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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
decooney
1,973 posts
 
@bjesien
"...One other thing that the op might want to pay attention to is power supplies. I added a quality external power supply to my Roon Nucleus and that really calmed things down while adding greater focus, space and a more vivid realism..."

Yep. Helps. Some try different PS units on the MHDT DACs too with success. A good friend just ordered a custom fully loaded Allo version Raspberry Pi with the SHANTI Dual Linear Ultra Low Noise Power Supply Unit (PSU) option. Hope to hear more soon, runs Roon too.
duckworp's avatar
duckworp
257 posts
 
After a lot of research and demoing I have just invested in a CAD 1543 mkII for my pro listening-studio (used for choosing and checking audio files for record companies). It is a classic r2r using a number of the old Philips 1543 chips, and is the most musical dac I have personally heard at any price point. I love its pure simplicity: one USB input only, no filters to mess about with, no external power cord to worry about, one pair of rca outputs, short signal paths, and a well-designed power supply.
Ideally of course you do need to hear your shortlisted DACs in your own system as system synergy is key.

glassandlight's avatar
glassandlight
19 posts
 
Audio GD makes an excellent one.  I will use the word "excellent" as a conservative description. You rarely see any of their equipment for sale second hand, but every other brand you do.  There is a reason.
If you have not purchased something by now, give them a look see.  Like BAT, you can actually have a conversation with Kenwa, the owner and designer.
drbarney1's avatar
drbarney1
178 posts
 
I have a vintage MSB Platinum Link DAC from the turn of the century. The frequency display went out and MSB is refurbishing it back to like new. It has two upgraded R2R ladders, one in each balanced output channel because I use single ended triode preamplification and amplification which I prefer. It has a buffer to eliminate jitter and it can upsample to 384 kHz with 24 bit depth. I found it sounds best with my Vault 2i from which I downloaded some 14/96 recordings of symphonies I added to all my ripped CDs when I do not up-sample.
I think you might like a used MSB DAC with the R2R ladder. It has many things newer ladder DACs do not have.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Delta sigma is definitely not the only reference game in town anymore.

It never was in my opinion.
Just had to be use because of sacd/dsd.
It was second rate for doing red book PCM 16/44, 24/96 or DXD conversion.

Cheers George
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