Final Words
Without DRC, the Doede USB to I2S converter gets my vote as a fantastic all in one solution. It's neutral, balanced and almost defies logic with its simplistic approach. The detraction against it is that using a single TDA1543 results in an output level that is simply too low when DRC is applied. Doede's solution to this is to stack up to eight TDA1543s in parallel to boost output current. I'm not sure if that approach appeals to me, but it may be worth a shot if you'd like to try this DAC out.
The Opus's strengths are in its spatial presentation and rendering of distance between instruments. The tubes do add a touch of warmth to the presentation, which is probably needed as this DAC pretty much strips everything from a recording and throws it into the soundscape. It's great if you've got a high quality recording, but on discs that have been butchered by recording engineers or those containing low quality digital samples the presentation is ruthless. Things may be different with the Ballsie output stage, though I'd expect the spatial element to remain prominent. I don't miss the modified Pioneer at all though, the Opus is far better when using the PC as a transport.
It is remarkable how little has changed in the audio world over the last 50 years or so. Some of us are still beguiled by vacuum tubes and open baffle speakers and trying to keep signal path complexity to a bare minimum (not mentioning any names). Others think that vinyl playback will never be surpassed by the ones and zeroes of digital. If ever there was a case against that argument, DRC has to be it. Yes, the PC is not only great for data storage and retrieval but also a device that can apply all manner of room adjustments while enhancing the listening experience rather than detracting from it.
Tie the USB DAC kits together with DRC and it all becomes the real deal. While PC based correction is not as easy to use as the offerings from Behringer and TacT, the PC software is scalable providing greater potential for expansion at a later date. Multi channel digital crossover integrated DRC is still out of reach for the masses though - especially if you want to apply correction to movie playback. You'll need all manner of plug-ins and the patience to set everything up properly as it's certainly not easy. Moreover, the cost of an entire system to cater to all this still falls in the "buy now, pay forever" territory for many.
For two-channel playback though, given the choice between purchasing a new audio component or the chance to buy something that can perform DRC, I'd pick DRC every single time. It's that darn good.
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Clauzii - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
.. I can recommend a Terratec Phase 22. No computernoise whatsoever. Pure, clean sound. I don't have a surroundsetup, but movies through this card sound brilliant, with a lot of detail and no digital 'fnitter-fnatter'.Clauzii - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
Have to correct myself: With the card You can actually hear all the bad mixing of the movies themselves.daar - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
Honestly, for a tech review site, I'm very disappointed that you nixed any pro sound cards and went for the audiophile kool-aid. Proper regulation and filtering can deliver clean enough juice for the best audio applications and while the USB option is kind of interesting, it creates more clutter, is more expensive, and the supposed better quality can't even be objectively tested.There wasn't even an attempt to build a measurement procedure, and while some sustain the notion that audio is beyond measurement, since when does AT throw out standard science and efficient engineering in favor of pseudoscience?
RobinBee - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
"Proper regulation and filtering"Yes. A good motherboard does this. And: A hi-fi sound card such as ASUS Xonar D2 (PCI bus) delivers »clean juice«, very much better than Creative's x-fi. And: A good case makes a pc rather quiet.
RagingDragon - Saturday, December 6, 2008 - link
And a sufficiently powerful amp and/or headphones with good isolation make PC noise irrelevant.Servant of Shodan - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
Not meaning any disrespect to the author - it was a good article - but I've notice a lot of camera reviews recently, and now a review about audiophile stuff... and it just seems so out of place for a PC enthusiast site.There are hundreds of credible sites for both cameras and stereos/speakers/amps/etc.; and I feel that it sort of muddies the waters here to have these types of articles, when there are other excellent places where they fit in perfectly.
I come to Anandtech for computers. I think it should keep to that topic.
SpeedyVV - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
Holy cow, audiophiles i think are THX certifiable!!!Can you guys actually hear yourselves???
All joking aside, I love music, and sound, and guitar tube amps, a nice hi-fi.
But the stuff you guys talk about is way, WAY, beyond me ;-)
Boushh - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
DRC does realy work. Last year I exchanged my old SONY AV receiver for a new Denon AVR-3808 with Audyssey. With the SONY I was unable to get a good sound at my listning postion (specialy the rears never actually worked). And even though I had my reservations for things like Audyssey, I ran it on the Denon. And low and behold: Now I was in the middle of everything. I was realy amazed that taking some samples with a microphone could have such impressive results.The second thing: DAC's for computers. I recently saw that Cambridge Audio released a DAC for (among other things) computers (http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summary.php?PID=320&...">http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summary.php?PID=320&.... Maybe a good idea to compare that to the setup used in the article. It seems to me that instead of all those components it would (for the most of us) be alot easier if it was just in one box. But maybe that is just me :-)
Anyway, nice article. It shows that people who are intrested in audio and are willing to do something for it are always on a never ending road B-)
strikeback03 - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
... that this article shows that looks are not everything, as those drivers look like the cheap junk that comes in stock car systems.jabber - Monday, December 1, 2008 - link
They probably are! Remember in the world of 'high-end hi-fi' you build a component out of $20 worth of bits, stick a bit of varnish sanded wood on it then add on the 2000% 'hi-fi mug tax'.Its one of the best businesses to be in if you are unprincipled and lazy.
Your customers are easy because they have invested so much money in their systems they are always open to fear and doubt about it. Easy prey!