Denafrips Terminator R2R Multibit, ultimate pcm redbook converter??

regardless, as an R2R discrete dac, to take a shot ’get into it’ and see what is going on, it is probably the only way one can do this today.

No other R2R discrete dac exists at this price point today, that I am ware of. At least with this level of implementation.

Best quality, that’s up to the buyer to discern. It’s an easy choice when it comes to the idea of trying to find out what is going on with the R2R vs ’delta sigma’ question. Then, if one finds it to be of good potential, consider looking at the $15-20k+ R2R discrete dacs that are out there.

This one can probably be sold at it’s buy price, or at extremely little loss, at such point.

So, as a personal question to one’s self goes, it’s a no brainer.

Shardorne’s points are pretty well all valid, but we digress in the idea of what is best. Well implemented delta-sigma, or well implemented R2R.

How the resistive ladder is executed is critical to R2R dacs. The ’Total Dac’ and the MSB dacs cost what they do, partially for those very reasons.

Each type of dac the delta-sigma or the R2R, has their Achilles heel. I can’t listen to or consider Delta-sigma when I’m trying for ’best’. Shardorne seems to feel otherwise.

Most reviewers and buyers seem to feel the best implemented R2R ladder and similar designed dacs (specifically not delta-sigma) are the pinnacle of digital audio.

Point is, that a 0.01% accuracy set of resistors for the ladder is far from perfect enough to get to those pinnacles, and can barely make it there for redbook 16/44-48. But what tricks it may do for redbook 16/44, those may be more than good enough for most people to discern whether the tricks that ladder/R2R dacs do for music, this thing ’heard’ when one tries such a dac.... may convince one to go onward and upward in the world of R2R dacs.

Think of it as a valid ’test’, to take a look-see and dip into that world.

R2R dacs are just barely coming back into the digital fold ...from the desert created when delta-sigma became the big deal, due to costs. discrete Dacs are just barely coming back into being. Or, coming into being for the first time, depending on your view of the history of dacs.

This is the lowest priced discrete ladder dac with high bit rate ability--- that exists on the planet right now. I don’t expect the price to ever get any lower.

economies of scale won’t drop the price down.

Quality demands will force the price UP.
Demand will force the price UP.
Rising costs will force the price UP.
Labour and such in the far east will force the price UP.
Coming decay of the us dollar hegemony will push the price UP.
Success for this company will push the price UP.
And a few other UP’s.

And there’s nary a single DOWN force on the price in sight -or on the crystal ball of the future.

I hope you are getting my point.

I agree with George. I was letting shadonre wear me down a bit via repetition..., but I have to say that R2R is correct and delta sigma screeches, it is not lean and truthful, and it is not neutral. It is grungy and dirty, it adds noise, and it is in error.

Everyone knows that, except those who have to build dacs and CD decks and dvd/sacd/blu-ray decks--- with modern delta-sigma dacs.

They can never talk about this simple truth. They can only work with what they’ve got.

Most of the time it’s fine, it’s great, in fact -- in the best examples.

But it is not the pinnacle. The pinnacle is owned by R2R dacs.

that subtle screech, noise and tonal coloration ’lie’ is also happening at the input of a system (with the delta sigma dac designs) and it is skewing the entire audiophile enterprise and overall expectations in balance and other choices... It is subtle, but it is definitely there, as issues go.

People who listen to a lot of analog source and analog gear, tend to get this as an understanding.

People brought up on pure digital...many times don’t even know it exists as subtle but important flaw in their given firmament.

That is what the cost savings of delta-sigma dacs has done to the audio world.

It is also, if one goes through the logic, part of what is causing less audio people to appear ’out there’. It’s not just all the other forces, it is also the inherent flaws and compromises in modern digital signal reproduction. And one can’t talk about the ability to get ’good sound’ being more universal than ever before.

Ubiquity does not equate with quality that is complementary to how the ear works at it’s most deep and human levels. (with regard to attracting people to the idea of quality sound reproduction in their homes)

We're just hoping that one day the headphone crowd finally realizes that the same money can bring the same quality or close..to a room sized reproduction system.

Note to self: Stop reading Audiogon before I go completely broke.

The problem being is our inner audio monkey keeps getting touched in a way that makes it happy, so.....

Right in the core reptilian brain area where sex and addictions and neural re-wiring takes place.

And the audio argument is born. As big as an angry and excitable house built out of flaming dynamite.

I’m guessing she’ll ’get’ the ladder dac, right from the first note.

Sometimes we can't define a thing... but we know what it is when we hear it.