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Advice needed: It's time for a new DAC

Hello People of Audiogon!

I received some help a little while back when I was considering upgrading my speakers so I am looking to the community again for guidance and opinions.  It is time to upgrade my DAC.  

 

My current system is Sasha DAW's driven by a Luxman L-509X.

 

The three DAC's on my short list are:

 

MSB Discrete
Berkeley Alpha V3
Chord DAVE

 

One thing to note is that I am in Canada so many brands are difficult if not impossible to audition.  

My priority is "musicality" or "soul".  What's this?  Well to me, it means feeling.  The Luxman and Sasha's well convey musical emotion and that is important to me.  I don't know how to describe it better beyond that.  They have flow (perhaps PRAT, to use another vague term).  Sounds have meat to them and texture.  The music feels real.  

 

The second priority is three dimensionality.  

 

The third is resolution.

 

My one caveat is no tube DAC's.  Tubes, for me, just don't work well based on my listening style and habits.  I love tubes, I've owned tubes and tubes are wonderful, but as things are now, I just don't want them in a DAC.  Perhaps they will find their way into my system in a pre-amp in the future.

 

I listen primarily to Tidal but MQA is not a priority for me.  I would switch to Qobuz but they were not available in Canada until recently and all my play lists in Roon are with Tidal tracks so I suspect a switch will be a real headache, but I digress. My point is MQA isn't really important and DSD isn't necessary either.  

 

Of the above DAC's, if you have heard them, what are your thoughts/opinion?  

 

Thank you in advance,

-Paul

 

 

bigfatpaulie

Showing 3 responses by bigfatpaulie

bigfatpaulie OP
11 posts
 

Hello @ghdprentice !

 

Thank you so much.  I really appreciate your comment as you've owned the Berkeley.  The CD9SE...  WOW!  I really adore AR stuff.  The some of best amps I've heard (save the Boulder 2160) have been AR.  

 

Thank you for your kind words.  My wife doesn't like carpet, however, when I have a serious listening session, I do put down two thick blankets on the floor.  It's an interesting idea you had about putting absorption in front of the fireplace. I have a bit of a fuzzy center image because of it and I never considered movable panels.

 

I have 4 5" thick Vicoustic panels on the walls behind the DAW's.  They make a minor difference as-is, but I wonder if they were on a discrete stand with casters that I rolled out (like the blankets on the floor) if that would help...  Very astute observation and thank you for the advice.

 

bigfatpaulie OP
11 posts
 

Hi @audiotroy 

 

Thank you for your reply.  To answer your questions:

what are you using currently using?
An RME-ADI2fs

how wil you feed the dac?
A Lumin U1

 

How does this information help you answer my initial question?

 

I use AES/EBU right now and I would likely keep it the same, hence why the Berkley made the list.  For context, I have, in the past owned an MSB Analog, a Berkley Alpha V1 and a Chord DAVE.  I owned each, however, when I was in a condo and I was exclusively using headphones.  Now, I exclusively use speakers. 

bigfatpaulie OP
11 posts
 

Hi everyone!!  Thank you for all the input.  I'll do my best to answer everyone, but if I miss someone  I'm sorry.  

 

@yyzsantabarbara Of the DAC's I used to own, my favorite was probably DAVE, however, I was using it with a DNA Stellaris amp, fancy glass, and modded HD800's.  It was a very different system than my speakers and synergy is important.  I also had different goals than I do now.  My speaker cables are way too long.  They are also basic and will be replaced down the line.  The amp is in the basement, however, I am going to move it so it is basically just below the ceiling so the cables, in the end, will likely be 4 feet or so.
 

@blisshifi I originally had the DAC200 on my list because of the all the hype.  I also took it off because of all the hype.  Guys like Huff, it seems everything new is "the best" so I just ignore him and people like him.  I'be been around long enough to know that there is no such thing as a "giant killer" or a $15k item for $7k.  Too much hype for me, I guess...

 

@ja_kub_sz I've never heard of the Cen.Grand.  Thank you.  I have heard the Mola Mola and I guess I am alone in my feelings about it.  I don't care for it at all - I find it thin and lifeless sounding.  I also found it had a lot of digital grain.  For reference, I feel the same about the PS Audio DSD.  They aren't for me personally.

 

Thank you @audphile1 .  The speakers are toed in.  It could likely be solved by more room treatment (eg curtains) but things like that just aren't an option.  I have to work with what I have.

 

@vicdior Thank you for the Weiss suggestion.  It's another one of those hyped up Huff DAC's...  First the DAC200 was better than anything for twice the price, then the 204 was better than the DAC200 at half that price...  It just doesn't add up as then a 204 is better than any $15k DAC.  It's all too cloudy for me.



 

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