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Combat Pretzel posted:Moronic logic. If you know they sound extremely different, you know in which ways they sound different. As such, you should be able to discern between the two with, wait for it, just your ears! No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!
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Dec 27, 2012 17:00
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Christ, do these people even like music? It was reading about late-stage audiophilia (and the financial consequences) years ago that has made me very careful about diving face-first into niche scenes of any sort. Can't believe Pear Cable's still around.
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Dec 29, 2012 04:56
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To paraphrase Twiin early in the thread: Audiophiles don't like music, they like equipment. Also, this: Agreed posted:Audiophiles use music as a necessary evil to hear their precious, precious gear. Mister Facetious fucked around with this message at 09:03 on Dec 29, 2012 |
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Dec 29, 2012 05:45
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agarjogger posted:Christ, do these people even like music? Start here then catch up to where we are now. Don't forget to read all of Khablam's posts, as they really sum up the "Audiophile" mentality.
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Dec 29, 2012 17:57
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Blistex posted:Start here then catch up to where we are now. Don't forget to read all of Khablam's posts, as they really sum up the "Audiophile" mentality. Yeah, thanks. Guilty of not reading thread. Will remedy.
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Dec 29, 2012 21:12
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I'm not sure this one is for real. http://app.audiogon.com/listings/me...ter-audio-91403 quote:The Kryptos Ultimate is what happens when super computer engineers come together with the intention of designing a media server capable of outperforming the best Reel to Reel systems. As someone else put it, when you've paid $20,000 for mercury filled speaker cables, you're not going to plug them in to a cheap $20,000 media server. There are so many WTFs in there I don't even know where to start.
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Jan 4, 2013 22:36
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quote:A Linux operating system just can't do what we want, doesn't sound anywhere near as good, and lacks expandability. That's rich. More like "we were too lazy to do any kind of customization to the OS and just threw a standard Windows 7 installation on there with a hastily-made custom theme". Actually, I take that back. Apparently, they "removed 1.5GB of audio-destroying fluff" from the standard Windows 7 installation. As someone who's worked with Windows since 3.11, I have absolutely no clue what the hell they're on about. Luckily, the base model is only $6000!
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Jan 4, 2013 22:46
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Assuming they're not lying it does look like nice over engineering, like finally putting a good quality oscillator inside computers (most computers can't even keep time for more than a day without drifting), it is of course completely overkill in every way for almost all purposes except 4k video editing or something. I like that they specify a linear 2kW power supply though, it's about time computers went hi-fi. I bet that computer would make a hell of a gaming rig with the freon cooling system.
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Jan 4, 2013 22:58
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 says they didn't even apply the hotfix for Windows 7 audio described here:http://www.indexcom.com/tech/WindowsAudioSRC/
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Jan 4, 2013 23:05
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Why the gently caress does it need four Westmere Xeon CPUs (makes most sense, 4x12MB L3 = ~50MB) and two high-end GPUs to serve apparently only music over a loving network or its audio output? Also, the CPUs are overclocked, I'm sure that generates RF noise as gently caress all over the place. ...actually, why am I even asking...
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Jan 4, 2013 23:06
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Combat Pretzel posted:Why the gently caress does it need four Westmere Xeon CPUs (makes most sense, 4x12MB L3 = ~50MB) and two high-end GPUs to serve apparently only music over a loving network or its audio output? Also, the CPUs are overclocked, I'm sure that generates RF noise as gently caress all over the place. Because it costs more. Duh.
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Jan 4, 2013 23:18
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I liked how after all the gushing text about supercomputer GPUs and Pure Silver PCBs they apparently couldn't be bothered to describe the sound card beyond "This is the best sound card ever. We swear".
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Jan 4, 2013 23:20
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Probably because putting a sound card inside that kind of environment and getting good performance would actually be hard, as opposed to running a coaxial/optical link to a pure DAC.
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Jan 5, 2013 00:19
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I found it very interesting that there was exactly one component that was described as being actually used by professional sound technicians. And that is the noise dampening casing for the whole apparatus.
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Jan 5, 2013 00:23
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If you're not listening to your music from a PCIe SSD, you're just not doing it right, damnit.  Edit: Do you know how loving HEAVY a 2kw linear PSU would be?
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Jan 5, 2013 01:57
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I think it's pictured in the ad, the grey box with what looks like PowerCon connectors, the shipping weight IS listed as 150 ibs.
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Jan 5, 2013 02:25
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longview posted:I think it's pictured in the ad, the grey box with what looks like PowerCon connectors, the shipping weight IS listed as 150 ibs. I just saw that. That's loving absurd. Edit: I don't see any vents on that power supply. That thing would melt.
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Jan 5, 2013 09:06
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KillHour posted:I just saw that. That's loving absurd. Nah, being absurdly over-dimensioned for the application, I suspect it would actually not run very hot. PSUs generally don't get really hot until you approach their specified limit, and 2kW should way be more than even that monster of a PC could draw. Edit: vvv - Wow, that sounds really bad. Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 15:00 on Jan 5, 2013 |
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Jan 5, 2013 11:43
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You're all forgetting about the freon cooling system, it'll run at -50.
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Jan 5, 2013 11:48
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Hippie Hedgehog posted:Nah, being absurdly over-dimensioned for the application, I suspect it would actually not run very hot. PSUs generally don't get really hot until you approach their specified limit, and 2kW should way be more than even that monster of a PC could draw. Maybe if it was a switching power supply. Linear power supplies run REALLY hot, and a 2kW monster would have to be that large - just to fit the massive toroidal transformer and the heatsinks to cool it. Check out the chart on this page: http://www.raftabtronics.com/TECHNOLOGY/ElectromagneticBasics/ToroidalTransformerBasics/tabid/112/Default.aspx You'd need a transformer 8 inches wide, 3.4 inches high, and weighing 26 lbs to drive a 2kw PSU - and you could probably boil water with it. Also, is that a C13 connector? drat thing is gonna start a fire. Edit: Just to put the nail in the coffin of stupidity - Linear power supplies have HORRIBLE efficiency. quote:For a large voltage difference (i.e., low power supply output voltage) and large current, the overall efficiency can drop down to nearly 10%. The maximum http://www.bkprecision.com/downloads/pdf/PowerSupplyGuide.pdf KillHour fucked around with this message at 12:20 on Jan 5, 2013 |
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Jan 5, 2013 11:56
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I'm going to assume they cheat and do the bulk voltage conversion with switching and use a linear output stage, but in any case designing a fixed output linear power supply should be much simpler thermally than the BK Precision case where they're presumably talking about a wide output lab supply. They could even switch windings based on load in this case too, to keep the input voltage right at the minimum required by the LDOs. No true audiophile would be without his own 400 Hz power distribution system to keep transformer sizes down anyway, right? Pretty sure a linear supply with lots of output caps wouldn't meet the ATX electrical specs unless it had very quick acting overload protection, IIRC there are strict requirements for short circuit current and shutdown time. I know short circuiting a 400W 12V supply barely even sparks since it kills the output right away. Or it's just an elaborate joke since those pictures are obviously random GIS results  E: C13 connectors can handle up to 3.5kW with 230V power
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Jan 5, 2013 12:29
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Turns out someone has made a real power supply for a computer: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/audiophile-pc-true-linear-power-supply-11832/ posted:Hi, But it's not 2kW, not even close.
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Jan 5, 2013 12:37
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Picture quality, too, eh? I'd really like to know how a completely digital chain (both software, i.e. decoding, and hardware, i.e. HDMI) towards your digital TV and panel is in any way influenced by that PSU. I am aware I won't get a proper answer, but some voodoo magic to laugh at would be nice.
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Jan 5, 2013 16:10
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Phase noise and jitter in the oscillators 
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Jan 5, 2013 18:33
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Combat Pretzel posted:Picture quality, too, eh? I'd really like to know how a completely digital chain (both software, i.e. decoding, and hardware, i.e. HDMI) towards your digital TV and panel is in any way influenced by that PSU. I am aware I won't get a proper answer, but some voodoo magic to laugh at would be nice. They think a HDMI cable can influence the picture, this is a no-brainer for them. Even when you point out that the signal **has** to be digitally identical end-to-end to work, you get nowhere.
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Jan 5, 2013 19:49
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Sure it's digitally identical, but straighter 1's and rounder 0's translate into crisper images and more dynamic contrast
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Jan 5, 2013 20:40
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baka kaba posted:Sure it's digitally identical, but straighter 1's and rounder 0's translate into crisper images and more dynamic contrast rear end in a top hat at Best Buy sold me a lovely HDMI cable and I was wondering why my blue rays were looking like poo poo with huge distortions in audio and video. I hooked it up to my PC and analyzed the signal. Seems ever 4th "1" going through the cable got mangled and came out looking like a "7". TV didn't know what the gently caress!
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Jan 6, 2013 16:47
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Blistex posted:rear end in a top hat at Best Buy sold me a lovely HDMI cable and I was wondering why my blue rays were looking like poo poo with huge distortions in audio and video. I hooked it up to my PC and analyzed the signal. Seems ever 4th "1" going through the cable got mangled and came out looking like a "7". TV didn't know what the gently caress! The worst part is HDMI cable companies latch on to the silly notions that digital can be better than digital, and HDMI marketing is a complete mess. It's worse than USB "high speed" and "full speed" -- I literally saw two cables by the same company, one was "HD" and the other was "Super HD HDMI" -- exactly what it did differently, no one could say, but it was the store pick and only twice the price of the other. For reference, their "HD" cable was 1.4 spec - good enough for 2560×1600@60Hz
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Jan 8, 2013 15:04
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I can't stop reading whathifi cable reviews. I started because I ordered some speaker cable and was curious as to how it reviewed. Turns out I agree with them, "flat is the best word to describe it". Yes, it is physically quite flat. Now I've moved over to reading their HDMI cable reviews. Favourite moment of accidental self awareness, "you'll struggle to see any improvements over the freebie you get in most boxes". Has anybody tried marketing ear care products for audiophiles? Microfibre Q-tips for example? The ear being only second to the brain as the weakest part of the chain. How about listening lessons, to fix that whole brain thing? Laser Cow fucked around with this message at 10:41 on Jan 9, 2013 |
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Jan 9, 2013 10:21
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Hi-fi grade ear washer
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Jan 9, 2013 12:05
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It must exist already. I'm too afraid to go on any of audiophile forums, though, because they make my soul hurt.
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Jan 9, 2013 12:07
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Q-tips with gold fibers in the cotton.
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Jan 9, 2013 12:25
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Combat Pretzel posted:Q-tips with gold fibers in the cotton. Laughable. Oxygen-free 99,9999999% cotton with oxygen-free 99,9999999% ocelot whisker in a 50/60 mix is the only way to go. Then you gold-plate it.
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Jan 9, 2013 12:34
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You all jest, but this exists: http://www.trueaudiophile.com/audiotop-digital-special-cleaner-for-cd-sacd-and-dvd/ You could literally find-replace "CD" with "Ear" and sell that poo poo. The sheer lack of logic in those products is amazing. "The system is now in a position to retrieve more genuine information from the storage medium whereby substantially reducing the amount of needed error correction" It's either needed correction, or it's not. The need for correction doesn't do anything on it's own. "This gives the central computer chip more computational power available for the true information signal" CAp'n! I canne align the dilithium with all this error correcting going on around me! She denne gonna be flyin' at optimal cap'n! "The result is more joy" Oh, god. "focus of the music signal" It's definately the music signal, I know because this one wasn't error corrected nearly as much. I couldn't help but click some more, and found a couple of gems. The $9000 power strip: http://www.trueaudiophile.com/hb-cable-design-powerslave-marble-statement-level-power-distribution-center-made-in-germany/ The $120 CD "damper" : http://www.trueaudiophile.com/m-cd-mat-carbon-cd-damper/ Khablam fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Jan 9, 2013 |
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Jan 9, 2013 23:47
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quote:Formula: Highly purified (99,999%) non specified substance.
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Jan 10, 2013 01:28
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Laser Cow posted:How about listening lessons, to fix that whole brain thing? That could actually be a thing. I mean, recording engineers are able to listen to a track and tell you why one track A mix sounds better than track B mix of the same song. If the average audio enthusiast had the same training, he wouldn't buy into a lot of this stupid bullshit hype. It would also keep people from saying stupid poo poo like "Vinyl is a better format than CD for audio quality".
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Jan 10, 2013 23:35
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Khablam posted:I couldn't help but click some more, and found a couple of gems. This is great: Product Features: • Extreme build quality • Unlimited dynamics • High resolution with decay and micro detail • Creates a new standard in magic sound staging • Made with high quality parts • Special internal connection conception • Constant and full energy supply for any A/V system on the worldwide market The fact that it's made with parts is the 4th bullet point.
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Jan 11, 2013 00:00
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Is there a Freezone for audiophiles like for disillusioned Scientologists where they can get the same exact bullshit at 1/10th the cost?
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Jan 11, 2013 03:10
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Should anybody in the UK be up for going to see this stuff live and in the flesh, this seems ideal: http://www.thehifishow.com/ It's a show put on by users of the HiFi Wigwam, they may be a slightly less extreme collective than others but there'll still be a few special cases - an example review here http://www.hifiwigwam.com/reference-fidelity-components-reference-pluto-phono-interconnectors-99-50metre-pair/
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Jan 11, 2013 19:01
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Neurophonic posted:Should anybody in the UK be up for going to see this stuff live and in the flesh, this seems ideal: These people are actually quite sane usually, and audiophiles make them just as depressed/angry as we get.
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Jan 11, 2013 22:32
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