Some years ago I bought a little Pro-Ject DAC for listening to music from my PC via free Foobar to my hi-fi.
Cost $12 as I recall from a local auction house and sounded great, way better than just the PC sound card. I was really happy with it.
A friend who said it would be crap (because of blah blah blah and not least of all, price) but had not heard it came over to listen to my new Rega DAC. When I played him some music that he thought was going through the Rega which cost $600, he really enjoyed what he was hearing.
When I got up and turned the Rega off and the music was still playing it left him spluttering in disbelief but still unable to believe his own ears.I was never really enamored by the Rega and found it a bit shrill in a lot of instances. I thought the Pro-Ject handled poorer source quality with more aplomb.
I was, however, not prepared for the differences in quality between the Rega and the Denafrips Pontus that replaced it!Different topology I know but still a way better sound than I was prepared for, with all sources of all different quality.I think there was a bigger leap in SQ, the further up the price chain I went.
Cost $12 as I recall from a local auction house and sounded great, way better than just the PC sound card. I was really happy with it.
A friend who said it would be crap (because of blah blah blah and not least of all, price) but had not heard it came over to listen to my new Rega DAC. When I played him some music that he thought was going through the Rega which cost $600, he really enjoyed what he was hearing.
When I got up and turned the Rega off and the music was still playing it left him spluttering in disbelief but still unable to believe his own ears.I was never really enamored by the Rega and found it a bit shrill in a lot of instances. I thought the Pro-Ject handled poorer source quality with more aplomb.
I was, however, not prepared for the differences in quality between the Rega and the Denafrips Pontus that replaced it!Different topology I know but still a way better sound than I was prepared for, with all sources of all different quality.I think there was a bigger leap in SQ, the further up the price chain I went.