DAC Measurements vs Actual Experience

I have owned the DAC3 HGC + AHB2 and now the HPA4 preamp + DAC3B. The HPA4 is incredible and makes the DAC3B sound great. It sounds better than the DAC3 HGC. This preamp is so good that I am buying another LA4 (no headphone) for my downstairs system to be paired with some unknown amp.

My upstairs system will be HPA4 + DAC3B + CODA #16.At one time I I was thinking of spending more on a DAC, but now that ship has sailed. I am very happy with this combo.

Get a 30 day trial of the LA4 or HPA4 and be blown away. I took a chance and bought the HPA4 even though I hated headphones. I bought the Meze Empyprean headphones to pair with the HPA4 and DAC3B. It has become a problem every night for me in that I keep saying let’s play one more album, even at 1AM. Just an amazing headphone system I lucked into.

I should add that the HPA4 + Meze have become a gateway headphone drug for me. I just bought a Bryston BHA-1 headphone amp + preamp for a second bedroom. I would have bought another HPA4 for this system but I got the BHA-1 for 1/3 the price. I have not heard it yet, being delivered next week.

BTW - I got the DAC3B for $1560 from a dealer. No 30 day trial for me, since I had prior experience with the DAC3 HGC.

BTW2- If anyone is interested in the Meze. The stock cable is awful compared to the $400 WyWire Platinum XLR I got for it.

OMG!
Do you actually think that "lousy, harsh, bright" would be allowed on a recording:

- By the recording engineer?

- By the mastering engineer?

- By the record producer?

- By the record label?

- By the recording artist?

Hmmm. No way. Ain’t gonna happen.

Listen to RUSH "Vapor Trails" before they re-did that disc. I actually threw the first one in the garbage.

So by that logic I can assume the ADSM sounds like a POS. Different strokes for different folks.

@roberttdid This is some amazing writing. I am going to email your post for future reference.

I have heard a few recent Linn’s, including the Selekt DSM. A little veiled compared to my preferences but not bad. I was tapping my toes with them, but I do that for all good music.

Just to show a little more enthusiasm for my HPA4 + DAC3B combo I want to say that I have been listening to the headphone section of this preamp and it sounds great. The real fun part for me is hearing so much new musical passages in well know material, it is shocking. For example, I was playing Stairway to Heaven the other night and I heard John Bonhoim (sp?) play some drum track that I had never heard before. I am hearing stuff like this on many well known recordings. This maybe not what everyone wants in their music, but for me it makes me feel like I am in the studio with the performers.

I actually had a similar reaction with the Benchmark DAC3 HGC + AHB2 amp. It was not as good as what I hear now with the HPA4 preamp but that THX circuit on the Benchmark really works for me.

I need a new amp to make my speakers sound as good as the headphones, likely the CODA #16 and/or the AHB2.

I must say that I have no clue how to interpret the measurements on the HPA4 and DAC3B combo.  I just listened, especially to the silence.

The best ESS based chip DACs I have heard were not the Benchmarks but the $6K Mirrus DAC from these guys, who now seem out of business.

https://resonessencelabs.com/

To my ears, better than the Benchmark and also any of the Linn stuff. I apply the concept of Law of Diminishing returns to DACs over any other audio component. For $1560 new that the DAC3B cost me I am consider it a big win.

I have heard a lot of DACs. I am not saying my choice is going to be great for anyone else just saying it is amazing fro me. 

@frederick21 I have the HPA4 + DAC3B with Meze Empy and I got some incredible headphone sound with them. Better than with my second Bryston BHA-1 headphone amp. I also use all XLR (Benchmarks) and yesterday ordered the Benchmark AHB2 amp to get my 2 channel up and running again. The preamp section of the HPA4 was also great with my old Class D amp, the the AHB2 will take it to a different level.

I do plan on buying a Denafrips Terminator Plus with the GAIA digital-2-digital converter to mix it up from the all Benchmark sound. The GAIA will allow multiple DACs to receive a cleaned up digital stream.

BTW - I bought the LCD type XLR cable for my Empy from WyWire. It is called the Platinum and is on sale now for $400 (5 feet). It is a fantastic upgrade over stock.