Any experience with DAC/Upsampler?


Can anyone give any positive or negative info regarding some of the new DAC/upsamplers on the market. Is anyone producing a DAC/Upsampler with a remote volume control and balanced in/outs...
lshreve
I got the upsampling option on the MSB Tech Link DAC III, and I love it. It reminded me how long it's been since I actually heard the sound of a pluck of a guitar string.
One of the nice things about the dcs purcell and delius is that you can choose between four different decoding options (dither) and change the sound from a bit quicker and faster to a bit richer and warmer (from the remote even). It makes it easier to fit into more systems than a dac without such flexibility.
I have the Audio Logic 2400, and use a Forsell Mk. IV (just updated) transport. I have been very happy with the sound of this combination. I borrowed my dealer's Purcell (dCs) upsampler to see what it could do. After it warmed up, I couldn't live without it, so I bought one from him. I'm sure it does more than just upsample, but I'm absolutely sold on it. Another step closer to analog in harmonic rightness, dynamics without strain or stridency, particularly in the high frequencies. I have also heard the MSB III with and without upsampling (there's a switch on the back) and found the upsampled output to be preferable, though not as dramatic as the Purcell. It looks like the concept is showing up in a number of processors (such as the Bel Canto). The only negative I've got to report is that, at least to some people (such as my dealer), some discs may sound overly lush with the Purcell in the signal path--they prefer a leaner sound, and it varies from disc to disc. I have no such complaints, but I listen primarily to classical music. Hope this helps.
I had become increasingly unhappy with the muddled sound from my Mark Levinson Model 36 DAC and started shopping around several months ago. I was able to compare the dCS purcell/delius combo with the M-L 30.6 Reference DAC. I thought that the former had marginally better resolution. When I sought out Bill Parish's advice at GTT Audio , he suggested that I try a Dodson MA-217 MkIID on approval. I decided to buy it immediately, it blew my M-L 36 out of the water. Unfortunately, Dodson does not have a volume control. I do not have any experience with the MSB Link, ot the Assemblage upsamplilng/DAC combo, etc. I understand from these ssites that the single box Resolution Audio 50 or 55 is really good, moreover, it has a volume control.
sorry, finger moving faster than the brain. CORRECTION: in order to upsample to 24/192 they use two AES/EBU digital connectors
The dcs purcell will upsample to 24/192 if connected to the dcs delius or elgar, both these dacs have remote variable volume as well as balanced outputs, in order to upsample to 24/96, they use two AES/EBU digital connectors, one for each channel, upsampling to 24/96 only requires one digital connection. Both of these dacs also allow you to choose between four different dither options giving the listener slightly different sounding presentations. It is all technobabble until you hear it, but once you do, it will change your views on digital, as well as the sound of all the cd's you already own. Go out and listen to one and decide for yourself, take along an audiophile cd and one of lesser recorded quality. Have fun.
I heard dcs upsampler feeding their converter and it sounded so much more like live music ('twas classical choral) than anything heard to date. It made me glad I own so many CD's and will be able to hear them in tripple the current quality as soon as hardware price comes down. The CD was upsampled to 24/192. Haven't really heard SACD yet.