I have been following this thread from the beginning. My very subjective opinion is that you can not "intuit" your way into audio assumptions. This thread involves an assumption that if you keep the music server constant the DAC comparisons are valid. The reality, imho, is that the choice of music server, connecting cable, and DAC all play a significant role. The folks that shun vinyl as being too complicated fail to realize that at the highest level, digital playback is equally complicated. As just one example, my Aurender W20 and my SW1X DAC III Balanced will sound radically different simply by substituting very highly regarded S/PDIF cables.
DAC Shootout Starts This Weekend
Okay...in another thread I promised to do a side-by-side evaluation of the Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap vs the Rockna Wavelight. Due to the astonishing incompetence of DHL this has been delayed. At the moment, I have a plethora of DACs here and am going to do a broader comparison.
I am going to do a compare of the Rockna Wavelight, Rockna Wavedream Signature, Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap, Chord Hugo 2, Chord Hugo TT2, Bricasti M3, Bricasti M1 Special Edition, Weiss 501 and the internal DAC card for an AVM A 5.2 Integrated amp as a baseline.
For sake of consistency, I am going to use that same AVM integrated amp driving Vivid Kaya 45s. I may branch out and do some listening on other speakers (Verdant Nightshade of Blackthorn and/or Wilson Benesch Vertexes) but want to use the Vivids for every compare as they are the fullest range speakers I have here. For sake of consistency I will use a Chord 2Go/2Yu connected via an Audioquest Diamond USB as a renderer. The only exception is the Hugo 2 which has a 2Go directly attached to it. I will use a Roon Nucleus+ as a server in all cases.
My plan is to use the same five songs on every DAC; In a Sentimental Mood from Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Be Still My Beating Heart from Sting, Liberty from Anette Askvik, Duende from Bozzio Levin Stevens and Part 1 of Mozart String Quartet No 14 in G Major from the Alban Berg Quartet. The intent is to touch on different music types without going crazy.
I will take extensive notes on each listening session and write up a POV on the strengths of each unit. I am going to start this this Friday/Saturday and will be writing things up over the next month or so. If you have thoughts, comments or requests, I will be happy to try and accommodate. The one thing I am not going to do is make the list of songs longer as that has an exponential impact on this and make everything much harder. If and when other DACs come in on trade I may add to the list through time.
I am going to do a compare of the Rockna Wavelight, Rockna Wavedream Signature, Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap, Chord Hugo 2, Chord Hugo TT2, Bricasti M3, Bricasti M1 Special Edition, Weiss 501 and the internal DAC card for an AVM A 5.2 Integrated amp as a baseline.
For sake of consistency, I am going to use that same AVM integrated amp driving Vivid Kaya 45s. I may branch out and do some listening on other speakers (Verdant Nightshade of Blackthorn and/or Wilson Benesch Vertexes) but want to use the Vivids for every compare as they are the fullest range speakers I have here. For sake of consistency I will use a Chord 2Go/2Yu connected via an Audioquest Diamond USB as a renderer. The only exception is the Hugo 2 which has a 2Go directly attached to it. I will use a Roon Nucleus+ as a server in all cases.
My plan is to use the same five songs on every DAC; In a Sentimental Mood from Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Be Still My Beating Heart from Sting, Liberty from Anette Askvik, Duende from Bozzio Levin Stevens and Part 1 of Mozart String Quartet No 14 in G Major from the Alban Berg Quartet. The intent is to touch on different music types without going crazy.
I will take extensive notes on each listening session and write up a POV on the strengths of each unit. I am going to start this this Friday/Saturday and will be writing things up over the next month or so. If you have thoughts, comments or requests, I will be happy to try and accommodate. The one thing I am not going to do is make the list of songs longer as that has an exponential impact on this and make everything much harder. If and when other DACs come in on trade I may add to the list through time.
Showing 4 responses by fsonicsmith
Verdant, if you look at Michael Fremer's current "Associated Equipment" list, e.g. in his review of the Gryphon Commander Preamp, you will see he is using a SW1X LPUIII in his rotation of phono pre's. That company makes a model of DAC called the DACIII Balanced Classic. Getting your hands on one would be difficult. Too bad though. |
I think you mis-read my comment. Quite understandable re-reading my post :-) I was suggesting a trial of the SW1X DACIII Balanced Classic. SW1X is the brand name. Based in England but with two US distributors. The "Balanced" does not refer to circuit topology per se. As I understand it, the balanced portion of the design involves an extremely robust output section built much like a power amp. I have owned mine for about a year and half. I ought to know more about it and back when I ordered it and waited six months for it I was more familiar with the details of the design but since then I just listen to music with it. Mine gets signal from an Aurender W20 with a custom built S/PDIF from Analysis Plus built with their Silver Apex wire. Music played through it sounds very much like my vinyl playback utilizing a modded Garrard 301 with Classic HiFi brass bearing https://www.classichifi-shop.co.uk/ with the Dobbins platter and Reed 3P, and Lyra Etna Lamda. |
Yes, but to the best of my knowledge the DAC III Balanced is the sweet spot for performance vs. price and is in the same price range of many of the DAC's that Verdant has listened to. The price of the DAC III B is in the area of 12K in stock form without the various upgrades Slawa of SW1X offers. I started with a custom built DAC II Special and then had many exchanges with Slawa about his opinions as to his DAC's and where the performance curve begins to flatten out. |