Digital Audio Discussion [moved from Showing (off) your Roon setup]

Audio Gear Talk
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It’s an old discussion as the world is, but there is no audiophile-grade computer equipment. I have been a software engineer for more than 30 years. Trust me, data goes in bits, and packets are re-corrected automatically. Hence, data between digital equipment is always perfect, even if you use the cheapest cables, switches, or other equipment. The speed, heat, and audible noise from the device could vary. Only analog equipment is influenced by noise from electromagnetic waves. So, only analog parts should be insulated as much as possible, but digital parts could be used as cheap as possible. This is why building a spaceship from the shelf parts is possible, as Elon Musk does. Electronic parts on shelves are so good nowadays. Please don’t waste your money on costly switches; people who make them cheat you. Switch for 10usd will do the job the same way and will be faster.

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And one more nice research: Does power supply matter for DAC? - Open Audio Lab.

TLDR:

  1. For the HiFiBerry DAC+ Pro with I2S DAC, there was a difference in the noise from the RCA terminals depending on the type of power supply feeding the Raspberry Pi.
  2. Separate power supply for Raspberry Pi and DAC showed a slight noise reduction compared to the linear power supply, but there was no significant difference.
  3. As for the USB DAC TOPPING D50, no difference was observed between the types of power supplies feeding the DAC.
  4. For both DACs, no differences were observed in dynamic range, SINAD, or THD+N depending on the power supply.

For DACs, there is almost no difference in sound quality depending on the type of power supply used.

So, save multiple thousands of dollars (on digital equipment) and spend them on live concerts, LPs, CDs or FLACs, enjoy the music :wink:

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@CODE1, please note that Showing (off) your Roon setup - description and photos [2024] is for showcasing hi-fi equipment, not debating the pros and cons of a product.

You are welcome to continue the discussion here, but be sure to abide by the community guidelines. If the thread becomes argumentative and polarized, it may well be closed

Thanks for your understanding.

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