I've been there. I had the Modi, Then a $1500 Project, next a $2500 Metrum, now a $6000 Totaldac d1 core, which I love and does complement my vinyl. Personally, I like R2R, but that kind of limits you to PCM, in my thinking. Why pay all that for R2R unless you use PCM? So, what format do you like best and see as staying around - DSD, MQA, PCM? Then spend your money on the best you can budget for that format. That's what we do with vinyl - pay a bunch of money for disc with grooves and a RIAA curve.
Best DAC / Budget
I think this is a gain issue between my analog and digital sides - but I just don't know enough
I hit a wall with the digital side yesterday
I generally listen on the lower side of listening levels
Yesterday I came home and decided to see what this rig could do and put it through it's paces on both the analog and digital side.
I'm playing vinyl on a Nottingham 294 space deck with a 12" tone arm and a Lyra Delos cart - through a EAR 843 tube phono stage - line input on a Rogue Cronus Mark I - KT120 tubes - bypassing the Rogue phono stage. It sounds just completely glorious. I'm very happy with it.
Digital is a different problem. I've always understood this gear was meant as place holders - they got the ball rolling.
I'm streaming from Tidal, through a Pro-Ject Stream Box Ultra 2 (ethernet cat 6 hard wired to a router), through a gifted Schitt Mano 2 DAC.
The Problem:
Analog completely surpasses the digital in every way
Digital - turning up the volume (to very high levels) only seems to result in filling in the low register and not actually increasing the volume.
I'm fully aware I am comparing a DAC to a Deck which costs many times more.
Looking for recommendations for a separate stand alone DAC which complements the analog side and for an idea of budget.
Thanks everyone
I hit a wall with the digital side yesterday
I generally listen on the lower side of listening levels
Yesterday I came home and decided to see what this rig could do and put it through it's paces on both the analog and digital side.
I'm playing vinyl on a Nottingham 294 space deck with a 12" tone arm and a Lyra Delos cart - through a EAR 843 tube phono stage - line input on a Rogue Cronus Mark I - KT120 tubes - bypassing the Rogue phono stage. It sounds just completely glorious. I'm very happy with it.
Digital is a different problem. I've always understood this gear was meant as place holders - they got the ball rolling.
I'm streaming from Tidal, through a Pro-Ject Stream Box Ultra 2 (ethernet cat 6 hard wired to a router), through a gifted Schitt Mano 2 DAC.
The Problem:
Analog completely surpasses the digital in every way
Digital - turning up the volume (to very high levels) only seems to result in filling in the low register and not actually increasing the volume.
I'm fully aware I am comparing a DAC to a Deck which costs many times more.
Looking for recommendations for a separate stand alone DAC which complements the analog side and for an idea of budget.
Thanks everyone