[Ripper2860]

My first CD player was from NAD. You had to place the CD upside down on it too...!

I think I've seen that model before.

 

[bcowen]

So it won't allow playback of @bcowen's Marilyn Manson collection?

Or @Ripper2860 ’s posts?

 

[Plautus001]

Hmm.... I don't remember the model (or even the brand) but I was an early adopter of cheap surround sound and had a device that interpolated 3 channels - the centre and rears - from what back then was primarily VHS two-channel source movies. The idea was you added your own amps (and speakers of course) to your existing 2-channel rig, and you would get surround audio. I don't know if that might be something that could help? Probably better if I could remember what it was called...



Edit: thinking about it early Dolby surround used to be encoded in a 2-channel soundtrack, so it was an early Dolby surround decoder for those that couldn't afford a surround receiver.

Sidebar: I have no surprise that Jason et. al. have no desire to get into surround. What a forced-redundancy racket! My beloved affordable Emotiva UMC-200 preamp-processor "only" did 7.1 surround, had no provision for Atmos or 4k, and no ability to be upgraded. The matching 7-channel power amp will be useful for my foreseeable future, but it's sitting on a shelf because when I upgraded to 4k there was no "cheap" pre-pro on the market so an integrated Denon AVR-X3600 floor model was what I ended up with. And it's already redundant because it doesn't do 8k. Bloody hell!
.

Do you mean a variation of the Hafler circuit?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafler_circuit

 

[xTrIpX]

This is a really intriguing idea, when you think about it. Digitize a very low-level signal, then convert back to analog at a much higher signal level. Lowest noise amplification ever? Maybe, maybe not, I don't know.

I guess it would make sense to use a 1-bit architecture for that. It is said that the original Loki, despite its low cost, if fed with a pristine DSD stream was really good.

There is a post from Mike from a great many years ago, not long after Yggdrasil was introduced IIRC, that explains how a multibit ADC is necessarily a very expensive thing.

But.

Singularity.

That might actually make a burrito filter ADC somewhat affordable! It's a bit of a moonshot though, certainly not around the corner.


If I am to guess about Syn, I'm guessing another application of the Manhattan project - i.e. based on that tech but not the Gadget. The relatively simple thing to do would be a digital EQ that avoids sounding like ass (well, depends on how you choose to set those knobs). Harder and cooler would be room correction. Fooling around with dynamics, un-squeezing the overly squeezed. I mean what is there to not do if you have a DSP platform that does not have the normal sound quality drawbacks of DSP? Sure those have shrinked a lot in recent years with FP processing at high sample rates and I'm not sure that all that many could hear the difference that still presumably exists between good approximation math and exact math. Maybe all that digital really needs to sound perfectly analog is fully integrated burrito filter ADC chips in great proliferation throughout the industry.

I have a similar theory. I believe that Syn (and/or Urd) will in some way enable the use of the Manhatten project digital toys. My uncertainty comes from the understanding that crazy idea #3 would be both digital and analog. I'm also trying to conceptualize what would be so unorthodox that Jason doesn't even know how they will go about demoing it at the Schiitrless meet.

We're trying to figure out how to best demo it at the Schiitrless meet. It'll be interesting.

You have my attention, sir!

 

[Plautus001]

Every time I play an LP, 50% of it is upside down. Sucks that I can’t ever listen to those songs.

 

[ImagesbyMurray]

Every time I play an LP, 50% of it is upside down. Sucks that I can’t ever listen to those songs.

Monty Python's Matching Tie and Handkerchief actually has 3 sides; 2 concentric grooves on side 2

 

[xTrIpX]

Hmm.... I don't remember the model (or even the brand) but I was an early adopter of cheap surround sound and had a device that interpolated 3 channels - the centre and rears - from what back then was primarily VHS two-channel source movies. The idea was you added your own amps (and speakers of course) to your existing 2-channel rig, and you would get surround audio. I don't know if that might be something that could help? Probably better if I could remember what it was called...



Edit: thinking about it early Dolby surround used to be encoded in a 2-channel soundtrack, so it was an early Dolby surround decoder for those that couldn't afford a surround receiver.

Sidebar: I have no surprise that Jason et. al. have no desire to get into surround. What a forced-redundancy racket! My beloved affordable Emotiva UMC-200 preamp-processor "only" did 7.1 surround, had no provision for Atmos or 4k, and no ability to be upgraded. The matching 7-channel power amp will be useful for my foreseeable future, but it's sitting on a shelf because when I upgraded to 4k there was no "cheap" pre-pro on the market so an integrated Denon AVR-X3600 floor model was what I ended up with. And it's already redundant because it doesn't do 8k. Bloody hell!
.

I'll do some additional searching at some point but I really have two things that I want. 1) A center channel only. No surrounds. No atmos. Just a center speaker to bring about an axial independent center image for TV/movies. 2) the ability to use my already good DAC and an amp of my choosing.

I do have some mind to just get a Marantz NR1510 5.2 channel AVR and call it a day but I still enjoy pontificating other solutions.

I also appreciate Emotiva's current entry pre-pro, the BasX MC1. It's a great option. I've noticed that its pretty difficult to get actual pre-outs on an AVR without spending ~$2k+.

 

[tralsa]

Hmm…. Difficult to demo and polarizing and potentially a tough pill to swallow? I think Professor Farnsworth and @Jason Stoddard have similar announcements.

 

[SpazPlayzz]

some of the pioneer cd players I sold back in the day had a cd sized turntable with a rubber mat that you placed a cd upside down on to play - jumped into head just now !!

I mean if you like to hear the lyrics spoken in tongues...lol

 

[O8h7w]

Create a startup electronics company that makes great gear at affordable prices.

I have read Jason's wisdom and it is easy to see that this game is not for me. I'm not a hard worker and my ability to work on several things in parallell is infamously close to zero.

Then again, there is that one idea, that one product that does not exist other than in my head. It is of no relation to sound. I sort of know how to make it as cheaply as possible, which would be crucial. I also sort of know how to make a more interesting and flexible version for the supernerds of the field, so that I can get their support and input.

But, I don't know how to make a business out of it. Not sure that I even want to, if it is actually good, I want everyone - literally everyone on the planet regardless of income - to have access to one of these. The nerd version could bring in a bit of money, but is unlikely to cover development costs. The people who would spend money on an upscale version are few and far between... unless... yeah, there is one kind of upscale version that might just be able to fund things.

It is a bit of a giant project to find out if this thing is actually effective, but I guess I should try anyway? Even if it takes until I'm actually retired, if it turns out to be effective, it will be worth it. But it might not be and then my life's work was fairly pointless. That's... daunting.

 

[ScotchNeat]

Yes, that was intentional. Why do you ask? It's not exactly light or compact by any stretch of the imagination, especially not when compared to most other headphone amps.

(…types I while sitting at a desk that has on it an Yggy OG sitting on it, with a Folkvangr stacked on top of that… )

LoL, that exact configuration is driving my headphones at this very second (even down to the SO Taipan interconnect!). It is indeed quite unwieldy, especially compared to the travel rig I've been using most of the week--a FiiO BTR5.

 

[HWB3]

I have read Jason's wisdom and it is easy to see that this game is not for me. I'm not a hard worker and my ability to work on several things in parallell is infamously close to zero.

Then again, there is that one idea, that one product that does not exist other than in my head. It is of no relation to sound. I sort of know how to make it as cheaply as possible, which would be crucial. I also sort of know how to make a more interesting and flexible version for the supernerds of the field, so that I can get their support and input.

But, I don't know how to make a business out of it. Not sure that I even want to, if it is actually good, I want everyone - literally everyone on the planet regardless of income - to have access to one of these. The nerd version could bring in a bit of money, but is unlikely to cover development costs. The people who would spend money on an upscale version are few and far between... unless... yeah, there is one kind of upscale version that might just be able to fund things.

It is a bit of a giant project to find out if this thing is actually effective, but I guess I should try anyway? Even if it takes until I'm actually retired, if it turns out to be effective, it will be worth it. But it might not be and then my life's work was fairly pointless. That's... daunting.

Good luck to you.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

I have read Jason's wisdom and it is easy to see that this game is not for me. I'm not a hard worker and my ability to work on several things in parallell is infamously close to zero.

Then again, there is that one idea, that one product that does not exist other than in my head. It is of no relation to sound. I sort of know how to make it as cheaply as possible, which would be crucial. I also sort of know how to make a more interesting and flexible version for the supernerds of the field, so that I can get their support and input.

But, I don't know how to make a business out of it. Not sure that I even want to, if it is actually good, I want everyone - literally everyone on the planet regardless of income - to have access to one of these. The nerd version could bring in a bit of money, but is unlikely to cover development costs. The people who would spend money on an upscale version are few and far between... unless... yeah, there is one kind of upscale version that might just be able to fund things.

It is a bit of a giant project to find out if this thing is actually effective, but I guess I should try anyway? Even if it takes until I'm actually retired, if it turns out to be effective, it will be worth it. But it might not be and then my life's work was fairly pointless. That's... daunting.

A lack of trust in your own abilities and a certain existential angst that's underlying everything that you do? Sounds to me like you've got everything you need to run a successful little start-up.
That's opposed to an overabundance of confidence and ego, which is what you need to run a failing little start-up.

 

[Ripper2860]

I think Syn will be a device that adds 2nd order harmonics and selective distortions (with optional pops and clicks) to give digital music an analog sound helping analog music lovers feel less conflicted about listening to digital music.

 

[adias]

I think Syn will be a device that adds 2nd order harmonics and selective distortions (with optional pops and clicks) to give digital music an analog sound helping analog music lovers feel less conflicted about listening to digital music.

LOL