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XXHighEnd > Ultimate Audio Playback > Your thoughts about the Sound Quality > 'Lightspeed attenuator' vs digital attenuation?
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Author Topic: 'Lightspeed attenuator' vs digital attenuation?  (Read 8790 times)
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Matt E
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« on: May 12, 2010, 02:42:48 pm »
I saw this nice looking DIY schematic 'Lightspeed attenuator' that uses optocouplers to attenuate the signal and my soldering iron started to get itchy, when I had the thought that maybe the digital attentuation inherent in XXHighEnd was as good/better. Any thoughts?

I have to admit that I am probably going to have to build one of these babies because the 'Legit' volume increments in XXHighEnd are too large  for my system - in one step it goes from quite quiet to waking my children up, although I guess there is always soundproofing.
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Telstar
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« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2010, 06:06:08 pm »
Quote from: Matt E on May 12, 2010, 02:42:48 pm
I saw this nice looking DIY schematic 'Lightspeed attenuator' that uses optocouplers to attenuate the signal and my soldering iron started to get itchy, when I had the thought that maybe the digital attentuation inherent in XXHighEnd was as good/better. Any thoughts?

I have to admit that I am probably going to have to build one of these babies because the 'Legit' volume increments in XXHighEnd are too large  for my system - in one step it goes from quite quiet to waking my children up, although I guess there is always soundproofing.

Any connectors or cable on the signal path will be worse than a lossless digital attenuation, period.
But I also agree with you that the steps in xxhe are too broad. That's the only way he could make it lossless, so it's a give or take.

the lightspeed requires that the source and amp are ALREADY matched in impedance, otherwise you'll need a buffer (i.e. more components along the way).
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(2nd Apr 2018)
Software:
W10 14393 Pro x64 | XXHE 2.10 | MinOS | Q=14x1/0/0/0/0 | SFS 5,19 mixed contiguous | Nervous rate 1 | 4096k buffer |

Hardware:
OrigenAE H5 case | E5300 fanless |  8GB RAM | Winmate DC-DC fanless PSU | OS on SSD | Renesas USB3 pcie card | Belden highspeed usb cable | Audio-gd dac19 NOS with sigxer F1 | My_ref_FE mono amps | Albedo Apex speakers
PeterSt
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« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2010, 06:19:14 pm »
Hey Matt,

Quote
because the 'Legit' volume increments in XXHighEnd are too large  for my system - in one step it goes from quite quiet to waking my children up, although I guess there is always soundproofing.

This can only be because you have to attenuate more than 48dB (always bad) or you have a 16 bits DAC. Otherwise you must be wrong somewhere ...

?

Peter


PS: Please put your settings etc. in your signature, so it may be clear in a glance for us the next time, ok ? thanks.
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For the Stealth III LPS PC :
W10-14393.0 - July 17, 2021 (2.11)
XXHighEnd Mach III Stealth LPS PC -> Xeon Scalable 14/28 core with Hyperthreading On (set to 14/28 cores in BIOS and set to 10/20 cores via Boot Menu) @~660MHz, 48GB, Windows 10 Pro 64 bit build 14393.0 from RAM, music on LAN / Engine#4 Adaptive Mode / Q1/-/3/4/5 = 14/-/0/0/*1*/ Q1Factor = *4* / Dev.Buffer = 4096 / ClockRes = *10ms* / Memory = Straight Contiguous / Include Garbage Collect / SFS = *10.13*  (max 10.13) / not Invert / Phase Alignment Off / Playerprio = Low / ThreadPrio = Realtime / Scheme = Core 3-5 / Not Switch Processors during Playback = Off/ Playback Drive none (see OS from RAM) / UnAttended (Just Start) / Always Copy to XX Drive (see OS from RAM) / Stop Desktop, Remaining, WASAPI and W10 services / Use Remote Desktop / Keep LAN - Not Persist / WallPaper On / OSD Off (!) / Running Time Off / Minimize OS / XTweaks : Balanced Load = *62* / Nervous Rate = *1* / Cool when Idle = n.a / Provide Stable Power = 1 / Utilize Cores always = 1 / Time Performance Index = Optimal / Time Stability = Stable / Custom Filtering *Low* (16x) / Always Clear Proxy before Playback = On -> USB3 from MoBo -> Lush^3
A: W-Y-R-G, B: *W-G* USB 1m00 -> Phisolator 24/768 Phasure NOS1a/G3 75B (BNC Out) async USB DAC, Driver v1.0.4b (16ms) -> B'ASS Current Amplifier -> Blaxius*^2.5* A:B-G, B:B-G Interlink -> Orelo MKII Active Open Baffle Horn Speakers. ET^2 Ethernet from Mach III to Music Server PC (RDC Control).
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For a general PC :
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*XXHighEnd PC -> I7 3930k with Hyperthreading On (12 cores)* @~500MHz, 16GB, Windows 10 Pro 64 bit build 10586.0 from RAM, music on LAN / Engine#4 Adaptive Mode / Q1/-/3/4/5 = 14/-/1/1/1 / Q1Factor = 1 / Dev.Buffer = 4096 / ClockRes = 1ms / Memory = Straight Contiguous / Include Garbage Collect / SFS = 0.10  (max 60) / not Invert / Phase Alignment Off / Playerprio = Low / ThreadPrio = Realtime / Scheme = Core 3-5 / Not Switch Processors during Playback = Off/ Playback Drive none (see OS from RAM) / UnAttended (Just Start) / Always Copy to XX Drive (see OS from RAM) / All Services Off / Keep LAN - Not Persist / WallPaper On / OSD On / Running Time Off / Minimize OS / XTweaks : Balanced Load = *43* / Nervous Rate = 1 / Cool when Idle = 1 / Provide Stable Power = 1 / Utilize Cores always = 1 / Time Performance Index = *Optimal* / Time Stability = *Stable* / Custom Filter *Low* 705600 / -> USB3 *from MoBo* -> Clairixa USB 15cm -> Intona Isolator -> Clairixa USB 1m80 -> 24/768 Phasure NOS1a 75B (BNC Out) async USB DAC, Driver v1.0.4b (4ms) -> Blaxius BNC interlink *-> B'ASS Current Amplifier /w Level4 -> Blaxius Interlink* -> Orelo MKII Active Open Baffle Horn Speakers.
Removed Switching Supplies from everywhere.
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Matt E
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« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2010, 05:35:55 am »
Peter,

I haven't got time to put my settings in my signature at the moment, but I do use a 16-bit DAC.

Matt
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