Been meaning to do this for a while. ..... What Dac do you use and how high do you rate it
... always hard to select dacs as there are so many so might help folk
Super Moderator
Location: W Lothian
Posts: 99,005
I'm Grant.
What's Your Dac?
Been meaning to do this for a while. ..... What Dac do you use and how high do you rate it
... always hard to select dacs as there are so many so might help folk
Regards,
Grant.... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse
I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work.... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -
Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?
“Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".
“You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”
"You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”
“There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”
***SMILE, BE HAPPY***
Moderator & Terminator!
Location: N E Kent
Posts: 51,625
I'm Geoff.
I have two DACs. Strictly for CD replay duties, a Monarchy Audio M22B and an M22C. I've probably owned a couple of dozen DACs, but these sound significantly better than any others I've tried.
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!
Super Moderator
Location: W Lothian
Posts: 99,005
I'm Grant.
yup, you got me into dac swapping when i got my first MonarchyOriginally Posted by walpurgis
Regards,
Grant
I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work.... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -
Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?
“Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".
“You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”
"You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”
“There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”
***SMILE, BE HAPPY***
Moderator & Terminator!
Location: N E Kent
Posts: 51,625
I'm Geoff.
Shame you didn't keep that one. Not suited to streaming I guess.yup, you got me into dac swapping when i got my first Monarchy
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!
Super Moderator
Location: W Lothian
Posts: 99,005
I'm Grant.
Yup it was good with CD tho.
Regards,
Grant
I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work.... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -
Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?
“Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".
“You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”
"You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”
“There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”
***SMILE, BE HAPPY***
Senior Member
Location: Down South
Posts: 2,413
I'm Neal.
Old skool me and as I like DIY I've stuck with the TDA1541a but heavily modified. None of the commercial DACs really struck a chord with me and scope for tweaking a bit limited. Driving the TDA via I2S from a RPi opens up loads of software tweaking such as running it NOS and performing the brick wall filtering in s/w...hours of fun(!)
Listening in a Foo free Zone...
Only a Sith deals in absolutes.
Member
Location: Auckland, New Zealand.
Posts: 58
I'm Justin.
Been using the Lite Audio DAC83 for a few years, along with the Lite Audio LT-1 transport. Lite Audio provide(d) DACs to Monarchy Audio who release them under their own brand.
The DAC83 uses 4x 1704UK DAC chips (which are true 24 bit DACs and actually are two DACs in each mono chip). The power supply is outboard (on the left, third shelf in the photo) and connected by two umbilical cords. The output stage is balanced and uses the same amplifying devices that were used in the original Audio Innovations Alto amp, and is Class A. Transport connections are AES-EBU, RCA, Toslink, I2S (RJ45) and either at 44.1kHz or 96kHz. Audio outputs are wither AES-EBU or RCA. Lite Audio also have a separate RCA to USB converter, one of which I have but have not yet used. Often listen to CDs via I2S, upsampled to 96kHz but also use a glass fibre Toslink cable for 44.1kHz and also sounds great.
Prior to this, I had a Marantz CD7 and a SONY SCD-1. The DAC 83 comfortably supercedes them. If I were looking for a replacement - and I am not - I would want to consider a vintage multibit Esoteric or Spectral of some kind.
Super Moderator
Location: W Lothian
Posts: 99,005
I'm Grant.
niceBeen using the Lite Audio DAC83 for a few years, along with the Lite Audio LT-1 transport. Lite Audio provide(d) DACs to Monarchy Audio who release them under their own brand.
The DAC83 uses 4x 1704UK DAC chips (which are true 24 bit DACs and actually are two DACs in each mono chip). The power supply is outboard (on the left, third shelf in the photo) and connected by two umbilical cords. The output stage is balanced and uses the same amplifying devices that were used in the original Audio Innovations Alto amp, and is Class A. Transport connections are AES-EBU, RCA, Toslink, I2S (RJ45) and either at 44.1kHz or 96kHz. Audio outputs are wither AES-EBU or RCA. Lite Audio also have a separate RCA to USB converter, one of which I have but have not yet used. Often listen to CDs via I2S, upsampled to 96kHz but also use a glass fibre Toslink cable for 44.1kHz and also sounds great.
Prior to this, I had a Marantz CD7 and a SONY SCD-1. The DAC 83 comfortably supercedes them. If I were looking for a replacement - and I am not - I would want to consider a vintage multibit Esoteric or Spectral of some kind.
Regards,
Grant
I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work.... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -
Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?
“Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".
“You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”
"You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”
“There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”
***SMILE, BE HAPPY***
Senior Member
Location: Much Wenlock
Posts: 1,523
I'm Gary.
Had the Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC II currently running Siemans valves, had it quite a while has the Clarity caps upgrade. Very analogue sound quality.
The reports on the Topping D30 made me interested, bought one used, sounded good. So connected via Linear Power Supply. Surprisingly good performance hike.
Different SQ but very listenable.
Gary
It is easier to seek forgiveness than to ask permission
Rules are meant for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men
Senior Member
Location: East Riding of Yorkshire these days
Posts: 4,779
I'm Shaun.
Audiolab M-DAC. How do I rate it..? Difficult as I only have two others to compare it to however it is better than either of those.
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