Hi from Melbourne AUS - Advice for a rookie

[Dave_S]

Hello from Australia!

First of all, I would like to thank all the active contributors to this website and software for creating such a rich resource. I have only just been introduced to XXHighEnd recently, so there will be plenty of opportunity to discover more about its possibilities.

The purpose of my message is to ask for preliminary advice on how to improve my current setup. I would welcome ANY and ALL input. The forums are full of many examples, however since so much has changed over the recent years with regard to best practice, I am having trouble determining exactly what is best right now.

My current setup is below (simple, I know), and below that I have added a few thoughts based on what I have read over the last week on this forum so far.

System:
XP running MS Media player --> usb --> Cheap SPDIF converter (Xitel) --> NAD T770 integrated amp with 18bit Burr Brown DAC --> Polk Audio 11TL front speakers

Thoughts:
- I now know I should use XXHighEnd, which I will begin using once I get back home from a course soon.
- I should install win 7
- Should I get a quality USBtoSPDIF converter – (HiFace???)
- Should I get a better DAC? If so, can I get a good one for less than a few hundred euro somewhere? Would this make a big difference over the Burr Browns (I can bypass the DAC in my system fine – I have external analogue inputs into the NAD)

Are there any other questions I have not asked???

Once again, thanks again for this great site. If the person who introduced me to this site reads this, could you let me know who you are so I can thank you! (I found out via Chris at CLEF audio, Melbourne – he rang up a friend and active user of XXHighEnd and he passed on the name of the software to me).

[Telstar]

You didnt say the most important thing, your budget

[Dave_S]

Hi Telstar,

I knew the moment I posted the message, that would be the response 
I could say my budget is around $1500 euro over the next 6 months, with an upfront spend of around $200. Not much, I know, but in time all can be acquired! Having said that, I was almost convinced to spend around $4000euro on a new pair of tannoy prestige speakers on the weekend

Dave_S

[Telstar]

Hi Telstar,

I knew the moment I posted the message, that would be the response 

hehe

I have  recently embraced the "source first" motto, so I would say to improve the computer first.
Win7 should sound better than XP, so I will switch to it and do any other hardware fixes needed (i dont know your pc) to ensure it works smoothly and it's not underpowered.

Then the x-face seem a good option for the time being.
But, a decent usb dac (such as musical fidelity v-dac) can outperform the xface+old BB dac (you dont tell me which one is, so i assume its the pcm58, which is very good), although probably modding your integrated dac/amp can also work.
If you know somebody that can improve the dac part of your amp -psu, clock and output stage- (and knows what to do) , go for it.

[PeterSt]

G'day Dave, and welcome here ! Now, let's see what I can make of it. And to keep in mind, this is one mind only, so it is just to think about a bit.

Ok ... As how I see it, the main "problem" will be the sample rate which is 44100 / 48000 only. This is not written anywhere as far as I can see, but I assume this is so anyway. This means that you will not be able to play around with upsampling, nor can you play hires material.
So ... this is not the best ...

But if you keep this for your D/A converter, I'd say it is best to keep the USB connection, just to keep it simple and cheap(ish). From this indeed would follow IMO that you should get yourself a HiFace. That should be a 150USD. Maybe a little less.

It is not really necessary to install W7; Vista is okay, and XP is also okay. But, the PC must be "modern", fast enough, and preferrably not a laptop.


So ... this is if you keep the NAD for the DAC. But should you do that ? maybe not;
You will be spending 150USD on the HiFace, but still have a so-so DAC. So what I would do : buy a Juli@ for about the same price, stuff that in a PC slot, and use the analogue outs to get to the NAD, and just try. Even if it sounds slightly better only (which I do NOT promise), you're good already. You will be having 24/192 now and can play with everything and all you like.
This options carries a small risk. Why ? well, because it is not said it will sound better. I think it will, but maybe not. In that case you threw out 150USD. Or maybe not, because you can still use it for hires material and upsampling normal redbook CDs. So, when it sounds less good than the D/A converter in the NAD, you can use the NAD for normal redbook CDs not upsampled, but can use the Juli@ for the day you want more.

But I guess the Juli@ sounds better in the first place. In either case I should go for that option !

Don't hesitate to ask further when needed !
Peter
(one mind only)

[Dave_S]

Telstar/PeterSt,

First can I just say that I am flattered that both of you have replied so adequately, to a guy that obviously knows so little about these matters. Thanks again…

Yes, I think both of your ideas are very valid. I would actually like very much to play around with all the features that XXHighEnd can tweak.

Here is a question then, I can buy the Musical Fidelity V-Dac for around EU$350, and the XFace for EU$138. Assuming I am happy to spend the EU$350, would that be your choice?

With regard to the hardware side, I am lucky as I recently bought a new desktop computer. It’s an intel E7400 and 4 GB ram (though on XP I can’t use 2GB of that). I run a tv tuner card and the internet through it onto the big screen in the living room, but I can disable all that when running XXHE. I’ll have to wait until next week to setup XXHE on that, as I am away from home. The laptop I have here with me won’t run XXHE – it says it has allocated the DAC but can’t run it (you know the message). I assume that’s because the laptop is just too inferior.

Thanks for your opinions thus far. Of course, I would welcome all input.

[Calibrator]

Hello from Australia!

If the person who introduced me to this site reads this, could you let me know who you are so I can thank you!

G'day Dave,

you're welcome, and happy to be of service 

There's hours of reading here that you will no doubt have discovered by now. It's also a good time to have discovered XXHE as it nears it's milestone 1.0 version, although you have missed out on all the fun since it's inception 3 years ago.

If you have any questions just blaze away.

Cheers neighbour,

Russ

[Calibrator]

Having said that, I was almost convinced to spend around $4000euro on a new pair of tannoy prestige speakers on the weekend

There are plenty of alternate local products available Dave. Keeps your hard earned in our economy.

Cheers,

Russ

[Calibrator]

With regard to the hardware side, I am lucky as I recently bought a new desktop computer. It’s an intel E7400 and 4 GB ram (though on XP I can’t use 2GB of that). I run a tv tuner card and the internet through it onto the big screen in the living room, but I can disable all that when running XXHE.

Do as I do Dave .... create several partitions on your system drive, and set up multiple boot environments.

Russ

[Dave_S]

Hi Calibrator,

Great to meet you online – I might as well have grabbed the phone off Chris and talked to you myself!

Could I ask, does the release of XXHighend coincide with anything in particular? What is the milestone?

Could you recommend a good speaker company here in AUS? I thought the VAF bookshelfs that CLEF audio had sounded very nice.

Calibrator, I note you have a Juli@, but you don’t use the onboard DAC, but the DAC of your Integra. Why do you use the Juli@ at all then?

I think I’ll buy the HiFace, for now. The 18 bit Burr Browns will have to do for now, but at least I can see each step getting better.

Thanks again

[Telstar]

Could you recommend a good speaker company here in AUS?

I know one, but i think it's way out of your budget. Worth looking anyway.
http://www.aslanacoustics.com.au/

The designer is a very nice guy.

[Telstar]

Here is a question then, I can buy the Musical Fidelity V-Dac for around EU$350, and the XFace for EU$138. Assuming I am happy to spend the EU$350, would that be your choice?

Don't discard the upgrade of the amp, but it wont cost any less than 5-800 AU$.

Also a pci soundcard as Peter said, can work good, the juli@ and the Cantatis Overture have high praise here in these forums.
I have something similar to the Julia as temporary solution and it doesnt sound bad at all - it should be about on the same level than your current dac, but with the ability of playing highres material.
The Cantatis i'm sure is a step above.

[Calibrator]

Could you recommend a good speaker company here in AUS?

I know one, but i think it's way out of your budget. Worth looking anyway.
http://www.aslanacoustics.com.au/

The designer is a very nice guy.

hmmm .... I think this is where I bite my tongue to stop me from voicing an opinion in an open forum 

Dave ... shoot me a PM with a phone contact and we'll have a chat.

Cheers,

Russ

[PeterSt]

Calibrator, I note you have a Juli@, but you don’t use the onboard DAC, but the DAC of your Integra. Why do you use the Juli@ at all then?

Allow me ... ... To have a decent SPDIF-out connection to the external DAC. So, in this case the Juli@ takes care of "SPDIF pass through".
And now I think of it, this could be your (another) alternative to USB and the HiFace.

Peter

[Dave_S]

hmmm yes on that note the Juli@ can provide SPDIF out so I can continue to enjoy 5.1 with the burr browns, and then I can use the 2 channel analogue outs on the Juli@ to listen to high res. A bit of a muck around with wiring, but at least I'll be able to listen to the difference in SQ straight up! Will go with a Juli@ or Cantatis then...

Just before I pop off to work, why is it that cd/sacd transports can cost many thousands of dollars? All they are doing is reading 1's and 0's off a disc - and how, then, does a computer compete with that? For example, if I rip a CD using my cd-rom drive and store it on my hard drive, wont that process have induced some of the same errors that a 'cheap' cd transport would have done? The same question then, how does ripping a cd in a cd-rom drive compete with a high quality cd transport?

I hope someone has an answer, it has been keeping me awake at night

Thanks for the advice Telstar and Calibrator. Calibrator, will PM you when I get back from work with my number.