HAKAI playground

A DIY digital music streamer with exceptional performance

Moderator: Staff

matthias
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2092
Joined: 2007-12-25 16:47
Location: Germany

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by matthias »

lejonklou wrote: 2021-07-25 20:49 .......I have already compared HD+ and EX and have firm opinions about them.
Fredrik,
would you care to elaborate?
Thanks

Matt
Matt

MBP / Exposure pre + power (both modified) / JBL3677
User avatar
lejonklou
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6524
Joined: 2007-01-30 10:38
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by lejonklou »

matthias wrote: 2021-07-25 21:11
lejonklou wrote: 2021-07-25 20:49 .......I have already compared HD+ and EX and have firm opinions about them.
Fredrik,
would you care to elaborate?
Thanks

Matt
Sure, after this comparison is done.
User avatar
springwood64
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 789
Joined: 2008-10-13 18:19
Location: UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by springwood64 »

lejonklou wrote: 2021-07-25 20:49
Was someone preparing dinner in clip A? ;)
Ha: yes. It can be difficult to keep the rest of the family quiet ....
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by Spannko »

Easily an A for me. B struggles to play bass properly and each note comes as a surprise rather than being predictable as in clip A. Also the guitar follows JA’s voice in clip A whereas this is not so noticeable in clip B. However, the biggest difference is that there are some unintelligible background noises on clip B which are clearly identified on A as a tin of Guinness being opened by a parrot 🦜
tokenbrit
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2039
Joined: 2012-03-22 19:47
Location: New England

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by tokenbrit »

Spannko wrote: .. tin of Guinness being opened by a parrot 🦜
(I'm not a Guinness drinker, or a pirate, so) B for me ;)
beck
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2752
Joined: 2012-10-22 22:25

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by beck »

Thank you for making me smile again! :-)

I do like Guinness but it is a long time since I have had one and it will take even longer if I have to find a parrot to open it!
Playing cd’s…………
User avatar
springwood64
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 789
Joined: 2008-10-13 18:19
Location: UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by springwood64 »

Spannko wrote: 2021-07-25 22:19 However, the biggest difference is that there are some unintelligible background noises on clip B which are clearly identified on A as a tin of Guinness being opened by a parrot 🦜
I think you just called my wife a parrot !

It's a good thing she never haunts this forum ... :D
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
User avatar
springwood64
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 789
Joined: 2008-10-13 18:19
Location: UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by springwood64 »

I think it is worth comparing another track before revealing which is which, if I can impose on your time a bit more:
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
beck
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2752
Joined: 2012-10-22 22:25

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by beck »

Prefer 16.
Playing cd’s…………
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by Spannko »

springwood64 wrote: 2021-07-27 08:27
Spannko wrote: 2021-07-25 22:19 However, the biggest difference is that there are some unintelligible background noises on clip B which are clearly identified on A as a tin of Guinness being opened by a parrot 🦜
I think you just called my wife a parrot !

It's a good thing she never haunts this forum ... :D
Ha ha. Please apologise to your wife for me, unless her name is Polly or Captain Flint, in which case it’s probably better to keep quiet! Just out of interest, what was the squawking sound I heard in the background?
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by Spannko »

I prefer 16 this time
tokenbrit
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2039
Joined: 2012-03-22 19:47
Location: New England

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by tokenbrit »

More confused the more I listen (to the wind blow) so going with my initial reaction, and hope it's not 'damn your lies': 16
User avatar
lejonklou
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6524
Joined: 2007-01-30 10:38
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by lejonklou »

16
User avatar
springwood64
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 789
Joined: 2008-10-13 18:19
Location: UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by springwood64 »

Spannko wrote: 2021-07-27 14:21 Just out of interest, what was the squawking sound I heard in the background?
It's my wife chopping veg in the kitchen, two rooms away. I don't know why it records so loud.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
beck
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2752
Joined: 2012-10-22 22:25

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by beck »

springwood64 wrote: 2021-07-27 15:54
Spannko wrote: Just out of interest, what was the squawking sound I heard in the background?
It's my wife chopping veg in the kitchen, two rooms away. I don't know why it records so loud.
What a “let-down” coming from Guinness opened by a parrot! :-)
Playing cd’s…………
tokenbrit
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2039
Joined: 2012-03-22 19:47
Location: New England

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by tokenbrit »

beck wrote: 2021-07-27 16:02
springwood64 wrote: 2021-07-27 15:54
Spannko wrote: Just out of interest, what was the squawking sound I heard in the background?
It's my wife chopping veg in the kitchen, two rooms away. I don't know why it records so loud.
What a “let-down” coming from Guinness opened by a parrot! :-)
Off-topic; just beakause... http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1134/8 ... grande.jpg
beck
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2752
Joined: 2012-10-22 22:25

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by beck »

That’s enough. I am off to the nearest pub now! :-)
Playing cd’s…………
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by ThomasOK »

beck wrote: 2021-07-27 17:18 That’s enough. I am off to the nearest pub now! :-)
To find a parrot?
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by ThomasOK »

On the first pairing I prefer the HD+. I find it easier to follow the instruments.
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by ThomasOK »

springwood64 wrote: 2021-07-25 18:37 For the first week I tired of the EX very quickly, so switched it to burning in on my test system.

Now I find it difficult to choose, despite comparing a number of tracks. The differences seem subtle and seem to vary a little between tracks. Like Beck, I prefer the EX for the First Aid Kit track both in the room and via the recordings.

Thanks everyone for your time in analysing these comparisons.

For Spannko and Matthias, here is a less processed track, anonymised:
I prefer B here. More emotion and nuance to the vocals and a more engaging rhythm. Although neither gives me the quality of the bass voice I am used to hearing on this track. Now I have to go listen to a recording of it on a system, rather than phone recording through iMac speakers.
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
beck
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2752
Joined: 2012-10-22 22:25

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by beck »

ThomasOK wrote: 2021-07-27 18:40
beck wrote: That’s enough. I am off to the nearest pub now! :-)
To find a parrot?
I did not find a pub, Guinness or a parrot but two original czech beers at the local store. Well, you do not always find what you are looking for........
Playing cd’s…………
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by ThomasOK »

springwood64 wrote: 2021-07-27 08:56 I think it is worth comparing another track before revealing which is which, if I can impose on your time a bit more:
I liked 16 better that 32 before I even heard 32. 16 just sounded good and I listened to it all the way through and wanted more. Then I listened to 32 and it just confirmed my impression that 16 was really good.

Now that I have heard a few clips I have noticed that there is a sharpness to the female voice on louder notes that shows up on the tracks I didn't like as well: 32 and A. I don't notice it on 16 and B. Now you can tell us that I preferred different devices on different tracks and make all this I just wrote patent nonsense!
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by ThomasOK »

beck wrote: 2021-07-27 18:54
ThomasOK wrote: 2021-07-27 18:40
beck wrote: That’s enough. I am off to the nearest pub now! :-)
To find a parrot?
I did not find a pub, Guinness or a parrot but two original czech beers at the local store. Well, you do not always find what you are looking for........
beck, I'm surprised at you. "You can't always get what you want" or "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" would have been the proper lines here! ;-)
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
User avatar
springwood64
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 789
Joined: 2008-10-13 18:19
Location: UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by springwood64 »

My parrot brought us both a nice chilled glass of white.

Ok: the reveal. I have found myself repeatedly switching between these two DACs and getting a bit lost between them.

The HD+ you heard in 'HD+', 'A' and '16'.

The EX you heard in 'EX', 'B', and '32'.

I think I find the HD+ easier to listen to over the longer term, but find myself switching in the EX to listen as well.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
User avatar
springwood64
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 789
Joined: 2008-10-13 18:19
Location: UK

Re: HAKAI playground

Post by springwood64 »

ThomasOK wrote: 2021-07-27 18:55 Now you can tell us that I preferred different devices on different tracks and make all this I just wrote patent nonsense!
Oops!

But, then again - that is what I experience when I listen both to the recordings and directly to the DACs
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
Post Reply