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Help: Anthem STR dac vs Bryston BDA-1 and others - sounds the same to me

I wanted to go ahead and throw this out there, I know there will be differing opinions but here’s my experience THUS FAR... I cannot hear one shred of difference between the internal DAC of my Anthem STR preamp vs my Bryston BDA-1. Are you surprised?

I’ve listened back and forth on two sets of speakers and test tracks via Qubuz with Roon - speakers are Klipschorns and KEF Reference 5.
I know the Bryston is older so perhaps that has something to do with it. OR, do we often overemphasize what we THINK we hear when we say a DAC sounds so much better than another?
I no longer have the Lumin T2 but I think I remember it sounding better but now I can’t be sure of what I was hearing. I do believe in hearing bias but I would expect to hear something more drastic.. Or are my ears just shot? I don’t think so - but who knows.
Is the DAC in the Anthem just that spectacular?

I’m asking because I’m thinking about adding a Denafrips Potus for fun.
Anyone else have the Anthem and think its DAC is on par with other reasonably priced external dacs?


dtximages

Showing 1 response by oldhvymec

oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
Unless I'm missing something. A DAC is a programed chip or series of chips?. SO who ever is doing the programming is the artful sort or NOT.

I say the better DAC is programmed by a great musician that happens to be a "CODE WRITER". NOT a code writer that is NOT a musician by any definition.

That "DAC" is also coupled with a front end and final components. It could be a very cheap "POP on, POP off" unit that blows tweeters, or a Krell with pure class a, before and after the DAC chips, with foil resistors and all 1% or better matching and of course a perfect power supply.

A DAC is not just a DAC. THOUGH I agree a lot can be said about "Who's programming what, NEXT"? The Programmer or the Musician?

Regards
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