Just wondering...

mb1audio02,

Exactly, to the (one) word, what I intended to reply.

kalali,

Why would a DAC be any different than amps, preamps, etc.? Do you think that a DAC only has a D-to-A chip inside of it? The quality of power supply, power filtering, power regulation, etc come into play just as much as with analog components and actually even more since there are two power supply circuits to contend with, digital and analog, as well as eliminating jitter and noise from the interface with the transport/music server/etc.

Dave

Hi kalali,

If the question is, "Is an ultra-expensive DAC a good investment considering the rapid advancements in digital technology?" The answer, even among those wealthy enough to afford them, would be a firm "NO" if they continually chase the latest digital technology. Just take a look at the selling prices of past high $$ DACs/digital players. However, many of those owners have no thoughts of "upgrading" their older TOTL players/DACs either, so the VALUE is relative to the period of ownership satisfaction.

If it is your priority to be an early-adopter of digital technology advancements, then it certainly is wise to look to products like Oppo that are relatively inexpensive and hold their value well upon resale. Heck, many owners of the Oppo 103/105 units are already chomping at the bit (pun intended) to "upgrade" to the new 203/205. Why? Because the new model has X times more theoretical processor speed than the last model, even though the budget power supply in the 103/105 limits their sonic performance, not the audio D-to-A section? The just-released 203 model proves the point superbly. Designed to outperform Panasonic, not Esoteric.

However, if you look at some of the best SACD-capable digital players/DACs of the past five years, they still deliver SOTA sound in any real-life audio system. Again, the best models had superior power supply/filtering/regulation that differentiates them sonically from the latest less-expensive models with higher bit rate D-to-A chipsets but lesser power supply quality. Obviously, what makes the newer products superior for those using music servers/laptops/etc as a source is their connectivity flexibility and that is not to be disputed.

Best to you kalali,
Dave

Great post, bigkidz. Best wishes for success in your business.

Dave

"I would rather buy used a 5 year old DAC possessing a robust power supply and excellent analog output stage than a new DAC at the same price point."

Perfectly stated. 

Best to you mesch,
Dave

My chagrin regarding your assertions, czarivery, is whether business analysis is the best approach to putting together a superior sounding audio system or is it more experience/understanding of what does and doesn’t make significant sonic improvement.

Personally, I would not purchase a $32k DAC or digital player, not even one much over $5k. Why? Not because of performing a numerical business rationalization of manufacturing cost vs retail price, but rather because, through the act of listening, I and others have determined that there are some excellent sounding players and DACs under $5k. Further, additional money spent on optimizing AC quality and vibration/resonance elimination at the source delivers superior results with these products, delivering sound quality improvement that belies the cost of the DAC/player.

Certainly, one would be insane to buy ultra-expensive equipment of any ilk without first addressing issues with AC quality and vibration/resonance elimination, which equally benefit the $5k gear and the $32k gear.

A Symposium Acoustics Svelte shelf and Rollerblocks will transform the sound quality of any source component beyond that of a significantly more expensive component without them. Addressing AC quality optimization will lower the noise floor and eliminate sonic nasties such that the music is heard without the detriment of what has come to be known as "digititus".

Then, and only then, has one heard what their current source is capable of and able to accurately evaluate the true impact of alternative, more expensive components.

Dave

eis,

That has to be the most stupid "review" ever published by Stereophile. If the guy can’t afford air conditioning, by all means that should be addressed way before considering any audio equipment. How someone like that could become a reviewer for a major audiophile publication is beyond me.

There is a proper hierarchy of life’s pursuits, well represented by Maslow’s concept in his "Hierarchy of Needs", that makes clear the ludicrous nature of seeking self-actualization ahead of satisfying physiological needs. Perhaps an advent of the Milllennial generation?

Dave

wtf, what exactly did you learn from that article concerning how to improve your audio enjoyment in your shared listening space?

Dave

Okay then, wtf. I read it more as an editorial from someone with his head up his butt.

Dave