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Thread: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgrade?

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    56

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Quote Originally Posted by bkdc View Post
    All audio files are digitized. I don't believe in the snake-oil belief that FLAC sounds better than high quality MP3 even on the most expensive equipment or that high res 24-bit/192kHz files sound better than redbook CD. The most important factor in high quality audio is the original mastering. You cannot revive a 1980 recording with 24/192 treatment and expect it to sound better. Crap in, crap out. I use LAME encoder at V2 (APS) setting for transparent quality MP3 audio played on either Foobar or JRiver

    Oppo UDP-203 plays any CD, SACD, or Blu-Ray audio, output via HDMI
    Marantz AV8802a is my Digital Audio Convertor
    Home made monoblock amplifiers with Anaview AMS1000 modules (600W RMS at 8ohms each channel)
    Close attention to acoustic treatments of the room (rug/carpet) and wall treatments.

    I have absolutely no plans to upgrade. If I move into a larger space, I would be tempted to install high quality satellites at the ceiling for DTS:X or Dolby Atmos.
    Nice equipment! What do you use as your display? Do you have a projector?

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    57

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Ascend Sierra Towers RAAL | Ascend Sierra Horizon RAAL | Ascend HTM-200SE | Rythmik F15HP | Anthem MRX-520 | Schiit Modi Multibit | Meridian Explorer DAC | NEC PX-50XR5A |Sony PS3 | LibreELEC Chromebox | Roku 3 | Pioneer DV-588 SACD | MacbookPro 15" | Tidal | Spotify | Pandora | Decibel | Foobar | CalMAN HomeTheater | CalMAN C3 | HCFR | i1Display2 | MobileForge | REW | Cross Spectrum calibrated UMIK-1 microphone | Audio Quest, Monoprice and Blue Jeans Cables | Herbie's Audio, SVS Sound Path and Auralex Isolation | Logitech Harmony Remote | recently retired: MRX310, Sherwood Newcastle R972, Onkyo 3008, Yamaha 667, Outlaw 7125, B&K AV6000, Oppo 981HD SVS PB13Ultra & SCS/SBS

    I just added the Schiit Multibit about two weeks ago and I'm very pleased with their sound. I use it via spdif coax&toslink with cd's via the Pioneer and my Macbook stream. The result is much more musical and organic sounding imho. It actually peaked my interest in the new Schiit Freya pre and Vidar amp so possibly a dedicated 2 channel setup may be in order. And I really did enjoy the Sierra 2's I evaluated. However, my next few purchases would be a X-Rite i1Display Pro because I love audio and video calibration, potentially a larger home with dedicated room, a second Rythmik F15HP or F18HP, a 4K TV to replace my Plasma.
    Last edited by eyecatcher; 01-26-2017 at 08:07 PM.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    22

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Quote Originally Posted by goldark View Post
    Nice equipment! What do you use as your display? Do you have a projector?
    Really I have never heard MP3 sound as good as cd which is what you are saying. On my system MP3 is compressed and dry sounding. No top end it is totally aweful I mean I can hear the difference night and day. Wish it did sound better I would just pay for Spotify and be done with it. I can hear the difference on my Riva Turbo X Bluetooth speaker MP3 is aweful for critical listening IMHO
    Last edited by Wadia171i; 01-28-2017 at 08:28 PM.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    360

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    It probably depends on the bit-rate. 128 sounds pretty bad. At 320, it would be more difficult to distinguish from CD or FLAC.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    22

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Quote Originally Posted by mikesiskav View Post
    It probably depends on the bit-rate. 128 sounds pretty bad. At 320, it would be more difficult to distinguish from CD or FLAC.
    Never had a problem distinguishing from the two. Ever

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    360

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Quote Originally Posted by Wadia171i View Post
    Never had a problem distinguishing from the two. Ever
    Well I guess my hearing isn't as good as yours. That being said, I store all my music as FLAC just to be on the safe side.

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    22

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Quote Originally Posted by mikesiskav View Post
    Well I guess my hearing isn't as good as yours. That being said, I store all my music as FLAC just to be on the safe side.
    I use Tidal Hifi and Audirvana and play records. Shop half price books and used record stores some of my best records cost 99 cents. Just the other day found and original pressing On prestige label Coltrane Bajia sound fabulous 10 bucks they had no idea what it was worth. . Tired of using stored music only have about10 thousand songs getting old listening to the same old thing.
    Last edited by Wadia171i; 01-27-2017 at 02:46 PM.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    457

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Quote Originally Posted by bkdc View Post
    All audio files are digitized. I don't believe in the snake-oil belief that FLAC sounds better than high quality MP3 even on the most expensive equipment or that high res 24-bit/192kHz files sound better than redbook CD. The most important factor in high quality audio is the original mastering. You cannot revive a 1980 recording with 24/192 treatment and expect it to sound better. Crap in, crap out. I use LAME encoder at V2 (APS) setting for transparent quality MP3 audio played on either Foobar or JRiver.
    This is an oversimplification. FLAC is just file compression, whereas MP3 is hacking out actual sound. The brickwall filtering and other things it does will degrade dynamic range and frequency response. At 320 kbps, though, it's not very noticeable, except on extremely high quality recordings with high dynamic range you can lose some usable information, so it is true that mixing and mastering is the ultimate important factor. If that's not right it doesn't matter how you compress it, it'll still suck. I have really high quality versions from Steven Wilson, though, where he is giving you the 24/96 file that came right out of his mixing console. He does flat mastering, so everything just gets done right in recording and mixing. I swear there is a difference in the clarity. I bought KISS and a few other things in high res that were absolutely terrible, zero difference, and many labels are actually just up-resing their 16/44.1 to 24/96, which is again completely and utterly pointless. Quite a mixed bag.
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,538

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Quote Originally Posted by sludgeogre View Post
    This is an oversimplification. FLAC is just file compression, whereas MP3 is hacking out actual sound. The brickwall filtering and other things it does will degrade dynamic range and frequency response. At 320 kbps, though, it's not very noticeable, except on extremely high quality recordings with high dynamic range you can lose some usable information, so it is true that mixing and mastering is the ultimate important factor. If that's not right it doesn't matter how you compress it, it'll still suck. I have really high quality versions from Steven Wilson, though, where he is giving you the 24/96 file that came right out of his mixing console. He does flat mastering, so everything just gets done right in recording and mixing. I swear there is a difference in the clarity. I bought KISS and a few other things in high res that were absolutely terrible, zero difference, and many labels are actually just up-resing their 16/44.1 to 24/96, which is again completely and utterly pointless. Quite a mixed bag.
    Not only am I huge fan of Steven Wilson's work - I absolutely love the fact that he includes the high res studio versions with his CD's. I hope more musicians follow his lead....
    .
    .
    .
    Good Sound To You!

    David Fabrikant
    www.ascendacoustics.com

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    457

    Default Re: What other equipment do you use with your Ascend speakers? What is your next upgr

    Quote Originally Posted by davef View Post
    Not only am I huge fan of Steven Wilson's work - I absolutely love the fact that he includes the high res studio versions with his CD's. I hope more musicians follow his lead....
    I hope so as well. A couple of the best concerts I went to were Porcupine Tree shows. What an incredible performer, as well as his drummer, that guy was nuts.

    You should check out his remix of Tears for Fears that is on HD Tracks. He really opens up the detail and dynamics in that old album. Really enjoyed it. It also comes with the original mix so you can hear the differences. I ended up just deleting the original album and keeping his versions. I hope that he gets to do some more remixing/mastering soon. He's probably the most brilliant mind in music. No one else can write, perform, and record like he can.
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

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