What's Your Dac?

[mr1macuk]

PT Cardinal or Homemade rip/replay fanless end point.

PT Da-Capo - HDCD Filter, Spdif & Clock locked input cards

PT DC - full DC battery psu for digital and analogue sound section of DAC. I believe it provides da-capo 19 separately regulated supplies.


Currently Cardinal is clock locked but also plan to have my rip/replay source running clock locked as well to remove almost any source jitter issues from replay. Both the m2tech evo usb-spdif converter and Mutec MC3+ USB look to accept a 128fs word clock so should be able to feed them with the master clock out from da-capo so they can sync and then the clock lock input card takes in the spdif data but as clock is in sync with master at DAC it totally ignores the encoded clock signals just processes the data as per master clock.

John

[ceejaydee]

Maybe a little odd for a HiFi forum (although reading through the thread I'm not alone) but I'm using my Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 audio interface to stream music through my ADAM Audio monitors to burn them in.

Now I am very impressed with these active monitors, so much so that I'm thinking maybe my stalwart B&W DM600s are maybe way more tired than I thought they were

[supapeet]

Just read through this thread. I have an Audiolab MDAC+ on loan as I have never owned a Dac before. I have it linked via balanced cables to a Luxman 509x Integrated amp and via coaxial cable to a Bluesound Node 2i listening to HighRes files from Qobuz.

Am thinking of purchasing a RME ADI2 FS Dac or a Topping D90. I understand from reading reviews both of these would be better than the Audiolab. I don’t usually purchase without listening first but this seems a bit difficult with these DACs.

[struth]

Just read through this thread. I have an Audiolab MDAC+ on loan as I have never owned a Dac before. I have it linked via balanced cables to a Luxman 509x Integrated amp and via coaxial cable to a Bluesound Node 2i listening to HighRes files from Qobuz.

Am thinking of purchasing a RME ADI2 FS Dac or a Topping D90. I understand from reading reviews both of these would be better than the Audiolab. I don’t usually purchase without listening first but this seems a bit difficult with these DACs.

both are highly rated. not tried them tho.

[Alp]

I have a Topping D90. It is very good, took time to burn in and further benefits from good USB cables and a reclocker if your budget will stretch - I use the Oehlbach. It also has XLR outputs. I use it with a passive preamp (via RCA).

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[Macca]

Just read through this thread. I have an Audiolab MDAC+ on loan as I have never owned a Dac before. I have it linked via balanced cables to a Luxman 509x Integrated amp and via coaxial cable to a Bluesound Node 2i listening to HighRes files from Qobuz.

Am thinking of purchasing a RME ADI2 FS Dac or a Topping D90. I understand from reading reviews both of these would be better than the Audiolab. I don’t usually purchase without listening first but this seems a bit difficult with these DACs.

Not difficult, order on line and you've got 14 days to try them out in your own system and then send them back if you're not keen.

[supapeet]

Never used a USB input on the MDAC+ only used a coaxial and toslink cable. Good advice about sending them back if they don’t suit, never really thought about that. Somebody else recommended Weiss, Pro and Resonessence DACs.

[VanDerGraaf]

I have a Leema Elements DAC (absolutely stunning quality), an Audiolab M-DAC (original with a modified power supply - I did the modding) and an Arcam rDAC.

The Arcam rDAC is better than the Audiobab M-DAC by a country mile, but the Leema Elements is head, shoulders, chest, waist, pelvis, thighs and shins above the rDAC. I have no idea why What Hi-Fi reviewed it so badly, they're a mile out.

Perhaps Leema didn't want to advertise on their website.

Have to say that in my limited experience (ie dacs available for under £600) The Elements Dac is the best I have ever heard.
I remember when I got mine, it redefined what my amp and speakers were capable of. Before that I had been considering trying something else in both fields.

I foolishly sold it last year, which I have regretted more than once since.

What HiFI suck- I never listen to anything they say!

[PeteT]

I've only recently discovered dacs exist as individual components.

I guess there's some form of one inside all sorts of devices, my smartphone, my iPod, my computer, TV, PVR etc... none of which I really listen to music on at home - or anywhere else generally.

I can't see my need for a separate dac.



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[struth]

Like many things, how well implemated the chip is, can make all the difference with dacs. That said, each chip does gave a signature, and then power plays a big part along with clocking etc.
It kinda goes on and can become complex.
USB dacs have come a long way so they shouldn't be discounted either.