Six DAC Comparison

Preamble

My next post will consist of my observations of the Mojo Audio Mystique EVO Pro DAC.  This will be the longest write-up of the DACs being compared since I have owned this one the longest and I am very comfortable and pleased with the sound of the EVO Pro DAC.  The EVO Pro will be my baseline, or reference, for the following DAC comparison write-ups. 

In my write-ups for the individual DACs, I plan to link professional on-line reviews related to the subject DAC.  To get the most out of my comparison write-ups, I suggest reading the linked reviews, because they will contain technical, operational, and aesthetic information about the subject DACs that I will not repeat in my write-ups, and because I may refer to comments contained in some of the reviews.   In addition, I agree in general with the observations and conclusions reported in the published reviews for these DACs.   However, in some cases you need to read between the lines, and certain reviewers either have bias for or against a certain type of sound, or exaggerate certain aspects of the subject DAC but, overall, I believe the reviewers mostly nail the essence of each DAC.  

After the EVO Pro, I plan to post a write-up on the Linear Tube Audio Aero DAC, because there seems to be the most interest in that DAC and because I am under a time line for that one.  I will save the Mojo Audio Mystique X SE NCZ until last and provide a comparison between the two Mojo Audio DACs.  My initial impression between those two DACs favored the EVO Pro but because of the many positive reviews of the X SE, my discussions with Benjamin, and my purchase of the NCZ version of the X SE, I will revisit my comparison between the two Mojo Audio DACs to find out if I reach the same conclusion.

Disclaimer

Keep in mind that my subjective observations will be biased by my personal auditory preferences, my home system (virtual system posted here), my music selections, and my methodology (or lack of).  Also remember, this is NOT a play-off or “best DAC” competition, and I do not plan to select a “winner”.  The write-ups I will post are not intended to be interpreted as an authoritative “last-word” or an analysis following the scientific method.  I am certainly open to suggestions and questions, and I don’t mind if people disagree.

I just want to mention that the Bricasti M19 SACD transport and M19 (and their M12 Series II) DAC have an I2S connection optimized for working together. Their DACs also have an optional internal network renderer.

@mitch2 - Thanks for allowing us to enjoy your evaluations and comparisons vicariously. It's a great opportunity to learn about these other products I've not yet had the opportunity to hear and experience. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on these different products. While I'm absolutely happy with my Merason DAC1 MKii, I'm curious about the sonic strengths of these other DACS. 

Thanks again for allowing us to enjoy the journey with you. 

@moonwatcher - I am just finishing up my write-up on the Mojo Audio Mystique EVO Pro, which will be my baseline for comparing against the others. LTA Aero will be next.  All the nice end of summer weather we have had this week is getting in the way of my evaluations!

Most of these are well above my price range, but I am interested when you finally finish your comparisons where the LTA stacks up in this list. Keep having fun. 

no_regrets

You're welcome, lot's of really smart people on these threads have helped me for the last bunch of years as well

All of that said, there is no substitution for your ears. In almost all of my tests with different gear (many DACs, DDCs, CD transports, and streamers), I have preferred the I2S connection almost every time (if the units have that I2S connection). On units that did not have I2S, I mostly preferred the AES/EBU connection.....that's my ears in my system, or in systems I know well.

One more point that should be noted, is that AES/EBU are digital cables (XLR connector type) that are 110 ohm cables, and NOT the standard 75 ohm cables like XLR analog interconnects

@vthokie83 Thank you for helping me understand.  I've been a vinyl guy for 50 years and am just now trying to add a nice digital source to my system.

Best wishes,

Don

no_regrets

Using the Jay's Audio CD transport as the example, here is the preferred order of connections (IMO). In each case the clock from the Jay's will be used, it's just how the clock is received (separate or imbedded, see my previous post):

(1) I2S if your DAC has that connection

(2) AES/EBU if your DAC has that connection

(3) SPDIF (either RCA, coax, or optical....whichever your DAC has)

The outlier is USB. Some streamers and or DACs (usually higher end gear) are optimized for USB, over other connections.

@vthokie83 

Yes it would, you'd want to keep the oven controlled crystal oscillator in the Jay's transport as the master clock

Great!  Thanks again for your patient explanations. 

@vthokie83 

When you say “Yes it would, you'd want to keep the oven controlled crystal oscillator in the Jay's transport as the master clock”

Do you mean.. then use the coax or aes balanced digital output?

Im just trying to understand. 
 

Thank you and best wishes to you!

Don

Yes it would, you'd want to keep the oven controlled crystal oscillator in the Jay's transport as the master clock

@vthokie83 

Thank you for explaining.

If the clock in a dac is, for example, a Femto, wouldn't it be advantageous to utilize the Jay's connections that bundle the digital data and clock together in order to utilize the Jay's superior clock?

stuartk

The Jay's CD transports do have an excellent OCXO clockl, their transports are excellent in my experience. The Jay's CD transports have 4 different connections: RCA unbalanced SPDIF, BNC unbalanced SPDIF, AES/EBU balanced connections, and of course I2S.

In all of those connections, the digital data and the clock are sent by the transport; and the DAC will use the transport's clock data.

Using the unbalanced RCA/BNC SPDIF connections, the Jay's will transmit the digital data and the clock packed together, in an unbalanced format, and the DAC will then unpack the data and clock, convert back to I2S, and then perform the digital to analog conversion. Some higher end DACs may have the ability to regenerate the clock signal.

The AES/EBU connection will transport the data and clock together, in a balanced format (balanced will do a better job of ensuring the data arrives correctly). That said, the DAC will still unpack the data and clock, convert to I2S, and then convert the digital data to analog.

The I2S connection will transport the data and clock separately, so no need for the DAC to unpack it from the data, and no need to convert to I2S for the DAC, and then the DAC will convert the digital data to analog.

In my opinion (and through some experience), I would use the I2S connection if possible, the AES/EBU if I2S is not available, and the SDIF connections as a last option. 

@ brbrock

Sorry it took me so long to respond...I don't go on forums every day.

LC = choke + capacitor

CLC = capacitor + choke + capacitor

In a CLC they use smaller chokes than in an LC power supply.

Most power supplies in audio gear are just C (only capacitors) and have no chokes at all.

LC is better than CLC and CLC is better than just C power supplies. 

As for tube DACs...

Let me start by saying that the DACs I designed up until 2013 were all tube DACs.

I found that tube stages are inherently noisy (usually <95dB SNR) and putting a tube stage inside of a DAC chassis tends to lower the performance. 

Keep in mind that DAC chips all contain solid-state op amps inside of them making DACs inherently a solid-state component.

If you were to reproduce a DAC chip with 100% tubes the DAC would likely be the size of a microwave oven and would have to cost several times as much. 

Don't get me wrong: I love tubes.

Tubes add what I like to call "attractive distortion." 

I just prefer to add a little "attractive distortion" to my system with a tube preamp and/or amplifier because I can always upgrade my preamp or amp as opposed to the often less than optimal noisy colored tube stage built into most DACs. 

Why am I saying that tube stages inherently have coloration and distortion?

Aside from the individual sonic characteristics of each specific brand and type of tube, all tube stages require an output transformer or capacitor between the tube and the output. Yes, even the so-called LTA Aero with their "ZOTL" output stage has circuitry between the tube and the output jack...it is in no way "direct-coupled."

OK...yes...there are actual OTL tube stages (such as Atma Sphere Audio) but they require BANKS of tubes.  

Transformers, capacitors, and exotic output stages all add a character and color to the music as well as degrade the purity of the music. 

Less is more.

That's why the DACs I've designed since 2013 are direct-coupled with nothing but a single Vishay "Nude" resistor between the amplification stage and the output.

On the positive side, a significant percentage of the better tube DACs do have LC or CLC power supplies which is likely why people find they have better timing and timbre than solid-state DACs most of which don't have chokes in their power supplies.  

@vthokie83 

QUESTION: My Jay's CDT2MKIII has an OCXO. How does such a transport affect DAC clocking ?

@soix no disagreement on the value of a DDC, I plan to give one a try. But for apples to apples, maybe best left out for the review. 
 

And of course, yes, @mitch2 should do what he wants , I am by no means trying to dictate the terms of the review. 

I have to disagree with adding a DDC. I feel that the DAC’s should be compared based on their abilities, without having the DDC safety net. The Merason has its own galvanic isolation built into the unit. If others do not include this, they may suffer in comparison, as it should be. 

@zlone I actually agree with you as most people probably do not have a DDC so a native comparison without a DDC would make a little more sense from that perspective, but it’s up to the OP although the comparison with a DDC is still really useful/interesting IMO.  I’m the very happy owner of an Iris DDC and was only pointing out that galvanic isolation is another benefit that wasn’t initially mentioned in addition to all the others that @vthokie83 nicely laid out.  I actually think almost everyone with a DAC should have a DDC because its benefits are that important and impactful, but that’s a story for another day.  And then there’s adding a better external clock — it never ends…

That last part "PSAudio/HiFi Rose/Silent Angel/Matrix/Pi2/Holo Audio all have I2S outputs." I should have noted are streamers or music servers

brbrock

Electrical engineers, forgive me if I misspeak anywhere below

I cannot comment on the DACs in mitch2's comparison, but I can comment on the benefits of a DDC with most (not all) streamers or CD transports.....and specifically the Denafrips Pontus II/Iris combination, but that applies to most other DACs. Sorry for the detailed information, but I appreciated the education when I first got it.

(1) Crystal Oscillator - The basic clock in the Pontus II is a standard (though very high quality) FEMTO clock. Crystal oscillators (clocks) and their performance are affected by temperature variation, thus the need to keep the clocks at as stable a temperature as possible.....but that, and the implementation of, can get expensive. The better the clock, the better the stability and the sound quality, the higher the price.

Most low to mid quality DACs have a FEMTO clock that has no compensation for temperature, thus minor fluctuations in it's performance.

The next step up is a TCXO (temperature compensated crystal oscillator), where the temperature is controlled by the use of thermistors and insulation of the crystal oscillator.

The next step up from there is an OCXO (oven controlled crystal oscillator), which uses an internally adjustable "mini oven" to keep the crystal at optimum operating temperature.

As I mentioned, the clock in the Pontus II is a high quality FEMTO clock with no temperature compensation, The crystal oscillator in the Iris is the higher quality TCXO temperature compensated crystal oscillator. The next step up Hermes and the top of the line Gaia use an OCXO oven controlled crystal oscillator.

(2) Galvanic isolation - This isolates signals by using magnetic components. All Denafrips DDCs use a galvanic opto coupler, optically and galvanically isolating the signal

(3) Optical isolation - This isolates the signal by converting to an optical transmission using lasers, thus eliminating electrical contamination......usually with an opto-coupler. All Denafrips DDCs use a galvanic opto-coupler, optically and galvanically isolating the signal

(4) USB - USB transmission does not contain a clock signal, it is assigned by the receiving device. USB directly into a DAC has the DAC assigning the clock, USB into a DDC has the DDC assigning the clock which would then be passed to a DAC. High end streamers do a very good job of transferring USB data, so less phase shift and jitter; and some with very high end streamers have reported little/no benefit from a DDC.

(5) AES/EBU and SPDIF - These signals do include a clock signal that is generated by the sending device, however the clock is imbedded with the data signal and must be separated by the DAC/DDC. Higher end DACs/DDCs will correct or even regenerate the clock signal, and some have the ability to turn that feature off if the incoming signal is superior

(6) I2S - This is the protocol that DACs (and other digital devices) use internally to process data, so any USB, AES/EBU, SPDIF signal must be converted to I2S in the DAC/DDC. The great thing about the DDC is that it handles this conversion, and then can (if the connection is available) transmit that same I2S data to a DAC. The I2S signal has a separate pinout to transmit the clock, so it does not have to be parsed by the DAC; the DAC just converts the digital signal to analog with the already converted I2S signal using the separate signal for the clock.

I suspect this is partially why so many people report that the I2S connection sounds best versus other inputs. Some external devices (streamers or CD transports) can natively output I2S, so a DDC might not be needed. Jay's Audio and PSAudio CD transports have I2S output, and PSAudio/HiFi Rose/Silent Angel/Matrix/Pi2/Holo Audio all have I2S outputs.

I think I agree with zlone, and feel that the ddc should not be used and should hear how each dac performs based on its own merits.  
 

However, this is Mitch2 experiment and can conduct it as he desires to.  
I feel grateful that he is sharing his experiences with us!

Best wishes,

Don

@soix I have to disagree with adding a DDC. I feel that the DAC’s should be compared based on their abilities, without having the DDC safety net. The Merason has its own galvanic isolation built into the unit. If others do not include this, they may suffer in comparison, as it should be. 

@soix - Galvanic isolation - good add.

In the digital audio world, a decent DDC offers tangible improvements for an $800 box! In the world of DACs, I believe there can be quite a variance in the quality of the USB input, which can also be negated by using a good DDC to accept the USB input and then output to the DAC using another type of connection..

A DDC 1. provides multiple output options from a USB input, 2. reduces jitter, and 3. may allow the connection of a master clock or sync directly to the clock in a particular DAC

I’d add a DDC can also add galvanic isolation for further noise reduction that many DACs sadly do not have. 

@brbrock -

• Here is a list of DAC chips from 2012 with performance comments by Antonino Scozzaro of Soundbsessive
• The SMc DAC-2 uses the CS4328 chip (good odnobitnik)
• The Mojo Audio DACs use dual AD1862 chips (20-bit – one of the best of the world’s Audio)
• The LTA Aero uses the AD1865 chip (18-bit, very good multibitnik, 2 DACs in one case - stereo)
• The Merason uses the BB PCM1794 chip (best of odnobitnik)
• The Benchmark uses the ESS Technologies ES9028PRO chip
• A DDC 1. provides multiple output options from a USB input, 2. reduces jitter, and 3. may allow the connection of a master clock or sync directly to the clock in a particular DAC (I believe, but am not sure, certain Denafrips DDCs/DACs may be used in this manner)
• The SMc DAC-2 does indeed have an optical input (Toslink), as well as S/PDIF via coax

@mitch2 and @vthokie83  and @trivema   I have a few questions about some of the equipment in the study.  Mitch do you know the DAC chip used in the SMc Audio DAC?  Also is part of the purpose other than correcting timing of a DDC to be able to change inputs?  Many DAC's do not have an optical input such as the SMc audio and Mojo Audio, because of this I am not able to connect the TV to watch movies etc.  

It was more challenging than I anticipated to choose a small group of music selections that were both representative of music I listen to, and also suitable to highlight attributes of the of DACs being compared.  I started by creating a new playlist in Roon, where I could accumulate and compare tracks, and I eventually chose a smaller group of selections that I have grouped and listed below.

Music Selections (Title, Artist, Album)

Jazzy,

• The Girl from Ipanema, Getz/Gilberto/Jobim/Astrud, from Getz/Gilberto (Remastered)
• Birds, Dominique Fils-Aime’, from Nameless
• Freddie Freeloader, Miles Davis, from Kind of Blue
• Take Five, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, from Time Out
• Babylon Sisters, Steely Dan, from Gaucho

Vocals

• Gravity (Live), Sara Bareilles, from Brave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouse
• Steamroller Blues, James Taylor, from Sweet Baby James (2019 Remaster)
• Come and Go Blues, Allison Krauss, from Muscle Shoals: Small Town, Big Sound
• Angel from Montgomery, Susan Tedeschi, from Live from Austin, TX
• Come and Go Blues, The Allman Bros. Band, from Live at Alltel Pavilion, Raleigh, NC
• Like a Stone (Live at Queen Elizabeth), Chris Cornell, from Songbook

Rock

• Thorazine Shuffle, Gov’t Mule, from Live…With a Little Help from Our Friends
• Fell on Black Days (Demo), Soundgarden, from Superunknown (Super Deluxe)
• Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana, from Nevermind (Remastered, 2021)
• Cortez the Killer, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, from Zuma
• Otherside, Red Hot Chili Peppers, from Californication
• Outside, Staind, from Break the Cycle

@vthokie83 and @trivema  - Unfortunately, I do not have the Denafrips Pontus II DAC with an Iris DDC to include as part of the comparison, or any Denefrips DAC.  I have considered trying a Terminator (in whatever iteration) several times but the timing or opportunity were never just right.  I did try the Hermes DDC in my system for a couple of months but I had integration and performance problems getting it to work properly.  I will say the Denefrips USA support team was very helpful and eventually sent me a new unit that worked, but I ended up selling it.  I do like the idea of using a DDC (for having a variety of output options and lowering jitter out) and I currently use the Singxer SU-6, which I found to be a basic plug-n-play unit that has worked perfectly since I installed it.

mitch2

It'll be interesting to see your findings, and what you hear in your system

Trivema & Soix

I still find the Denafrips Pontus II DAC with an Iris DDC via I2S to be the most musical, enjoyable, and fun DAC combo out there. I have upgraded every other component (preamp, 2 amps, speakers, cables, receptacles), but I still do not feel the need to rush out and replace the pair......I find them an incredible bargain

I have tested several $4,000 to $5,000 DACs along the way (I won't mention names because I don't want an argument), and still find my liking for the Pontus/Iris combo.

Yes I absolutely will upgrade my DAC at some point within the next year, and yes I know there is better sound to be had......but I will take my time to make sure it still has that fun and enjoyable sound that I currently have. I lust for a Lampizator Pacific or Poseidon, but that'll have to wait a couple of years

@agisthos - The only brand new unit is the LTA Aero, which was burned in at the factory for a week and has been in my system and turned on full time for three weeks, while playing music some of the time, maybe 30 hours.  The Merason is an original DAC1 that was upgraded to MkII months ago, and the others I already owned.

You really need to put a hundred hours on each DAC as well. Are they new units or 2nd hand?

I don't care what my Lampizator Poseidon measures, it's the best DAC for my system.  My second system has a great DAC (and great measuring DAC as well) which is 70% as good and certainly as enjoyable, small and really cheap now that it has been discontinued (half a dozen rave reviews), the Topping D70s.  To really beat the cheap Chinese DACs, one generally has to spend a lot of money.  Haven't heard the Schitt units but their new transport for $1200 is great, the Urd.  

@mitch2

I’m looking forward to your report and not only because we appear to have similar tastes in home decor. I expect my next upgrade will be the DAC. 

@trivema

I’ve thought about it, but haven’t. Mine is the original Pontus ll and besides some minor updates, the basic design is still the same. I’m gonna keep looking for now, but Maybe if a used one popped up, I might jump on it.

Thanks.

@mitch2 You certainly have major task in front of you here. I'm just in beginning process of comparing three different dacs, two being new purchases. What I've discovered is leveling the playing field is very difficult. I will be testing a single R2R dac to two sabre chip dacs, these sabre chip dacs usb likely to be optimal input, I2S for R2R. And then my system presently already optimized for usb, will be purchasing one of two top DDC;s in order to provide optimal I2S.

So, you're using Singxer SU-6 which I previously owned, while this is one ot the better DDC, there's still better out there, examples being Denafrips Gaia or Musician Phoenix. And then we have the question of optimizing usb inputs as well. Herein lies the problem when trying to compare dacs, optimizing inputs is the single largest variable in attempting to provide level playing field and extract maximum potential from all dacs.

The person who wrote " Comparison is the Thief of Joy" even though not being about audio in its context, certainly has created a saying that is worthy of taking on board when getting bogged down in audio equipment.

I’ll counter with “Ignorance is bliss.”  One person’s “bogged down” is another’s valuable opportunity to learn very helpful and useful information, especially in the context of this thread.  I choose to continually learn and enjoy doing it, but that’s me. 

@pindac Many thanks for your wise post and your gentle admonition to re-focus on what matters first: The music.

I am currently in the midst of spending far too much time researching the system I haven’t put together yet, and this is what I needed to hear. Thanks again.

The present options to have Three Sources for replaying recorded, that have a large volume of relatively easy to acquire recordings available, when used an a Standalone Source, or in conjunction with each other. All require different considerations to attain the best from each as a method to produce the signal to be further processed to add gain to become an end sound.

I strictly keep the experience of listening to recorded music in keeping with my thoughts about being able to encounter Live Music Performances, which is the pursuit is to be entertained. 

When listening to live music, I might have an input into how I experience the music, i.e, where I may be located in the Venue, and what mindset I will have when at the event. Beyond that there is very little control, everything else to be experienced is the design of others.

With Audio Devices and Recorded Music to be replayed, there is much more choice. The recording chosen, producer of recording chosen, the Genre, the Source used to create the signal for the audio system to process. The choices are endless.

The question is how much of the experiencing different options is actually a form of entertainment. I know from my own experiences had in this area, the time spent comparing can develop into becoming laborious and all the stimulus that can be had from listening to music, is at risk of being lost.

There is always change to be found, put one Source Item on a selection of different mounting devices and change is disenable. Same outcome can be speedily discovered for swapping umbilical's between Source and Amplification.

Once more from experiences had, In a room with a Group, getting all present to be unanimous in their findings and assessment is quite a challenge. The idea is not to be unanimous, the idea is to learn how each individual is discovering their stimulation and where they are seeing attraction. I am only party to witnessing this unanimous from a Group on a few occasions following multiples of attending meet ups where Group assessments were to occur over many many years. 

Within my own Local HiFi Group, there are regular meet ups made to carry out comparisons, both Digital and Analogue Sources along with supporting devices to enable them to be used. Within Group discussion at the time of the meeting and the courteous follow up mails that come through after the get together, clearly shows there is a broadness in the ideas formed about the experience had, in some cases from individuals with a very healthy experiences of audio equipment, the thoughts shared are quite alien to ones own. 

I have no concerns for the assessments being reported on in this thread, I am encouraging of it. What I do not see is consistency in the reports that are possibly to follow from others sharing on an experience had. The Individual undertaking this Threads assessments will prove to be a valuable aid in steering others towards a DAC to be experienced. The idea of another discovering the like for like for their own report, if presented, is where the reports on experiences had, have the potential to become quite varied and not containing content that is matching.

Today I am more interested in the social aspect of what my interest in audio equipment used for replaying recorded music can bring into my life, very similar to how I experience live music throughout my life, it has never been a sole experience. The person who wrote " Comparison is the Thief of Joy" even though not being about audio in its context, certainly has created a saying that is worthy of taking on board when getting bogged down in audio equipment.  

@gavin1977 indeed everything does matter, the IRIS in front of a Pontus II gave me 20% improvement, installing a dedicated power line from the panel with a true earth ground and higher grade copper outlets for all the system power another 10%, fiber optic internet with a high quality router, separate industrial grade Ethernet switch box, all with their own linear power supplies, perhaps another 5%+, all subjective of course.  I have less than $2k in the above tweaks for a significant upgrade in SQ. Plus hours moving speakers around with a tape measure and laser pointer.  Even a quarter inch here or there can make a difference. The Klipsch finally disappear, especially at night with the lights off! 

What I have realised is that everything matters @trivema 

The server/DDC, the power cables and conditioning used, interconnects also have a strong influence.  In a very revealing system you can adjust the sound from a DAC in a noteworthy manner, from musical to analytical, changes in soundstage and clarity etc…

I just wish I had all the ‘best’ items feeding a DAC, because then we’d know how well it scales.  Some DACs can be unimpressive if unoptimised.

Put a Denafrips IRIS in front of your Pontus before you switch out DACs, I think you’ll find it $500 well spent and cheaper than a new DAC. Definitely a sonic upgrade. 

@soix - I have been thinking about your suggestion and I agree - comparing them all at once is not going to move things forward.  Therefore, I will use the Mojo Audio Mystique EVO Pro DAC as my baseline, since I am most familiar with it, and then compare the others to that DAC, one at a time.  Michael Lavorgna at Twittering Machines does something similar when he compares whichever DAC he is reviewing at the time to his reference totaldac d1-unity.  

@bluethinker ​​​​@audiomirror -  The Audio Mirror Tubadour DAC seems to have many satisfied owners based on the posts I have read.  I hadn't intended to expand my listening comparison beyond the DACs I originally listed, but I am always interested in hearing new products.  I appreciate your suggestion that I give the Tubadour a try, but it would probably be best if I work my way through the DACs I have here now first.  I will certainly keep it in mind.

I’m really looking forward to Mitch’s observations. 
 

@mitch2 - Would you consider adding the Audio Mirror Tubadour DAC to your review if Vlad was willing to send it to you? 

Yes, the Merason Dac1 is a wonderful sounding Dac and took a good friends advice as he said it's overall sound signature was spot on with his top of the line Mojo Dac at half the price...

I had my MKI updated to MKII and it exceeded the SQ of my wonderful SW1X III+ DHT Tube Dac; the Merason just captured more ambiance, spatial cues and space...

Wig

@mitch2 - No easing into retirement for you my friend!  You have Benjamin and now Vlad at Audio Mirror wanting you to review their latest.  I predict that Lukasz at Lampizator will be posting shortly with his thoughts & requests 

At this rate you may be tuning into a part time/full time DAC reviewer.  Net is that this is positive news for those of us interested in the thoughts of a knowledgable common sense audiophile relating to a few select DAC's of YOUR choosing! 

Hello everyone, 

I would like to chime in as audiophile and manufacturer. I've been audiophile for over 40 yrs. I started building audio equipment in 1984. Everything I build, I build it for myself first. If I like it(if passes my taste - listening test), it becomes a product I sell. So

I would like to give my two cents. DAC chips make difference. Output section and power supply too. Parts quality also. If I have to define which one does what:

DAC chip - tonality, musicality and 20-25% of the sound

Output section - clarity, resolution, soundstage, dynamics, coloration and 40-50% of the sound

Power supply(mostly on the digital part) and parts quality - transparency, resolution, liquid and easy flowing sound, less harshness and 20-30% of the sound.

I would love to have you guys audition and  evaluate my Audio Mirror - Tubadour V DAC.

Vlad

Great info. As a former reviewer I’d make two observations FWIW:

1. We as humans are inherently awful at judging a piece of equipment on its own, which is why I regard reviews that don’t include comparisons to anything else (looking at you TAS) as next to useless and likely inaccurate or at least potentially misleading.
2. We are likewise awful at trying to compare more than two variables at once, and IME this is especially true with audio equipment.

So the takeaways would be that you doing these comparisons is hugely useful for relative perspective and why so many here are so eagerly awaiting your thoughts/impressions, and take the time to compare each DAC directly to the other because trying to infer firm conclusions from indirect comparisons could easily lead to erroneous findings (been there, done that). Again, FWIW.

@soix - Sorry to drag this out but comparing six different DACs takes more time than I allotted!  It might have been better (certainly easier) to compare two of them and then two more, and then two more, and then the three that I liked most and then the three I liked least.  However, unlike a playoff, the goal is not to pick a "winner," but rather to simply report observations.  I did post a picture of five of the DACs on my system page.  The Mojo Audio Mystique X SE NCZ is not in my system right now as I do not have room, so I will move it in later. 

A couple of early observations would include that they all sound good, just different.  There is not a single one of the six that I couldn't live with in my system, but I do like several better than the others.  My preferences are most likely related to the music I listen to and the sonic preferences I prefer from my system.  In my previous post, when I talked about liking a richer tone than I was getting from the Metrum Acoustics DACs, in general, the six DACs here do provide that.

Another observation is that IMO the professional reviews of these DACs accurately portray what I am hearing - mostly.  I would say there are embellishments and, as well, there are times you must read between the lines or pick-up on subtleties within the review but, in general, I would say the reviews are accurate.  The specific SMc Audio DAC-2 that I have here has not actually been reviewed, but the previous "Ultra DAC" iteration received an extremely positive (almost too much so) review years ago at 6moons.  While constructed from the same platform, the DAC-2 that I have here is different, and is supposed to sound better.

When I get down to discussing my specific observations and comparisons, I do not intend to reinvent the wheel and will probably quote some of those existing reviews.

I will also share that I really wanted to like the Merason but didn't like it so well at first.  However, the more I listened, the more I liked it and now, even if it doesn't turn out to be my favorite, I do find it hard to switch to something else.  It is just so easy to listen to and displays this rich sounding musicality on just about every type of music I throw its way.  It is also absolutely unflappable, regardless of how hard you push it.

Thanks for all the great info and follow up, but this is such a tease! 😜  Really looking forward to your thoughts, and Mojo is now back on the short list for my next DAC upgrade — very interesting about the choke power supply.  My main concern with Mojo is I’m a stickler for upper octave detail/air, sound of stick hitting the cymbal, etc. and was concerned their DACs might be a little soft sounding up there for my tastes, but I guess we’ll see…

Moving along with the DAC comparisons, I have provided a (rather long) summary of my digital audio background below.

Background

My background in digital audio started with CD players by Dennon, Theta, Pioneer, and others, and then later the top players from Lector, Ayre, and Muse.  The next step was to use a CD transport into a separate DAC (Assemblage 3.1) and then later a modified Mac mini serving digital files to a DAC.  I remember the Assemblage 3.1 (along with their D2D-1 converter) sounding relatively musical and looking back, there seemed to be a lot of attention to the power supply as well as using a Burr-Brown DF1704 24/96 digital filter and a pair of the Burr-Brown PCM 1704 24/96 DAC chips per channel.  One of my Lector players used a BB PCM63 DAC chip and I remember how musical that player sounded, as well as perceiving a more detailed but somehow less organically musical sound after “upgrading” to their newer model that used the PCM1704 chip.

Next, I moved to a couple of mid-priced DACs such as Ayre’s QB-9 DSD but still found the sound somewhat “digital” compared to my Lector and Muse CD players.  After reading Srajan Ebaen’s 6moons review of the Metrum Acoustics NOS R2R mini Octave DAC, I purchased the Metrum Octave, then their Hex, and then moved up to their flagship Pavane and later Adagio.  I enjoyed those Metrum Acoustics DACs, and particularly the Pavane, and perceived R2R DACs as having a more realistic and less electronic sounding presentation compared to others, like the Ayre, but I wanted something with a bit more meat on the bone, or maybe a bit richer tonality.  Benjamin Zwickel, proprietor/designer at Mojo Audio, had tricked out my Mac mini as a music server so, after reading a very positive review by Jeremy Kipnis at Enjoy the Music about Mojo Audio’s Mystique v3, with its five choke input power supplies and AD1862N DAC chips, I decided to give it a try.  Kipnis said this about the v3,

“A rare and breathtakingly seamless emotional connection with the music and sounds being produced.  It repeatedly allowed me to feel the sound in a tactile, visceral, and meaningful way, that is both alive and reminiscent of the best analog sources I have had the pleasure of hearing and working with.”

My time with the Mojo Audio Mystique v3 convinced me that I could indeed be satisfied with the sound I was hearing from my digital source.  However, Benjamin does not sit still so to keep up I moved up the Mojo Audio line to the Mystique B4B21 and then the (previous) flagship Mystique EVO Pro, which IMO is the pinnacle of the design that began with the v3.

A short time later, Mojo Audio came out with a similar but somewhat new design, predicated at least in part by their need to change the casework on their DACs.  They christened the new DAC the Mystique X (for extruded case).   After reading another round of positive reviews for that newest Mojo Audio DAC, I purchased a Mystique X SE.  In short, I still preferred the sound of the EVO Pro over the X SE, and so I sold my X SE.  After discussing this with Benjamin, I learned about limited edition Z-chips that Benjamin was putting into some of his DACs as a premium offering (AD1862N-Z chips were originally used in higher end Dennon CD players), and so I opened up the EVO Pro and sure enough, I found Z-chips. 

I have been happy to sit tight with the Mystique EVO Pro and enjoy the music.  However, I sometimes like to try new stuff so I took an opportunity to purchase a Mola Mola Tambaqui, which I owned for a couple of months over the holidays.  Even compared to the Tambaqui, I still liked the natural sound of the Mojo Audio EVO Pro DAC better, so I sold the Tambaqui. 

More recent opportunities resulted in my accumulation of the DACs I am currently comparing:

• I purchased a Benchmark DAC3 HGC from a local seller to use in my outdoor system,
• Steve and Patrick at SMc Audio completed a long-running DAC project for me (that I had sort of forgotten about) and exceeded all expectations with the DAC-2 GT-24 that I received earlier this year,
• I purchased another Mystique X SE, when one became available for sale that included both Z-chips and Lundahl nanocrystalline core (NC) chokes,
• I was interested in what I had been reading about the Merason DAC and took an opportunity to purchase a Merason DAC1 MkII, and
• After reading Terry London’s very positive review of the Linear Tube Audio Aero DAC, his posts on the LTA Aero thread on this site, and looking into the LTA trial policies, I decided to give one a try so I currently have one here on trial.

Sorry for such a long-winded background write-up but hopefully it provides context regarding my digital source and DAC journey up to this point.