Emotiva Erc3

[jh4db536]

Well I decided to try the ERC3 since the Cambridge CXC looked a little flimsy. Much of the decision based on the solidness the build, mechanics, and spdif board. In this era, there's only so many choices of audio grade in-production cd drives, and being the most mechanical and complex piece of equipment in my chain, I need solid reliability and support for years ahead. Part of me wishes I diyed my own top loader using the Philips cdpro2 mechanics without an analog stage or modified a old Philips CDV400 laserdisc unit. I am considering modifying the erc by removing the analog components and beefing the psu with sigma11s or 78 79s (or bypassing the lpsu of the spdif module). Possibly additional mass loading.

I wasn't impressed by my friend's highly modded oppo105 plus I have no need for SACD, dvd, or video support.

ERC 3 via AES > y3 digital receiver > Gumby via BNC

Full bodied sound compared to USB, which is actually really well implemented on the y3. Adds some body and weight back to the DS dac which is a step in the right direction for my amp solid state amp.

[Loop 7]

Top loading CD players are too cool.

[Leonard]

I have the Cambridge CXC, connected to the CXN which serves as the DAC. Sounds very neutral. No color whatsoever added to the sound.

Always wanted to try the ERC-3 but the local distro is always out of stock.

[jh4db536]

 Gumby is now superseded and will be for sale soon. Did some additional auditioning at a fellow's compression horn + fostex T500 and another at a friends house on Von Schweikerts.
Now it's ERC-3 > Yggdrasil > Torp3

[solidstate]

Interesting how CD transport into the Yggdrasil via AES/EBU sounds better than USB playback.

I wonder if bit perfect redbook rips sent to that DAC from a PCIe or Firewire AES/EBU device would equal it.

Some people even claim AES/EBU cables can make a difference...

LOL

I'm not sure about that but I love to use quality AES/EBU cable for analog balanced XLR connections.

This is really good stuff!

www.silversonic.com/docs/products/D110.html

It goes for 7 bucks and foot bulk.

BTW that USB transport... What sound playback API were you using? WASAPI exclusive I hope if on a windows machine.

Also curious on the playback software used.

I use XMplay, Foobar2000 and Jriver but find myself using XMplay the most.

I wonder when consumer Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 (using PCIe lane ability) DACs will show up avoiding USB entirely.

Apogee, RME, Motu and a number of others already have PCIe based interfaces using thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 ability to send two PCIe lanes to the device.

BTW nice rigs!

[jh4db536]

AES EBU standard hypothetically should be higher grade than other spdif output. Its cable suited for longer runs. In proper implementation, I find it to be the same as coax for connecting equipment on the same rack.

I dont believe in cables; i just have regular off the shelf blue jeans stuff. I used to believe that SPDIF should all be the same and that digital was digital until i started going to meets and playing with different combinations. I personally believe that the digital receiver sections of the Gungir and Yggdrasil DACs are gimped and some corners were cut in their implementations. I think both DACs sound much better when my y3 is between (USB and ERC-3).

I perceive differences in USB and SPDIF (try it for yourself CD transport i.e. PS3 vs USB) If you think you can hear a difference let me know. Based on my ears AES/Coax sound the best, toslink, and then USB.
The best USB implementations that i have heard sound clean, but lean and/or sterile compared to the other inputs. You could spend a lot of money on USB rabbit hole, so i just decided to go back to physical CD media/transports.


I personally avoid using USB if possible at home, but when i use it - Foobar2000 (primarily for the remote control/server functions, plus it integrates with my NAS a lot better). I tend to use the y3 as a dedicated USB transport/decrapifier/digital receiver when i'm not using it as a DAC.
The y3 has an Atmel based USB (UAC1 & 2) receiver with custom audio-widget firmware (open source). It's has its own dedicated LPSU, galvanic isolation, and i2s isolation. Surprisingly for an open source board, i have had the least driver issues in windows compared to CMedia based products. The ERC-3 and physical CD's are my main source.

If you really insist on going down the usb nervosa path, check out the really well designed products - offramp5 and Berkeley audio alpha usb (don't mind the prices). Then check out the singxer su1.

[garbulky]

Oct 17, 2016 1:23:11 GMT -5 jh4db536 said:

AES EBU standard hypothetically should be higher grade than other spdif output. Its cable suited for longer runs. In proper implementation, I find it to be the same as coax for connecting equipment on the same rack.

I dont believe in cables; i just have regular off the shelf blue jeans stuff. I used to believe that SPDIF should all be the same and that digital was digital until i started going to meets and playing with different combinations. I personally believe that the digital receiver sections of the Gungir and Yggdrasil DACs are gimped and some corners were cut in their implementations. I think both DACs sound much better when my y3 is between (USB and ERC-3).

I perceive differences in USB and SPDIF (try it for yourself CD transport i.e. PS3 vs USB) If you think you can hear a difference let me know. Based on my ears AES/Coax sound the best, toslink, and then USB.
The best USB implementations that i have heard sound clean, but lean and/or sterile compared to the other inputs. You could spend a lot of money on USB rabbit hole, so i just decided to go back to physical CD media/transports.


I personally avoid using USB if possible at home, but when i use it - Foobar2000 (primarily for the remote control/server functions, plus it integrates with my NAS a lot better). I tend to use the y3 as a dedicated USB transport/decrapifier/digital receiver when i'm not using it as a DAC.
The y3 has an Atmel based USB (UAC1 & 2) receiver with custom audio-widget firmware (open source). It's has its own dedicated LPSU, galvanic isolation, and i2s isolation. Surprisingly for an open source board, i have had the least driver issues in windows compared to CMedia based products. The ERC-3 and physical CD's are my main source.

If you really insist on going down the usb nervosa path, check out the really well designed products - offramp5 and Berkeley audio alpha usb (don't mind the prices). Then check out the singer su1.

The PS3 is not bit perfect as a transport. It has a software volume control on it. I compared it to a CD player and an HD-DVD player. The HD-DVD and blu ray player sounded about the same as a transport. The PS3 did not. I think something in its software has an additional layer that resamples the audio. You can try it yourself and hear the difference.

[jh4db536]

Unfortunately I no longer have a ps3, and you're correct is not a pure transport. My point was that the optical/coax inputs sound different from the DAC than USB input.

Transports sounding different from each other is another rabbit hole to explore.