DAC comparison


Hello all. I have a chance to grab an ARC Dac 8. I currently have a Schiit Yggy. Has anyone had the opportunity to hear both that could comment on these two dacs? Thanks in advance. 

backdoor

Showing 2 responses by lemonhaze

My Wadia 15 which is now about 29 years old gets used all the time and it is redbook only. I also have a Bryston BDA-1, bought so I could listen to some hires but seldom listen to it because the Wadia gives me everything I want and its build suggests it will last another 29 years.

Guys who have got over the must play DSD, must unfold MQA, must have USB input, must etc. and have heard redbook played via a dedicated unit are coming round to appreciate just how much quality performance resides in the humble  redbook CD.

Chasing detail is one way of choosing a DAC but I prefer something that provides me with the necessary heft and immersive experience that I hold more important than a unit that plays all formats, converts on the fly, plays DSD, upsamples and has a dozen inputs etc.

Wadia is not the only one to excel with redbook, there are others and they can be found cheaply. The model 15 that I have can be found for about $800 and I have compared it to some very expensive modern DACs, some of which have been embarrassingly disappointing.

Ignore the joker who claims:  "I wouldn't touch a DAC more than 10 years old"  His myopic ignorance will steer you in the wrong direction. 

@charles1dad, thanks.

@vinylvalet, yes, Audio Note, SW1X, Merason, Abbas and a small handful of others are eschewing the fashionable 'does everything' DAC for one that prioritises power supply and the analogue stage and by omitting superfluous features shorter signal paths are possible. A non-resonant chassis and attention paid to EMI/RFI also contribute to the resultant sound.