2. digital
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Most organic / real / analogue sounding DAC (ideally with Volume Control) for $1500??????

I’d say I’m completely jaded with digital Hifi.   All sounds so thin & clinical.

I people raving about Benchmark DACs & Chord Mojos etc. They sound like hell to me.   Nothing at all like real live voices & instruments.

I’ve been reading about R2R Ladders & NOS.   The descriptions match what I’m looking for.   I want natural sound that makes me forget about Hifi & just listen to the music.
like Reel to Reel without the faff.

Lifelike is my aim, but I certainly prefer a warm, dark sound over clinical.

Don't need a load of inputs.  Only need 2 or 3.
I don’t have any analog sources, so prefer the DAC to have Volume Control to eliminate the need for a Pre Amp.   However, if the best sounding DACs don’t have Volume Control & there are clear sonic benefits to having a Preamp, then I could be persuaded.

I’m in UK btw, so need brands that ship to UK.


Suggestions please?


Thanks

singintheblues

Showing 1 response by melm

melm
1,057 posts
 
Everyone may tell you that the DAC they own does the trick, and that’s why they own it.

I will too. The $1500 L.K.S. (Chinese brand-ships everywhere).  Do a search. It gives me the same pleasure as my very much more expensive analog TT set-up.

But just like a TT needs its arms cartridges, speed stabilizers, platform and so on, so a DAC needs to be fed a very good digital signal. And digital is just not only 1s and 0s.

Simply buying a good DAC and playing CDs may not do it for you. It needs to be thought out and worked on, just like analog. And routing it out through a tube preamp can help as well.

You can do it all or find someone at a good brick and mortar who can do it for you.
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