Wayne, et al:

I may have reached a dead-end with regards to my efforts to evaluate HD. I use MusicBee to manage and play my music files. MusicBee can handle DSD files in their native format, provided my other gear can support native DSD running under ASIO. Apparently, my Cambridge DAC Magic Plus cannot support this option. I can operate in the ASIO mode, but native DSD files must be converted to PCM before my DAC will play them. Furthermore, things don't appear to be as stable under ASIO, as compared to WASABI in my setup (random noises, etc.).

My understanding is that WASABI is Windows' version of ASIO and my system runs happily in the WASABI mode. MusicBee converts DSD files to PCM at the the native resolution, or at the highest resolution my setup will support, whichever is applicable. In my case, the Cambridge DAC will support up to 192 khz, so presumably, I am listening to these sample tracks at 192 khz.

In any event, Jonas Sacks at NativeDSD could not supply a 44 khz CD quality track of any of the sample tracks, so no direct comparison appears to be possible for those files.

Just yesterday, I made yet another alteration to my setup. Now, all three pairs of my GE speakers are being driven by my Cambridge 851A stereo amp. The Triton Ones are Fronts, the SuperSat 3Cs are upper sides and the Triton Sevens are Rears. My current idea is to simplify the signal paths as much as possible. The Music Path Du Jour is now Computer to DAC via USB; DAC to Cambridge via balanced RCA and Cambridge A/B speaker outputs to GEs via either 12 ga or 18 ga lamp cord. My Triton One Sub inputs and my Paradigm DSP 3400 sub input are connected to the Cambridge preamp output via RCA.

The three sets of GE speakers seem to play well together scattered around the room and under common volume control. The preamp output provides volume-variable signal level to the subs.

Perhaps HD might be more impressive to me if I were listening with a multi-channel system.

I'm pleased to read that Sandy recognizes and appreciates the fact that many of the GE faithful cannot spring for an $8.5K speaker system - wonderful though they may be. Count me among the less fortunate faithful.

Happy listening,

Art

Bro Art, interesting stuff from you as always. Your system du jour offers some good potential sound, how are you liking it?
I don't know anything about your DAC nor the programs you are using to play your files.
And New Golden, I do not know any thing about Apples except the ones I eat. Sorry, wish I could help you out.
But there are LOTS of sources of Hi Res music files online. I have used HD Tracks and now most often use nativeDSD.com
Some hi res music turns out to be just recycled normal CD quality files, heck, I can and do that myself.
So you do have to be careful where you buy for trustworthy REAL hi res music files.
I prefer shiny discs and buy from Amazon most of the time. SACDs and DVD-Audios or Blu Ray music, which is the BEST of all, IMHO.
Happy listening guys,
God bless,
Wayne

ArthurDaniels wrote:
Now, all three pairs of my GE speakers are being driven by my Cambridge 851A stereo amp. The Triton Ones are Fronts, the SuperSat 3Cs are upper sides and the Triton Sevens are Rears. My current idea is to simplify the signal paths as much as possible. The Music Path Du Jour is now Computer to DAC via USB; DAC to Cambridge via balanced RCA and Cambridge A/B speaker outputs to GEs via either 12 ga or 18 ga lamp cord.

Hi Art,

Do I understand correctly that you are driving two sets of speakers via one pair of outputs on your amp? If so, you're driving them in parallel, and the impedance seen by the amp will be roughly half of what each speaker is theoretically rated at. Two 8 ohm speakers become a 4 ohm load. Two 4 ohm speakers become 2 ohms. This could be a tough act for your amp, especially at frequencies where you have an impedance dip.

Also, if you're running lamp cord to your fronts, you should consider upgrading your cables. I started with Radio Shack lamp cord between a Sony receiver and el cheapo Sony towers. (I bow my head in shame.) Then, at the recommendation of a friend, I upgraded the cables to Morrow Audio SP3s, which weren't horribly expensive. I was amazed that I could hear a significant improvement on those cheap speakers. That started me down the slippery slope of upgrades that, so far, appears to be never ending. Hmm....maybe you better not upgrade those cables!

Charlie

Hi Charlie,

Not quite like it might appear. My Triton Ones are connected to the Cambridge "A" speaker terminals. My Triton Sevens and SuperSat 3Cs are connected in Series to my "B" terminals. So, I believe I am presenting 8 ohms to the A terminals, 16 ohms to the B terminals and a combined 12 ohms to the amp.

With the series connection to the Sevens and SuperSats, their loudness levels are a bit less than the Ones' loudness. This condition is favorable in my setup because I want the fronts to predominate and the sides and rears to "fill the room".

My speaker wiring situation is unlikely to change. I am using 12 gauge lamp cord for the Fronts and 18 gauge lamp cord for the sided and rears. The room is pre-wired for sound and the wires are buried behind the walls in conduit.

"Upgradeitis" is contagious. We all have at least a touch of the bug. I try to keep the lid on my desires, but not with total success.

Best,

Art

ArthurDaniels wrote: My Triton Ones are connected to the Cambridge "A" speaker terminals. My Triton Sevens and SuperSat 3Cs are connected in Series to my "B" terminals. So, I believe I am presenting 8 ohms to the A terminals, 16 ohms to the B terminals and a combined 12 ohms to the amp.

The room is pre-wired for sound and the wires are buried behind the walls in conduit.

Art, when you say "series", I'm not sure what you mean. Are you wiring the "red" side of the amp to the red side of speaker 1, then taking the "black " side of speaker 1 to the red side of speaker 2? Then return black side of 2 back to black side of amp? That would be a series connection, and the amp would see both speaker impedances in series producing a higher (and more frequency dependent) impedance.

If instead you are taking amp red to speaker 1 red and another wire from speaker 1 red to speaker 2 red (or two wires from amp red to both speaker reds) then you have a parallel load, and the amp would see lower impedance.

The lower volume from the surrounds may be partly due to lower sensitivities of those speakers (I haven't looked them up).

Yeah, the wiring in the walls problem. I have a friend who's building a house, and the contractor wanted to know if he wanted speaker wires buried in the walls. I told him don't do that. So they ended up putting in some sort of conduit to carry wires, which is better, I guess, but still not optimal. Although it looks better than the rat's nest I have...

Charlie

Hi Charlie,

You are correct. I am currently listening with my Sevens and 3Cs wired in Series. (Amp speaker "positive" output to Speaker "A" Positive, then Speaker "A" negative to Speaker "B" Positive, then Speaker "B" negative back to Amp speaker "negative". Yes, impedance is higher with speakers in series.

I am in dialogue with Cambridge engineers about this approach. I have previously been in dialogue with them about parallel connection. I do know the formulas for calculating resultant impedance. My dialogue with the Cambridge folks is to understand exactly how my 851 will respond as it sees these different load combinations.

I have actually run the Sevens and 3Cs in a parallel connection mode to the Speaker B terminals with no apparent issues so far as low-impedance loading.

I'll provide an update after I complete my dialogue with the Cambridge engineers.

PS: I am a retired BSEE.

Art