HDMI connections for stereo listening...

nooshinjohn
nooshinjohn Posts: 25,411
edited January 2022 in 2 Channel Audio
In my experiment with downsizing from my Pass Labs stack to the Arcam AVR 30, I have been using HDMI connections exclusively for transmitting audio signal from my computer to the AVR. What I have found is that sonically, I feel they have performed much better than I expected. I have upgraded from basic HDMI cables to those made by Audioquest, and the higher up the food chain you go within their line of the better the audio quality is.

This afternoon my plan is to pick up a new cable and give it a spin. So far I am finding that eliminating all of that extra gear from my system has led to an improvement in the sound. I’m not certain as to why that is because the Pass X0.2 was an amazing performer in my rig. My thoughts are that perhaps all of those extra cables and components in my setup for a signal to travel may have been adding to or coloring the sound in a way that was not seen until I removed it all from the path...
The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
Post edited by nooshinjohn on

Comments

  • stangman67
    stangman67 Posts: 2,289
    Maybe, or maybe you want it to sound better to justify the big changes you are making. Not knowing exactly how complicated your stereo was, I can't see a pre/pro (albeit a high end one) out dueling the caliber of equipment you had in the path before
    2 Channel in my home attic/bar/man cave

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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,411
    edited January 2022
    stangman67 wrote: »
    Maybe, or maybe you want it to sound better to justify the big changes you are making. Not knowing exactly how complicated your stereo was, I can't see a pre/pro (albeit a high end one) out dueling the caliber of equipment you had in the path before

    I thought that, but others have heard it as well... Could be that synergy thing. I have easily eliminated more than 100 feet of un-needed wires alone. I also think the DAC sections of the Arcam are superior to those of the 8 year old PS Audio PerfectWave MkII that my signal used to pass through. Now it goes straight to the Arcam from the server.
    Post edited by nooshinjohn on
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson