get any decent R2R or multibit dac and skip delta sigma
uninformed and far too simplistic
dac conversion method is but one of several equally important elements driving a dac’s sonic performance
Sweet Sounding DAC
Ok, here's another one of those threads seeking DAC guidance. Certainly, I have started more than my share of such questions.
This search started as a need to find a smaller DAC and streamer due to overcrowding in my cabinet. Current players Bricasti M3 and M5. But as I started looking and listening, I realized there is a sonic search as well; just to complicate the process. As much as I like the Bricasti gear, I have always yearned for a softer- perhaps more tube/ analogue sound. So the search got harder. Here are some of the contestants with my questions/ comments or concerns. I seek advice from those who actually own or know the gear to follow , I will try to be brief. BTW my budget is essentially what I can recoup from selling the Bricasti gear. So lets say 3500 to 5000 ( if I sell both pieces). The first 4 I have sampled, the rest I have read about
1. Wattson Madison; great size. Found vocals a little off/ sounded better w external streamer - but then whats the point of the DAC / Streamer
2. Lab 12 DAC: loved the sound; too big a footprint. Great vocal tone
3. Konus : real nice, still a strong contender
4. Merason Frerot with LPS: not for me ( suprisingly)
5. Audio Note: would need to be entry level due to size. Is it good enough?
6. Gold Note DS-10 + Evo. Looks good on paper; has anyone heard it? Some dealers are not so high on it
7. Ferrum Wandla: looks good on paper but would add a box ( LPS ) to my cabinet. Anyone hear it? Word is that is a rich - smooth tone
8. Audio 11 Sagra: not much to go on but supposed to be smooth and sweet sounding
9. Border Patrol: some love it and some don't. Cannot fathom who is right.
10. AudioMirrow Tubadour. Seemed like a strong contender until a user told me its not that sweet sounding. More neutral in tone. I was bummed to hear that. Not sure it has the Lab 12 tone I seek.
I think thats enough to choose from.
Any insights would be appreciated. Please refrain from snarkiness....I much too tired for snark, But I do appreciate the help.
Showing 5 responses by jjss49
op since mid 2020 i have tried over 40 dacs in my system (now nearing 50), at various cost levels, learned a ton in the process as i have committed to streaming music in my system going forward please check out my past posts answering varying queries like this on dac recommendations of the ones you listed i have only had/heard a minority - here are my takeaways -- border patrol... smooth, rolled off $1000 dac, mediocre overall, with a below average level of insight, air, or drive, probably one of the weakest on your list -- audio mirror tubador ... i had the 3se, one gen prior to vlad’s latest, which i am sure has improved incrementally... a nice sounding dac, sweet rich and analog sounding, but had some issues with sibilance in my system, overall a fairly good value used at ~2000 -- audio note kit 4.1 - very nice sounding, lively yet rich, dynamic, holographic... but lots of tubes inside, truly gargantuan box, input card has limitations (only up to 96k sampling rate), if you can stand a refrigerator sized dac with zero features the sound is unimpeachable -- i also had a bricasti m1 se mdx and i concur it is a truly excellent clean modern sounding dac, tonally accurate very precise open airy sounding but not overtly warm/rich in presentation per se (i liked the linear 2 filter setting best iirc) for what sonics you seek, as you describe it i would suggest -- denafrips pontus (rich tone, good detail and air, very slight grain, but still very very nice), for 1500 -- cambridge cxn v2 modded by modwright with tube output stage - beautiful sound, sweet yet dynamic, quite well focused, lovely tube magic at play here, nla modded new due to parts issues, but they do appear used occasionally -- mhdt r2r tube buffered dac with upgraded tubes (we 2c51, or old stock 6dj8 via tube adapter) -- 80-85% of the modded cambridge but half the $$ -- msb analog dac with power base (lovely sounding, very appropriately named) - uber refined sweet treble yet at the same time airy open holographic good focus... $$$ but worth it, newer even more expensive msb’s are more modern precise sounding, which i do not prefer i currently own and enjoy all of these mentioned, among a few others with a more ’modern’ sound
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couple quick responses to comments
i disagree, i was disappointed with the morpheus... airy soundstage and voices were well portrayed but i heard a graininess to the treble and an ill defined bass that did not compare favorably with other dacs in the price range - i feel the r2r technology is well done in the sonnet but cees cheaped out a bit on its analog output stage... i compared the morpheus in a good friend’s system against his beloved metrum pavane, and we both could hear the pavane is sweeter, purer sounding
no, to my ear, my weiss 501 and the bricasti m1se mdx had pretty much identical (an excellent, clear but saturated) tonality, and given the smal form factor and manifold features of the weiss, i kept it, and sold the bricasti soundwise, i would be very very happy with either when i want that clear crisp pure dynamic sound |
to simplistic and uninformed, i would also add utterly clueless and insulting -- suggestion to you... learn more, spout less its an arm and a leg only when you can’t afford it... to the rest of us, it’s only money... |