records are such a pain especially for a classical music lover like me.
(gasp) Oh no you did not!!
I, for one, love the care of records. Maybe it plays into my meticulous nature, but I love to handle a record properly, to clean them properly, and to store them properly. Yeah, they can be a little of a pain, but that is part of the joy of listening to a near flawless record. I’m often in awe that despite everything going against them, including 100+ year old technology, that they in many ways rival the best digital technology out there in musicality. In fact the Directstream is the only DAC I know of for the money that can deliver as musical an experience, for me, as vinyl! It’s probably not the best time to state that fact on the day of the most amazing firmware upgrade in hi-fi history (not really joking), but it’s more or less true, IMO.
hope this does not get me kicked out of here but i have to put a plug in for something i recently added to my system, and while it did not make the difference that RC made, it still was impressive. I replaced my standard five shelf rack from Billy Bags, with a beautiful maple shelving unit, called Samson, from Mapleshade Audio. http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/45-wide-x-18-deep-V5/departments/363/. to me the sound (to quote Paul above) was more alive and lush and had more oompf to it.
Hi, my update from Huron to Redcloud went smoothly, as did my Bridge II update from v3.3.3 to v3.4.5. Listening to TIDAL HiFi as I type and the sound is great. I am experiencing one non-audible wrinkle, though, that I hope can be fixed in a future OS update:
After the Redcloud and Bridge II updates, my DS screen brightness was on “Low.” I usually keep the brightness on “Med.” When I went into the DS onscreen setup menu and increased the brightness from “Low” to “Med,” I discovered that the dreaded fast-scrolling horizontal scan lines – which I used to get pre-Huron and which were wiped out by Huron – are back. These scan lines are only visible on the “Med” setting.
This is not a huge deal, but I know from speaking with Technical Support that PS Audio successfully addressed the scan line issue between Torreys and Huron, so I am optimistic that it can be eradicated again.
Thanks very much to Paul, Ted, and everyone at PS Audio for the DS and Bridge II updates, and happy holidays to all!
amgradmd - I was, as I often am - kidding. I can only discern 0.4dB or greater ; ). Actually my thing was that it doesn’t matter to me if the overall level is different. Not something I think I will be sweating over and conducting tests on. This is just so much more right to me than Huron was, right off the bat. If we’ve gained or lost some volume…what’s few dB among friends?
I too have noticed that Tidal MQA cuts that read 24/192 on Mconnect read 16/192 on DSD display. Checked some cuts I know read 24/192 on Huron and now read 16/192 on Red Cloud.
hope this does not get me kicked out of here but i have to put a plug in for something i recently added to my system, and while it did not make the difference that RC made, it still was impressive. I replaced my standard five shelf rack from Billy Bags, with a beautiful maple shelving unit, called Samson, from Mapleshade Audio. http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/45-wide-x-18-deep-V5/departments/363/. to me the sound (to quote Paul above) was more alive and lush and had more oompf to it.
clothes pen said
hope this does not get me kicked out of here but i have to put a plug in for something i recently added to my system, and while it did not make the difference that RC made, it still was impressive. I replaced my standard five shelf rack from Billy Bags, with a beautiful maple shelving unit, called Samson, from Mapleshade Audio. http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/45-wide-x-18-deep-V5/departments/363/. to me the sound (to quote Paul above) was more alive and lush and had more oompf to it.
I just installed the Mapleshade Plinths speaker stands and in combination with the Red Cloud update I am a firm believer in just using my DS DAC as the preamp. Prior to those two updates my only issue in eliminating my preamp was a somewhat “leaner sound” - now I am very happy! My system has a very “full sound”. Ted Smith really knocked it out the park. My setup sounds extremely quick and has a larger and detailed soundstage with added clarity, depth and super clear BASS.
increasing volume. Once it cross over to 100 volume will do to 0
unable to increase volume to 106 when attenuation is turn on
On my Redcloud DS, with the attenuator off the volume works normally. But with the attenuator on, it goes to 100 and the next up-click sends the volume back down to 1.
increasing volume. Once it cross over to 100 volume will do to 0
unable to increase volume to 106 when attenuation is turn on
Check your setup (the little gear in the upper left of the screen, then press setup) where you can set the maximum values for the volume both for high level and low level. (And you can lock the unit into low level if you are worried about hitting the wrong button on the remote.) Sometime on some systems a random setting is lost during a software update. If everything is the way you want it on the setup screen - load Yale, Torreys or Huron and then reload Redcloud - don’t forget to turn the system off (with the back switch) once after an upgrade if things seem funny.
amsco15 said
On my system I think I’m kicking the volume up a notch. Less bright always has me turning the volume knob to the right. So far, I’m doing that with Redcloud. Haven’t listened to anything recorded after 1950 yet.
amgradmd said
Both, actually, but I meant quieter in overall SPL. To my ears, I’d guess about 5 dB or so. (Beef - I can only wish to be able to tell a difference of -.37 dB!) And before anyone asks, yes, I did reset the volume back to ‘100’ because it was set to ‘50’ on boot up.
I never know when you guys are being serious or just joshing. Remember in my original new FPGA Features in Redcloud thread I predicted that some would want to turn it up a little (and others will probably want to turn it down a little.) The volume hasn’t changed between Huron and Redcloud (in fact it’s never changed, but you wouldn’t know that looking at people’s posts.) And certainly nothing like a 5dB difference would ever be released.
Bootzilla said
After the Redcloud and Bridge II updates, my DS screen brightness was on "Low." I usually keep the brightness on "Med." When I went into the DS onscreen setup menu and increased the brightness from "Low" to "Med," I discovered that the dreaded fast-scrolling horizontal scan lines -- which I used to get pre-Huron and which were wiped out by Huron -- are back. These scan lines are only visible on the "Med" setting.
Unfortunately the fix for the screen bug in Huron added a -112dB spike at about 11k - only one person reported it, but it definitely stood out more in Redcloud. Matt tried to tune the change a little to nuke the spike and still fix the displays. I guess we didn't have enough screens to test on...
Bootzilla said
Hi, I just discovered another display issue: TIDAL MQA is displayed as 16 bits on the DS display (it shows as 24-bit on the mConnect Android app):
This was reported with just having changed the new bridge code - the thing is that the bridge isn't where the sample width is measured or displayed. The FPGA looks to see how many bits are flopping in the breeze and reports what it sees. If the DS is displaying 16 bits I'm pretty sure that that's how many changing bits are coming from the bridge. In any case it's not a display artifact - there may (or may not) be something wrong in the new (or old) MQA unfold code - I don't use the bridge so I can't make a definitive statement about it.
I’m really having trouble wrapping my head around how you can squeeze even more information out of the same bits I’ve been using in my Demo tunes for 4 years now! Not just that, but some of these are rips of CDs I’ve owned and listened to since the 90’s. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!
I’m hearing more detail, and more balanced “information” across the board. And somehow, tracks that were great sounding but always had a few spots that were a bit…edgy, are now smoothed and listenable, but without any loss of detail…in fact, I’m hearing more detail in these rough spots in recordings.
Listening to some Opus3 DSD recordings now - and the DSD recordings don’t sound as flat and lifeless as before. There was always great detail, but just kind of a flatness - now they have more of the dynamics and timing accuracy that I’ve always associated with Master Tapes, and what sets master tape above and beyond all other formats.
I’m diving back in…I’m finding myself listening all the way through my Demo Tunes again, not just listening to the first (and usually best) parts of each track and moving on. I’m enthralled.
I’ve had many more hours with the update since my last post… so a much broader range of music to assess the differences.
As I went through my normal, “wash, rinse, and repeat” reference track regimen, like I normal do when critically listening, I became a bit more familiar with the differences I perceive in my system.
I did not experience the Torreys to Huron revelation, but it was Huron that ultimately led me to shelve a very great sounding DAC and purchase the DIrectStrem. I have been very content with Huron over the past several month - with never “is the grass greener?” curiosity. Now having had spent a good amount of time today with Redcloud, I have to say, the differences are not subtle. As a matter of fact, they are class-level improvements.
I commented earlier on realism and presence and I stand firm on those being superior in Redcloud. I have selected the components in my system for one specific goal, to recreate a realistic, live-sounding performance in my listening space when the recording allows for it - and Redcloud delivers. The details in the highs and upper-mids is quite entertaining. But it is so easy on the ears. It’s not dry, sharp, or too clinical. Redcloud seems to bolster clarity while at the same time maintaining an insane level of listenability. A very difficult task indeed - but seemingly easy by way of Redcloud.
I also agree with many others that the bass it a bit more pronounced, yet refined and musical.
For the last 4 hours, I have been lower-level listening while the family is all tucked in upstairs. It’s been a different late night listening experience indeed, compared to what I have been used to with Huron. I feel you get a lot more bang for your buck for each click on the volume knob, and it is most present with a dead silent room and a lower listening level. Details in the shadows.
Boy, you nailed it! Anemic compared to Redcloud - and Redcloud’s alive and lush at the same time.
Here Redcloud imo really improved in a direction of vinyl and tube strengths.
It seems to have not much to do with absolute dynamics, as this was always present in the DS.
But vinyl and tubes often make digital and solid state sound flat and anemic with less life, energy and flesh in comparison, although both have at least equal or better dynamics.
It is really fantastic that Redcloud here made such a step now.
Imaging as another aspect gets more and more outstanding, I didn’t expect such further improvements here.
The tonality and timing are impeccable with Redcloud… in conjunction with…the DMP transport. The attack and decay of notes just seem to compliment recorded music in real time,real fashion…just like live music with live musicians. The tone of anything that may be struck,strummed,hit,blown or sung seems to jump out and demand my ears to sit up and take notice of instrumental/voice tone quality…Its not so much what I’m hearing in audio jargon… but rather the presentation of the whole musical fabric being so much more relevant/coherent… Listen to any Melody Gardot cd and you may just melt in your chair… Amazing stuff! Thanks Ted and PSA! Great job!
In my system I’m experiencing more bass dynamics, better coherence and less background noise with Redcloud. PRAT has gone upwards, too! I didn’t notice less attenuation, so far.
Definetely a big upgrade compared to Huron.
However, all the digital wizarding still doesn’t replace a top notch analogue system But gladly, we have the choice and nowadays we can use ALL sources to get great music
. The attack and decay of notes just seem to compliment recorded music in real time,real fashion…just like live music with live musicians. The tone of anything that may be struck,strummed,hit,blown or sung seems to jump out and demand my ears to sit up and take notice of instrumental/voice tone quality…Its not so much what I’m hearing in audio jargon… but rather the presentation of the whole musical fabric being so much more relevant/coherent… Listen to any Melody Gardot cd and you may just melt in your chair… Amazing stuff! Thanks Ted and PSA! Great job! 
But gladly, we have the choice and nowadays we can use ALL sources to get great music 