Alpha Audio Forum - Recent Posts

RE: Komt er een nieuwe referentieset?

Jaap Veenstra — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 11:42:44 +0000

@vincenth Ja. Dat snap ik wel! Maar we gaan het gewoon even anders doen. Alpha 3.0! :-)

RE: Komt er een nieuwe referentieset?

Neddy Lowyck — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:36:53 +0000

@rioter Ik had ook al die gedachte wanneer ik enkele weken geleden al het moois aan toestellen op MP zag verschijnen 😎

RE: Komt er een nieuwe referentieset?

Jaap Veenstra — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 21:15:39 +0000

Nee. Niet per-sé. We gaan het vooral even anders aanpakken! Wordt vervolgt!

Komt er een nieuwe referentieset?

RioTer — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:58:17 +0000

Hoi Jaap, komt er een nieuwe referentieset? Hartelijke groet.

The placebo effect of the price tag, brand name

Ferdy Bossy — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:54:42 +0000

The psychology of audio perception involves a strong placebo effect: price tags, brushed aluminum faceplates,VU meters, and prestige branding can easily bias what you think you hear.

High-End Audio Brands vs. Automotive Equivalents

High-end audio brands mirror luxury automotive manufacturers in engineering philosophy, heritage, and status symbolism:

Audio Brand Automotive Equivalent Brand Persona & Engineering Focus

Krell Bugatti / Corvette Z06 Raw American power, massive current delivery, unrestrained dynamics.

Accuphase Lexus / Toyota Century Meticulous Japanese precision, signature champagne finish, total reliability.

Luxman Aston Martin Classic elegance, warm aesthetic, refined heritage with modern performance.

McIntosh Cadillac / Bentley Iconic blue VU meters, unmistakable bold styling, effortless power.

Gryphon Audio Lamborghini Dark, dramatic aesthetic, brutal power reserves, uncompromising design.

Burmester Porsche German engineering perfection, ultra-clean chrome finishes, high precision.

Grimm Audio McLaren Modern high-tech performance, master-clock precision, engineering over nostalgia.

Audio Research Ferrari Pure emotional engagement, high-performance vacuum tube craftsmanship.

Key Audio Truths

Source Quality ("Garbage In, Garbage Out"): A ultra-resolving setup featuring a Grimm Audio MU2 will expose harshness and compression in bad recordings far more than a budget streamer like a Bluesound Node 2i. High-end gear acts like a magnifying glass—it amplifies both perfection and flaws.

The Class D Revolution: Audiophile performance was once exclusive to power-hungry Class A or tube designs. Modern Class D technology (such as Purifi Eigenakt and Hypex modules) achieves near-zero distortion and ruler-flat frequency responses in efficient, compact form factors.

Acoustics over Price Tags: Room reflection and speaker placement dictate up to 50% of what you hear. A $20,000 system in an untreated room with hard surfaces will consistently sound worse than a $2,000 system set up in a acoustically tuned space where 3D imaging and soundstage depth can actually materialize.

RE: Ingang gain

Ferdy Bossy — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:31:55 +0000

Bought the same —or so I thought— KRK12s subwoofer, but the distortion —hadn't looked at the user manual— normally professional equipment is +4dB. But this one is an improved version, well, improvement?!! They’ve made this one suitable for -11dB now, don't count on that, so clipping, so set to +4dB, Energy saving mode also turned off; the guys behind the controls don't bother to set the recording to 0dB. And if you turn up your preamp 14dB, a gigantic volume comes out of the next track. Turned off?!! If the volume is too low for too long, you won't hear anything anymore, because the subwoofer is in standby mode, after which the volume first has to be turned up much louder -far from convenient- How did they come up with the idea to consider these changes useful!?!!

Airplay 2 or Bluetooth

Ferdy Bossy — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:39:00 +0000

Don't forget to turn off Bluetooth; the connection often fails if Bluetooth is still on.

AirPlay 2 offers the best sound quality in almost all practical situations, with an important caveat regarding the Bluetooth codecs and settings used. AirPlay 2 (Wi-Fi) • Transmission: Works over your Wi-Fi network with much higher bandwidth than Bluetooth. • Audio Quality: Transmits audio up to 16-bit / 44.1 kHz (CD quality) uncompressed (ALAC). • Caveat: With some apps (like Apple Music on iOS), AirPlay 2 can under certain circumstances switch back to 256 kbps AAC (lossy). Nevertheless, the signal remains very stable and free of aggressive data compression. Latest Bluetooth Version (Bluetooth 5.3 / 5.4) • Transmission: Direct connection between phone and speaker/headphones with limited bandwidth. • Audio Quality: The Bluetooth version itself (like 5.3 or 5.4) mainly determines range and energy consumption, not sound quality. The quality is determined by the supported audio codec: - SBC / AAC (standard on iPhones, among others): Compressed (lossy), with a noticeable loss compared to Wi-Fi. - aptX HD / LDAC / LHDC (Android): High-res codecs that come close to CD quality or lossless, but still compress dynamically based on the connection. - aptX Lossless (Snapdragon Sound): Can transmit true 16-bit/44.1 kHz lossless audio, but requires both your smartphone and your headphones/speaker to specifically support it (iPhones do not support this). Comparison • Maximum Quality: AirPlay 2 = CD quality (16-bit/44.1 kHz); Bluetooth = Up to Lossless (only with aptX Lossless on compatible Android devices). • Standard Quality: AirPlay 2 = Lossless ALAC or high-quality AAC; Bluetooth = Compressed (AAC / SBC) on most devices. • System Interference: AirPlay 2 = None (calls/notifications do not interrupt music); Bluetooth = Notifications and ringtones play through your speakers. • Compatibility: AirPlay 2 = Only within the Apple ecosystem / Wi-Fi; Bluetooth = Universal (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac). Conclusion: For home use with an Apple device and a good speaker (like Sonos or HomePod), AirPlay 2 delivers the best, most consistent sound. Bluetooth only wins in terms of portability outdoors or with specific high-end Android hardware and aptX Lossless equipment.

RE: Interference blocking question

Ferdy Bossy — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:23:02 +0000

@lars-b-j I'm glad it's been resolved for a long time.

RE: Interference blocking question

Lars Buresø-Jespersen — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:40:21 +0000

@ferdy-bossy Thank you :)
I found the solution a long time ago, by making sure I crossed power and signal cables @ a 90° angle, after that I don't hear any noise or hum anymore.

RE: Interference blocking question

Ferdy Bossy — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:30:15 +0000

@lars-b-j A system is only as clean as its weakest link. As components become more revealing, they do not just reproduce more detail from the music—they also reveal system noise, power hash, and interference that budget gear typically masks.

Here is how power quality and cable shielding impact your setup, along with practical ways to optimize them:

1. Power Supply as the Foundation

An amplifier does not create sound out of nowhere; it uses the AC voltage from your wall outlet to modulate the audio signal sent to your speakers. If the incoming power is contaminated with radio frequency interference (RFI), electromagnetic interference (EMI), or DC offset from household appliances, that noise rides right along with the signal.

Lowering the Noise Floor: Dedicated power conditioners like the AudioQuest PowerQuest 3 filter out high-frequency line noise and protect against voltage spikes. The practical result isn't necessarily "brighter sound," but a lower noise floor—meaning blacker backgrounds, finer dynamic contrast, and clearer micro-details at lower listening volumes.

Current Delivery: When choosing power conditioning, ensure power amplifiers and powered subwoofers are plugged into high-current outlets so dynamic punch isn't constrained during sudden musical peaks.

2. EMI/RFI and Cable Management

Cables behave like antennae. Low-level analog signals (like RCA line-level interconnects or phono stage outputs) are especially sensitive to stray magnetic fields generated by power transformers, wall warts, and Wi-Fi routers.

Crossing at 90 Degrees: If power cables and signal cables must cross each other, route them perpendicularly (at a 90-degree angle). Running power cords parallel to interconnects creates inductive coupling, introducing a 50Hz/60Hz mains hum or high-frequency buzz into your audio signal.

Proper Shielding and Termination: Well-constructed interconnects use braided shielding (or twisted-pair geometry) and well-machined metal connectors to create a Continuous Faraday cage around the conductor, rejecting airborne interference before it reaches your amplifier stage.

Separation: Keep digital sources, modern switching power supplies (like phone chargers or TV power bricks), and Wi-Fi access points on a separate power strip or physically distant from your sensitive analog components.

Kind regards and happy listening