R2R next? Don't like ESS

Lots of recommendations for Denafrips and I agree with those. But nobody has mentioned Musician Audio which is another brand designed by the same people and built in the same factory as Denafrips. They all use R2R conversion and have a lot in common with Denafrips but with some unique designs to take them in their own direction.

They aren't as well known but I've read a few users who after trying equivalent priced units from each one tend to prefer the Musician Audio model. I've only heard their little Draco which is well under $1,000 and I thought it was much better than the most budget Denafrips which is the Aries. 

re: "preference" vs studying technical specs of components to decide. Here is an artificial intelligence response to a related query. Love it, hate it, or debate it - enjoy. I posted this since five of my audio friends prefer different audio systems.

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Why is it that humans lean to "preference" to what they hear versus studying technical specifications to decide what sounds best in a home audio system?

Great question! There are a few reasons why people might rely more on their ears than on technical specifications when choosing a home audio system:

1. Personal Preference: Sound is highly subjective, and different people have different tastes. What sounds good to one person might not sound as appealing to another. People trust their ears because they’re ultimately the ones who’ll be enjoying the system.

2. Complexity of Specs: Audio specifications can be complex and difficult to understand for the average consumer. Terms like frequency response, total harmonic distortion, and impedance might not be meaningful to everyone. It’s easier to just listen and decide what sounds best.

3. Perceived Quality: Often, listening to music or other audio can convey a sense of the overall quality and performance of a system in a way that specs on a sheet can’t. Hearing the clarity of vocals, the depth of bass, and the richness of tones can provide a more tangible experience.

4. Real-World Performance: Technical specs are measured under controlled conditions, but real-world performance can vary. Listening tests can reveal how a system performs in your own home environment, with your specific setup and acoustics.

5. Emotional Connection: Sound can evoke strong emotions and memories, and people might choose a system based on the emotional response it elicits. If a system makes their favorite music sound amazing, that’s often a more compelling reason to buy than any technical specification.

Listening experiences help people make a choice based on enjoyment and connection, which is ultimately the most important factor when it comes to home audio systems.

I tired of delta/sigma DACs years ago. Too edgy, bright, and non-musical.

Ever since it has been a succession of R2R (multibit) and NOS (multibit that is non-oversampling) DACs. All are quite an improvement on the delta-sigmas.

My advice is to start low and slow, Keep it at or under $1K and check out the basic multibit and/or NOS sound, live with it awhile and see how it suits you.

Examples:

• Schitt Bifrost (multibit)
• Schitt Gungnir (multibit)
• Musician Audio Pegasus II (NOS)
• Black Ice FX DAC (NOS)

@hilde45 thanks for clarifying your point of view with me

It’s not transparency you’re after as Sabre chips and well built dacs that use them are transparent beyond human audible range.