Linn Akurate DSM

[dubselect]

I borrowed Akurate DS from a friend and I have to say it's so much better then my Aurender, the sound is so munch more smooth and analog, I'm in heaven.

Akurate DS just can not be better than Aurender, because Aurender is a pure transport while Akurate is a streamer - transport + DAC.

There you compared Aurender + Devialet's DAC and Akurate DS. I am not surprised that Akurate was better than Aurender+D200 DAC. Akurate's internal DAC is really great. And in addition Linn's internal transport connected to the DAC via I2S nterface (not USB), thus the jitter level is considerably smaller here.

If you try Akurate's digital output I doubt you will be satisfied.

I wonder which Akurate version did you try? The latest one (third generation) with two Exakt outputs in the middle of the rear panel - http://www.linn.co.uk/hifi-separates/net...akurate-ds

[Confused]

Someone tried its room correction functionality ? Where instead of mic measurement you need to provide all the information about your listening room including your speakers, sort of SAM .

I tried yesterday and i didn't liked it at all , maybe i done something wrong ?

What did you not like about the sound when trying the room correction function?

[Antoine]

Akurate DS just can not be better than Aurender, because Aurender is a pure transport while Akurate is a streamer - transport + DAC.

I guess you believe less is always more. Not necessarily true.

There you compared Aurender + Devialet's DAC and Akurate DS. I am not surprised that Akurate was better than Aurender+D200 DAC. Akurate's internal DAC is really great. And in addition Linn's internal transport connected to the DAC via I2S nterface (not USB), thus the jitter level is considerably smaller here.

No, he compared Aurender + Devialet's DAC vs. Akurate DS + Devialet's ADC and Devialet's DAC as all analog inputs on the Devialet are digitized and later converted back to analog.

I2S is no magic bullet, it is not necessarily always better than other implementations, it depends on the quality of the implementation. But yes, short device internal I2S connections, which are optimized by the designer, tend to be better with less effort.

If you try Akurate's digital output I doubt you will be satisfied.

Then why worry about it and use it if the analog output sounds better (which is commonly known for these Linn devices), the device comes with both.

[dubselect]

No, he compared Aurender + Devialet's DAC vs. Akurate DS + Devialet's ADC and Devialet's DAC as all analog inputs on the Devialet are digitized and later converted back to analog.

I2S is no magic bullet, it is not necessarily always better than other implementations, it depends on the quality of the implementation. But yes, short device internal I2S connections, which are optimized by the designer, tend to be better with less effort.

Then why worry about it and use it if the analog output sounds better (which is commonly known for these Linn devices), the device comes with both.

Interesting. Is it possible to disable internal ADC and use Devialet as a pure integrated amp or pure power amp?

Yes. You are right. That is why majority of streamers (transport+DAC) use I2S interface with reclocking system. It is the most advanced way to send digital data from transport to DAC nowadays.

There is no reason to worry. But taking into account the fact that Akurate DS is not only transport, but also DAC with high-quality internal volume control, it is possible to use it with a pure two-channel power amp. Why do you need Devialet then?
Triple-convertion (from digital to analog and then analog to digital and then again digital to analog) is not good for SQ.

[Stigmater]

I borrowed Akurate DS from a friend and I have to say it's so much better then my Aurender, the sound is so munch more smooth and analog, I'm in heaven.

Akurate DS just can not be better than Aurender, because Aurender is a pure transport while Akurate is a streamer - transport + DAC.

There you compared Aurender + Devialet's DAC and Akurate DS. I am not surprised that Akurate was better than Aurender+D200 DAC. Akurate's internal DAC is really great. And in addition Linn's internal transport connected to the DAC via I2S nterface (not USB), thus the jitter level is considerably smaller here.

If you try Akurate's digital output I doubt you will be satisfied.

I wonder which Akurate version did you try? The latest one (third generation) with two Exakt outputs in the middle of the rear panel - http://www.linn.co.uk/hifi-separates/net...akurate-ds

You're right , Aurender is just a transporter and Akurate is a Streamer with as its turned out very quality DAC , I didn't really realized it  when I took the device for audition, I just knew that it's expensive streamer and should sound good. 

It's my first experience with LINN products, 
Linn has interesting approach to build streamer with DAC but without option to connect external devices and actually use it as a conventional DAC. 


The most expensive DAC that I tried ( before I had Devialet) its Luxman d06 and after not hearing much difference ( by the way just like with speaker cables)  I thought to my self that all DAC's is pretty much the same and as long as you have something decent you should set it and forget it. 
If you don't like something about  your setup , you shod probably purchase a more expensive speakers or very expensive power Amp or pre, for sure not DAC, That's what I thought at least. 


Now I understand how wrong I was, and if I'll look at my self from a side I can't blame my self, there is a million products with weird names in HiEnd market , some more exotic then others , if you not a millionaire you just can't try them all  and come to conclusion by your self what is sound better and whats not, 
You  probably can't trust  audio magazines reviewers that they telling you the truth, and we all know why. 
Some time it's taking whole life to get to that step where you like what you get from your audio system, but looking back you realize how much Money, years, sweat and experience it took. 

So what I'm trying to say is that I'm so enjoying LINN Akurate that I couldn't believe that such relatively small change in the chain of my  system can do so much impact to sound quality and overall enjoinment,
I find my self listening to albums that I simply refused to listen with Aurender connected because of unpleasant sound that I got from my system, I of course blamed the recorded quality of the album and just moved on, 
yesterday night I found my self listening to Guns n Roses and Adel Live at Royal Albert Hall,  maybe there are worse albums in recorded quality speaking but with  Akurate and by the way my Devialet 250 that I upgraded not long ago and as well found much better then D200 (tried d200 x 2 and found d250 better, but that's another story) , it's just a joy to listen to music now. 

Dubselect, for your question regarding version of Akurate , it's DS/1 but with 4 RS232 in the back.
You know what version do I have ? And what are the difference between this and newer ?

Just form curiosity, does someone knows what DAC can compete with Akurate DAC ?

[Confused]

Stigmater - For comparison, have you tried using the Akurate's digital output direct to the Devialet. Hence by-passing the Linn's DAC, and going direct to the Devialet DAC. Might be interesting? This is certainly more of a "purist" approach, than using an external DAC.

[Stigmater]

Stigmater - For comparison, have you tried using the Akurate's digital output direct to the Devialet. Hence by-passing the Linn's DAC, and going direct to the Devialet DAC. Might be interesting? This is certainly more of a "purist" approach, than using an external DAC.

Indeed could be very interesting , logically speaking I'm expecting it to be as Aurender
Unfortunately I don't have BNC digital cable in my possession.

[Antoine]

Interesting. Is it possible to disable internal ADC and use Devialet as a pure integrated amp or pure power amp?

Yes. You are right. That is why majority of streamers (transport+DAC) use I2S interface with reclocking system. It is the most advanced way to send digital data from transport to DAC nowadays.

There is no reason to worry. But taking into account the fact that Akurate DS is not only transport, but also DAC with high-quality internal volume control, it is possible to use it with a pure two-channel power amp. Why do you need Devialet then?
Triple-convertion (from digital to analog and then analog to digital and then again digital to analog) is not good for SQ.

No, it's not possible to disable the ADC inside the Devialets for analog inputs. All inputs signals must be(come) digital as they all tie in to the DSP which is the central hub of the Devialet. It's needed for the ADH amplifier part to do it's work. The ADC is known to be very transparant (as is the rest of the Devialet design) capturing even the analog sound character of an external DAC.

Yes, at least in theory the triple conversion should be detrimental for SQ to some degree. It could however be that in the end it is still sounds better than the digital output of the Akurate. Not saying it does but I've learned one simply can't generalize based on textbook knowledge/theory alone. In the end it's the real world result that matters.

[Stigmater]

Someone tried its room correction functionality ? Where instead of mic measurement you need to provide all the information about your listening room including your speakers, sort of SAM .

I tried yesterday and i didn't liked it at all , maybe i done something wrong ?

What did you not like about the sound when trying the room correction function?

I thought it's very thin and boring compared to room corection in off position.

[Confused]

Stigmater - For comparison, have you tried using the Akurate's digital output direct to the Devialet.  Hence by-passing the Linn's DAC, and going direct to the Devialet DAC.  Might be interesting?  This is certainly more of a "purist" approach, than using an external DAC.

Indeed could be very interesting , logically speaking I'm expecting it to be as Aurender
Unfortunately I don't have BNC digital cable in my possession.

BNC?  I think you just need an ordinary RCA digital cable.  (SPDIF)