Big Daves System

[Silvertouran]

A relatively simple setup. 

Source is an HP Laptop running Windows 10. I use iTunes with the files on as ALAC. 
The Laptop doesn't get used for anything other than playing music.
It's set to output at 16bit 44Khz. The music is all on an external 500Gb 2.5" hdd. 

Control is done through a Musical Fidelity M1SDAC digital preamp/asynchronous DAC which upsamples to 24bit 192Khz. Laptop to DAC is from the USB output to a USB input on the DAC. 
Output from the DAC is Toslink optical into a Silver Phantom. 

All controlled from an iPad using the Remote App. And volume is done by a Devialet remote control. 
Spark doesn't get used at all. 

Any suggestions for improvements is greatly appreciated like maybe changing the output on iTunes for example or adding something in the chain. 

I'm kinda new to all this digital stuff. 

[Hifi_swlon]

Out of interest why use an external DAC with the Phantom Silvertouran? It seems like an unnecessary extra D>D conversion and breaks the bit-perfect chain (unless you particularly like its upsampling)

[Silvertouran]

I use the DAC since it also has analogue inputs and it outputs them all to optical. I just find it very flexible and it also has a decent headphone section built in. Do you reckon the sound quality would be better without the DAC in the chain then? Would a patch cable from the laptop straight into the Phantom work or do i still need the router in the chain?

[Hifi_swlon]

Do you reckon the sound quality would be better without the DAC in the chain then? Would a patch cable from the laptop straight into the Phantom work or do i still need the router in the chain?

I was just curious as the Devialet's all have DACs that are considered high end so didn't know if you had specific reason for the extra stage. Convenience wins out by the sound of it and there's no issue with that!
Can't say re EQ as there are complex factors involved (and I don't have a Phantom), but I'd be wanting to try to at least see if skipping the external DAC made an improvement. On the other hand, if it ain't broke and you're happy.......

[Silvertouran]

My biggest inconvenience is I can't put all my music into the Spark playlist and play all my music randomly. I have over 6000 tracks in iTunes but when i drag them into Spark I only get 1000 songs to play. If this limitation wasn't there i would probably use Spark.
Unless someone can tell me how to play iTunes to the Phantom without using Spark. I'm still learning

[scotthar]

Spark rants redacted.

with respect to Spark - Seems like you have the best setup you can have regarding using ITUNES and outputting digital into the Devialet gear.
Your using Spark about as much as you can NOT use it.

But you are still two fisting it as I like to call it. One fist for the play remote - I happen to have settled on using Media Monkey on a PC and one of the Media Monkey Remote apps on my Walkman for remote control - and the phantom remote for volume control in the other fist.

Sadly no way to control the inputs without Spark But if you only have one input source then this may not be a significant issue. Most of the time auto input selection works but not bullet proof - sometimes I have to launch spark just to hit the play button again.

And volume control needs either the phantom remote or spark.

At the moment this is as close as you can get to not using Spark.

Seems like you have learned well

[Silvertouran]

Just a slight update on how my system is set up.

HP Pavilion G6 Laptop with Intel i3 running Windows 10 using iTunes. Laptop is placed on an Adam Hall Laptop stand. The audio is then output to a Musical Fidelity M1SDAC digital preamp/DAC via USB and upsampled to 24bit 192Khz. The Laptop is also connected to a Virgin Superhub router via ethernet cable. A Synology DS215J NAS enclosure (containing 1x Western Digital 2.5" 500Gb Hdd and 1x Seagate 3.5" 500Gb Hdd in Hybrid Raid mode) is connected to the router via ethernet cable. All the music for iTunes is stored on the NAS drive in ALAC format. A Marantz CD5400 CD player is connected to the M1SDAC via a Toslink optical cable as a transport only. Audio out from the M1SDAC is a Toslink optical cable to the Devialet Silver Phantom (which is also connected to the router wirelessly.) The Phantom is placed on a single IXOS speaker stand about 60cm in height. Volume is controlled using a Devialet Remote control and music selection is made from iPad or iPhone using the Remote app wirelessly.

Also my floor is concrete so no problem with vibrations or boomy bass.
And my Blue LED Spectrum Analyzer is cool to watch. Its not in the signal path so no interference. It's wired to the analogue outs on the Preamp and powered by USB.

[DSD]

N1 touran what model of spectrum analyser is it?


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[DSD]

I can use my oppo bdp 105d as a "quasi" pre amp to stage multiple inputs and then one TOSLINK out to dialog I can then select the inputs via the oppo remote. Currently running vinyl and reel to reel this way. Also I demux the hdmi audio out of the oppo to get native dsd and Dolby surround. It would really help if Devialet enabled the usb on the dialog for usb audio, then I could go say jriver DoP and usb audio from the oppo; however when I press them on the subject, they remain silent :-(


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Silvertouran]

Just a slight update on how my system is set up.

HP Pavilion G6 Laptop with Intel i3 running Windows 10 using iTunes. Laptop is placed on an Adam Hall Laptop stand. The audio is then output to a Musical Fidelity M1SDAC digital preamp/DAC via USB and upsampled to 24bit 192Khz. The Laptop is also connected to a Virgin Superhub router via ethernet cable. A Synology DS215J NAS enclosure (containing 1x Western Digital 2.5" 500Gb Hdd and 1x Seagate Barracuda 3.5" 250Gb Hdd in Raid1 mode) is connected to the router via ethernet cable. All the music for iTunes is stored on the NAS drive in ALAC format. A Marantz CD5400 CD player is connected to the M1SDAC via a Toslink optical cable as a transport only. Audio out from the M1SDAC is a Toslink optical cable to the Devialet Silver Phantom (which is also connected to the router wirelessly.) The Phantom is placed on a single IXOS speaker stand about 60cm in height. Volume is controlled using a Devialet Remote control and music selection is made from iPad or iPhone using the Remote app wirelessly.

Also my floor is concrete so no problem with vibrations or boomy bass.
And my Blue LED Spectrum Analyzer is cool to watch. Its not in the signal path so no interference. It's wired to the analogue outs on the Preamp and powered by USB.

N1 touran what model of spectrum analyser is it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291104407926?_...EBIDX%3AIT

It was  just a cheap one on eBay. It doesn't serve any purpose other than looking cool.
I cant put a proper pic of it coz it says the pics on my iPad are too large.