CD-3400/Audio Alchemy DAC

madmax

Wow.


So this is what a $25000 transport/dac sounds like. If I had any clue I would have taken out a second mortgage years ago.


More to come after I get myself off the floor. George, are you sure you want to let this system go? Too bad if you don't because it will not leave my hands until I find something better.

The first CD I played was Tom Petty Wild Flowers. Within 20 seconds I realized I had never heard this sound before.

Seriously, I am totally floored by the presentation. The articles I read was not a load of **** like I thought they might be. Let me say some things were better with the old system but the sounds don't compare. So this is what they are talking about when they say "air". I had no idea. You can't tell me any Sony ES player gives you this?? My $1200 tube Luxman and DV47Ai Pioneer Elite deck don't even approach this. !!

Lets just say I'm happy.

There were problems with the power connector and such but basically it doesn't matter. I have heard things tonight that I didn't think were possible from my system.

This was the missing link between my present system and total enjoyment!!!

Thanks!
madmax

F1nut

Hey Chuck,

Looking forward to more from you about your new set up. FWIW, I felt as though the Sony XA777ES had "air."

George Grand

Pretty spiffy ain't it? Just keep telling yourself that it's not tubes, and it's not vinyl. Then maybe you won't make me howl with laughter again trying to convince me to go tube/vinyl. If I wanted a undefeatable tone control, I'd buy tubes. I don't. If I wanted surface noise, limited channel separation and no dynamic range, I'd use vinyl. I don't. The tube Luxman won't give you that, because it's TUBES. As far as Pioneer Elite, why would somebody buy Pioneer ANYTHING?

The power cord goes in and you FEEL the faintest little "clunk" when it grabs just so.

Now all you need is a real pair of speakers Chuckles. Don't look here.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. The Bros. McG. who were on this forum before I got here, said that you could get a little more "chutzpah" out of the low end if you went from the Audio Alchemy Power Station 1 up to the Power Station 2. I think that was an artifact of having only the 15" or 12" passive radiator in the big Polk SDA's they were using. There was never any shortage of balls or low end on the Amazing's. You'll have that with eight, ACTIVE 12" woofers getting driven by 2 kilowatts of power.

In all honesty, you got that little combo because THESE ears don't "deserve" it anymore. After 25 years of aerial refueling tankers, I have almost nothing above 4,000 cycles left in either ear. Shame, cause the rest of me isn't in bad shape (Wendi!!!).
I had to take the new U.S. Air Force mandated physical fitness test yesterday. Stair stepping, sit-ups, push-ups. Sit-ups gauge mobility and strength, stairs are the cardio-vascular ****, and push-ups are strength only. They entered my data or performance into the computer. The result was that I am performing at the level of a perfectly fit 26 year old man. I turned 51 two weeks ago. I could've gotten that down to about a 20 year old, but on push-up number 40, I misjudged the distance between the end of my cigarette and the floor, and got burning tobacco embers in my eyes, so I stopped there.

Have fun.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

Jstas

Can I say I told you so now?

George Grand

Fireball John,

Yup. Loudly too the way I see it.

George

madmax

Well I certainly am enjoying it. And guess what, it snowed about 5 inches today so I may be stuck here to enjoy it ALL day! Actually I'll probably still go to work later but it's fun to dream. BTW, the Luxman I mentioned was a CD player as well as the Pioneer. I still have my Jolida tube amp to power my system. After I get real used to the sound with the Jolida I'll try the big boy amps again. (a pair of Carver Silver 9t's, 1000W per channel). I've been wanting to try them again since getting into the vinyl as well. I may have to upgrade my cartridge to keep up with this new CD setup. One thing I read in the Stereophile articles was that possibly they liked the sound so well because the frequency response matched up very well to their favorite cartridge. I too notice a different freq response than any of the other components I have. I'm anxious to try the DAC with my other players as well.

What a fun thing, this audio stuff!

Thanks again George,

madmax

hoosier21

Is it the RS transport or the DAC that sound so good?

George Grand

It's the combination of the two, and the fact that there's no vinyl involved.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

madmax

I thought of a good way to explain the difference in sound.

Normally my system sounds very good to me. There are however a few clues that tell me I'm listening to recorded music. Some of these "clues" go away after drinking one (only one) beer making the presentation totally enjoyable. Obviously more than one beer impairs your ability to tell what sounds good or bad and all the clues go away at which point almost anything can sound good (or bad). Putting this new transport/DAC in place of my previous CD players made it sound as if I had already had the one beer. That is quite a difference. Obviously the whole system has to work together to make this happen. I think it is!

madmax

weavercr

MadMax I am glad that you are now in the digital club that CDs sound Better than Vinyl. I agree with George, digital no vinyl here at my mancave.

dcarlson

I'm a little out of the loop here.

So, what's the true cost on the Transport and DAC?

Emlyn

Isn't this the Radioshack Optimus CD-3400 portable CD player from the mid-1990s that a writer for Stereophile wrote a glowing review of? I remember that the player's audiophile virtues were largely debunked shortly after the article was written, with the general consensus being that it was very good for a portable player but didn't compete well as a CD transport.

However, if it sounds great for a couple hundred bucks, I say rock on! I wish I had one to try.

madmax

Originally posted by weavercr
MadMax I am glad that you are now in the digital club that CDs sound Better than Vinyl. I agree with George, digital no vinyl here at my mancave.

I don't believe I said that...

George Grand

I BELIEVE you inferred it. Your vinyl doesn't sound "real" until you have undergone liquid alterations. The digital combo sounds real when your straight. You said it, not me.

Emlyn,

The one and same machine. Several noted audio designers gave it incredible reviews. Then several noted reviewers (credentials being?) with obvious umbilical cord type ties (advertising $) to big name "audiophile" designers debunked it. Those would be the same reviewers and magazines that didn't take to Polk until, oh, about two or three weeks ago (read dwindling subscription levels). In fact, one magazine, Stereophile, stated that they couldn't believe that Polk would offer such a "compromised" sounding product at the $1,000/pair price point (the RTA 11t's).

It's all $.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

madmax

Huh?
I believe I said "my system" which I was refering to the Luxman CD, Jolida amp and SDA's. Sorry, didn't mean to infer anything. No matter though, It is apples to oranges. Anyone ever sat around and debated whether the apple was a nice orange color? Lets put it in perspective here:


LP advantages:
Great tone
A certain smoothness
Great depth (although the SDA's put an end to that)
Air (as I understand it)
Full bodied sound
Liveliness


CD advantages:
Superior dynamics
Quiet
convienience
Entry level price depending on your level*
More software

*A $50 cd can be much better than a $1000 turntable however after you reach some point things change radically.



As you enjoy the different characteristics one sounds better than the other. For example if you are getting off on dynamics this week then the CD's are going to "sound better". If you are getting off on the tone then the LP is going to "sound better". To go a step further the material you play accents one or the other format as well. Lets move to the next level here, they both have their place and each excels differently. So which sounds better to me? Silly question as far as I'm concerned.

Is a Corvette better than a Blazer? Depends on if it is snowing or not...

madmax

madmax

A short update:

Using the AA DAC with my luxman brings it up maybe 50%. Still, the CD-3400 still has a definite edge. Funny, with some CD's there is a big improvement with the '3400, others show only the slightest improvement. The '3400 sure is finicky about which discs it plays but thats ok, the ones that play well really play well!!! I wish I had a better understanding of what is going on here. Another thing I notice is that if I sit the '3400 on top of a flimsy case of another component is sounds awesome but if I sit it on something very solid some of the glorious sounds disappear. Weird!
madmax

George Grand

Are you saying there are discs that it will not read at all? THAT was not an occurance around here Cisco. It played EVERYTHING.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

danger boy

i may not know what a $25000 transport/DAC sounds like.. but i do know what my tube DAC sounds like. and it is amazing rich, clean and clear..

I highly suggest if you are not happy with your digital sound from your CD"s you check into a external DAC. I will never listen to CD's in my home without one. it's that much better. make sure it's a tube DAC.. because you can change the musical signature of it's output with different tubes. which you can't with a ss one.

have fun. al the pal

madmax

Originally posted by George Grand
Are you saying there are discs that it will not read at all? THAT was not an occurance around here Cisco. It played EVERYTHING.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

I've only tried about 20 discs so far. Out of that it wouldn't play a few. On one that wouldn't play I tapped the top of the case a few times and it started. It is also very touchy. If I touch the unit while playing it messes up. Probably just the act of moving it around maybe changed the dampning material around the drive a little or something? I am not unhappy with it in any case. Possibly after it sits around a while and gets more use here it will settle back down. After all, it IS 10 years old and was probably designed for a 3-5 year life expectancy. I'd love to sit around and chat for a while but I have music to listen to!
madmax