Results 1 to 15 of 15
-
April 16, 2023, 05:06 AM #1
- Join Date
- Dec 2022
- Location
- Sweden
- Posts
- 18
All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Dear fellow hifi-nerds and musiclovers
To build an "ultimate" soundsystem is not easy, and certainly when one can´t audition all the current units that I am interested in.
I hopefully can get some input from you guys. My speakers are custommade and endgame for me and many others, they are like no other on the market and only available in Sweden. I can explain more if people are interested.
Anyways, so when it comes to DAC, there seem to be a lot of options now and I can spend some money to get to a high level. I´m very sensitve to cold and "angry" highs. My tastes are musicality, midrange magic, a big wide and deep soundstage with some 3 dimensionality.I like warmth over cold and a welcoming sound that doesn’t hurt my ears with a bright thin sound. Then again, I know that there can be a problem if you add too much warmth with all tubes etc. then you get a "sameness" over all sourcefiles.
These are the ones I´ve been looking at.
*HoloAudio May KTE - I was wanting this for a long time and it was a favourite among a lot of people
out there. 2 box solution
*d1-sublime DAC - Never heard of, but I´ve heard good things about it. The only thing is that it´s
several boxes. From what I understand it can´t play DSD 512, how does that work?
*Weiss dac 501 - One box solution.
*Mola Mola Tambaqui - A "hidden gem"?! It´s suppose to be very nice and there is no off the shelv
standard components in it. One box solution which is nice
*Lampizator Horizon - Very expensive....my gut feeling says it´s very nice with tubes, but maybe it will
add too much warmth since I´m considering a pre-amp tubes.
Thanks for your time.Last edited by Grand_Soir; April 16, 2023 at 05:06 AM. Reason: wrongly spelled
-
April 16, 2023, 08:00 AM #2
- Join Date
- Dec 2015
- Location
- Black Sea Coast
- Posts
- 17
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Dear Grand_Soir, please visit Marcus, (Perfect sense) to listen APL DAC and streamer. Cheers!
-
April 16, 2023, 11:28 AM #3
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Of those, the Lampi. Lots of tube tuning options.
Also look at MSB. Very smooth and organic.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ProMy Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481
"We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."
Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.
https://suncoastaudio.com/
Phone: 941-932-0282
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/
-
April 16, 2023, 01:31 PM #4
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- Minnesota
- Posts
- 1,369
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Look at the Aqua La Scala. Awesome sounding DAC with a hint of warmth which can be increased with tube rolling.
My Gear- Mains System-Pass X250 amp, BAT VK-51se preamp, Luxman DA-06 DAC, Magnepan 1.6's, Thorens TD-145 TT, Dual Martin Logan Subs, Vintage Luxman T-110 Tuner, Cables-WW Platinum 7 USB, Cardas Parsec XLR, AQ Columbia DBS 72v XLR, Belden 8402 XLR.
-
April 16, 2023, 02:30 PM #5
- Join Date
- Dec 2022
- Location
- Sweden
- Posts
- 18
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Oh crap...even more options
How is one gonna chose?!
-
April 17, 2023, 02:00 AM #6
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- St. Louis, MO, USA
- Posts
- 3,073
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
I've heard the Horizon in a few systems and my friend who has one I have been there to listen when rolling some tubes. It is not a warm DAC in the sense you'd expect from a tube piece.
MSB came to my mind when reading what you are looking for.
Some on your list I have not heard.Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
Clearaudio Performance DC w/Maestro cart
Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables
HT: Marantz AV8003, Linn 5125, JBL SAM3ha, Revel s30,
SVS PC13 Ultra
Transparent, Analysis Plus & Tributaries. PS Audio filtering
Sony XBR-75X940D & BDP
Parasound P6, MBL 8006b, Artisan speakers/subwoofer
-
April 17, 2023, 02:05 AM #7
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- St. Louis, MO, USA
- Posts
- 3,073
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
When reading your post I have to wonder what your budget is, you listed the May DAC which is around $5k where the Horizon is around 10 times that price. Price doesn't always dictate quality but if you find one at $5k that comes close to the Horizon please come back and let me know, I've been searching myself.
Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
Clearaudio Performance DC w/Maestro cart
Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables
HT: Marantz AV8003, Linn 5125, JBL SAM3ha, Revel s30,
SVS PC13 Ultra
Transparent, Analysis Plus & Tributaries. PS Audio filtering
Sony XBR-75X940D & BDP
Parasound P6, MBL 8006b, Artisan speakers/subwoofer
-
April 19, 2023, 11:17 PM #8
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
If you enjoy DSD, which many people including me consider the most organic natural, analog sounding format then one of the best is T+A. They are out of Germany so I assume there should be dealers around. I have heard that T+A is huge in Europe.
McIntosh C49, MC152, MR85, R778 | T+A DAC 8 DSD | KEF LS50 Meta w/S2, KC62 (x2) | Rega RP8, Ania Pro, NEO PSU | Technics SL-1500C | Audio Technica VM750ML | Hexmat Eclipse, Yellow Bird, Molekula, Molekula Mini | Pro-Ject VC-E | Falcon NW PC Server (Roon Core & HQPlayer) | Microsoft Surface Pro 6 (Roon Controller) | Wyred 4 Sound ISO Recovery, DC Recovery | Abyss Diana Phi | Schiit Jotunheim 2 | Astell&Kern SE200 | Oppo BDP105
“One of the great challenges in life is knowing enough to think you're right but not enough to know you're wrong”
"You can't use reason to convince anyone out of an argument that they didn't use reason to get into"
― Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
April 22, 2023, 11:21 AM #9
- Join Date
- Oct 2019
- Location
- The Netherlands
- Posts
- 260
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Comparing dacs is difficult. Think it is needed to try and compare these on your own system. The best dac could not be the best dac on your home system and even the second best dac could be switched to the best dac when you change the linear powersupply. By the way: in my opinion it is better to use a good dac with an excellent power supply then an excellent dac with a normal power supply.
And how about the digital output? Some say USB is best, others don't agree
What makes matter complex that there are 2 types: oversampling and non oversampling dacs. Some people say you should oversample others say you don't have to. And oversampling to what? Some here say Dsd is best, others pcm. Looking at the site from hqplayer learns that they offer 14 modulators, 49 PCM oversampling options and 3 DSD rate converters. That are a lot of converters for 1 single hardware setup, in which every converter has its own characteristic.
Think best way to compare is to borrow dacs at your own setup and keep what sounds right to you.
-
April 22, 2023, 11:33 AM #10
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Great idea, unfortunately good luck with that.
This is probable why I ended up going through 14 different DACs before finally settling on a T+A DAC using a Windows Server, running Roon and HQPlayer with all of my digital music being sent to the DAC in DSD512 via HQPlayer, regardless of the resolution of the original files. Amazing combination and in many ways very competitive against my analog setup. I own several high-end recordings in both 45 RPM master type pressings and high-resolution digital versions. Sometimes the vinyl is better, sometimes the digital, however they are mostly very close.McIntosh C49, MC152, MR85, R778 | T+A DAC 8 DSD | KEF LS50 Meta w/S2, KC62 (x2) | Rega RP8, Ania Pro, NEO PSU | Technics SL-1500C | Audio Technica VM750ML | Hexmat Eclipse, Yellow Bird, Molekula, Molekula Mini | Pro-Ject VC-E | Falcon NW PC Server (Roon Core & HQPlayer) | Microsoft Surface Pro 6 (Roon Controller) | Wyred 4 Sound ISO Recovery, DC Recovery | Abyss Diana Phi | Schiit Jotunheim 2 | Astell&Kern SE200 | Oppo BDP105
“One of the great challenges in life is knowing enough to think you're right but not enough to know you're wrong”
"You can't use reason to convince anyone out of an argument that they didn't use reason to get into"
― Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
April 22, 2023, 11:33 AM #11
-
April 22, 2023, 01:19 PM #12
- Join Date
- Oct 2019
- Location
- The Netherlands
- Posts
- 260
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Maybe this is the way. Ending up with 14 different dacs. There are people I know who are all the time buying and selling. But if you do that with a 30k costing dac all the time comparing is an expensive hobby
Problem is that there are not many shops with so many different dacs. It is hard to find even a shop that had 3 of the candidate dacs in the house.
-
May 3, 2023, 07:58 AM #13
- Join Date
- Mar 2022
- Location
- Adelaide, Australia
- Posts
- 53
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
Main System: Linn LP12/Ittok/DVxx2Mk2, ME25 as phono pre, Oppo BDP-95, Sangean WFT-3D, Auralic Aries G2.1, Mola Mola Tambaqui, Pass Labs XP22, Pass Labs X260.8, Magnepan MG3.7i
Headphone System: Auralic Aries Mini, iFi Hip DAC2, DCA Aeon2 Noire
-
May 25, 2023, 11:37 AM #14
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
I am pretty happy with my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. However, the Lampizatior Baltic 4 looks appealing. But a bit more than I'd want to spend.
Even the Holo May KTE is a tad pricey for me (well not really but don't want the spouse to cry).
I am hearing a lot about R2R ladder DACs. I guess the best option for me might be to procure a Denafrips Venus II. Might do that later this summer.McInotsh MC75 (2) amps
Audiophonics LPA-S400ET Class D amp
Marchand XB44 crossover
McIntosh C2500 pre
Luxman 505Ux integrated to drive "B" Speakers
EAT C Sharp with Ortofon Cadenza Blue
TEAC SD1000/Yamaha SACD Blu Ray player
Sonus Faber Olympica I
dual Rythmik sealed subs
AKG and Sennheiser phones, Feliks headphone amp
Vintage Pioneer table and Kenwood 3 head tape deck
Nitty Gritty RCM, and DeGritter
McIntosh, AQ, Nordost, and Cullen Cables
Mytek Brooklyn DAC+/Sonare Ultra Rendu, SGC I transporter 5
Tidal and Roon
-
May 25, 2023, 01:34 PM #15
Re: All these DACs makes my head spin - Please
The digital "methodology" (delta-sigma, R2R, multibit) is not as important as the design and implementation of the "analog" design/section/implementation. Lukasz Fikus and his team at LampiZator have found this through extensive R&D that a single transistor in the analog section can, and does, have more effect/impact on the quality of the DAC that the digital methodology utilized. You can ask Lukasz about this.
Again, let your ears be the judge. If you're happy with your Mytek, IMHO, money for an "upgrade" is better spent on reducing ground-plane noise, especially for digital componentry.
AudioShark - The Best High End Audio Discussion forum.
AudioShark forum is a leading forum site for High End Audio Discussion, Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater System Discussion, Best Home Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater Installation Discussion etc.
The AudioShark forum was created for sharing the passion of high-end Audio. We have Audiophiles from all over the world participating and sharing their knowledge. From novice to experts, you will find a friendly environment for discussing about High End Audio, Stereo System, Home Theater System, Home Stereo System, Home Theater Installation, Amplifiers, Speakers, Subwoofers, Integrated System, Acoustic treatments & Digital Room Corrections and many more.
At AudioShark, we also have incorporated an exciting Marketplace where members can peruse terrific buys on used gear, as well as meet dealers and discuss the purchase of new gear.
We are as crazy about this hobby as you are! So come on in and join us! Audioshark.org the Friendliest Audio Forum!
Industry Participation Disclosure : The owner and administrator of Audioshark is the owner of Suncoast Audio LLC in Sarasota Florida. Suncoast Audio has a full brick and mortar presence in Sarasota with several great show rooms with many world class brands. More information can be found at http://www.suncoastaudio.com
Audioshark is a community of like minded individuals. Audioshark welcomes participation from all manufacturers and owners of all brands and products. It is our belief that online forums provide a community of like minded audiophiles and music lovers to encourage the growth of this wonderful hobby.
Sincerely,
The Audioshark.org Team
AudioShark forum is a leading forum site for High End Audio Discussion, Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater System Discussion, Best Home Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater Installation Discussion etc.
The AudioShark forum was created for sharing the passion of high-end Audio. We have Audiophiles from all over the world participating and sharing their knowledge. From novice to experts, you will find a friendly environment for discussing about High End Audio, Stereo System, Home Theater System, Home Stereo System, Home Theater Installation, Amplifiers, Speakers, Subwoofers, Integrated System, Acoustic treatments & Digital Room Corrections and many more.
At AudioShark, we also have incorporated an exciting Marketplace where members can peruse terrific buys on used gear, as well as meet dealers and discuss the purchase of new gear.
We are as crazy about this hobby as you are! So come on in and join us! Audioshark.org the Friendliest Audio Forum!
Industry Participation Disclosure : The owner and administrator of Audioshark is the owner of Suncoast Audio LLC in Sarasota Florida. Suncoast Audio has a full brick and mortar presence in Sarasota with several great show rooms with many world class brands. More information can be found at http://www.suncoastaudio.com
Audioshark is a community of like minded individuals. Audioshark welcomes participation from all manufacturers and owners of all brands and products. It is our belief that online forums provide a community of like minded audiophiles and music lovers to encourage the growth of this wonderful hobby.
Sincerely,
The Audioshark.org Team
I or anyone interested should see if FEDEX offers a domestic "LAST MINUTE RATE" for shipping heavy items within CONUS. Have no clue at this point - but when I have some time, I'll check. ...
Shipping Overseas 498 pounds w/3...