[LAU] What audio interface to use for a Linux-powered surround preamp?

[gene heskett]

On Monday, December 19, 2011 07:50:53 PM Johan Herland did opine:

List only reply..

> On Tue, Dec 20, 2011 at 00:19, gene heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com> wrote:
> > On Monday, December 19, 2011 06:16:06 PM Fons Adriaensen did opine:
> >> Be very careful with what you read on 'audiophile' forums. 99% of the
> >> high-end audio business is based on ignorance and hype these days.
> > 
> > Chuckle. آ I have to disagree a wee bit Fons, you under-estimate the
> > percentage that is all smoke and mirrors, its at least 99.9% these
> > days. :)
> > 
> > Lots of card claim 24 bit, but a monotonicity check will often fail
> > before the 14th bit has been fully tested.
> 
> Is this on pure digital devices (where you should expect bit-perfect
> results)?
> 
> Are you claiming that manufacturers in practice don't meet the specs
> listed for their devices?
> 
> Does this seem like a trend, or are there just some interfaces with
> bugs out there?
> 
> Are some brands notoriously worse than others?
> 
> (just curious, since one wouldn't want to buy crappy equipment)
> 
> 
> Have fun! :)
> 
> ...Johan

TBT, I am a bit hardware oriented, and I base that statement on reading the 
data sheets on what look to be interesting bits of smart sand I have found 
links to.

As I am not privy to what chip is on audio card x, at any one week n, I 
think to actually name names & model numbers (something else I have learned 
to miss-trust, dealing with ATI's video cards, which can get changed at 
about the same rate we change underwear, can be exceptionally educational) 
is generally pretty frustrating.  So other than the card I presently use, I 
won't give any name, rank or serial numbers.  Why?  Ears are at least as 
variable as eyeballs.  My eyes for instance, have had glass in front of 
them for the last 71 years.  My color vision OTOH, is very very good.

I don't claim to have ears that matched Larry Klien's when he was doing all 
his pundrity in the audiofile rags 30 years ago, but at my age, I think 
they are generally not lying to me when I listen to something for several 
hours, with a rather eclectic mix of music, and do not get tired of it.  
Toss in a bit of digital aliasing, a bit of monotonicity errors, then add a 
3rd order intercept of 40db or less for the two tone so the net total 
distortion approaches .5%, and these old ears are screaming for some 
silence in 5 to 10 minutes.

However, I have been amazed at the number of folks out there who can listen 
to 5% THD and a 20 db intercept on a two tone signal, with a bit of 
aliasing thrown in, and absolutely cannot hear it, the difference to them 
is a total shrug.  It boggles my mind to think of what they are missing.

OTOH, given the class of folks who seem to inhabit this list, I think there 
are some altogether decent ears here.  Your tastes in music might assault 
me, and mine would yours I'm equally sure, but the technical ability I hear 
in most of the samples posted so far is far better done than the average 
garage band console can pass.  You are being 'picky' and for that I salute 
you all.  Technically, the state of the art in making music seems to 
continually improve.  And its people like you that are part of that driving 
force behind that.

Thanks for reading this far.  I'll get me coat now.

Cheers, Gene
-- 
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