+1
georgehifi
& kennyc
The Denafrips Terminator is a well performing DAC, if one can be obtained within your budget, it's not likely to disappoint.
My experience is that equipment that can read measurement extremely well (the microphone), aught to confirm that which your ears are telling you are highly resolving.
Measurement will back you up, if it's a device that performs with excellence. And if you think it sounds excellent and measures poorly, it just may mean you're accustomed to a certain "flavor", it may not accurately portray the recorded material.
I have worked at a serious boutique loudspeaker manufacturer's factory, and measurement and listening is used throughout the process. Research and painstaking matching of specifications and research into technology that performs aught to be habit, excellence isn't accidental, certainly if it's repeatable. Just as georgehifi states.
& kennyc
The Denafrips Terminator is a well performing DAC, if one can be obtained within your budget, it's not likely to disappoint.
Every decent piece of audio equipment that you listen to that impresses you, has been painstakingly designed by electronic engineers/audiophiles that use EE laws, measurements, specs and use test bench gear to design those pieces.I've read so many members stating that measurements don't matter, I can't account for your experiences where something measures really bad and sounds exceptional to you...
My experience is that equipment that can read measurement extremely well (the microphone), aught to confirm that which your ears are telling you are highly resolving.
Measurement will back you up, if it's a device that performs with excellence. And if you think it sounds excellent and measures poorly, it just may mean you're accustomed to a certain "flavor", it may not accurately portray the recorded material.
I have worked at a serious boutique loudspeaker manufacturer's factory, and measurement and listening is used throughout the process. Research and painstaking matching of specifications and research into technology that performs aught to be habit, excellence isn't accidental, certainly if it's repeatable. Just as georgehifi states.