Audio Science Review (ASR) has tested and measured over a hundred DAC's.
Analyzing DACs
As I am new to the hifi hobby, reading various product reviews and noting the details of the test environment have made me very confused. I understand Stereophile is the hifi bible. In the publication’s DAC published tests the reviewers almost always tested the DAC connected directly to the amplifier. I think I understand why—nothing in the chain influencing the DAC sound. Is that the correct assumption? If that’s the case why incorporate a preamp if the DAC has a preamp section that is a common feature even on high end DACs? I’m in the market for a new DAC. I’m trying to avoid unnecessary components if possible. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
Showing 10 responses by jasonbourne52
@laoman : that if I recall was the $349 Topping Class D amp. A new product. ASR considers the $3K Benchmark ABH2 amp to be the best in their survey. They rate the Benchmark DAC to be in their top class. |
@laoman : ASR has also given thumbs up to four-figure DACs. The measurements made using the Audio Precision APx555 are comprehensive. Regarding problems with cheap gear there are plenty of posts here about expensive gear needing repair. |
@mastering92 : so you imply that Amir is being bribed by unscrupulous audio manufacturers? And that's why Benchmark is highly rated? I'd like to have Amir respond to this! |
As an example in an A/B listening test of two preamps, amps, CD players ... the component that has an output level 0.2db higher will always sound "better" - more exciting, more lively, more engaging! All due to a simple level difference! Yet most audiophiles are ignorant of this psychoacoustic fact! |
@mastering92 : why not level the same charge at the scribes that write for Stereophile, TAS, HiFi+ ...? All those glossy ad pages ... |
@steakster : congratulations! You are some sleuth! Yes, I am "roberjerman" and I have 4319 posts using that moniker. I suggest you read some of them! I changed my alias here on Agon because I couldn’t log-on when I got a new phone. I did buy a pair of speakers at the Greenwich Village, NYC Crazy Eddy’s in 1976. A pair of Acoustiphase two-ways large boxes - an Advent copy - for $200. I used them for a few months with a Marantz 2270 receiver. Sold them in the spring of ’77 and bought a store-demo pair of Infinity Monitors 1A with Walsh tweeters! By that time I had an AGI 511 preamp, GAS Son of Ampzilla, Mitsubishi DA-F10 tuner and an Empire 698 TT with a Dynavector 20B homc cartridge. How’s that for a late - 70’s high-end system! Speaker wire was Polk Cobra Cable and ICs were Verion Triaxials made by Mitch Cotter. |