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Thread: Outstanding digital components

  1. #181
    Join Date: Jun 2010

    Location: Liverpool, UK.

    Posts: 1,228
    I'm Geoff.

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    They come up rarely. A $10k launch price means rarity as standard!
    Main system: Sony TTS8000; AT1010; Audio Technica Art1; The Lentek; Cambridge 851n, Yamaha NS1000.
    System 2 - SBT; Technics SH-X1000 DAC; Denon PMA-850

  2. #182
    Join Date: Mar 2015

    Location: Sechelt Sunshine Coast Salish Sea British Columbia, Canada

    Posts: 6
    I'm Martin.

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    sweet!
    Seeking happiness outside of oneself is like waiting for the sun to shine upon you in a north facing cave!

  3. #183
    Join Date: Jan 2018

    Location: Henley on Thames

    Posts: 7
    I'm Alastair.

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    I'd like to add something different....simplicity.

    I've been a long time active speaker user and have recently had a chance to set up an old pair of Meridian DSP5000 speakers with their integrated DACs in my dining room - hope that is Ok with the original thread criteria.

    I am currently listening to Tidal via an Musical Fidelity USB SPDIF convertor to the master speaker as I can't bear to watch the rugby at this point. The lack of boxes and easy going rich sound is really quite nice to my ears. I think mine date from the late 90's.

    It is not 100% perfect (to my ears/tastes if I am being super critical and compare to my main system) but that misses the point in my humble view...its just so simple with no fuss!

  4. #184
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Carlisle - UK

    Posts: 1,956
    I'm Ken.

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    I would like to nominate the NAD Master Series M51 DAC.

    Of late, NAD have not been living up to their long lived reputation of quality products at a reasonable price, this one is back on form.



    Fully balanced design, with plenty of inputs including HDMI, which has a pass through facility that lets you strip 2 channel audio out of the signal.

    It was a Stereophile A+ recommended product from 2013 to 2017. With the vast number of DAC's being released during that period, I think that says a lot. It was only dropped from the list due to their policy of automatically dropping items three years after its last review. Apart from them loving the way it sounds, when it came to testing it..........

    "NAD's M51 Direct Digital DAC offers measured performance that is almost beyond reproach. Color me impressed.—John Atkinson"

    I can confirm from listening to it in my own humble set up, it's a very, very, good product.

    It's still listed as current on NAD's website, though getting hard to find.
    It peaked at about £1700 after many favorable reviews and is £1400 at present, it makes an excellent used purchase and can be picked up for as little as £600 in mint condition.

  5. #185
    Join Date: Mar 2018

    Location: puerto rico

    Posts: 24
    I'm manny.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Qwin View Post
    I would like to nominate the NAD Master Series M51 DAC.

    Of late, NAD have not been living up to their long lived reputation of quality products at a reasonable price, this one is back on form.



    Fully balanced design, with plenty of inputs including HDMI, which has a pass through facility that lets you strip 2 channel audio out of the signal.

    It was a Stereophile A+ recommended product from 2013 to 2017. With the vast number of DAC's being released during that period, I think that says a lot. It was only dropped from the list due to their policy of automatically dropping items three years after its last review. Apart from them loving the way it sounds, when it came to testing it..........

    "NAD's M51 Direct Digital DAC offers measured performance that is almost beyond reproach. Color me impressed.—John Atkinson"

    I can confirm from listening to it in my own humble set up, it's a very, very, good product.

    It's still listed as current on NAD's website, though getting hard to find.
    It peaked at about £1700 after many favorable reviews and is £1400 at present, it makes an excellent used purchase and can be picked up for as little as £600 in mint condition.
    I heard it in a Audio store with very good equipment and it sounded rather lacking punch and dynamics . Tonally it was very good . A bit laid back for my taste.

    Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

  6. #186
    Join Date: Mar 2018

    Location: puerto rico

    Posts: 24
    I'm manny.

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    Quote Originally Posted by AlexM View Post
    Hi Neil,

    As mentioned above, I have listened quite extensively to what is supposed to be one of the very best implementations of the TDA1541A, as implemented in the Zanden Audio Model 5000 Mk IV with no oversampling. It did have an enjoyable sonic presentation, with plenty of zest, 'get up and go', and good detail retrieval but I also perceived a degree of roughness that was thrown into stark relief compared to the refinement and information retrieval provided by an SME Model 30 (well, it would, wouldn't it?). This was in a very high resolution neutral system that most would consider to be close to a state of the art or true reference system. Certainly in this DAC, the power supply, the output stage, PCB design and component selection is no-compromise and not cost constrained. I think that delta/sigma converters and high oversampling rates don't preclude good performance, and that they also benefit greatly from design attention in all of the areas you mention.

    I suppose what I was reacting to the a rash of nostalgic, revisionist reinterpretation of the performance of kit that in it's day didn't really sound that good by modern standards, and the unjustified pumping of second-hand values of these pieces of kit. I was thinking in particular of the Sony CDP-101 that I am very familiar with, having owned one from new. I have read a number of hyperbolic reviews of it's performance, that IMHO are not realistic, without even taking into account it's terrible reliability!.

    Regards,
    Alex
    Everything is in the implementation .

    Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

  7. #187
    Join Date: Mar 2018

    Location: puerto rico

    Posts: 24
    I'm manny.

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    Quote Originally Posted by stonehenge View Post
    The Primare BD32 is a stunning digital device; highly recommended
    Primare makes good sounding equipment

    Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

  8. #188
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Carlisle - UK

    Posts: 1,956
    I'm Ken.

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    Re: NAD M51 DAC

    Quote Originally Posted by mannypr551 View Post
    I heard it in a Audio store with very good equipment and it sounded rather lacking punch and dynamics . Tonally it was very good . A bit laid back for my taste.
    Dynamics/bass - It depends which version of the firmware is installed, I have four versions.

    The firmware v1.39 is praised by many as being the best bass, but I found, while being fatter and more dynamic in the upper bass, it lacked any real depth.
    versions 1.41 and 1.43 focus on detail and are weak in bass/dynamics.
    The latest firmware is v1.50, I like this the best and its the most dynamic of the bunch, with much deeper bass than 1.41/1.43.

    Associated equipment will of course effect the result and it took 85 hours for mine to burn in, which a store demo model may not have achieved.

    Now mine has settled, I am getting very pleasing results, but that's with my gear in my room, so results may still vary.

  9. #189
    Join Date: Mar 2018

    Location: puerto rico

    Posts: 24
    I'm manny.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Qwin View Post
    Re: NAD M51 DAC



    Dynamics/bass - It depends which version of the firmware is installed, I have four versions.

    The firmware v1.39 is praised by many as being the best bass, but I found, while being fatter and more dynamic in the upper bass, it lacked any real depth.
    versions 1.41 and 1.43 focus on detail and are weak in bass/dynamics.
    The latest firmware is v1.50, I like this the best and its the most dynamic of the bunch, with much deeper bass than 1.41/1.43.

    Associated equipment will of course effect the result and it took 85 hours for mine to burn in, which a store demo model may not have achieved.

    Now mine has settled, I am getting very pleasing results, but that's with my gear in my room, so results may still vary.
    Wow , so what we have here is 4 different sounding cd players in one . Thats a bit confusing whouldn't you say ?
    Having said that the worst place to evaluate a piece of audio gear is in a audio store . You don't know the equipment , the acoustics the recording. That' is why I said at a store .
    You would think that dealers would take their time to set up a nice sounding system but they don't in general .
    Having said that the best place to audition is in the context of your own system . That is why a dealer that lends you a piece of hardware to evaluate it in your system is so important . Dealers that have that policy are worth their weight in gold . A pity many have under mostly because of the internet .
    Hey ! I'm off topic .

    Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

  10. #190
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,651
    I'm Gary.

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    Similar differences in sound with different firmware with my Directstream Dac.
    What Sorcery is this?!

    Quote Originally Posted by Qwin View Post
    Re: NAD M51 DAC



    Dynamics/bass - It depends which version of the firmware is installed, I have four versions.

    The firmware v1.39 is praised by many as being the best bass, but I found, while being fatter and more dynamic in the upper bass, it lacked any real depth.
    versions 1.41 and 1.43 focus on detail and are weak in bass/dynamics.
    The latest firmware is v1.50, I like this the best and its the most dynamic of the bunch, with much deeper bass than 1.41/1.43.

    Associated equipment will of course effect the result and it took 85 hours for mine to burn in, which a store demo model may not have achieved.

    Now mine has settled, I am getting very pleasing results, but that's with my gear in my room, so results may still vary.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

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