Best digital you've ever heard (to date)

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
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Trying to time a DAC purchase is like catching a falling knife. The moment you buy one, another one comes along, costing more, carrying with it rave reviews from, well, people who've never heard it, but they sure do like the look of the innards!

There are others who are content to spin a disc in the latest cd/SACD player.

There are others who are constantly building their latest windows, mc, whatever music player.

There's the Lampi crowd (I'm a big fan), that love to roll tubes to tweak the sound and follow every upgrade with abated breath.

Then, there's the Lumin/Linn/etc streamer crowd (of which I am one). The all-in-one solution makes digital palatable and frankly, down right enjoyable. Ethernet over USB is another argument the Streamer guys can make.

Where do you fall into this group and why? What is the best digital you have heard?
 
Interesting thread, looking forward on the members opinions.

I started out with the Cambridge Audio Dacmagic and then went on to Arcam rDac, then went with Hegels HD20 and now currently I have the HD12. I really like it as it has a built in headphone amp and supports DSD-files, other than that it sounds pretty much as the HD20.

I play all my music via my dedicated Mac Mini using Tidal and honestly can't tell the difference between Tidals high res streaming and DSD, I guess my rigg is the limiting factor.
 
I'm a streamer guy.

I've had the top of the line Linn and Naim, but found that the Lumin (my current digital source) fits my system the best sound wise. They all are easy to use once the network is set up. The Naim Unitiserve and the Lumin L1 both make setup a snap (I've had both).
 
My digital experience has been an iPod Classic/Wadia 171 iTransport playing Apple lossless files to a Bryston BDA-1 DAC, a Bryston BDP-1 to an Auralic Vega DAC, and the current Lumin S1. While happy with all three, the Lumin wins for best sound and convenience. I have not had the urge to buy any type of gear for months now. All I have been doing is downloading, and ripping, music. I just downloaded $250 (after 15% off) worth last week.

I am sure there is something out there that will sound a tiny bit better, but I have zero desire to find it.
 
I have ripped all of my CDs and lately been buying HD Digital downloads. I use a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 as a dedicated music server hooked straight to my DAC through USB. I enjoy the heck out of the HD versions of some of my favorite artists, but lately been getting heavily into DSD.

The coolest experience I have done happened last night. I already had a HD PCM version of Eric Clapton's Slowhand album. Sounded wonderful. But, to finally answer my curiosity once and for all I bought the DSD version. All I have to say is HOLY CRAP. What a difference...

The Teac DAC is my DSD. It is not an expensive one (compared to others out there, but $850 for a Digital converter is still not chicken feed)... but being Esoteric's baby brother does seem to have some advantages. It definitely gets some trickle down. Some reviewers have mentioned that you could easily slap the Esoteric name on it and sell it for more than 5 times it's price. Not sure on that but i am loving it!
 
Had quite a few DACs paired with a dedicated Mac mini running Amarra/Audirvana/Pure Music/etc. over the years. No ultra-high end DACs, but some good ones (Berkeley Alpha with Alpha USB, Benchmark, Bryston, etc). None as good as the Lumin A1. Even now - streaming from the Lumin to the C50 built-in DAC - no contest (though the C50 DAC isn't bad at all).
 
I was a mac mini/ pure music/synology NAS/Zodiac Gold guy and was very happy with sq and the upgrade path. but every so often the nas or the pure music would quit and it was a little complicated and the control
software was a bit pedestrian. Upgraded to the Directstream dac and loved the improvement, but still had the other issues. Talked to Mike about the Lumin, but decided on the Aurender N100H which allows me to have dac flexibility and also offers streaming of Tidal and much better control software. Best of both worlds as PS Audio has upgraded OS on the DS and Aurender blows away the old set up!
 
The best digital I have heard was the demo of the new MSB Select DAC by MSB at a local dealer. It presented 16/44 tracks at a level of SQ I found hard to believe. Unfortunately I am not it the market for a ~$90k DAC. I know I can get very close to that level of performance at a fraction of the price.
 
the best i heard was the Kondo KSL DAC ($50k) on the high end in Munich 2015.
 
Lumin lover here. In fact it was this forum that persuaded me to buy one :¬)

Reason? Computer audio is hampered by noise interference and clock synchronisation (jitter). My audio path changed after hearing the MSB Signature V and UMT+ via I2S. The sound was crystal and liquid. Real. It set a new bar.

A standalone music server is a must. They are far from bullet proof unfortunately, you still have the connection of the DAC to source to consider. I2S is a marvellous solution, but scarce and expensive. The reference Aurender S10 (serious $$$) has external (word/master) clock synching with MSB and dCS DACs. That's very expensive.

If you're connecting DAC to server via USB, you're still open to the multitudinous USB issues; synergy, synching, filtering, power etc. The newest cable comes along (Curious, anyone?). The newest gadget is launched (Regen, anyone?). It's an endless money/time pit. I'd lose too much of my life (and money) rolling tubes and whatnot too.

The Lumins circumvent all of the above issues since the DAC and streamer are physically connected in a single unit. No jitter or synching to worry about - it's 100% (natively) optimised. Hence my journey will end here for some time.

That MSB stack I2S liquid sound experience can be found in a much cheaper, single unit. One which I happen to prefer the sound signature of too.

Win-win-win :¬)
 
In my system, my current setup with the Aurender N10 going directly into my Cary 306 Pro DAC/SACD player is the best I've experienced. My previous Mac Mini/Uptone Regen/Berkeley Alpha USB/Cary 306 setup sounded great and I could have easily lived with it longer if I had to, but the Aurender takes my system to a higher level.

Overall, the best digital setups I've heard anywhere have all had a purpose-built server as the front end.
 
Regarding USB issues; synergy, synching, filtering, power ect. I would actually place good money on that few, if any, could hear the difference in a blind test between streamed FLAC via USB and a SACD.

There is however a big difference between a crappy dac and a good dac, and also a big difference between mp3:s and FLAC. When we go into details like cables and stuff, I think many decides to hear a difference than actually doing it. Many times I think a good ear wash is a better investment.


Came to think about this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjTQsY8rhaM
 
This is the best digital I have ever heard.

dCS-Vivaldi-Digital-Playback-System_-4-Units3.jpg
 
still-one said:
The best digital I have heard was the demo of the new MSB Select DAC by MSB at a local dealer. It presented 16/44 tracks at a level of SQ I found hard to believe. Unfortunately I am not it the market for a ~$90k DAC. I know I can get very close to that level of performance at a fraction of the price.
Click to expand...

Please tell us when you figure out what DAC will get you very close to the SQ of a $90k for a fraction of the price. Are you talking PCM, DSD, or both?
 
LUMIN-S1-front-facing-left.jpg


Best all-in-one Digital Solution with amazing app and plays all files.
 
Well started out with a 2012 Mac mini running Audirvana > Mytek DSD192 > W4S STP or a Quicksilver tube LS pre. Got tired of the Mytex sound, changed over to a TEAC UD501, then heard a Chord Hugo, went with that now I just say stream it with my Lumin. No PC issues, drivers etc. etc.. Just music that sounds really nice.
 
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