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Thinking about getting a R2R DAC

Dear community,

I currently have a chord qutest DAC. I like it a lot, very full sound, accurate detailed and exciting.  However, whenever I go back to vinyl (with a well-recorded nice pressing) I find the sound so much more satisfying.  There is a warmth, yes, but there is a presence, a 'there-ness' that I just don't get with the digital.  I'm wondering if an R2R DAC would get me closer to that?  my budget would be around the same as the qutest.  I was looking at the MHDT Orchid or the Border Patrol.  Don't get me wrong, I really like the Qutest.  I am thinking of putting it in the upstairs system to pair with the Node2i I have up there.  Any thoughts?  Will analog always just be a different animal than digital?

Currently in the main system I have a Sonore uRendu feeding the Qutest which is going to a LTA MZ2 going to a Pass XA 30.5

thanks!
adam8179

Showing 1 response by rikkipuu

rikkipuu's avatar
rikkipuu
284 posts
 
I had a Denafrips Terminator (r2r) and recently upgraded to the Terminator Plus.  I have had a Yggdrasil (r2r) and W4S DSDSE v2.2 (ds) dacs and the Terminator is in another league.  FWIW I felt the W4S was the better dac.
I added the Denafrips Iris DDC (USB to I2S converter) to try the I2S on the Terminators, the Iris was a game changer in my system.  Denafrips considers the I2S the best input but have put a lot of work into their USB input.  I wasn't expecting much from the Iris as the USB from my Innuos Statement was supposed to be amazing (and I thought it was).
I have clock cables on order to clock the Iris with the Terminator Plus's OCXO clock.  I have read the benefit is significant.
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