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High Definition Audio: Audio Market

In the last episode we saw how to use an appropriate media player allows you to have a digital source of all respect.
In addition, we could say that, with high definition audio, the source is divided into two parts, one part in a fully digital and analog.

The digital source requires an HD screen, big or small, but larger than the classic display of a CD player. It must take into account that usually the music will be organized in a directory tree similar to files on a PC. With the media player, therefore, we must then support the TV monitor. In Alternatively, the modern notebook is quiet enough to be included in a hi-fi, always a fan that does not begin suddenly, or it comes to HTPC.
In the absence of this, the wi-fi allows you to access shared files on a computer or NAS located in a room away from the listening position. I would add that the tests I've done, the transfer rate of a wi-fi "G" is more than enough to ensure a continuous flow of data to the media center; certainly a network "N" is better from all points of view. I also noticed how clients wi-fi "NO" to behave better than the client "G" in G networks, but should do the appropriate tests, but for now they are feeling.
Alternatively you can use a pair of ethernet adapters-mains.

The analog source is the DAC itself, capable of generating an analog signal in front of a synchronous digital input in practice what is downstream of classical or even coaxial or Toslink AES / EBU.

hi-fi The market is still moving. Within the wi-fi media player available rather expensive, but are independent of the PC.
I recently found a nice DAC Cambridge Audio, the DacMagic that the latest version is packed with digital connectivity and features that rivals much more expensive units. Certainly it is unlikely that Convenga change the DAC to those who already have, especially if of high birth, I still take it into consideration, if only for connectivity, for direct input from USB, and the lights that indicate the type of stream input :-). The presence of balanced outputs is a major plus for those with pre corresponding revenue.
The "limit", limit if you can talk, is the entrance to 96 Khz to 192 Khz instead, as failure to set the standard DVD-Audio. The current fashion

provides small drives attached directly to a USB port on your computer. I find a solution that will almost certainly add to the low quality aesthetics and ergonomics very questionable. The ideal would be media server, but now almost all are designed for video applications, where the audio is very neglected. If nothing else, the latest generation video standards include the audio up to 24/192, then the side effect most of the media player should be sent to the digital HD Audio LPCM, the audio is converted to analog HD through the stereo outputs, with the ultimate solution, however we must be content with an internal DAC certainly not high level, thus inherently inconsistent with the purposes that should have the HD audio.

The only media player does not explicitly mid-high range and which have come to know what the range is Sonos, which, however, lacks the essential requirement to support high-definition audio.

But then there is a universal player? In theory, yes, and good old PC. For example, a simple laptop with Intel High Definition Audio chipset supports virtually any audio and video source. The problem is obviously in the process of conversion, as the PC environment is so constructed electrically very noisy and not equipped with first class components and circuitry, as would be required in the audiophile field (otherwise the HD stream, what should we ?).

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High Definition: New Hardware

In the previous installment I described the first trials with the first high definition file found on the Internet.

I felt the need to buy a new "source" because the media player which I used only has Toslink optical digital output, which I occupied the only optical input of the DAC, formerly occupied by the CD player.
In this way I could not listen to the CD, or purchase a new mechanism with coaxial output, or a new media player with the same output.

The choice fell on Netgear EVA9100, a media player on the card very complete and sufficiently recent, that he had the fateful coaxial digital output. The EVA9100
externally is very well done, gives the feeling of strength, good materials and attention to detail. At the practical test is fairly complete, although the interface is suffering a bit 'of the will at all costs to be used by anyone, even by those who should keep away from these objects.
Ultimately, the price super price I found online that finally convinced me ;-). Also with Netgear I was always good, especially for updates. About firmware updates, as well as punctuality guaranteed by the support of a large media company, there's a downside: once the product has been replaced by the next most advanced product, support firmware is decreasing rapidly to zero .

I connected to the DAC through the EVA a cable RG59 type of all4u double shielded by 5 meters (!). It took a long cable so that the EVA ended up in the cabinet of the tv and not in the hi-fi, however, since the EVA is primarily for the video. This cable has nothing special, except the length and double screened OFC more to the center conductor. My main concern is that not coming to the proper signal to the DAC, but apparently everything works up to 192 kHz.
Regarding the jitter, ie the time axis distortion of digital samples, I think the MF A3/24 DAC has a buffered input and make reclocking data, so do not be afraid. The files come
EVA via wi-fi. The adapter will have to buy separately. This is a really bad choice by Netgear as the EVA9150, released months before 9100 and that only the internal HD in addition, has integrated wi-fi. These are the typical savings on production costs that are not worth the savings they provide.
The EVA supports FLAC files, so you must convert them to wav advance, though for now I suspect that it is better to convert them.

The sound is excellent. With high-definition audio seems to have another system, and indeed another room!

In the next episode we'll see how we can further improve the system because of what the market currently offers.

PS: I unfortunately happened on several occasions that there is any problem with the EVA and files bit/88 to 24 kHz. After a few seconds of playback, the sound is suddenly disturbed by brownouts, as if loss of data. No problem with the old Trexstor. I contacted Netgear support, we will see what combination.
Meanwhile, I heard a new HD disc that I bought (24/88) for piano by Trexstor and optical digital input: Very good. Finished listening, I tried again the EVA via coaxial ... I thought enormously better! Unfortunately, the lack of disturbance persists, then I could not go more than two dozen seconds of music.

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The last secrets of the Earth

is the last of the explorers. Definitely one of the greatest travelers of the myth of this century and the previous one. A Ulysses, in spite of seventy years, has not yet dropped anchor. Why, he says, "there is still much to discover." Tim Severin has begun to dream as a child. A twenty-year-old student at Oxford, took the bag: riding a Norton provides gas to China from Venice along the route of Marco Polo. Then, read the "Navigatio Sancti Brendani" written by Brendan, the Irish monaco V-VI century who has traveled seven years at sea in search of Paradise, and traces the company: with a boat built with the techniques of 1500 years ago. Not satisfied, recreates the myth of Jason and the search of the Golden Fleece, sailing on a boat-clone of the Bronze Age, and young lost Odysseus to Ithaca. Again, set sail from Muscat, Oman to China on a ship en route to Arab Sindbad the Sailor.

Her life becomes one with the legend. Follows in the footsteps of the first crusade to Jerusalem, faces the Pacific on a raft to prove that the Chinese have achieved America before Columbus, riding in the Mongolian steppes in search of the tomb of Genghis Khan. Pursues even the fins of Moby Dick, Melville's albino sperm whale, and found it really existed. Notes, filming everything: his books and documentaries are stealing all awards, including the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society.

Travel, in truth, always look backwards. "I began my adventures in time when it was little left to explore on Earth. I guessed, however, that there must be a new dimension: the connection between history, geography and myth. With this fourth dimension I was able to take a step back in time and geographical space, becoming a traveler over time, "he says.

Severin, who now lives in the Irish countryside of Timoleague, said that his was an escalation. "Having spent a good part of my life to gather information on the legends of great trips, I decided it was time to get involved."

this point, and also the secret. "I think there is still much to discover. Those who set out to turn the pages of an atlas, it must do everything to satisfy his curiosity. And if his research does not find answers to the question that was posed in the beginning, then he must leave. And from here begins the journey. The important thing, though, if you decide to travel, you do so with an idea research. Only then can you achieve personal discoveries. "

remains to be seen if there is still something to be discovered. Last Ulysses believes so. "The immense depth of the oceans, for example, about which we know even less of what we know of the moon. Or, the heart of the Amazon rainforest: hiding under the leaves of its trees? And yet, the basement: with modern technology you can start exploring new observations, looking for traces of ancient civilizations and archeology traditional would never have come to light. Today you can still make fundamental discoveries, such as that of the tomb of Tutankhamun. "

it is an invitation to dream. "If I had twenty years that I'd do it again? Meanwhile, do not exclude that one day, maybe I will venture on a new journey. That said, if I had to start over, choose one of the many unsolved mysteries. We do not know, for example, in pre-Columbian times there had been contacts between the Americas and China across the Pacific Ocean. "

Had twenty years now, however, would have seen a lot. "Young people today have seen a lot, but not all the wonders of the world. The risk is that you travel in search of that glory may be disappointed: the TV screens only show us more the best part of things. "

Needless to say that his "fire" has not yet turned off. "Actually, I keep traveling, writing novels." Has published a "Viking Trilogy", has now opened a new branch, pirate, featuring the fictional character Hector Lynch ("The Route of the Corsairs 'and' The Buccaneer of Jamaica", Editrice Nord). "Writing these books is already in itself an adventure. Both stimulating and those who do to prepare my shipments. I read journals and logbooks of men who boarded as buccaneers and pirates in the second half of the seventeenth century. Some are amazing: the reality may really beyond the imagination. "

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High Definition Audio High definition audio

In the last episode we saw what pushed me to get interested in high-definition audio and how this started from a personal need and quite dated: the recordings of concerts.

once managed to get a chain capable of playing audio HDA, I looked around on the internet looking for any sites that sell music HD. After a little 'research I found HDtracks, a project Chesky Records known audiophile label. Immediately intrigued by the prices, I wanted to download a couple of sample songs, but I noticed that it was impossible for users outside the U.S.. He was prevented to start recording, who did not accept my e-mail on the domain email.it.
At that point I figured that controlled the interface. "It" ultimate limit to. "Com" or similar domains mainly USA registration. In providing an e-mail with the ". Com", the registration is successful.
the form of personal data have failed to indicate the address, let alone the nationality, of course. Another possible block to system level for non-USA is the control of the issuer of the credit card, whose code is contained in the numbers of the card.
Since you could pay with Paypal, I thought that using my address. "Com" to pay, skip controls nationality because the seller is not aware of the number of paper anyway. In fact I managed to finish a couple of test purchases.

HDTracks section has a high-definition 24/88 or 24/96. I bought two pieces long enough to calmly assess the goodness of the solution.
Turning on the internet I found that the site of 2L , Norwegian audiophile label, which has a ' entire page dedicated to useful hd sample, from 96 to 192 KHz to flac / wav, and even master DSD and DXD ( 24/352.8!).

The results vary from very good to excellent, as usual in dependence on the recording. For example, 32 of Beethoven's Sonata 2L is the best I've heard from my system with regard to the piano.
should also have the songs to 16/44.1 (standard CD) to make comparisons, although you can produce them through the PC and a good conversion program.
is struck by the tone, consistent at all frequencies. The soundstage is very wide. Each instrument is more identifiable as the position, and is always easily distinguishable from the others. The general feeling is the same that you feel when listening to an inexpensive CD player, you go to a high-end player. The big advantage of using a DAC against high / low resolution, however, is that part of the D / A conversion is unchanged and therefore the comparison is much more reliable.

In the next episode we will see what I thought hardware changes to my system as a function of high-definition audio and talk about more plays.

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Internet: the beginning (for me)

As you may have guessed from this blog, are passionate about audio recording of live events, concerts, preferably acoustic music.
I have a Zoom H4 handheld recorder , capable of a maximum resolution of 24 bits at 96 kHz. Of course, this resolution is abundant in both the quality of the internal microphones (unless of overstating the outside, but in this case, the recorder is not much "PDA"), is the destination for classical recording, or the incision CD.
Despite the best results are obtained by recording 24-bit 44.1 kHz, yielding the best compromise between sound quality and space occupied by files. The choice of sampling frequency, the same as the CD, is selected so as to avoid converting from 96 or 48 kHz frequency, which inevitably lose quality. The 24 bits also allow for a tolerance that allows users to minimize the loss of quality interventions in subsequent processing.

recordings performed live by myself have always been recorded on CD with outcomes often very satisfactory. The fact remains that the final conversion to 16 bits of the tracks is always ready to listen to a minor loss of quality, despite the use of dithering and noise shaping. Days ago, though, I got an idea.

time ago I bought a Trexstor the media center to watch movies on TV I have on PC. This object, just as appearance, price and wi-fi connectivity included, but very raw as software, has proved a disappointment for the lack of video playback h264 decoder (well hidden on the package), so it was little used for months.
The media center is equipped with an optical Toslink, presumably enabled the 24-bit and 192 kHz, which should represent the highest quality sampling in DVD-video of the deceased and DVD-audio. I thought to connect the media center to my Musical Fidelity A3/24 DAC , with revenue Toslink (Optical) and SPDIF (coaxial) that accepts signals up to 24 bits and 108 kHz. The DAC is a type of oversampling up to 24 bits and 192 kHz, and I suspect that's equipped with reclocking input signal.

Well, the results were excellent! Finally, I could listen to my recordings with the native resolution. But then, I thought, let's see if you can do something to listen to my favorite music in higher resolution than the CD. It was not long ago that I poked around online to follow the audio market, in fact I was surprised by what I found online.

In the next episode (within a week) we'll see how the story continued.