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Do you recall "instant improvement" from your first stand-alone DAC ?

After weeks of research I recently ordered my first external DAC.  My system is modest by most accounts... Van Alstine SET400 amp, T-10 tube pre-amp, Salk HT2-TL speakers, WiiM Ultra streamer/DAC.  It sounds very good to me... resolving, clear, excellent bass, mids, highs. Then I started reading and asking about streamers and DACs and it seems my system could sound better. So I did a lot of reading and ultimately ordered a used Merason Frerot with factory wal wort power supply.  Now the anxiety of second-guessing my choice and what it will sound like in my system.  Cuz there are no stores near me to demo DACS.  Eventually I will likely upgrade the streamer.

 

What did you notice the most about your first stand-alone DAC... more clarity, richness, scary good vocals, extended highs, more airy highs, more and better bass ?  Better soundstage and imaging ? All the above ? 

foamcutter

Showing 1 response by tonyrox

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tonyrox
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My first DAC was some cheapo optical to RCA converter to get audio out of my bare-bones plasma screen into my circa 1977 Kenwood integrated.  It worked well enough for TV Audio.

Then I bought a Cambridge DAC200 for use in live sound production, and it made enough of a difference that I could hear the improvement in my computer speakers.

When I got serious about a system for my office I started with a Parasound DAC, but it was unreliable and eventually blew up one of my ELAC speakers, so I picked up a Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 that sounded better all around, better bass control, longer tails, etc., but the big upgrade was a DAC3 from Benchmark.  I'd say the biggest improvement is in SN ratio, it's dead quiet and since it's the HGC version I can run the output level at full studio-level (0db) into my AHB2 amp.  I'm very satisfied with this combo, feeding ATC monitors.

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