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Thread: Recomend me a DAC

  1. #51
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Photoguy1510 View Post
    Sorry I'm going off topic what is the advantage of a dac like this vs the one in my amp or CD player? Yep noob you can lol later when I'm not around.
    It gives you another box to put in your rack!



    Seriously though, most inbuilt CD player DACs seem to be designed down to a price and an add on separate high quailty DAC often gives better results.

    Having been through maybe a dozen DACs of varying make, I've often found the improvement offered quite striking. My Meridian CD player has a very decent onboard DAC, but it was bettered by any of the Theta DACs I tried. For some years now I've settled on using a Monarchy Audio DAC, as that gives me a sound good enough for me not to keep pondering over whether I need to improve on it.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  2. #52
    Join Date: Sep 2017

    Location: Wellington New Zealand

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    I'm Corne.

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    So much for me thinking these dac things were just another way to spend money. Like all these crazy priced cables that seem to make lots of claims but so far the $30 monster cable ripoff cable seems to beat everything under $800 I have tried. I will have to try this , test one frequency test ala focal. Thaughts the dac in the rotel edged out the wolfston in the cd but then did not know if it was a byproduct of the optical connection.

    My wife said to thank you NOT!!! What ever is she on about.
    Got to go there is dacs to hunt down.

  3. #53
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

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    I'm Martin.

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    Sometimes hard to distinguish between a DAC of higher quality and one that just presents the sound the way you like it. Most people would rate a DAC with a presentation that they like as 'better' than another, but this is entirely subjective and will vary from system to system and individual to individual.

    If you add a DAC to a CD player perhaps you will prefer it to the CD player DAC, perhaps not. bear in mind that the DAC will have its own analogue output stage and - IMO - this is where the main differences in DACS is created, the type of chip used is of lesser importance. The quality of the analogue output stage will affect the quality of the sound.

    DACS are 'voiced' the same way as most hi-fi components, and you may like the voicing or you may not, but this should be considered separately to the quality of reproduction that the DAC may or may not be capable of. Two different things.

    DACs with high quality analogue output stages tend to be expensive, same with CD players.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  4. #54
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    Quote Originally Posted by User211 View Post
    If he doesn't want it I'll have it...
    Hokay - I'll ask Allan to send it on to you in the (unlikely, Brian and I would say) event that he isn't impressed.
    .

  5. #55
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Bristol

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    I'm Justin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jandl100 View Post
    Hokay - I'll ask Allan to send it on to you in the (unlikely, Brian and I would say) event that he isn't impressed.
    I think it is important to get a dose of reality when you are using wanky £6K DACs very now and then. Just to remind you of why you paid it. Or make you realise you were a fool to do so, LOL

  6. #56
    Join Date: Apr 2011

    Location: Surrey

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    I'm Mike.

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    Quote Originally Posted by r100 View Post
    What about a UK designed Beresford DAC ? I had one of the earlier ones and I found it to be very musical and among the most enjoyable I've had so far (I'm a bit of a DAC swapper). The new ones are even better from what I read from other users. My advice would be to spend a little more on a first DAC. Like with a first guitar, better spend a little more on a quality instrument than be disappointed and have it stand around in a corner collecting dust I'm sure you could even find a second hand one very cheap.
    Seconded. I have a Caiman. The SEG is supposed to be even better
    TAD CD / DAC / Pre, Technics 1210, MCRU PSU, Mike New Bearing & Platter, Stillpoints LP1 weight, Speedy Steve Ebony armboard, Fidelity Research FR64FX arm, Ortofon SPU. Aurorasound VIDA Phono Pre Amp, TAD Power Amp, TAD E1 speakers. Coherent RTZ 3 Grounding box, Coherent grounding cables, Creaktiv racks. Coherent Mains Cables. SR Blue Fuse. Interconnects : Coherent and Yannis 223.5 Connect Litz. Coherent speaker cable. Audio Magic Transcendence Conditioner. Coherent mains socket. Mains Filters : , PS Audio Harvesters, Russ Andrews Purifiers, Tacima, Vertex. Black Ravioli and RDC supports. Electric Beach S1NX platforms for TAD CD and Technics. Ferrite chokes everywhere except the above. Ears, brain

    Mike

  7. #57
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: Switerland

    Posts: 1,199
    I'm rupert.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    Sometimes hard to distinguish between a DAC of higher quality and one that just presents the sound the way you like it. Most people would rate a DAC with a presentation that they like as 'better' than another, but this is entirely subjective and will vary from system to system and individual to individual.

    If you add a DAC to a CD player perhaps you will prefer it to the CD player DAC, perhaps not. bear in mind that the DAC will have its own analogue output stage and - IMO - this is where the main differences in DACS is created, the type of chip used is of lesser importance. The quality of the analogue output stage will affect the quality of the sound.

    DACS are 'voiced' the same way as most hi-fi components, and you may like the voicing or you may not, but this should be considered separately to the quality of reproduction that the DAC may or may not be capable of. Two different things.

    DACs with high quality analogue output stages tend to be expensive, same with CD players.
    How can you make such a long comment on something you don't use ? And no, I don't think that expensive "analogue output stages" or even expensive DAC's are needed to make a worthy DAC. Just check anything Allo.com is doing. IMHO, good timing and or clean power is much more important.
    Last edited by r100; 02-10-2017 at 17:23.

  8. #58
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: Switerland

    Posts: 1,199
    I'm rupert.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jandl100 View Post
    I've one of these you can try before you buy (or return it!) based on the very fine TDA1543 chipset.

    £60

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-SPDIF-...UAAOSw1S9Weu2s

    It's battery powered (battery is internal) and comes with a walwart PSU as well as being USB powered.

    I think it sounds excellent.
    I think Brian has one as well?



    Happy to send it to you on receipt of address!
    wouldn't mind trying that one myself ... what would you say is the main difference between a NOS DAC and a typical Sabre or TI based DAC ? Thank's

  9. #59
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by r100 View Post
    How can you make such a long comment on something you don't use ? And no, I don't think that expensive "analogue output stages" or even expensive DAC's are needed to make a worthy DAC. Just check anything Allo.com is doing. IMHO, good timing and or clean power is much more important.
    Every cd player has a DAC in it and I have had a couple of stand alone DACs in my system. Not that it makes any difference in terms of understanding how a DAC works in any case.

    You'll have to expand on your comment about 'timing', how can one DAC have better timing than anothrr? Timing is something for the musicians to worry about.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  10. #60
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    Quote Originally Posted by r100 View Post
    wouldn't mind trying that one myself ... what would you say is the main difference between a NOS DAC and a typical Sabre or TI based DAC ? Thank's
    Well, I can only speak for my experience of specific DACs, but this NOS DAC has a richer, more solid, dare I say 'organic' sound than many more modern units.
    But while having very good resolution and transparency it's not up to the best of today's bargain to mid-price DACs in those respects, ime & imo.
    It has quite a distinctive presentation that I (and Brian) find appealing.

    That may or may not be a valid generalisation.

    Perhaps Brian would like to throw in his 2p worth as well?
    .

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