Ayre USB DAC

[Voltron]

I'm on a whisk(e)y retainer.

[Asr]

The cool thing is this thread is gonna be like number one or two in google when this DAC comes out.

Ayre USB dac Ayre USB dac Ayre USB dac Ayre USB dac Ayre USB dac Ayre USB dac Ayere USB dac Ayre USB dac Ayre USB dac Ayre USB dac Ayre USB dac

Well you were certainly close...

[cclragnarok]

Actually, I just tried searching for "Ayre usb dac" on google, and we came in first.

[Hopstretch]

OK a couple of answers to some of the, um, more substantive questions.

The rear panel controls do the following, according to Ayre:

Listen/Measure -- Selects digital filter algorithms. Listen "produces greater accuracy in the time domain." Measure "produces greater accuracy in the frequency domain" and provides "additional high-frequency energy".

Power Mode -- A turns the DAC on when the computer is turned on. When the computer is off or asleep, the DAC enters standby mode. B keeps the DAC in standby mode even when the computer is turned on and only wakes it when it receives data from a music player.

Disp On/Off -- Front panel display control.

Rsrv A/B -- Reserved for future updates.

As for USB-only aspect, I get the impression this was chosen for two main reasons. As an attempt to demonstrate that USB, properly implemented, can be the equal of any other digital audio interface. And to meet a price point well below most of Ayre's other gear. As Hansen put it over on AA:

Other inputs drive the cost up -- significantly if you want them to actually sound good. We figured that most people using their computers for audio don't need other digital inputs. Time will tell if we were right. Later on, I'm sure we will make a DAC box with multiple inputs, but it will cost a lot more than this box.

Lil' Knight -- Ayre only sell through their dealer network. It's on their Web site here.

Edited May 8, 2009 by Hopstretch

[The Monkey]

The multiple input/cost thing makes sense.

Listen/Measure -- Selects digital filter algorithms. Listen "produces greater accuracy in the time domain." Measure "produces greater accuracy in the frequency domain" and provides "additional high-frequency energy".

Are accuracy in the time domain and frequency domain mutually exclusive?

[Hopstretch]

Are accuracy in the time domain and frequency domain mutually exclusive?

I think it's just "manualese".

[cclragnarok]

Are accuracy in the time domain and frequency domain mutually exclusive?

Their MP filter white paper gives a more detailed explanation:

http://www.ayre.com/PDF/Ayre_MP_White_Paper.pdf

[Dusty Chalk]

The multiple input/cost thing makes sense.

Are accuracy in the time domain and frequency domain mutually exclusive?

WIth digital filters, more or less yes (I.E. that is, depending what you do with them, which in this case, is well within what they are being used for). Someone wanna confirm/deny? I can stand to learn more in this area, as it's an area that interests me.

[jp11801]

I placed a call into Ayre today to see if we could get one of these for CanJam. The dude that handles this was out for the day so I hope to get a call on Monday about a loaner or Ayre presence. Not to hopeful on them showing up given the notice but am keeping my fingers crossed we can swing a demo unit for the show.

[Hopstretch]

$2,500.

[Hopstretch]

Looks like Audible Elegance are the dealer in your neck of the woods. Maybe they'll let you demo one against the AA. Dat I like read.

[Hopstretch]

Well, it's done. I'm keeping it. My wallet is walking like a cowboy.

One little wrinkle for those of you who don't read your owner's manuals. The standard warranty is a somewhat risible 90 days, but if -- and only if -- you submit the registration card within 30 days of purchase it bumps up just a smidge to a full five years. All of Ayre's other warranties are also transferable, but the QB-9 manual is silent on this issue.

[Dusty Chalk]

5 years is pretty generous.

[Hopstretch]

Probably just go by the postmark? But I think it's silly to open yourself up to that sort of quibbling in the first place. If you are prepared to warrant the piece for the extended period, then do so from the outset and have done with it.

By the way, it still sounds very good. The only functional downside is I now do a lot more rate switching in Audio Midi. With the Duet, I just let iTunes upsample everything to 96kHz as I didn't feel I could hear any difference. With the Ayre, I definitely prefer CD playback at 44.1kHz. Will someone please write a native-sample-rate plugin for iTunes? Pretty please?

[Hopstretch]

June Stereophile has a fairly enthusiastic review of the Wavelength Cosecant, with the sidebar that John Atkinson measured the jitter performance as the lowest he'd ever seen on any USB interface. So I guess the particular asynch implementation that Wavelength and Ayre are both using does appear to do more or less what it says on the box.

Interesting to compare with the CA DacMagic, which they also liked on all other inputs but USB.

[justin]

is this online? if not, can you post hte full review?

[Hopstretch]

It's not online yet. And the digital edition I get is in one of those flash format readers, so there's no way to simply post it here. What are you most interested in, the measurements?

TBH, I stopped reading the subjective impressions after the reviewer blithely claimed in passing that he could hear distinct differences between the same tracks ripped to different lossless formats.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Hopstretch

[Voltron]

***

TBH, I stopped reading the subjective impressions after the reviewer blithely claimed in passing that he could hear distinct differences between the same tracks ripped to different lossless formats.

[cclragnarok]

It's not online yet. And the digital edition I get is in one of those flash format readers, so there's no way to simply post it here. What are you most interested in, the measurements?

TBH, I stopped reading the subjective impressions after the reviewer blithely claimed in passing that he could hear distinct differences between the same tracks ripped to different lossless formats.

FLAC sounds flat, Apple Lossless sounds sweet, and Monkey's Audio sounds jittery (the dancing is the jitter).

[Nebby]

FLAC sounds flat, Apple Lossless sounds sweet, and Monkey's Audio sounds jittery (the dancing is the jitter).

It wasn't too long ago on head-fi that someone recommended ripping to uncompressed wav for the best sound, compared to other lossless formats

[The Monkey]

TBH, I stopped reading the subjective impressions after the reviewer blithely claimed in passing that he could hear distinct differences between the same tracks ripped to different lossless formats.

I'm so glad that pissed someone else off, too. And you're right, the fact that he was so flip about it was doubly infuriating.

[justin]

yeah, in that case, i guess im mostly interested in seeing the measurements.

[Grahame]

TBH, I stopped reading the subjective impressions after the reviewer blithely claimed in passing that he could hear distinct differences between the same tracks ripped to different lossless formats.

How better to demonstrate you audiophile Golden Eared cred, than being able to hear distinct differences that aren't

Was that with or without the use of an audiophile USB Cable? we should be told! Otherwise how can treat this as a credible review

[Azazel]

Audiophile and 'cryo' treated USB cable

What are you most interested in, the measurements?

Me too. What was the jitter level (ps)?

Looks very much like with USB we have got a good digital interface at last... Now I wonder how long since the first audiophile CD-transport with USB out sees the light

[Voltron]

yeah, in that case, i guess im mostly interested in seeing the measurements.

Then buy the magazine you cheap bastard.