What's Your Dac?

[struth]

Surprising that of the 99 posts few have been the same. Need to do this with other units...maybe headphones next, or phono stages..

[jandl100]

What with computer audio and streaming there are just so many DACs around these days, with seemingly more appearing every week.
So many DACs, so little time.

[simon g]

Sim Audio Moon 380D V MiND

Really very good indeed; best streamer/DAC/pre I've had to date and that's very many indeed! I hate to use the term, but this is, for me, a reference level bit of kit. I've used this in to the power amp direct (via variable XLR on the 380D) in my AVM A30. Transformed the sound, whether comparing to a Bluesound Node 2i in to the A30 digital input, or via a Marantz SA14S1SE (which is no slouch). As for CD played via a Sony 1000ES blu ray coaxial out; just 'wow'.

[pitadavespa]

I'm still using my loyal Rotel RDP-980 (also have to matching transport). Slightly modded with OPA627.

Instruments and voices sound faithful and truthful to me.
Also, with 4x optical AND 4x coax, I connect everything I need to it.

I've tried others in order to replace it, buth... it's still here...

[loonytunes]

Mixing old with the new...

Streaming Tidal via SoTM sMS-500 PSU / sMS-Ultra, then using a USB/SPDIF converter into an old 80's Arcam Black Box one DAC (TDA 1541A).

[Nordlys]

What a great tread!

I’m a huge fan of benchmark DAC’s/ a FanBoy some would say

I have been running separate DAC & Transport since 1993 - First set: Acram dac3 & TEAC vrds-1....it’s safe to say I have fried a “few” medium to low end DAC’s

But my first Benchmark DAC really opened up my music collection, and my eyes(ears) to “reference digital sound”
I’ve had the DAC1, the DAC1 Pre, the DAC1 Hxx(Something) and now the DAC2 HGC and to me and a few friends they have up’ed their game with every new DAC, so if you are considering Benchmark, go for the newest you can afford/ willing to pay for - would be my advice

Recently I had the good fortune of borrow a Bricasti M1 DAC, hands down the best looking and sexiest piece of hifi gear I’ve ever seen ore played with!
However it didn’t outperform my trusty Benchmark DAC2 HGC, they were more alike than I ever thought possible, since the M1 is 6-7 times as expensive...don’t get me wrong, the M1 has everything in all the right places etc But my DAC2 was better at some things amped the M1 better at other
Even the owner of the M1 was surprised at just how close they were in my setup

Another amazing DAC I had on hand one afternoon:
Weiss DAC1 - Just WOW! It damn nearly wiped the floor with my DAC
I believe this DAC’s party piece is it’s superb analog amp! +of course the overall build quality

So many great DAC’s so little time (money)

Thanks Grant for a great post - super inspiring and quite possible an expensive one

[Ianmac]

Apologies in advance,Im going to repeat a short part of an earlier post to this thread.
Like you, I have been a big fan of Benchmark for many years, having used some of their gear when I was working.
I was recently looking for a replacement for my DAC 1 HDR but found S/H prices here in the UK far higher than I thought 10 yr old design and components were worth.
I did some reseach and found a site which gave measurements of many DACs. From looking at the performance figures of my DAC HDR I found they were very closely matched by a Topping D50 costing £170. I bought one and was gobsmacked by its performance, I cant tell it from my Benchmark DAC1. Stopped my search for a s/h DAC1 HDR, the Topping is now in my second system
Ref the DAC2 which I use in my main sysystem, I found it possible to improve its performance by avoiding the use of the inbuilt output drive attenuator. If you look at the DAC2 instruction manual (P23) it gives you a list of the output impedance of the DAC at the 3 attenuator settings. Its 425 ohms at the most popular setting of 10db attenuation but improves to a more attractive 60 ohms at Zero attenuation.
I build my own amps, currently Hypex N Core, so was able to use the Hypex instruction as to how to change the gain of the amp ( one resistor change).
I reduced the attentuation in the Benchmark to zero so was now outputing a signal 10 db.higher in level. I reduced the gain of the Ncore to close to 10db ( couldnt quite make the full 10 db)to compensate.
This gave the DAC2/Hypex combination a noticeable improvement in SQ, due primarily, in my opinion, to reducing the output impedance of the Benchmark
Anyone using a Benchmark with an amp where they can reduce its gain by about 10db should try this.

[LittleTone]

+1 for the RME ADI2 DAC. great bit of kit.

[crimsondonkey]

I have a rather OTT DAC which is the size of a power amp! Its a pimped DDDAC with the various board mods from DIY Audio and a choke reg power supply etc. I like meat on the audio bones so this is perfect for me, I can't see me ever wanting to upgrade, and besides which digital is probably less than 10% of my listening.

[Firebottle]

Looks good though Wayne