Audio-GD Singularity 19 DAC - Comprehensive Review and Impressions

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Hands, Mar 23, 2017.

  1. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    Bifrost MB Dynamic Range - dScope
    20151120 Bifrost MB SE dynamic range - mains noise annotation.png

    Audio-gd S19 Dynamic Range - dScope
    20170425 Audio-gd S19 SE dynamic range - mains noise annotation.png

    Note mains noise is 20 dB higher for the S19 than the Bifrost MB. Not much I can do about that without opening the S19 to see if any re-routing of power and ground is possible. Units tested on the dScope (or any other analyzer) are connected carefully with galvanic, EMI and RFI isolation from potential sources of interference considered. The same considerations were taken for ABX testing.

    Please note that I listen in an environment that achieves 30 dBC SPL background noise. This avoids masking of low levels noise during quiet sections of music. A more typical quiet listening space is likely to be 40 to 50 dBC and many genres will preclude audibility of low level noise such as the hum encountered. So for example if I play Medeski Martin & Wood End of the World Party the hum is not apparent. But the other attributes listed are. If I listen to Stravinsky The Firebird Suite, during quiet passages the hum will be annoying on the S19 and not on the Bifrost MB.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2017
  2. shipsupt

    shipsupt Admin

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    I'm not shooting holes in your process A-Bob, I'm just saying it's a shame that this fault exists which takes the "fun" out of the A/B.
     
  3. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    Understood. See the edits I put in. I did compare with multiple genres such that the hum was masked in some, not in others.
     
  4. Changeling

    Changeling Tube Slut

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    I just can't stop laughing when reading @Torq fan-tas-tic reply from which I've just taken the first part:
    But wait there's more :D
    It's just majestic @Torq . I salute you and I wish I could build posts like this.

    :bow:
     
  5. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Wow, you have one of those AVA boxes. Impressive. Although maybe I recall you mentioned it before.
    Engineered, apparently, to be bad.
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Awesome! Too bad it was too easy. Usually when DACs sound closer alike than not, it takes a few practice sessions for me to be able to identify gear consistently.

    LOL, I think the Oyster dude was being ironic (sarcastic). Or maybe serious. Hard to tell.

    --

    @Torq's retort to the effect of "What's your sample size? One?" was a good one.
     
  7. Changeling

    Changeling Tube Slut

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    Hahaha, pickup line of the year! :D
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2017
  8. Abhishek Chowdhary

    Abhishek Chowdhary Friend

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    Yep, I was being sarcastic. Looks like the sarcasm got lost in translation. English ain't my first language.

    @Vanheim - Anime OST ? Never.
    Bad recordings are not just restricted to bollywood, it's worldwide.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2017
  9. DigitalMaven

    DigitalMaven Acquaintance

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    I felt this way after watching a video on the new JBL 4367 speakers for $15,000....all I could think of was how did they screw this up. The weird thumping base made me feel uncomfortable and then I saw a video setup in a room in a trade show where they put it up against a wall all and all you could here is a little treble and mid-range and all base. I'm not a big fan of having two ways with big woofers unless they're specially designed to go cleanly up into the mid-range. I especially dislike it more when big ports on the front are right next to a woofer. It never sounds right to me.
     
  10. Grahad2

    Grahad2 Red eyes from too much anime

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    I thought your post was blatantly obvious snark (what with the timbre comments, $99 messiahs and non stop end grails), but guess it wasn't as blatant as I thought...
     
  11. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    The trouble is, extreme snark could also be mistaken as business-as-usual breathtaking HF stupidity. It's an internet phenomenon- it's called Poe's Law. Consider it more of a comment on how bad HF can get than an insult aimed at your snark-fu :)
     
  12. Abhishek Chowdhary

    Abhishek Chowdhary Friend

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    LoL, the same thought struck me for a while. I visit headfi mostly for the same reason, humor myself.
     
  13. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    This is only too true. Too many L2 and L3 appliance operators butchering otherwise decent recordings in the name of the almighty loudness wars.
     
  14. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    One of the larger problems with the greater Head-Fi (it's really hard not to refer to is as "heAD-Fi" now) crowd is the tendency for people to get caught up in hype, buy something and THEN go looking for proper reviews.

    Or, in real terms, they buy something - often without reading anything approaching a proper, let alone minimally-biased, review and then go looking for validation. Not unique there, or to audio ... was super common on the camera forums I used to frequent as well. Very funny to see the mental and logical gyrations people will put themselves through to make themselves feel good about something. More so because they seem to care so much about what others think about what they've spent their money on in the first place.
     
  15. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    I have to say that the experience of being fooled by the inexhaustible Chord fanboi hype, buying a Mojo and trying to convince myself that it was hot buttered awesome was.. educational.

    When I had a Damascene moment, and went "wait, isn't this a bit shit?", ordering a cheaper Modi Multibit, was a turning point. I was still relieved when that Modi Multibit turned out to be an actual upgrade. It's possible that we all need to f**k up at least once for the lesson to stick- maybe I got away relatively cheaply.

    You're dead right about the need for validation- but I also think there's a bit of tribalism in there too. People like to nail their colours to the mast, and argue with the other side.
     
  16. Abhishek Chowdhary

    Abhishek Chowdhary Friend

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    & it's getting really worse. Recently bought the so called Remastered version of "To the moon and Back Hani's Num Mix" from the DJ himself. It sounded terrible. The gain levels were fine but the treble was grainy as hell. Contacted the DJ, he said treble and bass were boosted for remastering. :eek: Is this how you remaster ?

    Then there is this issue with awful timbre/tone/digital artifacts (Too common in Indian music at least) even if the gain levels are ok. These days I listen to just about anything with good tone, forget about making choices.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I won't discount the possibility of this unit being defective.

    Therefore, I'd like to offer $150 and one way shopping to anyone willing to lend their S19 to me for a week. CONUS.

    I know S19 owners from elsewhere are reading this. Those who are selling might want to consider this as an opportunity to recoup their costs.
     
  18. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    @Marvey - will you also offer anonymity to the poor souls, if requested?
     
  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Of course.

    I am genuinely curious to see if the opinions of folks here are simply different, the unit we have is defective, or the unit is as designed (should be easy to tell with measurements.)
     
  20. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    I am also very curious, not only with the comparison but also with the post-reaction.

    I'm sure there are lurkers that have it, so let's hope one of them comes forward.
     

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