Theoretical benefits to hi-res if only max 20kHz signal?

[JohnSwenson]

So John, are you saying that on 44.1 material you prefer a NOS with a good analogue filter set for 22Khz vs an ASRC DAC running internally at 384 or 768 with an appropriate digital filter?

Just curious.

That "dirt" you refer to is exactly what I don't like about all of the NOS DAC's I've heard. Of course this doesn't mean ALL NOS DAC's are empirically bad... simply that I personally haven't heard what I consider to be a good one.

Interesting about the heat phenomena. The heat must be causing the Johnson noise to rise inside the DAC, no:? - maybe the noise is having a "dithering" effect?
regards
Phil

My preference is a DAC which uses properly implemented digital filters, unfortunately these are rare. The NOS DAC and software approach is a way to get around trying to find hardware with good digital filters. By doing the oversampling in software you have FAR more flexibility in playing with different filter parameters.

For my own DACs I've spent years going back and forth between NOS and digital filters. A NOS DAC with several poles of analog filtering can sound quite good. But the best is still digital filtering done right. Of course that takes significant digital horse power, which means you have to be very carfeful that the noise from the filter doesn't make it into the clock circuits, DAC chips and analog circuits. That takes very careful grounding and PS design, none of which comes cheap.

I personally do not like ASRCs. I have not heard a single one that I really like. Of course it may not be the ASRC per se. I expect part of it might be the interaction of the imperfect digital filters in both the ASRC and the DAC chip interacting with each other.

On the "HOT DAC" I suspect its due to internal PS noise. As the chips get hotter the FETs in the circuits get higher resistance, which slows them down (RC goes up) so the peak current from each switching goes down, thus less noise on power and ground traces in the chip and package. As the temperature goes up at some point things get so slow it stops working, you don't want to go that far!

John S.

[Mnyb]

The trend I was referring to with my blanket dismissal of NOS DAC was the ones completely without any filter, this was very popular as DIY for while so popular that it seems to be the norm :-/

[Wombat]

Hi Mnyb i just realized today that your signature must have changed lately. Isn´t it?
Using new Meridian DSP is like cheating! No wonder you don´t hear a difference with transports. These babies simply seem to work
Congrats for the purchase!

[Mnyb]

Hi Mnyb i just realized today that your signature must have changed lately. Isn´t it?
Using new Meridian DSP is like cheating! No wonder you don´t hear a difference with transports. These babies simply seem to work
Congrats for the purchase!

Yea I hesitated for years before I did it they are are not perfect but they are done right, makes other hifi looks like steam engines (nice and complicated and well put together but why ? )

They are a good proof of concept how hifi and home theater should be done .
A pity they are the only game in town :-/ if others "get it" (including other brands and audiophiles ) this kind of solution would go down in price and improve at the same time .

I'm a tech nerd I do like the underlying architecture of this system, I wish meridian could license their speaker-link MHR connection . Or if someone could make a conection standard for digital active speakers.

I have used the processor much longer than the speakers.

It all started when DVDA was hot , there where not many that offered 6ch 24/96k digital link from the player to the processor (now with hdmi everyone has it ) .
The benefit of 24/96 may be questionable , but using an analog DA-AD-DA route via a traditional HT receiver will blow even that small chance to improvement away .

This system is source transparent even trough the xover and sound degradation does not start until the the signal Reach the DAC and amp for that speaker driver .

Strictly I could have bought some nice analog active speakers and maybe get better sound. But the Meridian solution is so neat just cat5 cables to the speakers

[darrenyeats]

Strictly I could have bought some nice analog active speakers and maybe get better sound. But the Meridian solution is so neat just cat5 cables to the speakers

Although personally I like ATC (not just the sound but the ethos) I heard Meridian DSP5200 a few years ago at a show and I thought they sounded great and are, as you say, an extremely neat and modern solution. Good choice IMO. Active speakers have a lot of advantages and of course Meridian have their own unique take even on the active architecture.

I heard the M80 at the same show and I didn't like it, TBH. But I wouldn't mind a listen of the DSP3200 plus DSW sub...!
Darren

[Mnyb]

Although personally I like ATC (not just the sound but the ethos) I heard Meridian DSP5200 a few years ago at a show and I thought they sounded great and are, as you say, an extremely neat and modern solution. Good choice IMO. Active speakers have a lot of advantages and of course Meridian have their own unique take even on the active architecture.

I heard the M80 at the same show and I didn't like it, TBH. But I wouldn't mind a listen of the DSP3200 plus DSW sub...!
Darren

Yea ATC been around since the 70's and Meridians first DSP speaker arrived 1990 22 years ago ? And no one else picked it up ? :-/ I may not repeat what I think of the so called "design" of modern high end.

[TheOctavist]

my klein and hummel 0300d with the c28 has loads of room correction options..of course they are also digital

[Mnyb]

K&H is a pro monitor speaker very neat design, the xover is analog thou, transformer coupled analog input ?

But you are using an old forsell DAC not the K&H built in DAC ?

If you want to use the digital input how do you practically do things like adding a subwoofer and how do you do hometheater , using the analog inputs ? Or a pro mixing console or software and multi channel sound card ?

The 300 seems to be a control desk monitor do they work fine on stands used as normal speakers, they got one very good feat, centre channel would be identical .

I reckon K&H deemed the home use Market hopeless :-/ not any models adapted to that.

edit:
I think Dynaudio has similar digital pro speakers and another consumer brand is ATi but they al lack a suitable control unit for av application for home users and xover is still analog .
So know how is there but no push against consumer market ?

[Mnyb]

how do one controll the volume of a pair of digitally connected K&H ? Example in my meridian system volume controll is in the speakers and the "volume information" is passed on from the processor in the speaker link .