I recently bought the WIIM Ultra and it's an amazing entry level streamer for a reasonable price. It's fast and convenient to use and when i get home i can have music on in my system within 45 seconds
One thing that many ignore! Galvanic isolation passes on jitter which creates noise at the clean side of the board! It is a bit complex but the jitter creates phase noise at the receiving components. And some galvanic isolations even transmit some ac noise! Even better if the isolation is poorly designed, it can make things worse.
I don't read where galvanic isolation does anyting but atempt to electrically isolate, nothing on jiitter reduction ect, so whilst what you state is correct, it is a bit like saying despite the ocean is salty, it's still wet. Sort of obvious. As for noise, comparitor with hysterysis = clean
In some design, sure. In a good implementation you have a FIFO buffer and a timed output generator on the clean side of the isolator. The jitter that counts is a product of that circuit and largely defined by the phase noise of the oscillator. It also depends on the connection to the DAC circuit that turns the low jitter signal into the analogue. So if the isolation is perfect, which it is not, you are listening to the signal generated out of the FIFO buffer. Everything upstream is in a different time domain. It's only job is to deliver bit perfect digital into the buffer. Jitter upstream of the buffer can be pico seconds in the stream from the computer or decades when the signal was stored on a cd. It makes no difference to the sound. You are listening to the jitter of the signal entering the DAC circuit.
I usually would first blame the DAC itself for being poorly designed if it's too sensitive to noise from externally connected gear. In studios, at concerts and in many homes people use computers with no noise issues nowadays. Personally it's ages ago since I had computer noise interference but I also stick to Macs for anything audio. If you have noise issue with your DAC and you have access to another DAC, try swapping it first. Then if both (different models) can agree there is a noise issue, you need to identify where it comes from. I don't think this issue is statistically of much importance actually, but of course safest is a dedicated streamer and my other argument would just be seamless integration with ease of use. I like the one-app interface to my music. This means same add as I use to pick my music is also where I control my volume or power.
A computer is a general purpose product which is good at a lot of things but never excellent for a specific task. Dedicated products always outperform general purpose stuff. Like a smartphone that can produce good pictures but a Nikon, Canon or Leica can produce excellent pictures.
Yes. But this is changing or has changed. Particularly in photography. The camera brands did not keep up with technological innovations in software and UI.
Paul I ve been using an iPad Pro M1 as a streamer connected through USB to my Teac Dac (Dual Mono Burr Brown design UD501). My system is KLH Model 5 with an Atoll IN300. None of the 1000$ streamers I have tried have offered any noticeable improvement. I would love your thoughts if any on an Ipad as a source as I have not seen anywhere any reviews.
I use an HP computer tower with HDMI to my Yamaha AV Receiver. I stream free Spotify and it sounds GREAT. Must be the HDMI signal that makes it sound so good Paul ????? Thanks
@0:59 -- Will any of those books cover the benefits of having your speaker's drivers be time aligned? Or, will any of those books cover the benefits of mounting the speakers on a bedrock of sorts (or seismic platforms) to reduce the vibrations to the midrange and tweeter drivers? I will wager that the answer is "No". I hope that I am wrong. But I doubt it.
My Holo Red makes a very nice, little improvement in SQ from PC USB. It's "only" about a 5% improvement, but you can absolutely tell, and 5% is probably the most you can possibly get. I give it an A+ 👍🏼
the gut from Canada uses a Mac Mini ($600). So his budget obviously is limited because he probably would use a Nucleus server for Roon ($2000). I assume his stereo system also is limited due budget restrictions. If he now would buy a $2500 Airlens streamer it not only would exceed his budget but most likely not make no difference at all. If he has won the lottery and buy FR-30 and tak BMK600 as power amp and the big PS audio preamp.. - then… …ok if you spent 60-100000 bucks for a system so what. Otherwise I at least would test it before buying it….
As another guy from Canada with a cheap system (had a laptop running foobar into a Chord Mojo) cleaning up the source can make a massive difference. I did replace the Mojo with a Pontus II (still not crazy expensive) and got a significant boost. However, the biggest change was when I put a ddc between the laptop and the dac. The ddc provided galvanic isolation and reclocked the data stream. Took away a lot of the mid-bass glare that I was getting. Got further improvements when I replaced the laptop with a dedicated streamer. Point is, adding the ddc ($600) made the biggest differece over the 3 upgrades that I made (The dedicated streamer was only $1,000). I've not done the comparison of laptop + ddc vs just the streamer to see if I that was the better way to go initially, but I can completely recommend a ddc if you are running a computer based source, and they are not that expensive. Would the airlense outperform my laptop + ddc, probably, but so would an Aurelia Aries or a 100 other products.
@@stupdasso Besides speakers - a story of its own.... ...I only consider hifi equipment of higher prices only as value because of their (hopefully) better built quality . Like Apple products . The case, electronic components and so on are for a longer usage without losing much quality in music reproduction over the years. If you live in an ordinary apartment / house with an ordinary power supply system NOISE and all this shi*** is a pure illusion / imagination. Sure you can measure it and visualize it. But you will never hear it. Nor cables nor nothing. As someone who studied electronics / electrotechnics I would have to give back my exam paper if I would argue in a different way... So if you from Canada and as long as Canada still is an independent country and not taken by the TRUMP criminals and turned into the 54th or so US union state you'll absolutely good to go with a Blue Note streamer and devices on this level. But probably not for the next 20 years.... (-:
Paul, with all do respect, you're not going to replace Harley as the go to. Please consider my advice carefully and make a single complete guide in regular font. You don't need to be selling a 9 volume series like Encyclopedia Britannica.
Please go ahead and explain how it makes sense for Paul McGowan to publish one guide at a time on a specific topic in kids' books sized font with an SACD you need to purchase separately. Now he's saying there's 8 more of those!? Holy moly! To use your limited vocabulary, sounds pretty goofy to me. You have yourself a nice day now.
Dude, how I do it is to take HDMI from the computer into my Ranhee multi channel dac then take HDMI out the dac into the monitor. The dac has two spare HDMI inputs as well as cots, toslink, Bluetooth, USB, and RCA auxiliary. It will decode DTS as well as told Digital and DSD and flack and all sorts of others. It is pin silent. I take the audio out of the main front left and right into my QUAD 44 which then feeds 2 QUAD 405s my rear channels go into a less powerful Sony integrated amp and the centre channel is Extron 200 watt mono which palace are home-made speaker. This has its own preamp which is another quad 44. There is an active subbase. My speakers are B&W matrix threes. The sound is phenomenal my brother who is very critical said that if I’d spent over £20,000 on it it would not sound any better to be fair. I have changed a lot of hams in the quads simply because technology has improved and they are much quieter than they were when they were new Overall when it is on and the volume is at 12 which is halfway you can’t hear it. the separation is discreet. I always use money from dark side of the moon as a test as well as a surround DTS test recording anyway that’s my penny’s worth good luck with yours.
I don’t think the answer is so clear. There’s a significant difference between an off-the-shelf computer and one put together specifically for a dedicated purpose. Raspberry Pis for example offer incredible flexibility, enabling you to create a bespoke setup for your exact requirements without major compromises. With an extensive range of hats and add-ons-including ultracapacitor power supplies, DACs, reclockers, HDMI hats, tiny displays, and more-you can build a highly customized streaming solution. While I understand Paul’s enthusiasm for promoting PS Audio’s proprietary streamer and highlighting its features as essential for high-quality listening, the answer isn’t that straightforward. In my opinion, a home-brewed streamer can easily rival-or even surpass-many commercial options, precisely because it’s tailored to your specific use case and needs.
A streamer typically is a raspberry pi (single board computer, not necessarily an actual pi) purpose built for audio. Can you do better cobbling parts together from different sources? Maybe - certainly cheaper, but you're still dependent on what someone else made and their level of expertise. A streamer is built for the specific need in question, figuring out ways to combat the issues Paul was talking about here, same as the 'hat' manufacturers are trying to do. I had a pi and was looking at adding an audio grade hat, but had a lot of trouble actually finding any in stock. Finally bought a streamer and now the pi will become a retro arcade machine.
@@stupdasso Why cobble together parts from different sources when you can carefully select the best components tailored to your specific needs? Randomly ordering parts that may not work well together is not only inefficient but also an utterly misguided approach. Instead, you can rely on reputable manufacturers like Ian Canada, who are known for producing outstanding and reliable components. The same principle applies to software: it’s not about haphazardly throwing in anything you find; it’s about thoughtfully choosing the software that best aligns with your requirements and delivers optimal performance. A carefully curated setup ensures harmony and effectiveness, maximizing the potential of your project.
@@stupdasso Why cobble together parts from different sources when you can carefully select the best components tailored to your specific needs? Randomly ordering parts that may not work well together is not only inefficient but also an utterly misguided approach. Instead, you can rely on reputable manufacturers like Ian Canada, who are known for producing outstanding and reliable components. The same principle applies to software: it’s not about haphazardly throwing in anything you find; it’s about thoughtfully choosing the software that best aligns with your requirements and delivers optimal performance. A carefully curated setup ensures harmony and effectiveness, maximizing the potential of your project.
@@stupdasso Why cobble together parts from different sources when you can carefully select the best components tailored to your specific needs? Randomly ordering parts that may not work well together is not only inefficient but also an utterly misguided approach. Instead, you can rely on reputable manufacturers like Ian Canada, who are known for producing outstanding and reliable components. The same principle applies to software: it’s not about haphazardly throwing in anything you find; it’s about thoughtfully choosing the software that best aligns with your requirements and delivers optimal performance. A carefully curated setup ensures harmony and effectiveness, maximizing the potential of your project.
@@stupdasso Why cobble together parts from different sources when you can carefully select the best components tailored to your specific needs? Randomly ordering parts that may not work well together is not only inefficient but also an utterly misguided approach. Instead, you can rely on reputable manufacturers like Ian Canada, who are known for producing outstanding and reliable components. The same principle applies to software: it’s not about haphazardly throwing in anything you find; it’s about thoughtfully choosing the software that best aligns with your requirements and delivers optimal performance. A carefully curated setup ensures harmony and effectiveness, maximizing the potential of your project.
I use a notebook computer for flac file listening using a usb connection. I also use a galvanic isolator and a DDC each on their own usb hub and power supply.
I wouldn't use it at all. There are alternatives, however, cost is always a factor. I the "roof" is air sealed (low frequencies will pass through anyway), the risk must be lower.
@@Jorge-Fernandez-Lopez you can install bass traps - especially in the corners. Acoustic insulation material is quite different in characteristics than normal thermal insulation. One common construction methods for sound proofing rooms is to use double dry walls that are glued together with acoustic adhesive. (it's usually green in colour). Many professional studios also structurally isolate walls, ceilings or floors so that sound doesnt travel along beams and walls to neighbouring rooms and buildings. Low frequencies have a habit of moving along materials and structures over great distances. Have you seen the world's largest ever made subwoofer by the Mitsubishi? It is a 60 inch weighing about 800 kilograms The Mitsubishi subwoofer D160 built in the 1980s I think. (it can shatter glass at 100m distances - power was estimated to about 3000 watts, but it's low frequency and resonance that does a lot of damage)
@@PetraKann Soundproofing is a different topic, quite different. The corners are the worst place to put these fake velocity absorber sold as "corner corner traps". Only real diaphragmatic or Helmholtz bass traps work against walls and corners, where the velocity is null and pressure is higher. Common velocity bass traps (rock-wool, foam, fiberglass) work at a quarter wave length distance from the wall; a bass trap for 80 Hz must be very very deep and centered around 1,08 m (3,5 feet) far from the walls and corners. Good information can be found in good acoustic books, meanwhile some channels and business sell their stuff.
@Jorge-Fernandez-Lopez velocity is never "null" apart from nodal points The 80 Hz frequency you refer to will produce a wavelength of 340/80 metres (where 340 is approximately the speed of sound in air in m/s). So wavelengths of just over 4m at 80 Hz. You are suggesting that about 1/4 of the wavelength from the wall?
@@PetraKann I'm not suggesting, it's how physics works and professional studios do: 1,08 m for 80 Hz. Most "bass traps" are really medium-treble absorbers, except if these are covered with some mdf with decorative holes. Corners are a convenient place to put things; traps that do work won't sell very well in the "middle" of the room. Many domestic rooms can't have bass traps (real ones) at all, because there's no space: parametric equalization and listening position (positionall eq.) are way more effective. An example: a relatively well known and big cubic commercial "bass trap" is around 40 cm deep, therefore it will be effective in the corner from 200 Hz and higher (technically from 200 Hz up to 250 Hz it "can" be named as a "bass trap" I guess). I wish that it would work otherwise.
Excited about the books, looking forward. Question, now that I already have half a dozed Wiim Pro Plus and a few Mini’s, three are on computers, isn’t there something inexpensive I can buy and insert in the chain to help clean the noise? As a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma, I am biased to solve as far upstream as you can - what do you recommend?
Hey Paul, looking forward to the books! Just wondering if I have a NAS and send the music from their to an AirLens what would be the best input to the AirLens and then output to the DAC and from the DAC to the PreAmp? Ethernet to the AirLens, I2S to say a Stellar Gold DAC, then balanced XLR to the PreAmp and balance XLR to the amps? Thanks so much. I watch all your videos here in Hong Kong for the last 6 years or so. Thanks so much for all the great info.
My old 2010 mac mini was getting not only old but flaky so I decided to replace it. I originally got a Lumin U2 but returned it because I didn't like the way it sounded. I ended up with a mini M1 and am very happy with it's sound - better than the Lumin and old 2010 mac mini.
Noisy USB… I thought USB to be superior to spdif because of using a protocol (with error checks), “asynchronous” mode, where the receiver demands new data to be sent, where the receiving device with the best clock is captain, and where signal interface is galvanically isolated via inductive coupling, like LAN. But some say good old spdif is better and I do not get it…
🖤suspended ceiling, Paul, that's what it's called.. because it's suspended😁ask your shopfitters if they've finished the framework because it looks like it needs more hangers??
How about no streamer and no “computer”? I run streaming from an Airport Express v2 set to Airplay 1 via firmware and connect to a DAC via Toslink. Yep, it’s 16/44 lossless but, that’s fantastic. The Express is no longer turned on as a wi-fi router so it is essentially just an Airplay device from home ethernet. As Paul often says, simpler is better. Why throw in a Space Shuttle worth of complexity, the computer or a fancy streamer, when a rocket and a capsule works better and is cheaper.
I have a good record collection, good system speakers, receiver etc. But all my Digital music is in iTunes as 320kps. For my apartment.. sounds great cranked up! How about an audio book of you upcoming mentioned series of books? Cheers Paul. Merry Chistmas to you and yours.
320 kbps is the same as Spotify. Hence, you nailed it when you said cranked up. I was just wondering if your receiver has ever tried a Lossless streaming platform, and if so, did your ears feel it was worth it
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!* 🎉🏆🎉 On behalf of PS Audio you will receive a plethora of special gifts. This includes an all expenses paid trip to Toledo Ohio. Your transportation will be the front seat of a Greyhound bus, and you will be staying at a slightly refurbished B&B at The Old South End!!! 😅
how does galvanic isolation stop noise signals but permit music signals; noise and music are both perturbations in current (some think even the music is noise)
The old term for "Galvanic Isolation" is simply "electrically isolated" ... there are no electrical connections between the input stage and the output circuitry. This prevents noise on grounds, power rails, etc. from being pushed between sections. Noise on the signal itself is generally dealt with in the input stage by various means before passing it to the output stage, usually by optical or inductive coupling. In many ways it mimics the Optical cable between a TV and a DAC ... All the stray electrical garbage stays in the TV and the only noise on the DAC end is from the DAC itself ... It's not a perfect solution, but it works pretty well.
but, what is different between desired music signals and undesired noise signals such that galvanic/electrical isolation allows one to pass but not the other?
@@reasoned007 I don't know. I guess (just for fun, don't quote me on that) that "music" is pseudo-square waves bigger than noise ripples over these waves or small abscissa errors (eye pattern test). A "device" with a memory tampon "might" read, re-clock (even with synchronous transmission) a copy a cleaner (tighter eye pattern) to the DAC (less jitter).
Surprised you didn’t go for spray cell foam or wool insulation panels superior performance and won’t break down like the pink stuff but I get it it costs more I would rather the house is built right I can always upgrade the hifi later when I can afford it. If it’s worth doing do it right.
@ based on previous video and indeed the process at octave where some priorities I would expect were not done. Don’t get me wrong the listening room will probably be overhauled again in the next 5 years the focus is the product. It’s like Vegas only people like me look at the clocks they use and the lush carpet on the floor. Your eyes are looking for the star attraction Paul’s latest offering from the boffins at PS Audio. Still he is a reasonably down to earth guy with great dedication and passion which is great to see and many other operations are impossible to deal with but I have dealt with PS for a few of my things and they are genuinely there. Thanks for the reply.
Computer sources done right...stripped down and optimized for audio playback using (as an example) Foobar2000 bit perfect playback software (free & provides a free digital EQ and DSD playback) bypasses all windows audio circuitry to deliver a signal on par with many of the industry's top CD transports. Brick (switching power supplies must also be upgraded) At a fraction of what those transports cost, I consider using a computer as your source (done right ofc) is bang for the buck one of the best improvements anyone can make. Streaming is about monthly subscriptions. Streaming using your computer will yield the same quality audio of even the best streamers, although I must confess I have yet to hear the highly touted PS Audio Lens. Audiophile grade ethernet cords are also not cheap. My 2 cents but, I am a working Dj with access to an extensive library of music.
when you say “noise”, do you mean electricalhumming and things like that? I’m no audiophile so I don’t have devices set up to read how much “noise” my usb generates (surely inaudible to the human ear) but I don’t understand how electrical interference can affect the information on the recording from the source. Eg, you might have some “noise” from your usb, but how does that affect the vocals, or bass notes, or treble of a song when it comes through the dac into your amp and then through the speakers?
follow up question, when people talk about the devices they use to read the noise from a USB, like Paul mentioned, do they correlate those with the tests on in-room frequency response of speakers etc? It seems like talking about usb noise is like trying to “find a problem” to solve.
@@snakeobias Combining answers, hope you don't mind.... Noise is generally considered to be "any part of a signal that is not present in the signal's source" ... so, for example, if you hear a faint hiss from your speakers with nothing playing ... that's noise. Any other sounds such as AC hum, crackling noises, etc. are also generally considered to be noise. (I'll spare you the rant about modern music 😉) Paul is correct that a USB signal can be very noisy at times. But engineers are not generally stupid people and most know very well how to deal with most of it in their designs. In fact, once you get inside a given device you will likely be surprised by how much of it is there specifically to deal with noise, signal cleaning and DC power filtering. A couple of searches for "differential signalling" and "power rail filtering" will bring a ton of interesting reading on this point. In many cases it's not trying to find a problem to solve ... it's more like fixing a problem that's already solved for you. Modern electronics is very capable of clean, noise free, audio. For example: I use a $15.00 UGreen DAC on my desktop setup and it's completely dead silent with no signal going through. I could use a $2,000 DAC instead... but it wouldn't be any quieter. (although the music would likely sound better). I would urge you to understand that "audiophiles" are a peculiar sub-species. They are very fond of finding things to fix in their systems and entire industries exist to accept the money they will spend in their quests. The more real-world reply is "Do you hear noise?" ... "No"... "Then don't worry about it."
@ Good answer DB (if I may). So, my guess was right, the noise is nothing that affects the recording but is only noise we’d hear from poor wiring or connections in some area of the whole system. So if you can put up with a slight hum or fan noise then that’s not really affecting the music itself but just the “purity” of the signal reaching your ears. So this is what is meant by SQ, right? I always thought it meant something to do with the recording. But your last comment about audiophiles seems to prove my point. As modern equipment is already clean audio, then as you mention, it seems like the market is there for “extra” things we can buy just to draw attention to the issue. I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody makes an air purifier to place in front of the speakers to make the air cleaner for the sound waves to disperse easier. Thanks for your input! On one hand it cleared some things up that I was trying to understand, on the other it confirmed things I’d assumed.
@@Douglas_Blake noise doesn't affect digital the same way it affects analog. Noise in analog sits on top of the signal and masks it during playback. In digital, noise changes the level of ground which causes jitter effects resulting in an inaccurate decoding of the original sine wave. You don't hear the noise as a separate element, it distorts the principle sound itself, making that 'digital glare' that some people are more sensitive to than others.
@@stupdassoWhen you've heard digital distortion like over shooting of filter then you realise that you're dealing with a different monster and what you're listening for is different. It seems like people (at least looking back at myself) think analog and digital is different where they might not be, and also the same where they aren't. The Dunning Kruger effect was absolutely real for me with this one. 😆
I just want to know why TV dialog audio is so bad. I watch things like NCIS & FBI on CBS and can not understand what is being said. Old movies, the news, game shows etc come through loud and clear but not newer network TV dialog. Have we gone backwards in audio
Heres the facts, a computer can be just as good as any streamer, but extra precautions need to be made that make it cost prohibitive. Streamer for the one and done. Custom built DAC/Streamer would be the balance for those seeking perfection. A good R-pi built out with no compromises can def do some things.
If "It's not connected in any way", How is "it connected"? The only way that I can Emagin a non-galvanic connection, is through "light". AND That iS a Connection, in a way. Sorry Paul, but this one doesn't make any sense to me.
MeLE mini pc + USB galvanic isolation + Reflink usb to spdif + Naim reference DAC. PC run Audirvana direkt kernel to pass windows driver. Qobuz + Audirvana works great Sounds = 🎉🎉 flowers , organic, grear Sounds stage
A bit perfect stream is a bit perfect stream. It doesnt degrade with each copy or over time. "Jitter" happens when you plug a headphone to your 5$ internal sound card. Every decent DAC runs it´s own clock (like every CD player since 1980) and isnt affected by "jitter".
High-end isn't the same than hi-fi or high fidelity audio. Some high-end systems can sound very bad and have very bad fidelity (expensive shiny low-fi). For high fidelity audio, both kind of computers if done right. Even if I don't use it for playing music, I do need a computer to improve significantly the sound of my hi-fi system.
Had streamers. Had DAPs.
I Just have now a regular computer.
Finnaly happy whit the result.
I find a computer easier and more convenient to use instead of a streamer.
I recently bought the WIIM Ultra and it's an amazing entry level streamer for a reasonable price. It's fast and convenient to use and when i get home i can have music on in my system within 45 seconds
One thing that many ignore! Galvanic isolation passes on jitter which creates noise at the clean side of the board! It is a bit complex but the jitter creates phase noise at the receiving components. And some galvanic isolations even transmit some ac noise!
Even better if the isolation is poorly designed, it can make things worse.
I don't read where galvanic isolation does anyting but atempt to electrically isolate, nothing on jiitter reduction ect, so whilst what you state is correct, it is a bit like saying despite the ocean is salty, it's still wet. Sort of obvious. As for noise, comparitor with hysterysis = clean
In some design, sure. In a good implementation you have a FIFO buffer and a timed output generator on the clean side of the isolator. The jitter that counts is a product of that circuit and largely defined by the phase noise of the oscillator. It also depends on the connection to the DAC circuit that turns the low jitter signal into the analogue.
So if the isolation is perfect, which it is not, you are listening to the signal generated out of the FIFO buffer. Everything upstream is in a different time domain. It's only job is to deliver bit perfect digital into the buffer. Jitter upstream of the buffer can be pico seconds in the stream from the computer or decades when the signal was stored on a cd. It makes no difference to the sound. You are listening to the jitter of the signal entering the DAC circuit.
Find in audiosciencereview , galvanic isolation is must @@Roosville1
Why didn’t you use rock wool instead of that fiberglass insulation? Rock wool is sound deadening and works exceptionally well.
isn't that the stuff he tore out?
Looking forward to the boxed set. It will be a nice gift for a budding audiophile. 😊
I would get a DDC before getting an expensive component
You can use the DDC with a computer or a streamer
I usually would first blame the DAC itself for being poorly designed if it's too sensitive to noise from externally connected gear. In studios, at concerts and in many homes people use computers with no noise issues nowadays. Personally it's ages ago since I had computer noise interference but I also stick to Macs for anything audio. If you have noise issue with your DAC and you have access to another DAC, try swapping it first. Then if both (different models) can agree there is a noise issue, you need to identify where it comes from. I don't think this issue is statistically of much importance actually, but of course safest is a dedicated streamer and my other argument would just be seamless integration with ease of use. I like the one-app interface to my music. This means same add as I use to pick my music is also where I control my volume or power.
Make a whole concrete room, and you will love how solid those lower frequencies will sound.
Some of these frequencies can sound too "solid" (measured +12 dB) if the geometry of the room isn't "ideal".
@
Ok.. a solid completely round room.
A computer is a general purpose product which is good at a lot of things but never excellent for a specific task. Dedicated products always outperform general purpose stuff. Like a smartphone that can produce good pictures but a Nikon, Canon or Leica can produce excellent pictures.
Yes. But this is changing or has changed. Particularly in photography. The camera brands did not keep up with technological innovations in software and UI.
Not better just more user friendly.
Paul I ve been using an iPad Pro M1 as a streamer connected through USB to my Teac Dac (Dual Mono Burr Brown design UD501). My system is KLH Model 5 with an Atoll IN300. None of the 1000$ streamers I have tried have offered any noticeable improvement. I would love your thoughts if any on an Ipad as a source as I have not seen anywhere any reviews.
You're using the pink stuff instead of roxul?
Rockwool is much denser and better for sound insulation. I’m also surprised to see the pink stuff.
I dream of listening to my music in a cement floored, windowless room someday.
😂
I use an HP computer tower with HDMI to my Yamaha AV Receiver. I stream free Spotify and it sounds GREAT. Must be the HDMI signal that makes it sound so good Paul ????? Thanks
@0:59 -- Will any of those books cover the benefits of having your speaker's drivers be time aligned?
Or, will any of those books cover the benefits of mounting the speakers on a bedrock of sorts (or seismic platforms) to reduce the vibrations to the midrange and tweeter drivers?
I will wager that the answer is "No". I hope that I am wrong. But I doubt it.
I will wait for the boxed set with outtakes and previously unreleased tracks
My Holo Red makes a very nice, little improvement in SQ from PC USB. It's "only" about a 5% improvement, but you can absolutely tell, and 5% is probably the most you can possibly get. I give it an A+ 👍🏼
the gut from Canada uses a Mac Mini ($600). So his budget obviously is limited because he probably would use a Nucleus server for Roon ($2000). I assume his stereo system also is limited due budget restrictions. If he now would buy a $2500 Airlens streamer it not only would exceed his budget but most likely not make no difference at all.
If he has won the lottery and buy FR-30 and tak BMK600 as power amp and the big PS audio preamp.. - then… …ok if you spent 60-100000 bucks for a system so what. Otherwise I at least would test it before buying it….
As another guy from Canada with a cheap system (had a laptop running foobar into a Chord Mojo) cleaning up the source can make a massive difference. I did replace the Mojo with a Pontus II (still not crazy expensive) and got a significant boost. However, the biggest change was when I put a ddc between the laptop and the dac. The ddc provided galvanic isolation and reclocked the data stream. Took away a lot of the mid-bass glare that I was getting. Got further improvements when I replaced the laptop with a dedicated streamer.
Point is, adding the ddc ($600) made the biggest differece over the 3 upgrades that I made (The dedicated streamer was only $1,000). I've not done the comparison of laptop + ddc vs just the streamer to see if I that was the better way to go initially, but I can completely recommend a ddc if you are running a computer based source, and they are not that expensive. Would the airlense outperform my laptop + ddc, probably, but so would an Aurelia Aries or a 100 other products.
@@stupdasso Besides speakers - a story of its own.... ...I only consider hifi equipment of higher prices only as value because of their (hopefully) better built quality . Like Apple products . The case, electronic components and so on are for a longer usage without losing much quality in music reproduction over the years. If you live in an ordinary apartment / house with an ordinary power supply system NOISE and all this shi*** is a pure illusion / imagination. Sure you can measure it and visualize it. But you will never hear it. Nor cables nor nothing. As someone who studied electronics / electrotechnics I would have to give back my exam paper if I would argue in a different way...
So if you from Canada and as long as Canada still is an independent country and not taken by the TRUMP criminals and turned into the 54th or so US union state you'll absolutely good to go with a Blue Note streamer and devices on this level. But probably not for the next 20 years.... (-:
Paul, with all do respect, you're not going to replace Harley as the go to. Please consider my advice carefully and make a single complete guide in regular font. You don't need to be selling a 9 volume series like Encyclopedia Britannica.
goofiest comment ive seen on the internet all year. Ty for your service.
Please go ahead and explain how it makes sense for Paul McGowan to publish one guide at a time on a specific topic in kids' books sized font with an SACD you need to purchase separately. Now he's saying there's 8 more of those!? Holy moly! To use your limited vocabulary, sounds pretty goofy to me. You have yourself a nice day now.
If you want true isolation between components. Use an optical USB or HDMI cable. Or even Toslink optical.
Dude, how I do it is to take HDMI from the computer into my Ranhee multi channel dac then take HDMI out the dac into the monitor. The dac has two spare HDMI inputs as well as cots, toslink, Bluetooth, USB, and RCA auxiliary. It will decode DTS as well as told Digital and DSD and flack and all sorts of others. It is pin silent. I take the audio out of the main front left and right into my QUAD 44 which then feeds 2 QUAD 405s my rear channels go into a less powerful Sony integrated amp and the centre channel is Extron 200 watt mono which palace are home-made speaker. This has its own preamp which is another quad 44. There is an active subbase.
My speakers are B&W matrix threes. The sound is phenomenal my brother who is very critical said that if I’d spent over £20,000 on it it would not sound any better to be fair. I have changed a lot of hams in the quads simply because technology has improved and they are much quieter than they were when they were new Overall when it is on and the volume is at 12 which is halfway you can’t hear it. the separation is discreet. I always use money from dark side of the moon as a test as well as a surround DTS test recording anyway that’s my penny’s worth good luck with yours.
I don’t think the answer is so clear. There’s a significant difference between an off-the-shelf computer and one put together specifically for a dedicated purpose. Raspberry Pis for example offer incredible flexibility, enabling you to create a bespoke setup for your exact requirements without major compromises. With an extensive range of hats and add-ons-including ultracapacitor power supplies, DACs, reclockers, HDMI hats, tiny displays, and more-you can build a highly customized streaming solution.
While I understand Paul’s enthusiasm for promoting PS Audio’s proprietary streamer and highlighting its features as essential for high-quality listening, the answer isn’t that straightforward. In my opinion, a home-brewed streamer can easily rival-or even surpass-many commercial options, precisely because it’s tailored to your specific use case and needs.
A streamer typically is a raspberry pi (single board computer, not necessarily an actual pi) purpose built for audio. Can you do better cobbling parts together from different sources? Maybe - certainly cheaper, but you're still dependent on what someone else made and their level of expertise. A streamer is built for the specific need in question, figuring out ways to combat the issues Paul was talking about here, same as the 'hat' manufacturers are trying to do. I had a pi and was looking at adding an audio grade hat, but had a lot of trouble actually finding any in stock. Finally bought a streamer and now the pi will become a retro arcade machine.
@@stupdasso Why cobble together parts from different sources when you can carefully select the best components tailored to your specific needs? Randomly ordering parts that may not work well together is not only inefficient but also an utterly misguided approach. Instead, you can rely on reputable manufacturers like Ian Canada, who are known for producing outstanding and reliable components. The same principle applies to software: it’s not about haphazardly throwing in anything you find; it’s about thoughtfully choosing the software that best aligns with your requirements and delivers optimal performance. A carefully curated setup ensures harmony and effectiveness, maximizing the potential of your project.
@@stupdasso Why cobble together parts from different sources when you can carefully select the best components tailored to your specific needs? Randomly ordering parts that may not work well together is not only inefficient but also an utterly misguided approach. Instead, you can rely on reputable manufacturers like Ian Canada, who are known for producing outstanding and reliable components. The same principle applies to software: it’s not about haphazardly throwing in anything you find; it’s about thoughtfully choosing the software that best aligns with your requirements and delivers optimal performance. A carefully curated setup ensures harmony and effectiveness, maximizing the potential of your project.
@@stupdasso
Why cobble together parts from different sources when you can carefully select the best components tailored to your specific needs? Randomly ordering parts that may not work well together is not only inefficient but also an utterly misguided approach. Instead, you can rely on reputable manufacturers like Ian Canada, who are known for producing outstanding and reliable components. The same principle applies to software: it’s not about haphazardly throwing in anything you find; it’s about thoughtfully choosing the software that best aligns with your requirements and delivers optimal performance. A carefully curated setup ensures harmony and effectiveness, maximizing the potential of your project.
@@stupdasso
Why cobble together parts from different sources when you can carefully select the best components tailored to your specific needs? Randomly ordering parts that may not work well together is not only inefficient but also an utterly misguided approach. Instead, you can rely on reputable manufacturers like Ian Canada, who are known for producing outstanding and reliable components. The same principle applies to software: it’s not about haphazardly throwing in anything you find; it’s about thoughtfully choosing the software that best aligns with your requirements and delivers optimal performance. A carefully curated setup ensures harmony and effectiveness, maximizing the potential of your project.
I would like to know the measurements of that room.
Looks a bit narrow for the FR 30's.
@@fasteddie2413 Will probably be their bookshelf speaker room.
@@danmarjenka6361 Good point.
Didn’t you say Paul that you wouldn’t do a drop ceiling in there? And now you are doing a drop ceiling!
...but very good insulated. 😊
And using acoustic tile
You are assuming thats not what was already there. Probably haven't installed it yet.
I use a notebook computer for flac file listening using a usb connection. I also use a galvanic isolator and a DDC each on their own usb hub and power supply.
Paul, don't breath in too much of that insulation fiber
I wouldn't use it at all. There are alternatives, however, cost is always a factor. I the "roof" is air sealed (low frequencies will pass through anyway), the risk must be lower.
@@Jorge-Fernandez-Lopez you can install bass traps - especially in the corners.
Acoustic insulation material is quite different in characteristics than normal thermal insulation.
One common construction methods for sound proofing rooms is to use double dry walls that are glued together with acoustic adhesive. (it's usually green in colour).
Many professional studios also structurally isolate walls, ceilings or floors so that sound doesnt travel along beams and walls to neighbouring rooms and buildings. Low frequencies have a habit of moving along materials and structures over great distances.
Have you seen the world's largest ever made subwoofer by the Mitsubishi? It is a 60 inch weighing about 800 kilograms
The Mitsubishi subwoofer D160 built in the 1980s I think. (it can shatter glass at 100m distances - power was estimated to about 3000 watts, but it's low frequency and resonance that does a lot of damage)
@@PetraKann Soundproofing is a different topic, quite different. The corners are the worst place to put these fake velocity absorber sold as "corner corner traps". Only real diaphragmatic or Helmholtz bass traps work against walls and corners, where the velocity is null and pressure is higher. Common velocity bass traps (rock-wool, foam, fiberglass) work at a quarter wave length distance from the wall; a bass trap for 80 Hz must be very very deep and centered around 1,08 m (3,5 feet) far from the walls and corners. Good information can be found in good acoustic books, meanwhile some channels and business sell their stuff.
@Jorge-Fernandez-Lopez velocity is never "null" apart from nodal points
The 80 Hz frequency you refer to will produce a wavelength of 340/80 metres (where 340 is approximately the speed of sound in air in m/s).
So wavelengths of just over 4m at 80 Hz.
You are suggesting that about 1/4 of the wavelength from the wall?
@@PetraKann I'm not suggesting, it's how physics works and professional studios do: 1,08 m for 80 Hz. Most "bass traps" are really medium-treble absorbers, except if these are covered with some mdf with decorative holes. Corners are a convenient place to put things; traps that do work won't sell very well in the "middle" of the room. Many domestic rooms can't have bass traps (real ones) at all, because there's no space: parametric equalization and listening position (positionall eq.) are way more effective. An example: a relatively well known and big cubic commercial "bass trap" is around 40 cm deep, therefore it will be effective in the corner from 200 Hz and higher (technically from 200 Hz up to 250 Hz it "can" be named as a "bass trap" I guess). I wish that it would work otherwise.
Excited about the books, looking forward. Question, now that I already have half a dozed Wiim Pro Plus and a few Mini’s, three are on computers, isn’t there something inexpensive I can buy and insert in the chain to help clean the noise? As a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma, I am biased to solve as far upstream as you can - what do you recommend?
Hey Paul, looking forward to the books! Just wondering if I have a NAS and send the music from their to an AirLens what would be the best input to the AirLens and then output to the DAC and from the DAC to the PreAmp? Ethernet to the AirLens, I2S to say a Stellar Gold DAC, then balanced XLR to the PreAmp and balance XLR to the amps? Thanks so much. I watch all your videos here in Hong Kong for the last 6 years or so. Thanks so much for all the great info.
*Dear Paul, I would like the printed books set 🙂 and kindle version too*
My old 2010 mac mini was getting not only old but flaky so I decided to replace it. I originally got a Lumin U2 but returned it because I didn't like the way it sounded. I ended up with a mini M1 and am very happy with it's sound - better than the Lumin and old 2010 mac mini.
That Series will be a great !!
can you release it also as audio book in your voice?
Wouldn't a USB to toslink optical interface provide you with the galvanic isolation? Don't most DACs have optical inputs?
Do you know anything about when those books will be out? Just curious so I can keep it in mind. But I guess you'll mention it here anyway =)
Noisy USB… I thought USB to be superior to spdif because of using a protocol (with error checks), “asynchronous” mode, where the receiver demands new data to be sent, where the receiving device with the best clock is captain, and where signal interface is galvanically isolated via inductive coupling, like LAN. But some say good old spdif is better and I do not get it…
🖤suspended ceiling, Paul, that's what it's called.. because it's suspended😁ask your shopfitters if they've finished the framework because it looks like it needs more hangers??
Seems what is important is using a linear power supply.
😇👍 Thanks Paul, you give always a very clear explanation! 🙏
How about no streamer and no “computer”? I run streaming from an Airport Express v2 set to Airplay 1 via firmware and connect to a DAC via Toslink. Yep, it’s 16/44 lossless but, that’s fantastic.
The Express is no longer turned on as a wi-fi router so it is essentially just an Airplay device from home ethernet.
As Paul often says, simpler is better. Why throw in a Space Shuttle worth of complexity, the computer or a fancy streamer, when a rocket and a capsule works better and is cheaper.
Toslink is limited to 96klps.
Why not just use a DAP instead of a computer?
I have a good record collection, good system speakers, receiver etc. But all my Digital music is in iTunes as 320kps. For my apartment.. sounds great cranked up!
How about an audio book of you upcoming mentioned series of books?
Cheers Paul. Merry Chistmas to you and yours.
320 kbps is the same as Spotify. Hence, you nailed it when you said cranked up.
I was just wondering if your receiver has ever tried a Lossless streaming platform, and if so, did your ears feel it was worth it
@@Antibackgroundnoise I don't stream from my home theater for music at all. All my 1000's of albums, songs, are all on external hard drives.
FIRST! You should have showed the construction!
Congratulations!!! 🍒🌽🍋
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!*
🎉🏆🎉
On behalf of PS Audio you will receive a plethora of special gifts. This includes an all expenses paid trip to Toledo Ohio.
Your transportation will be the front seat of a Greyhound bus, and you will be staying at a slightly refurbished B&B at The Old South End!!! 😅
I use a computer the price was right (free) and gives me access to my local files also.
how does galvanic isolation stop noise signals but permit music signals; noise and music are both perturbations in current (some think even the music is noise)
The old term for "Galvanic Isolation" is simply "electrically isolated" ... there are no electrical connections between the input stage and the output circuitry. This prevents noise on grounds, power rails, etc. from being pushed between sections. Noise on the signal itself is generally dealt with in the input stage by various means before passing it to the output stage, usually by optical or inductive coupling.
In many ways it mimics the Optical cable between a TV and a DAC ... All the stray electrical garbage stays in the TV and the only noise on the DAC end is from the DAC itself ... It's not a perfect solution, but it works pretty well.
The quality of the source will still be passed through, regardless of isolation
but, what is different between desired music signals and undesired noise signals such that galvanic/electrical isolation allows one to pass but not the other?
@@reasoned007 I don't know. I guess (just for fun, don't quote me on that) that "music" is pseudo-square waves bigger than noise ripples over these waves or small abscissa errors (eye pattern test). A "device" with a memory tampon "might" read, re-clock (even with synchronous transmission) a copy a cleaner (tighter eye pattern) to the DAC (less jitter).
@@reasoned007
Do a search for "Common Mode Rejection" and "Differential Signalling" the answers you seek are there.
Surprised you didn’t go for spray cell foam or wool insulation panels superior performance and won’t break down like the pink stuff but I get it it costs more I would rather the house is built right I can always upgrade the hifi later when I can afford it. If it’s worth doing do it right.
How do you know he didn't? The walls are already buttoned up. Looks like that is the stuff that came OUT of them.
@ based on previous video and indeed the process at octave where some priorities I would expect were not done. Don’t get me wrong the listening room will probably be overhauled again in the next 5 years the focus is the product. It’s like Vegas only people like me look at the clocks they use and the lush carpet on the floor. Your eyes are looking for the star attraction Paul’s latest offering from the boffins at PS Audio. Still he is a reasonably down to earth guy with great dedication and passion which is great to see and many other operations are impossible to deal with but I have dealt with PS for a few of my things and they are genuinely there. Thanks for the reply.
Computer sources done right...stripped down and optimized for audio playback using (as an example) Foobar2000 bit perfect playback software (free & provides a free digital EQ and DSD playback) bypasses all windows audio circuitry to deliver a signal on par with many of the industry's top CD transports. Brick (switching power supplies must also be upgraded) At a fraction of what those transports cost, I consider using a computer as your source (done right ofc) is bang for the buck one of the best improvements anyone can make. Streaming is about monthly subscriptions. Streaming using your computer will yield the same quality audio of even the best streamers, although I must confess I have yet to hear the highly touted PS Audio Lens. Audiophile grade ethernet cords are also not cheap. My 2 cents but, I am a working Dj with access to an extensive library of music.
@2:14 -- Commercial ends.
when you say “noise”, do you mean electricalhumming and things like that?
I’m no audiophile so I don’t have devices set up to read how much “noise” my usb generates (surely inaudible to the human ear) but I don’t understand how electrical interference can affect the information on the recording from the source. Eg, you might have some “noise” from your usb, but how does that affect the vocals, or bass notes, or treble of a song when it comes through the dac into your amp and then through the speakers?
follow up question, when people talk about the devices they use to read the noise from a USB, like Paul mentioned, do they correlate those with the tests on in-room frequency response of speakers etc? It seems like talking about usb noise is like trying to “find a problem” to solve.
@@snakeobias
Combining answers, hope you don't mind....
Noise is generally considered to be "any part of a signal that is not present in the signal's source" ... so, for example, if you hear a faint hiss from your speakers with nothing playing ... that's noise. Any other sounds such as AC hum, crackling noises, etc. are also generally considered to be noise. (I'll spare you the rant about modern music 😉)
Paul is correct that a USB signal can be very noisy at times. But engineers are not generally stupid people and most know very well how to deal with most of it in their designs. In fact, once you get inside a given device you will likely be surprised by how much of it is there specifically to deal with noise, signal cleaning and DC power filtering. A couple of searches for "differential signalling" and "power rail filtering" will bring a ton of interesting reading on this point.
In many cases it's not trying to find a problem to solve ... it's more like fixing a problem that's already solved for you. Modern electronics is very capable of clean, noise free, audio. For example: I use a $15.00 UGreen DAC on my desktop setup and it's completely dead silent with no signal going through. I could use a $2,000 DAC instead... but it wouldn't be any quieter. (although the music would likely sound better).
I would urge you to understand that "audiophiles" are a peculiar sub-species. They are very fond of finding things to fix in their systems and entire industries exist to accept the money they will spend in their quests. The more real-world reply is "Do you hear noise?" ... "No"... "Then don't worry about it."
@ Good answer DB (if I may).
So, my guess was right, the noise is nothing that affects the recording but is only noise we’d hear from poor wiring or connections in some area of the whole system.
So if you can put up with a slight hum or fan noise then that’s not really affecting the music itself but just the “purity” of the signal reaching your ears. So this is what is meant by SQ, right? I always thought it meant something to do with the recording.
But your last comment about audiophiles seems to prove my point. As modern equipment is already clean audio, then as you mention, it seems like the market is there for “extra” things we can buy just to draw attention to the issue.
I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody makes an air purifier to place in front of the speakers to make the air cleaner for the sound waves to disperse easier.
Thanks for your input! On one hand it cleared some things up that I was trying to understand, on the other it confirmed things I’d assumed.
@@Douglas_Blake noise doesn't affect digital the same way it affects analog. Noise in analog sits on top of the signal and masks it during playback. In digital, noise changes the level of ground which causes jitter effects resulting in an inaccurate decoding of the original sine wave. You don't hear the noise as a separate element, it distorts the principle sound itself, making that 'digital glare' that some people are more sensitive to than others.
@@stupdassoWhen you've heard digital distortion like over shooting of filter then you realise that you're dealing with a different monster and what you're listening for is different. It seems like people (at least looking back at myself) think analog and digital is different where they might not be, and also the same where they aren't. The Dunning Kruger effect was absolutely real for me with this one. 😆
🖤I'm fairly certain most streamers are starting to wake up that they've been duped.. on music choices and running costs..🥴🙄
the forbidden cotton candy... yum
My DAC is connected to USB C from my computer , I can no hear any noise . I'm 57 years old boy . Should I be worry ?
usually you can't directly hear the noise(very high frequency ), but I'll influence Dac.
I just want to know why TV dialog audio is so bad. I watch things like NCIS & FBI on CBS and can not understand what is being said. Old movies, the news, game shows etc come through loud and clear but not newer network TV dialog. Have we gone backwards in audio
Too much low-pass/noise reduction.
@@ParbhdeepSingh at what point, the broadcast or at my equipment?
@@Jabpancho-om9sd Broadcast.
small room for big system
Heres the facts, a computer can be just as good as any streamer, but extra precautions need to be made that make it cost prohibitive. Streamer for the one and done. Custom built DAC/Streamer would be the balance for those seeking perfection. A good R-pi built out with no compromises can def do some things.
Exactly.
If "It's not connected in any way", How is "it connected"? The only way that I can Emagin a non-galvanic connection, is through "light". AND That iS a Connection, in a way. Sorry Paul, but this one doesn't make any sense to me.
MeLE mini pc + USB galvanic isolation + Reflink usb to spdif + Naim reference DAC. PC run Audirvana direkt kernel to pass windows driver. Qobuz + Audirvana works great
Sounds = 🎉🎉 flowers , organic, grear Sounds stage
The proportion of shameless plugs to useful information on this channel is becoming comical. I think I'm done here.
It’s a PS Audio channel. What do you expect? Of course they will promote their products.
I think your room would benefit from putting MDF over the plaster. You need mass , and plaster has a terrible soundsignature.
A bit perfect stream is a bit perfect stream. It doesnt degrade with each copy or over time. "Jitter" happens when you plug a headphone to your 5$ internal sound card. Every decent DAC runs it´s own clock (like every CD player since 1980) and isnt affected by "jitter".
Streamer or computer🤔? In high-end? Neither🥳
High-end isn't the same than hi-fi or high fidelity audio. Some high-end systems can sound very bad and have very bad fidelity (expensive shiny low-fi). For high fidelity audio, both kind of computers if done right. Even if I don't use it for playing music, I do need a computer to improve significantly the sound of my hi-fi system.