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Do hi-end DACs offer true value or diminishing return...

These two hi-fedelity recordings posted on Youtube allow one to audition the state-of-the-art, highly raved R2R DACs with values ranging from $850 all the way to $6,500. Please use headphone or, play back to your stereo system if you think your system is revealing enough. The question to ask to yourself is that the true hi-end (w/ high price tag) gears offer you true values or just a diminishing-return foolproof. In my system, I do hear the differences but, to me, the differences might not be that significant to justify the luxious spending. Maybe my system is not revealing enough.  Maybe the recording quality through the on-line broadcasting degrades.  How about you? Do you hear major differences? 

Terminator Plus ($6.5k), Venus II ($3k)

Terminator $4.5k, Ares II ($850)

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Showing 3 responses by mihorn

mihorn
489 posts
 

I hear some major difference between 3 DACs. 1st, the listener needs to know the sound of the original music.

Steven Wilson - Perfect Life /// Mr. Beasley (unplugged)

These recordings are dubbings. Not live recording and there is no sound from speakers. All 3 DACs have thick veils and those veils will be much thicker with using power amps and speakers. This shows the veil sound started already from the source in hi-end audio.

To my ears,

(best sound) Denafrips Venus II ($4k),

(2nd best) Terminator Plus (10k), and

(3rd) Ares II ($1k).

More expensive DAC is not the better sound because Denafrips company or any audio company don’t know what makes better sound. I hear same veils from $100k dcs DAC combo.

Alex/Wavetouch

mihorn
489 posts
 
mahgister

There is no "veil" in classical recorded music... We test the "timbre" of the instrument, is it natural or not, realistic or not... We dont test the "veil" rendition... There is none...

I respectably disagree. Please point me any classical music live recording of audio equipment (not dubbed) that doesn’t have a veil. Alex/Wavetouch

mihorn
489 posts
 
mahgister  
Here three examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQR2RJwoZ2Q   *This is the original recording. Not a reproduction audio. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR33bL5aNTk&t=1225s  *This is dubbed. There is no sound from speakers. This video sounds same with the original music. Die Dreigroschenoper: Ouvertüre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFjQ77ol2DI&t=1205s  *This is the original recording. Not a reproduction audio. 

Simply, every reproduction audio systems sound veiled, bright, and un-natural.

Even many original recordings have veils/brightness depends on quality of microphones and recording machines. The idea of mic is similar to loudspeakers. Few great sounding mics are made by people who had made mics all their life in 1930~60's and found some work routines for good sound. Still they didn't know what makes good sounds. They just knew some work routines.   Alex/Wavetouch

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