Does the ESS Sabre Chip have a telltale sound?

Yes.

I have heard a number of DAC's with a Saber, including some DIY jobs a guy wanted to sell.

The sonic signature is slightly over the top detail that can sometimes be overwhelming, some sibilance control issues and a cold analytic top end.

When I was listening to the DIY DAC's before hearing them a person there said - you have heard Saber DAC's before - what do you think we will hear. I said the above. Later he said - you were spot on - amazing. Its not amazing - you hear it when you have lived with such DAC's for a while.

The interesting thing though is despite the claims the chip is jitter immune the sibilance and top end issue virtually disappears when fed with a good source like an Off-Ramp. They are quite good that way - with just a slight trace of analyticality and detail that a bit obvious. IMHO the chip is not as jitter immune as is claimed.

Thanks
Bill

'What sampling output rate were you using with the off-ramp that you found worked well with the Sabre chip?'

Back in those days I would upsample - don't do it so much these days.

Obviously since it performed pretty good with the Off-Ramp it can be in designs that don't have the usual issues.

Thanks
Bill

I heard a Wiess Minerva yesterday for the first time. Very nice sound - nearly as good as the Killer I was hearing it against and better than a Playback Designs and about the same as the Phasure that was also there.

Of relevance to this thread is someone told me this was Sabre based. If so I couldn't really detect the Sabre signature - first Sabre based DAC I have heard like that.

The caveat is if true - I couldn't find any info it was Sabre based.

Thanks
Bill