arduino audio controller in *stereophile* magazine

lets put both of them on the same test harness and see what the computer says.

You seem to keep missing my main point. If something measures better, but is undetectable with normal human hearing, is it really 'better'. Does it need to be better?

Your preamp might have a flat response out to 10Mhz, but does that make it sound better or even different from a preamp that is flat only out to 40khz? You got noise down to -130db, that's impressive. But can you hear a difference between a -90db and -130db noise floor in a normal listening environment, again under double blind testing? Color me skeptical. I understand electronics and I understand that -130db is an impressive specification to meet. I just don't think it has anything to do with listening to quality Hi-Fi music. Your just testing your test equipment. :wink: Electronic measurement masturbation perhaps. ;D

Your preamp may have nice .5db level steps, but can you hear a difference in +.5, -.5, or 0 db change in a double blind hearing test? You know what Mr. Bell was trying to come up with when he came up with the decibel scale? A unit of hearing measurement of just detectable levels of amplitude change by the average person.

It should really be about ones enjoyment of music. The vast popularity of portable MP3 players, with their less then state of the art audio specifications, suggest that people like to listen to the music, not the equipment.

I love nice stereo music played on well designed and constructed equipment. But I have long ago lost faith is specmanship, and spending excess money on parts that don't improve the end product.

Have you ever looked at the real world frequency response specifications (verified and measured by 3rd party) of even expensive high end loudspeakers? Do you think a better then good enough preamp will improve such a system? Hi-fi is a system, and the final results can be no better then it's weakest links, speakers and human hearing. The electronics has been 'good enough' for many decades.
Now show me some new digital controlled servo operated loudspeaker with flat 20-20khz response and maybe I would be interested in checking it out or up for a serious 'showdown' test.

Rambling I know, but what say you? :wink:

Lefty