Gamers, What's Your Audio Set Up?
- Thread starter Random Guy Esq.
- Start date
Caporegime
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 77,515
- Location
- Wish i was in a Ramen Shop Counter
That Eva Cassidy Song Bird CD (I also have) is like every audiophile's test album or something, everyone uses that as like a benchmark.
I already have both of those
What are your audio sources.
My main HiFi system.
Technics 1200g turntable
Yamaha CD-S2100 SACD player, some SACD's I have maybe CD's in the hundreds lost count.
But then I stream from Amazon Music into a Wiim Pro --> CD-S2100 as external DAC.
HTPC --> CD-S2100 in ASIO mode.
I have a Yamaha tape deck, but that's not used much.
My home office / computer setup
A second Yamaha CD-S2100 but used in ASIO mode, then connects into Adam Audio S2X studio monitors.
My audio it's CD's, SACD's records, streaming, even some cassette tapes!
I no longer play CDs, have not done for years, it's all been long ripped to local FLAC for the few music I have remaining in that format (60GB of). Everything else is on streaming services like Tidal and Spotify. Tidal I cancelled recently after trying it out and realising the mobile app is actually too buggy to be useful, and Spotify's algo is just outright better.
I also found that the quality of the mastered tracks matters more than streaming in lossless or playing local FLAC files, and Spotify seems to have an overwhelmingly large database of highly well mastered music from respective studios. The same went for using WASAPI-Exclusive (same as ASIO, just part of Windows instead of third party), just didn't end up being useful for the same reasons.
Which in turn is where my hifi playlist started to rapidly grow once I realised the above:
I also found that the quality of the mastered tracks matters more than streaming in lossless or playing local FLAC files, and Spotify seems to have an overwhelmingly large database of highly well mastered music from respective studios. The same went for using WASAPI-Exclusive (same as ASIO, just part of Windows instead of third party), just didn't end up being useful for the same reasons.
Which in turn is where my hifi playlist started to rapidly grow once I realised the above:
I use Amazon Music for streaming in FLAC, that sounds good to me however I've never tried Tidal or any other of the high quality streaming services. Have you ever tried Amazon Music to compare?
Your correct the mastering is more important then lossless. I sometimes listen to live radio from Octave Radio.
Octave Radio
Octave Records is committed to producing recordings of the most extraordinary quality as performed by some of the best musicians in the world.
octaverecords.airtime.pro
Last edited:
I have yes, and went back to Spotify as Amazon's system isn't as intuitive nor algo as accurate at showing me new music that I end up liking and adding to my library. There's an online service that can export and import your library between streaming services so the whole process was easy to explore and see if any others match up to Spotify.
Got my DX5 II set up now finally. Didn't get time yesterday. Straight out the box, without any settings changed music sounds so much more detailed and clear than my motherboard sound and hearing new stuff in songs I didn't pick up before. So far so good. The settings are a minefield to be honest. Anything I should be looking to experiment with in the menu? Don't mind doing a bit of research but thought I'd ask here before studying .
Also, I have a couple of speakers as well on my desk which have only a 3.5mm output, can I convert that to the 4.4mm connection on the front and connect them easily enough? They're not amazing speakers but perfectly fine for when I can't be bothered with my headphones (Amiron Home wired).
.Also, I have a couple of speakers as well on my desk which have only a 3.5mm output, can I convert that to the 4.4mm connection on the front and connect them easily enough? They're not amazing speakers but perfectly fine for when I can't be bothered with my headphones (Amiron Home wired).
You can use an RCA to 3.5mm cable to convert if this is the sort of connection on the speakers to connect to the back of the DX5's RCA outputs, then flick between RCA out and headphones out depending on what you are listening to:
As for settings, 90% of the settings in the menus are preference and ease of use settings, the PEQ ones will change how it sounds if you mess about with topping Tune once they sort out the compatibility issues with the DX5 II.
As for settings, 90% of the settings in the menus are preference and ease of use settings, the PEQ ones will change how it sounds if you mess about with topping Tune once they sort out the compatibility issues with the DX5 II.
Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Jul 2005
- Posts
- 13,321
- Location
- The Orion Spur
Got my DX5 II set up now finally. Didn't get time yesterday. Straight out the box, without any settings changed music sounds so much more detailed and clear than my motherboard sound and hearing new stuff in songs I didn't pick up before. So far so good. The settings are a minefield to be honest. Anything I should be looking to experiment with in the menu? Don't mind doing a bit of research but thought I'd ask here before studying
Also, I have a couple of speakers as well on my desk which have only a 3.5mm output, can I convert that to the 4.4mm connection on the front and connect them easily enough? They're not amazing speakers but perfectly fine for when I can't be bothered with my headphones (Amiron Home wired).
I'm assuming the speakers are powered monitor's?, You don't want to be trying to plug them into any of the front ports.
Last edited:
Someone has finally reviewed the new audiolab dac, im trying very hard not to order it. Reviews the standard affair of audiophile fluff but very positive.
seems decent! While was interested in the larger brother, the D9, it's a good sign the D7 reviewed well.
I'm gonna pass on the Audiolab as the Creek 4040 A taste is still in my mouth, the reviews praised that but missed all the issues I found right away 
My DX5 II review went up too by the way for anyone interested, I think I covered all reasonable ground:
www.neowin.net
My DX5 II review went up too by the way for anyone interested, I think I covered all reasonable ground:
Topping DX5 II review - High spec headphones amp, DAC & pre-amplifier for under $300
Topping releases another device that produces high quality sound without the usual high price tag. The DX5 II covers a lot of ground, but does it hit that ground running, or does it face plant?
www.neowin.net
Caporegime
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 77,515
- Location
- Wish i was in a Ramen Shop Counter
I'm gonna pass on the Audiolab as the Creek 4040 A taste is still in my mouth, the reviews praised that but missed all the issues I found right away
My DX5 II review went up too by the way for anyone interested, I think I covered all reasonable ground:
Topping DX5 II review - High spec headphones amp, DAC & pre-amplifier for under $300
Topping releases another device that produces high quality sound without the usual high price tag. The DX5 II covers a lot of ground, but does it hit that ground running, or does it face plant?
I watched it, which btw, the white doesn't show smudges. It's also not pure white, but more like whole milk white. It's very nice.
Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Jul 2005
- Posts
- 13,321
- Location
- The Orion Spur
Would like to listen to the Audiolab, one thing they do very well is DAC implementation, they make ESS chips sound amazing, people don't understand that having the latest DAC chip means nothing, it's 90% down to implementation which significantly impacts the final audio quality, I had the classic M-DAC back in the day which was a very influential DAC, so much circuitry surrounding a simple chip.
One of my fav reviewers finally did his X9 video, glad to see much of what I like about the X9 resonates here too.
What he says about the bass slam and energy is exactly why I prefer it over the DX5 II, that and how "pure" music sounds, it's not a transparent DAC, but the other parts are and allow excellent DAC shine through, it just makes music feel alive instead of like being heard through some speakers or headphones, even if you close your eyes. For me, the DX5 II lacks that finesse, but then again I did not expect it to match here given the different chips used and the price grouping. I think I mentioned it before but the K11 R2R's DAC is equally impressive and is something I enjoyed about that little amp the most, though the volume dial is purely digital and the knob tiny, so the output was in fixed DAC mode only to the PA.
On that note, @Raymond Lin won the dibs on my pre-release sample X9 so as soon as the replacement arrives this will be on its way, obviously it's only suited as a DAC and pre-amp due to the headphones output imbalance, but if it somehow fixes itself down the line, lucky
Otherwise enjoy one of the funkiest pieces of kit we've seen in a while.
What he says about the bass slam and energy is exactly why I prefer it over the DX5 II, that and how "pure" music sounds, it's not a transparent DAC, but the other parts are and allow excellent DAC shine through, it just makes music feel alive instead of like being heard through some speakers or headphones, even if you close your eyes. For me, the DX5 II lacks that finesse, but then again I did not expect it to match here given the different chips used and the price grouping. I think I mentioned it before but the K11 R2R's DAC is equally impressive and is something I enjoyed about that little amp the most, though the volume dial is purely digital and the knob tiny, so the output was in fixed DAC mode only to the PA.
On that note, @Raymond Lin won the dibs on my pre-release sample X9 so as soon as the replacement arrives this will be on its way, obviously it's only suited as a DAC and pre-amp due to the headphones output imbalance, but if it somehow fixes itself down the line, lucky
Otherwise enjoy one of the funkiest pieces of kit we've seen in a while.
Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Jul 2005
- Posts
- 13,321
- Location
- The Orion Spur
"K11 R2R's DAC is equally impressive"
The K11 R2R is really not that resolving of a DAC, the K9 should eclipse easily, if they are equal then something is not right the X9.
The K11 R2R is really not that resolving of a DAC, the K9 should eclipse easily, if they are equal then something is not right the X9.
As in equally impressive in its own right, especially with the power supply upgrade considering it has a base cost under 150, not as an equal to the X9, very little (if anything?) under £1000 is as we are now seeing as more reviews pop up each week.
Related note, on my speakers the K11 R2R DAC sounds more lively/fun/any other words with music than the DX5 II does due to the upper mids lift that Topping has tuned in out of the box with this model, it's not the usual Topping house sound that I am familiar with from previous models, this new one makes that freq range have a bit of a peak that sounds a little harsh depending on the music. Madonna - Lucky Star is a prime example and one of my reference tracks to show up gear that doesn't have good gel with the rest of the chain, crank the volume up high with this song and if your ears feel some harshness after a while then the gel isn't there.
Some people like that though which is why I say it's a different sound, not a bad one, but it's not clean either based on what I am used to, the K11 R2R did that track just fine, though with that bias toward recessed warmth which in turn probably didn't gel well with various headphones/speakers out there which is why some say it's not that resolving. Like how the DX5 is great at improving the HD6/8 series, the K11 R2R felt great at uplifting Hifiman planars and masking away the brightness peaks they typically exhibit.
Related note, on my speakers the K11 R2R DAC sounds more lively/fun/any other words with music than the DX5 II does due to the upper mids lift that Topping has tuned in out of the box with this model, it's not the usual Topping house sound that I am familiar with from previous models, this new one makes that freq range have a bit of a peak that sounds a little harsh depending on the music. Madonna - Lucky Star is a prime example and one of my reference tracks to show up gear that doesn't have good gel with the rest of the chain, crank the volume up high with this song and if your ears feel some harshness after a while then the gel isn't there.
Some people like that though which is why I say it's a different sound, not a bad one, but it's not clean either based on what I am used to, the K11 R2R did that track just fine, though with that bias toward recessed warmth which in turn probably didn't gel well with various headphones/speakers out there which is why some say it's not that resolving. Like how the DX5 is great at improving the HD6/8 series, the K11 R2R felt great at uplifting Hifiman planars and masking away the brightness peaks they typically exhibit.
One of the things is simply down to capacitor selection, a lot of people think it makes no difference but general purpose electrolytic capacitors in the wrong place especially in the signal path really do have an impact even though sometimes objectively it is hard to measure/can't be measured (at least by what people think it should show up in to measure if it did). One of the reasons the same ESS chip used in a stand alone DAC vs integrated motherboard audio can sound so dull on the integrated solution when they use a generic DC blocking cap on the output.