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Need updated opinions on R2R vs Multibit delta sigma DACs

Since its inception multibit DS DACs have only improved more and more over the years, both subjectively and objectively. all generations of Sabre DAC have been a step up over the previous in SQ and measured performance.
The latest DACs (9038,ak4497/93) DACs offer really exceptional sound quality and detail for a very affordable price.
newer DACs are on the horizon (AK4499) already with some reports that they are offering even better SQ than the former...

Cost is by far the strongest disadvantage for R2R DACs.
With most recent R2R DAC being discrete designs produced on small scale the costs are even greater now than with old mass produced R2R DAC chips, while measurable performance has not changed much from the older DACs.

The difference in measurable performance between the better R2R DACs and the modern DS DACs should technically be at inaudible levels...

Most will agree that measurements can not tell the full picture. THD, noise etc. are important to consider but there undoubtedly many less understood aspects to our hardware that measurements are not picking up on.
I believe audibly bad measurements are ...well bad, distancing you from the original recording even though those distortion can sound good.

But I'm not really sure whether so called ''inaudible'' levels of distortion/noise are truly inaudible, if we can hear things that even the measurements cant pick up on whose to say we cant hear, either indirectly or directly, things that those same measurements deem inaudible?
Maybe this is why the newer delta sigma DACs continue to sound better?

I would like hear peoples experience with more recent DS DACs compared to the good R2R designs (that includes discrete or chip R2R).
In your experience do think there is still some audible, immeasurable benefit to R2R's objectively purer conversion methods? Something beyond just audibly pleasing harmonic distortion/noise that the engineers claim?
Something to make it worth buying an R2R DAC, or at least consider it?

NOS is not a requirement for R2R , in fact I would prefer comparisons with OS R2R DACs because it is a fairer comparison to DS and most of the more recent R2R DAC allow OS 


suix6

Showing 1 response by optimize

optimize
164 posts
 
Some say that it is not just what sigma Delta or R2R that is the question. 
Some say it is the implementation of those that matter. (For example power regulations, precision of the clock and so on)
Otherwise each DAC that use the same brand and model of a sigma Delta chip should sound the same. Do you think that?
I don't. So the question is then irrelevant in my opinion.
But of course the sigma Delta chip and R2R play a difference but bring just a part of the total sound signature to the table.
The only thing that remains is to listen to the whole unit to evaluate if it is your cup of tea.
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