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Olive 4HD or 3HD any good ?

So a DAC for example whose only job is to be as transparent as possible, how does it impart this 'musicality' does it deliberately alter frequency response, if you really mean by musicality a bit of valve euphoria, then sticking some valves in the output stage will give you that effect.
Keith.
 
Before I started Purite a lot of salesmen used the term to me, I soon began to associate the word with the charlatan ,IMHO of course.
Keith.
 
Purite Audio said:
So a DAC for example whose only job is to be as transparent as possible, how does it impart this 'musicality' does it deliberately alter frequency response, if you really mean by musicality a bit of valve euphoria, then sticking some valves in the output stage will give you that effect.
Keith.
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A DAC is merely part of your chain of devices and it is likely to be no more "transparent" than anything else in the chain. System synergy would not exist if every component in your chain was transparent (in the hifi sense).
 
barrymidd said:
System synergy would not exist if every component in your chain was transparent (in the hifi sense).
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I don't think that's completely true because every piece of equipment has an interface to the previous and the subsequent equipment in the chain. Given that those interfaces are not particularly tightly defined (and even where they are well defined, the definitions are not always well designed), some equipment just works better in combination together, irrespective of the individual merits of the parts.
 
Patrick Dixon said:
I don't think that's completely true because every piece of equipment has an interface to the previous and the subsequent equipment in the chain. Given that those interfaces are not particularly tightly defined (and even where they are well defined, the definitions are not always well designed), some equipment just works better in combination together, irrespective of the individual merits of the parts.
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That is sort of what I meant TBH.
 
Purite Audio said:
Before I started Purite a lot of salesmen used the term to me, I soon began to associate the word with the charlatan ,IMHO of course.
Keith.
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Keith,

Understood and point well taken.

It 'musicality' is a difficult term for me to define and express to someone else.

And in that lies its beauty.

So I take the easier path of saying the experience is more engaging (or not), connecting (or not), involving (or not). Results in a lot less debate.

Do you see any patterns around this word/issue with your customers?
 
I would prefer if we could identify more specifically what we don't like about the sound ( or do like ) is the frequency balance too prominent in the upper registers is the bass under driven, is there a room node that's causing boomy bass , do you prefer the bass and treble rolled off to present a more coherent midrange etc etc.
Keith.
 
Even dealers know that different people want different things from a system and in the same way, "musicality" will mean different things also. The job of a dealer is (surely?) to offer a range to suit varying tastes?
There is usually some commonality, as most people don't like "honk" and squawk" etc. and "quality" is to some extent universal I think. Am I wrong?
 
Barry,

I would say you are correct. Though what is 'quality' (using your word) seems to vary a lot more than I would expect.

Recently, did an extended audition with the only change-up being between four pairs of speaker. A friend, and her husband, are looking to get into a higher end audio system and wanted to get a feel for how speakers could be different. Both probably have better ears than me, especially vis a vis live classical music.

Our takes on aspects of the reproduction were very different. Small 'n' but it has played out similarly, with others.

In my experience, for some reason(s), when 'musicality' is discussed folks get easily offended. Therefore, I like Keith's approach, since it forces me to focus on something a bit more specific and somewhat more quantifiable. I imagine, this also makes it easier for the other party to get what I am communicating, since a word like musicality is so indvidually interpreted.

M.
 
Purite Audio said:
So a DAC for example whose only job is to be as transparent as possible, how does it impart this 'musicality' does it deliberately alter frequency response, if you really mean by musicality a bit of valve euphoria, then sticking some valves in the output stage will give you that effect.
Keith.
Click to expand...

If it's this simple we would all live very happily with bit perfect recordings and neutral, even frequency response DAC's. I wish this was the case, musicality is not about adding its about not messing up or losing ;)

I have listened to many live performances of real instruments, as I am sure many have. I don't want anything added, but I don't want to lose something more fundamental to that good performance.
 
I find musicality means "I enjoy it", so it's a (bit!) hard to define. Then, I do find most of reviewing vocabulary rather hard to pin down.
 
I am quite interested in the Olive as well it looks the ideal solution and would like to here from anyone who owns one?
I am surprised that the likes of Marantz or Cambridge havent come up with a HDX style player with a small lcd display by now?
Might have to settle for an IPAD and PC :)
Alan
 
Cambridge Audio has/had the 640H server/player for a few years now and Marantz has the NA7004. The former has a rather small drive, but both can use drives connected over USB or the network, so that's not a showstopper.

What's more challenging is the user interface. If you have a decent collection, then you can't just go through long menus to choose an album or song (my experience with Sony's XMB interface for PS3 and I believe BD players). All software favored on forums (foobar, iTunes, etc.) allow you to use a smartphone or iPod touch to control them, with dedicated players it's not a given. Squeezebox, Sonos, Linn, Meridian do allow this and those are the other commonly discussed choices.

Now Marantz's offering is or will become Airplay compatible. That's Apple's name for a media device that iTunes can stream music or videos to. Since iTunes is driving, you can use any of the software already out there that controls iTunes. It does require you to have a computer running iTunes, which is inconvenient however as it rules out any of the NAS on which one could run the backend server for the other solutions.
 
RDAVID said:
Has OP decided on a direction? Curious if you chose or are moving towards the Olive?
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No simply thinking about options for the best sound quality, I use a BR player as a transport and DacMagic, I would like to consider CD players or Hard drive units, So far I have not been convinced by computer audio.

I might look at more expensive CD players, budget £2kish.
 
I haven't found anyone using one yet. I'm hanging on to see what they Cyrus offering is, then I might dem them both if the Cyrus offers what the Unitiserve does - i.e simple, quick bit-for-bit ripping, with the rest of the functionality as a bonus for later.
 
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