Don’t expect too much from a DAC change. I’ve had a Chord Qutest for over two years, while my system has been through many upgrades, and changes to position and the room. At the beginning, I could never take the Neutral Incisive filter as it sounded “cold and clinical”, and I’d move to the Warm, which introduces distortion and makes the sound pleasant, but mushy. It sounded better until recently, when the rest of my system got right. Now the Neutral Incisive filter sounds musical, clear, deep, tall, and with realistic timbre and that “wow, the instrument is there” feeling. I’m not trying to say Chord is the best, but I want to warn against the endless search for “warm and lifelike” in a piece of equipment, when the system as a whole makes that happen.
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
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