Audio-gd S19 technical measurements

Discussion in 'Source Measurements' started by atomicbob, Apr 25, 2017.

  1. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,999
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Tempe, Arizona
    How can Crosstalk be lower than Dynamic Range? Also...

    [​IMG]
     
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,772
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    LOLOLOL.

    Last two posts in the spirit of the early CS days. This DAC was totally worth it in making some of us laugh so hard, including quite a few in the industry, some of whom literally rolled over on the ground and could not stop laughing. I just can't say who for obvious reasons.
     
  3. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

    Pyrate BWC MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    18,652
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    On planet
    It means the shit on the left channel is well separated from the shit on the right channel. So here I am, stuck in the middle ....
    Think pseudo dual mono.
     
  4. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    jeeze... I'm pretty upset to see these frankly. But the only reason I own and liked Audio GD was because of Head Fi, plus when I got my unit 4 years ago Kingwa him self emailed me for like 2 weeks... almost daily going through all my questions

    still it's time for an upgrade... and I'm thinking it might be time to move to another company, I've seen these same poor measurements twice now, from two of you guys. Today, an Audio GD fanboy has died
     
  5. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

    Pyrate BWC MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    18,652
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    On planet
    Careful. While this is an impressively bad set of measurements and listening evaluations, I would not indict the entire company on the basis of one product's poor performance. I have heard only a few other AudioGD devices, mostly headphone amps. Never got me excited but didn't feel they were bad either.
     
  6. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    I'm not dissing the entire company, but I was dead set on Buying ONLY audio GD because well that's what I'm used to. Hence the "fan boi," though frankly I really need to open to other options.

    I'm not dissing them as a whole, but I've seen others on HF comment on having some hick ups. I'm interested in the R2R implementations using that classic Texas Instrument PCM chip, and really need to explore all options. Blind dedication to a single company won't help me or any one,I really need to hear the Jot with Balanced Dac/amp and compare it to my NFB10ES2 since Audio GD now has the competition in that sector
     
  7. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

    Pyrate BWC MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    18,652
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    On planet
    You might want to put the Gungnir MB on your list to audition. With the Yggdrasil, Gungnir MB and Auralic Vega all fed from Rednet D16 and into a Zana Deux SE and HD800, I find myself listening to the GuMB more than the other two.
     
  8. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    the Gungnir Multibit is quite frankly at the very top of said list,
    I appreciate your feed back on it vs the Yggdrasil as well I'd be curious to here why it's get's more listening time shall we move other to the right thread
     
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,772
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    There are other options than AGD given that AGD is no longer a bargain - they haven't been for several years now - mind you that the S19 was $800 all said and one. The Schiit DACs generally don't hold anything back, so understably some people may want something different. If you like the AGD R2R sound, then consider the Metrum DACs. @Hands recently got the Metrum Amethyst, and I am grabbing this DAC too for the loaner. The Amethyst seems promising - what the Musette was supposed to be (Musette fell short).
     
  10. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Well I prefer clarity over anything else. Want my dac as transparent as possible, and I'll look to an amp to warm things up. My HM801 had the PCM ti chip and it was amazing great clarity, good sound stage and a touch of warmth. But both my E Sabre Based hm901 and NFB10ES2 had better details, better clarity and faster transients.

    That's what I'm looking for from my dac, clarity first. I really just need to listen to the options that are out there, and I agree, I got my NFB10ES2 in 2013, at that time it ticked all my boxes, now there's more competition and the value isn't as strong as it was when I was in the market for a solution.

    Hopefully in a few months when my schedule dies down I can get a chance to explore and listen to the options that are out there
     
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,772
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    You might be better off sticking with the NFM10E2 for a while. Depends on the rest of your chain. The Holo DAC should be on your list if you like clarity and super deep black background.
     
  12. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    I need to upgrade everything at some point, That includes my solid state amp as well, I only use my NFB10ES2 with my HE 4, other wise my dynamics sound better out of my Ember II, once I rolled in the right tubes I got a sound stage that was a little better defined and equal micro/macro dynamics, still options are good to have one hand.

    Looking at the Holo Dac, I'm enjoying the read over! Sounds like it would be a nice change from my NFB 10ES2. I'm not a huge fan of it only having 1 RCA out, but what ever, I need a balanced Amp so I might as well feed it balanced from the dac and use that single SE into my Ember II,

    Here's the question though, how would the Holo compare to the Gungnir Multibit? I think I'd be moving towards a Gungnir Multibit with a Solid State amp, for around the same price of a New Holo Dac
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2017
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,772
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
  14. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    welp there goes that idea lol, still a good read. There's no comparisons here I did search first, but I can dig up something else, some where else I'm sure

    for now I might dig through HF and find what Solid State amps are worth while
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,772
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
  16. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,772
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    It's not an investment. Investments have a higher probability of increasing in value or returning dividends. Unless Sinxger revised the SU-1 to spit out spare change every two hours.
     
  18. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Well not all my investments are monetary, though maybe they should be Still I'd love any piece of gear that spat out quarters. Like a reverse juke box almost
     
  19. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    12,285
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Colorado
    Home Page:
    I would go Gungnir Multibit plus a good SPDIF source. Even a decent USB->SPDIF transport helps. But try to move away from USB anything if you want pristine clarity.

    I would not recommend spending money on a non-oversampling DAC unless you have heard one you really like. They are kind of a different breed and not best suited for all. And the really good NOS DACs with good staging, clarity, resolution, and a black background aren't cheap (see Pavane). Schiit is a real market disruptor even ignoring OS vs NOS.
     
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,772
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    Well there you go @Mshenay. An NOS guy telling you to consider a Moffat OS DAC, and a Moffat DAC guy telling you to consider some NOS DACs.

    Nobody said this was going to be easy. Funny how outsiders get us all wrong. Well, we do all agree that CHORD is overpriced, USB blows, and S19 is poo.
     

Share This Page