Solved AUDIRVĀNA (and other audio related chitchat)

Edwin · Jan 31, 2023

I was actually introduced to Flim & the BB's by way of the Big Notes album, at a nostalgically special time in my life!
As I sit here listening to the delicate opening of New America, in all it's warmth and gorgeous ambience, I actually have tears streaming down my face!!!

Edwin · Jan 31, 2023

Perhaps my ears are a bit more eager at the moment, but, I'm hearing things I haven't heard in years!
And, I'm not even running through a DAC..., I'm simply going straight out from the Rotel to the Mirage sub, through the by-pass to the Edifier's.
A bit of tweaking to do on the Balance and Phasing but still, a world of difference!

Dru2 · Jan 31, 2023

Edwin said:
Yes! Absolutely beautiful!
Thanks @Dru2 for the wonderful idea! I'd forgotten how nice this is!

View attachment 51468

Glad you got it up and running. I’d imagine how good it must sound. Since blowing hooking up mine, I’ve been playing it a lot. Currently listening to another Miles Davis CD, I bought. Sounds really good played from the DAC.

Anyway, enjoys yours. And yeah, we’re had a conversation about Flim & The BB’s as I’m a fan and have that CD

BTW, Big Notes is nice, but for me, I like Tricycle better with my favorite tracks being Cakewalk and Tell Me. Do like New America and Heartthrob on Big Notes though

Dru2 · Jan 31, 2023

Edwin said:
Perhaps my ears are a bit more eager at the moment, but, I'm hearing things I haven't heard in years!
And, I'm not even running through a DAC..., I'm simply going straight out from the Rotel to the Mirage sub, through the by-pass to the Edifier's.
A bit of tweaking to do on the Balance and Phasing but still, a world of difference!

It's going to sound better since you aren't playing files of a PC, but rather from CD direct to amp.

As said, mine is direct to my DAC via digital cable so I'm only use the CD player's CD transport, so the signal is solely processed by the DAC. There aren't even any tone controls involved as the DAC has none.

Now that you have the CD hooked up and playing one thing you will miss, is having the track info easily available as seen in your media player. I wear glasses and still can't see all that fine print on the CD back cover so I'll cheat my opening up JRiver and cruising to the album so I can see the track listing

Dru2 · Jan 31, 2023

Do you Edifiers have a digital input? If so, you should hook the CD player up to them to see how it sounds.

BTW, you've now got me listening to Big Notes

Edwin · Jan 31, 2023

Dru2 said:
Do you Edifiers have a digital input? If so, you should hook the CD player up to them to see how it sounds.

No, just RCA in and Passive outs.
Kind of a pain right now cuz I have no control over anything, I have to grope behind everything to adjust gains etc...
And, if I want to listen to PC, I have to unplug the Rotel RCA's and plug the DragonFly RCA's back in!
Sorta worth it right now though cuz this sounds great!

Dru2 said:
BTW, you've now got me listening to Big Notes

There's a bridge in the middle of 'Funhouse' where it sounds like a 2 or 3 part harmony of synthesized Pan Flutes, or something, but in that mix there's a sound that resembles the player inhaling before blowing..., I'd never heard that part in such ambient detail before!!!

Edwin · Jan 31, 2023

I think I understand a bit clearer now why there's such a Vinyl and CD revival going on!

Somewhere along the line I lost it, you know, with lifestyle changes and responsibilities, technology changes, etc., and just settled for what was available!

Thanks to your instigation Dru, I'm enjoying one the most pleasant evenings I've had in a long time!!!

Dru2 · Jan 31, 2023

Edwin said:
No, just RCA in and Passive outs.
Kind of a pain right now cuz I have no control over anything, I have to grope behind everything to adjust gains etc...
And, if I want to listen to PC, I have to unplug the Rotel RCA's and plug the DragonFly RCA's back in!
Sorta worth it right now though cuz this sounds great!

Honestly you need some type of audio device to go between the CD player and speakers as your current setup leaves you in an either-or situation.

With my setup my DAC has the ability to take multiple inputs, plus I can run my powered speakers run off them. With that I can select the USB input if I want to play files from my PC or select "Coaxial" If I want to listen to the CD player. Here there's no need to disconnect anything - just select a source from the DAC.

If you want the ability to listen to your CD player, or hear files from your PC, you'll need something that allows multiple inputs.

Dru2 · Jan 31, 2023

Edwin said:
I think I understand a bit clearer now why there's such a Vinyl and CD revival going on!
Somewhere along the line I lost it, you know, with lifestyle changes and responsibilities, technology changes, etc., and just settled for what was available!

Thanks to your instigation Dru, I'm enjoying one the most pleasant evenings I've had in a long time!!!

What's this about? What's going on?

Things ok

Edwin · Jan 31, 2023

Dru2 said:
If you want the ability to listen to your CD player, or hear files from your PC, you'll need something that allows multiple inputs.

Yeah, I know.
Today I was drooling over buddy's DACMagic Ultra..., 'cept he wants 1200.00 for the damn thing! :nope:

Wonder if I could just plug the DragonFly right into my NAD Pre-amp's EPL?

Edwin · Jan 31, 2023

Dru2 said:
What's this about? What's going on?

Things ok

LOL!!! Just high on nostalgia, I guess!

Edwin · Jan 31, 2023

I gotta jet! Got an early start tomorrow!

Have a good night!

Dru2 · Jan 31, 2023

Edwin said:
LOL!!! Just high on nostalgia, I guess!

I get that sometimes

Dru2 · Feb 1, 2023

Edwin said:
Yeah, I know.
Today I was drooling over buddy's DACMagic Ultra..., 'cept he wants 1200.00 for the damn thing!
Wonder if I could just plug the DragonFly right into my NAD Pre-amp's EPL?

You buddy can't come up with something cheaper that's just as good? Or is everything he sells in the uber super-duper audiophile price range?

BTW, I paid $900 for mine back in 2016, and that was with a 10 percent discount. I've also seen some like mine for less, so....

Anyway, a good source of info and reviews on DACs (and other hi-fi equipment) is here - DACs, Streamers, Servers, Players, Audio Interface. I'm also registered there, but a lot of that stuff is over my head, so I hardly participate. Those guys there really know their stuff, especially the site founder - amirm, who usually does the reviews.

hdmi · Feb 1, 2023

Dru2 said:
Anyway, a good source of info and reviews on DACs (and other hi-fi equipment) is here - DACs, Streamers, Servers, Players, Audio Interface. I'm also registered there, but a lot of that stuff is over my head, so I hardly participate. Those guys there really know their stuff, especially the site founder - amirm, who usually does the reviews.

Too much pseudoscience IMO. lol

Dru2 · Feb 1, 2023

hdmi said:
Too much pseudoscience IMO. lol

Yeah, there is a lot of pseudoscience to this stuff and why things get confusing, but you can still learn some things

hdmi · Feb 1, 2023

Dru2 said:
Yeah, there is a lot of pseudoscience to this stuff and why things get confusing, but you can still learn some things

In the search box on that site I typed in the brand name of the DAC that I have. The 1st search result that popped up was a thread from someone asking about the same exact model I have so, I clicked on that one. Lo and behold, the only technical design related reply was talking about the pot(entiometer), when the reality is that this particular DAC doesn't actually even have a volume control so.. nice try.

Edwin · Feb 1, 2023

Plugged everything into my NAD..., too many additional dirty connections but, it'll do for now, til I can come up with a better solution.

hdmi · Feb 1, 2023

Edwin said:
Plugged everything into my NAD..., too many additional dirty connections but, it'll do for now, til I can come up with a better solution.

View attachment 51536

Building a bird's nest with many additional dirty connections helps to cancel out all the interference.

Dru2 · Feb 1, 2023

hdmi said:
In the search box on that site I typed in the brand name of the DAC that I have. The 1st search result that popped up was a thread from someone asking about the same exact model I have so, I clicked on that one. Lo and behold, the only technical design related reply was talking about the pot(entiometer), when the reality is that this particular DAC doesn't actually even have a volume control so.. nice try.

That means absolutely nothing as not every DAC on the market is going to be there or even merit a review. It's like me coming in here and searching for a virus and concluding because it didn't show in a search it doesn't exist.

And people on this site post misleading info all the time, yet you're here, so it's obvious your sole rebuttal to my post is to be contrary.

Movin on.