Wilma Cozart Fine (1927-2009)

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Overview

EVENTS

PAPERS, HOW-TO & INSIGHT

VIDEOS

In this section we bring you:
 
  • EVENTS in which we describe and discuss happenings of significance to audio technology
  • A selection of technical PAPERS. Some of these are very technical and so each one has a brief summary. The full paper is available as a PDF Download
  • VIDEOS of interest to audio- and musicophiles. We start with a short film showing the machining process for the manufacture of a dCS Puccini Transport fascia
  • ARCHIVE where we will store old papers as we publish more and more new ones

Events

 
DSD over USB
 
The future of high end audio has never been more exciting. The ability to stream audio over USB and the increasing availability of high resolution studio masters means  listeners can now play back music in their home exactly as the artists intended.
 
On a pleasant Autumn evening in late September David Steven, Managing Director of dCS, and Andy McHarg, Technical Director unveiled their ‘DSD over USB playback solution’ at the beautiful premises of Amsterdam hi-fi dealer Rhapsody Sound and Vision. The audience consisted of a number of distinguished audio journalists including HiFi+ Editor Alan Sircom, The Audio Beat’s Chris Thomas and Chris Connaker, the man behind the US specialist audio website Computer Audiophile. Music for the evening was supplied by Northstar Recording’s Bert van der Wolf who gave a full commentary on each of the featured DSD master recordings.
 
David and Andy explained that dCS were seeking to develop an open standard for DSD over USB that can be used by any playback software or DAC manufacturer. The idea behind this solution was that the end user would not require any special hardware or software drivers to enable this feature. Developing this solution, while maintaining the very highest playback quality standards, posed some formidable challenges. dCS’ ingenious solution packs pure DSD data in such a way that any DAC capable of handling 24/176.4 data can be adapted to process this pure DSD data. In effect this streams pure DSD data directly from the computer to the DAC without the need for DSD to PCM conversion.
 
 
 
To prove the effectiveness of this solution music supplied by Turtle Records was played back from a MacBook Pro running Channel D’s Pure Music software that was in turn connected to a dCS Debussy DAC through Audioquest Diamond USB cable. Amplification consisted of a Spectral DMC-30SS Series 2 preamp together with their DMA-260 power amp. The rest of the system comprised of a dCS U-Clock, MIT cables and Avalon Acoustics speakers.
 
The result? Chris Connaker of Computer Audiophile summed it up as follows:
 
‘Pure Music effortlessly sent this pure DSD data to the Debussy producing wonderful sound quality. One track in particular contained a solo drummer and produced astounding dynamic range. The drums sound like they were literally being played in the room.’
 
dCS have already implemented this technology in their Debussy DAC and will be offering it as a simple software upgrade for all their components with USB inputs.

Papers, How-To & Insight

Measurements in Digital Audio

Listening to music is easy. Appreciating music is easier still. Understanding the intricacies of how the music made its way from the concert hall to your front room is altogether more complex.
 
The measured performance and specs of any given component in the playback chain are often used by people to help them understand what to expect from it and also sometimes what they may actually sound like.
 
However, both reviewers and consumers can often find themselves focusing on the number that, in reality, doesn't actually tell you very much about the musicality of a hifi component. This is because you can get widely different products in terms of how they operate but with very similar scores.
 
Click below for a brief guide to the measurements that matter in digital audio.


View PDF

Videos

Puccini Transport Fascia

Even the process of creating the front fascia panel illustrates our desire for perfection with the finest aluminium billets being machined to extremely fine tolerances and then inspected again and again so that only those that are absolutely immaculate are allowed to grace our products. NO COMPROMISE!


                                                     
ALBUM OF THE MONTH
 
LEGEND
Bob Marley & the Wailers 

The best-selling reggae album of all time gets the Hi-res treatment thanks to David Chesky and his HDtracks company.  As compilations go it doesn’t get any better; showcasing Marley’s best known work across sixteen outstanding songs, this version was  engineered using the original masters from Island Records. The bass and percussion, the backbone of reggae, really come to the fore on the likes of 'Stir It Up' and 'Exodus'. From the sheer joy of 'One Love' to the romance of 'Waiting in Vain' and the spiritual 'Redemption Song', this album takes the listener through the full gamut of emotions. Thelegendary 1975 live recording of 'No Woman No Cry' deserves a special mention; it captures the emotional impact and unifying sense of togetherness that the bands live performances created.  Although itrepresents his most commercial work, this album is an essential purchase for Marley fans and new listeners alike; a great introduction to a true cultural revolutionary, whose influence goes way beyond music.  To learn more or buy the album visit HDtracks

 
 
 
 
 
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