toda la carne al asador en equipo pero se olvidan de lo mas importante el formato de música echan toda la carne al asador en equipo pero quieren usarlo con mp3.

Otros clientes tienen una idea formada de que un buen sonido es como la virilidad del hombre ...entre mas grandote mejor... este tipo de clientes quieren un sonido y equipos que imite sonideros de fiestas cierra calles ..te hacen preguntas como "Tengo unas bocinas de 15 ¿Tu amplificador si las levantara?" - no te dicen que impedancia, ni que potencia - este tipo de clientes te dicen quiero unas bocinas potentes.

Este tipo de clientes no comprende que el sonido industrial tiene necesidades particulares de lograr volumen porque sonorizan grandes áreas muchas veces en el exterior pero no se logra la mejor calidad de sonido ni de chiste

No puedes aplicar esos criterios en una casa de interés social ni siquiera en una casa normal , el vecino no va a decir huy que buen sonido tiene el vecino que envidia, para el vecino es ruido, el concepto de ruido es cualquier sonido no deseado y el vecino no lo desea... por mas que pongas toda la discografía de la Arrolladora Banda Limón

El cliente que tal vez esta mas cercano a lo que seria un buen sonido es el que busca un sonido tipo antro ...definitivamente tienen buenos equipos en esos lugares y tiene buena acústica por las alfombras y cortinas pero de nuevo se clavan demasiado en el volumen de sonido en los "antros" y "teibols" puedes hacerlo porque son áreas grandes ...pero en una casa habitación o área pequeña con muros desnudos las frecuencias de sonido van rebotar por todos lados nunca vas a lograr un buen sonido con baflessotes grandes.

Un nuevo grupo en la industria quiere música de alta resolución en discos Bluray

http://www.golem.de/news/bd-pure-audio-blu-ray-alternative-zur-super-audio-cd-1306-99568.html

 

BD Pure AudioBlu-ray-Alternative zur Super Audio CD

Eine Interessengruppe aus der Musikindustrie will die Blu-ray als Audiomedium etablieren. Das Potenzial von Blu-ray Pure Audio ist groß, da sich Blu-ray-Player in vielen Haushalten finden.

Anzeige

Mit Pure Audio startet die Musikindustrie den Versuch, in einer Nische ein neues Format zu etablieren. In Zukunft soll es mit der Blu-ray Pure Audio ein weiteres qualitativ hochwertiges (192 KHz/24 Bit) und insbesondere mehrspuriges Audioformat im Handel geben. Sie funktioniert wie eine CD auch ohne Fernseher, sofern der verwendete Blu-ray-Player ein Display hat. Für einige Funktionen kann es aber auch sinnvoll sein, den Fernseher oder ein Netzwerkgerät anzuschließen. Eine Interessengruppe hat sich bereits auf der Musikmesse Midem gegründet und die produzierenden Firmen wollen das neue Format nun den Musikanbietern als Alternative vorschlagen.

Die Audio-Blu-ray gibt es schon länger, sie wird aber kaum so vermarktet. Es ist ein Produkt für ein spezielles Publikum, das sich nicht an den Mehrkosten der Pure-Audio-Scheibe stört. Die Gruppe will nun versuchen, die derzeit sehr hohen Produktionskosten zu reduzieren und ausnutzen, dass es schon 100 Millionen Blu-ray-Player gibt. Denn die Technik unterscheidet sich nur im Detail von dem, was eine Blu-ray ausmacht und hat damit Vorteile gegenüber der Super Audio CD.

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Links die Höhe einer SACD-Packung und rechts die vorgeschlagene Höhe der Pure-Audio-Verpackung in einem Super Jewel Case Plus. (Foto: Nina Sebayang/Golem.de)

Eine der Firmen, die das Format auf den Markt bringen wollen, ist Arvato Bertelsmann. Das Unternehmen stellte die Blu-ray Pure Audio, wenn auch mangels Demonstrationsanlage nur in Stereo, auf der Musikmesse Classical Next in Wien Fachbesuchern aus dem Bereich Klassik vor, die ihre Produktionen teils auf Super Audio CDs (SACD) pressen. Auch im Jazzbereich sieht Arvato eine Zielgruppe.

Ralf Combrink und Bashar Shammout demonstrierten, wie die Blu-ray Pure Audio ohne Fernseher verwendet wird. Dazu werden einfach die farbig codierten Tasten der Fernbedienung gewählt. Für das DTS HD Master (24/96) mit sechs Kanälen wird etwa die grüne Taste gewählt. Wer mit einem Kopfhörer die Musik hören möchte, wählt mit der gelben Taste den Stereobetrieb. Über die Zifferntasten können die einzelnen Titel wie bei einer CD direkt angesprungen werden. Für die Navigation ohne Fernseher ist ein Blu-ray-Player mit eigenem Display nötig. Bei der Demo zeigt sich aber ein typisches Problem von Blu-ray-Playern: Sie booten bei weitem nicht so schnell wie der typische CD-Player.

Audioformate für spezielle Boxenanordnungen

Eine Blu-ray Pure Audio soll auch die Formate 2+2+2 und 2222+ speichern, wie sie Dabringhaus und Grimm verwenden. Auch diese werden über die farbigen Tasten ausgewählt. Hierbei handelt es sich ebenfalls um Mehrkanalton, allerdings wird davon ausgegangen, dass der Hörer seine Boxen anders anordnet. Im 2+2+2-Format werden zwei Boxenpaare vorne übereinander angeordnet. Bei 2222+, einem Format, das die SACD nicht beherrscht, gilt das auch für hinten.

Damit liegen diese Formate räumlich zwischen den 5.1/7.2 und etwa Dolby Atmos, das sogar eine Bespielung von der Decke aus vorsieht. Es gibt allerdings keine Filme in dem Format, so dass die Boxen für den Filmgenuss wieder umgestellt werden müssten.

El deplorable y extraño deceso de Raysonic.

Yo nunca tuve problema y tenía  ala marca en un concepto de calidad. Hoy me informó un proveedor en EUA que Raysonic simplemente desapareció y un cliente publicó en Internet este email que le hicieron llegar.

Dear customers,
We are the workers of Raysonic Company of Taishan Danxing Audio Technology Co. LTD. in China. Our boss named Steven Leung or Leung Kam Leong RAN AWAY/Absconded on 19th Sept. 2012. Now the company is bankrupt. We haven’t been paid for the salary for more than 6 months and the total amount is more than USD30000. He also defrauded about USD 60000 from first payment/deposit of foreign businessmen. He also owes nearly USD 170000 to those material suppliers, house decoration company, shipping costs and the house renting fee and so on. His Raysonic brand is a brand that used to cheat people. The appearance for his products is garish, but the components inside the products are with bad quality. Customers had to send their amps back to him to repair for many times. Please do not be cheated again by him.

If you know where this Steven Leung or Leung Kam Leong is, then please kindly to tell us. He should pay us the salary. We worked so hard for him and we need to live with that salary!

If you don’t believe, you can call his telephone NO. of his Raysonic company here: 0086-7505626822. You will see that you got no answer.

The attachment is Raysonic’s business license. The boss, Leung Kam Long or Steven Leung is a Chinese, but immigrated to Canada for some years. He just registered the Raysonic for a few years and have already cheated a lot of people!

All the members that are cheated by Raysonic.
20th Sept.2012

¿ Capacitores rusos, Jantzen o Mundorf ?

A la hora de mejorar un preamplificador (GGP) de Trascendent las pruebas entre capacitores arrojaron un solo ganador.

 

Interesante comparativa en la que para el conocido y reconocido Troels Gravesen la elección fue Mundorf

http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/GG.htm

Nice layout and easy wiring.

The potmeter following the kit was tried and immediately discarded and
replaced by the above 24 step attenuator.
Furthermore I had a 4 way ELMA selector on the shelf.
To the left the shorting circuit (delay) - a must have.

This attenuator is a gift!

Bruce says:
The attenuator starts with a maximum attenuation of -68 dB and then has 4 steps to -54 dB. 
Each additional step is another -3 dB.  Other attenuators reach -54 dB in the first click. 
The Transcendent Attenuator therefore provides much better low level control.. 
This is essential for use with high efficiency speakers.

- couldn't agree more!
       

I miss the ARC SP16L remote badly, but this line stage is so good I can live with it.
Next step would be buying a silk supermalloy transformer attenuator. Maybe some day.

 

Grounded Grid Cap Test:

April 2008: Making a test on the sound quality of capacitors is a difficult task. In any scientific work we would as precisely as possible describe the conditions under which the experiment was performed because our work doesn't hold any credibility unless others are able to reproduce - and possibly confirm - our results.
Ranking the quality of capacitors is as far away from science as trying to describe the taste of a rye bread. It's highly subjective. Our aural memory is short, and the time it takes to change capacitors is long enough to forget how the previous capacitor was performing.
I tried a range of caps over a relatively short period of time, just to get a basic feeling of what I was in for and then stayed with one cap for a couple of weeks where I would listen frequently. Then, after some serious listening, I would plug in a new cap.

At a certain point I made a switchboard allowing A-B testing of up to six different caps and much to my surprise, this wasn't the way to go. Being able to zap between caps in a matter of seconds is highly confusing. After a short period of time you end up not being able to hear a damned thing!

The problem with testing things like this is that we know what is going to happen and we have all sorts of expectations about what to hear. We can't help preparing our mind for the event and we're in for all sorts of self-delusions.
The best example I have experienced is an (in-)famous NordOst sales person who demonstrated a 2000 $ power chord. Now, the power chord came in after a 10 meter, 5 $ extension chord, feeding an integrated amp with a manually operated (non-stepped) attenuator and we were all carefully prepared for what was going to happen. And we could all - I think - hear how good it was. I mean, 0.5 dB less attenuation than before and we must hear things we didn't hear from the standard power chord. I can't prove this is what was going on, but the demonstration was highly problematic. I think the psychological preparation was much more significant in this event. We can all sharpen our senses - when we want to - or, when we're told to do so. And it takes courage to raise your arm in a group of twenty unknown people and say: Bullocks! The Emperor's New Clothes.....

The complete chain of components going into hifi system is enormous. From the phono cartridge with its phono wires, the cables including cable plugs to the RIAA with its internal wires and coupling caps, the cables from the RIAA to the line stage with its coupling caps, wires again to the power amps - with its coupling caps - and the cables to the speaker crossover - with its coupling caps - before the signal finally reaches the speaker drivers. From phono cartridge to speakers I have 6-7 coupling caps, all adding to the sound of the total system (Garrard 401/Linn Ittok LV II/Dyna DX20, Transcendent RIAA, Transcendent line stage, Audio Mirror 6AS7 PSE 20 wpc monoblocks, JA8008/TW034 DTQWT). And this is only a fraction of all the things that - more or less - adds to sound colouration. All caps in the current chain of components are high-grade silver or silver/gold caps, cables are silver plated cobber in teflon wrapping and I claim I hear differences when I change this single cap in the Grounded Grid line stage. I'm also sure that if anyone made me do a blind test on 5 different caps I'd probably be in deep trouble. That's how difficult I think it is.

I'm not going through the caps seen below and give a detailed description on each single cap. The silver/1% gold is the best followed by the Jantzen Superior Z-cap and the Russian 0.22 uF alu/teflon caps. The latter two I find almost the same. The 1 uF Russian alu/teflon giant was a disappointment, lacking in resolution despite a decent tonal balance. The brown Russian "cookie" isn't bad at all - if you listen to classical acoustic guitar and nothing else - and maybe harpsichord. Smooth and sweat but not able to keep apart complex orchestral works. Kind of surprising... Resolution is one thing - but one cap can display good resolution as long as you don't feed it complex musical signals. I'm not an expert in the transmission of electrical signals, but I see (hear) that one important parameter is the ability to transfer complex signals, i.e. electron load, amplitude and different frequences at the same time. Some skilled in the art of designing caps may tell us why this is so.

I've been listening a lot to vocals and piano for these tests. To my ears the most difficult sounds. The Steinway piano on Keith Jarrett's The Köln Concert was one of my favourite tracks. I've had this record for more than two decades. It contains both quiet and loud complex passages and covers a wide frequency spectrum. Any system will be put to the test from this recording - not least the phono cartridge and loudspeakers.

I have ordered 1 uF Mundorf MCAP Supreme Silver/Gold caps for comparison and more to come when these have been tested.
After that the PSU caps will be replaced by Black Gate electrolytics and later the 3 x 22 uF/350 V de-coupling caps on the tube board will be replaced by some film MKPs, not sure which yet.
Also the internal signal wiring will be changed to silver plated cobber/teflon wrapped/shielded wire bypassing the tube board. No need to run the signal from the phono sockets to the board and then from the board to the input selector.

20-05-2008: To make a long story short: These Mundorfs will stay. They leave all caps tested here behind. The prototype silver/gold is good, really good - but the Mundorfs are better. The overall tonal balance from these two caps are much the same but the Mundorf excel in the level of transparency - and I'm a sucker for transparency. If a cap is slightly bright I can tune my speakers accordingly.

#1 cap test: Jantzen Audio Superior Z-caps

#2 cap test: Vintage Russian alu/PIO caps

#3 cap test: Prototype silver/1% gold
(didn't want to cut leads to proper length - yet ;-)

#4: Gigantic Russian alu/teflon foil caps. 1 uF/200V

#5: Russian alu/teflon foil caps. 0.22 uF/600V

#6: Mundorf Supreme, silver with 1% gold/PP film

More cap test, Feb-09

Left to right: Russian PIO, K40Y-9, 220 nF/1000V, Russian PIO (green), K42Y-2, 220 nF/500V, Russian Silver Mica: 178 nF/350 volts.

From SOVCOM I bought some more caps, just to know first hand what these Russian vintage caps can do. Initial plans were to test them in my 300B amp, but the GG preamp is a convenient amp for testing caps. The three caps seen above were all tested against the Mundorf Silver/Gold cabs and the PIO caps really aren't bad at all. Surprisingly good, actually. The Mundorfs may excell in overall resolution, but I might as well pick one of these two PIOs for smooth and balanced presentation. The Silver Micas are some chunky beasts and to cut a long story short, I might as well leave these caps in the GG for good. These cabs can be stripped from the metal case (magnetic) and put into some wooden containers filled with wax. I got two of these caps for 17 US $. Two 0.22 uF Mundorfs are ~82 US $.

The Final Mods

Black Gate caps in PSU section. 47 uF film de-coupling caps in amp section.
Silver coated copper wires in teflon sleeves. Mute switch.

 

I strongly believe it doesn't get much better than this. If you think you may have a better line stage, drop me a mail. The impact on sound from the latest mods is arguable, but possibly a slightly more easy-to-listen-to presentation - and it wasn't too expensive and for the benefit of the doubt.... As always the basic circuitry and coupling cap(s) is what has the greatest impact on sound.

Feb-09: I really shouldn't have made the statement above, because I've recently tried a TRAM w.o.t. line stage and driving the modded Audio Mirror mono-blocks, this amp beats the GG in the midrange. The TRAM from diy-hifi-supply/Hong Kong is no longer available, so I'll have to clone this line stage. I thought I was in for some years of peace on the line stage front, but apparently not....

 

The final-final mods

 

It's always a good thing to go back and see (hear) if the changes we make really are worth while. So, I re-installed all the original components - except the coupling caps - and to my ears, it didn't sound any different from all the Black Gate stuff. I've tried expensive caps for power supplies in other amps and always found the benefits to be small, if noticeable at all. The coupling caps are important, no doubt about it. This is where I would spend the money. Two good caps is all the GG needs - to my ears.
The expectation we build up when buying something, getting it home, installing it, setting it up again, etc., is a major psychological pressure. We so much want something to happen - and to hear our money well spent. And we're so good at fooling ourselves that we sometimes can hear whatever we want. Swapping back is an excellent exercise, although we rarely do - because it's a lot of work. So, above the GG today: The excellent attenuator from Transcendent and the two Mundorf silver/golds.

Bello y gracil pero preciso y certero Grace m903

Este es un tiempo de resurgimiento del DAC que venía en picada hasta hace unos años.

 

He tenido oportunidad de conocer y usar para pruebas y desarrollos esta excelsa unidad que ofrece muchas ventajas por un precio muy razonable.

 

Es un DAC, es un pre con dos entradas análogas y un amplificador para audífonos. Puede operar en mono, tiene control de balance y salida de audio variable y un sonido que lo tiene altamente calificado y valorado en publicaciones especializadas.

 

Nacido desde el audio profesional es un equipo que suena magníficamente para el audiófila que no quiere trucos ni "cosmética auditiva" sino pureza y neutralidad pero que a la vez suena grácil y placentero, bien, en poca palabras. 

 

Yo lo uso en conjunto con otro equipo de audio profesional el SPL Volume 2, limpio y transparente y con un Odyssey Khhartago Extremecomo equipo de prueba base y el resultado es excelente.

 

Aunque similar en principio a Benchmark a mi parecer ofrece un sonido  más vívido, que involucra y sin perder precisión, naturalidad ni neutralidad es mucho más vinculador con la música.

Este equipo así como la gama completa de Grace Design empiezan a ser promovidos por www.armonia-av.com en México.

Ten years ago, we launched the model 901 headphone amplifier. 4 years later, the m902, which set the standard for a new category of compact, precision playback tools. Today, we proudly unveil the m903, which is simply the most refined and feature rich headphone amp, DAC and compact monitor controller available.

The m903 keeps everything great about its predecessors, adds some useful new features, and ups the ante with even more breathtaking audio performance. A new volume control provides higher headroom and lower distortion and noise. New generation DAC's and ultra-low noise balanced current to voltage converter yields even more musical performance compared to the m902. Improved s-lock PLL circuitry delivers even lower phase noise and jitter. An improved power supply isolates headphone amplifiers, line amplifiers, DAC's and digital logic, resulting in lower noise and distortion.

Perhaps the most exciting improvement is the all new high speed USB interface. This cutting edge technology provides a completely asynchronous data transfer mode which allows for bit-perfect USB playback with zero interface induced jitter. This new interface affords standard driverless USB Class 1 operation on Windows and Mac up to 24bit/96kHz and USB Class 2 audio for 24bit/192kHz operation on Windows and Mac (drivers needed for 192kHz operation under Windows). This is computer-based audiophile playback, perfected.

New crossfeed circuitry is even more useful and includes a gentle compensation to eliminate the perceived loss of low frequency content. Both balanced and unbalanced line outputs are now standard, with individual volume controls for each. We have even included a mono mode for checking a mix for phase issues or simply monitoring in mono. These improvements cement the m903 as the perfect compact, audiophile grade monitor controller, even for larger scale production environments with more than one set on monitors.

A full complement of analog and digital inputs are provided (balanced, unbalanced, AES3, S/PDIF, TOSLINK and USB), which are selectable via a precision rotary front panel switch. And we offer an updated optional infrared remote control, which provides essential control for anyone working out of reach of their m903.

Optional m903 Infrared Remote Control

Advancing the tradition of unmatched audio performance and functionality, the m903 is now the ultimate solution for high resolution audio playback. From the very top mastering engineers to the most discerning audiophiles – it is a must for anyone searching to discover new depths in music and sound.

 

• Balanced and unbalanced analog inputs

• 24bit/192kHz digital stereo inputs- AES3, S/PDIF, TOSLINK and USB
• High speed USB interface - completely asynchronous transfer mode allows for bit-perfect playback with zero interface induced jitter
• Driverless operation on Windows & Mac up to 96kHz/24bit
• Supports USB Class 2 audio specification for 192kHz/24bit operation on Windows & Mac (drivers needed for 192kHz operation under Windows)
• New generation DAC's and ultra low noise balanced current to voltage converter yields more musical performance compared to the m902
• Mono mode for checking mix phase issues (or listening to Pet Sounds)
• s-Lock™ phase lock loop sample clock regeneration for ultra-low jitter and rock solid digital stability
• High-current transimpedance headphone amplifier circuitry built to effortlessly drive low impedance headphones
• Balanced and unbalanced variable level analog line outputs
• Improved power supply architecture isolates headphone power amplifiers, line amplifiers, DAC's and digital logic
• Precision level control with a 99.5dB range in 0.5 dB steps
• Channel level matching accuracy of 0.05dB
• Improved x-feed circuit eliminates perceived loss of low frequency content
• Optional infrared remote control available
• Internal linear power supply with custom wound toroidal transformer
• Sealed gold contact relays used for all signal switching
• Five year transferable warranty on parts and labor

Antelope presenta su primer DAC DSD el Zodiac Platinum

Un nuevo y reconocido fabricante que ahora dará más de que hablar con este nuevo y sofisticado equipo.

 

The widest DSD support and sample rate Zodiac Platinum DSD DAC provides the widest DSD support, including the unique 256X mode and a sample rate of 768 kHz via a custom-built USB chip. The extreme DSD256 greatly extends the accuracy and transparency of the audio reproduction as well as the overall system performance. The custom-designed Antelope USB chip compliments high fidelity by reducing clock jitter and pushing the envelope of the USB streaming with sample rates four times higher than those offered by similar devices. Whereas many top of the line DACs offer PCM upsamplers, the Platinum is the first device to offer a DSD upsampler. This distinctive feature allows the upsampling of DSD64 to DSD256, pushing DSD noise into higher frequencies, vastly improving the quality of the D/A conversion. The Platinum bypasses internal digital filters built into the DAC chip by implementing a custom upsampler with carefully designed high-precision linear phase filters in the FPGA.

Signature Antelope clocking In the heart of the new Platinum lie the renowned 64-bit Acoustically Focused Clocking and the ultra-low jitter oven-controlled crystal oscillator, which are Antelope’s signature for unprecedented sound quality appreciated by the best recording, mastering and post production studios around the world. In addition, the Platinum is equipped with a 10 MHz input for the legendary Antelope 10M Rubidium atomic clock, providing the most accurate and stable clocking reference and therefore an uncompromised digital to analog conversion. Distinctive pedigree and highly evolved technology Zodiac Platinum has inherited the stepped relay volume control and the dual stage headphone drivers with impedance control from its very successful and highly appreciated predecessor Zodiac Gold. The Platinum also comes with an elegant remote control and has the option for external audiophile grade power supply Voltikus. In addition to the PC and Mac control panels available in the Zodiac Line, the Platinum also offers the comfort of the remote control from a mobile application, available for Android and iOS.

Antelope 64-bit Acoustically Focused Clocking (AFC) technology
	10MHz input for Antelope’s Rubidium atomic clock
	Widest DSD support, including the unique 256X mode
	Ultra-low jitter oven-controlled crystal oscillator
	Up to 768 kHz sample rate via custom USB chip
	Switchable 64-bit 8x linear phase upsampler
	Quad DAC architecture for superb dynamic range
	Stepped relay volume control accurate to 0.05 dB
	External audiophile-grade power supply option
	Dual stage headphone drivers with impedance control
	Aluminum unibody IR remote
	Control application for PC, Mac and mobile devices
	Automatic internet-based device upgradability