The Border Patrol’s moment in the sun largely seems to have passed, but I have found there is something special about this DAC’s sound. I tried to switch to a Metrum Amethyst but ended up going back to the Border Patrol. I know it measures terribly, but it has such a rich, beguiling sound, it’s definitely a keeper for me.
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!
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!
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Op i use an ultrarendu to feed a Metrum Onyx dac Which replaced a PS Audio dac for similar reasons. Does it mimic the warmth of my admittedly much more expensive vinyl rigs? No but it is getting closer, especially after adding an Audioquest Diamond usb cable between them today. You do not have to spend a fortune on a r2r dac. The Onyx can be found around $1500 and the MHDT Orchid around $1100. I have owned both, I went with the Onyx for it’s balanced output which the Orchid does not have. Its a fairly cheap trial....... |
djones513,040 posts09-29-2020 3:48pmEQ would work as well as an R2R DAC, perhaps better at trying to mimic vinyl.Sorry, that’s not how it works. It has nothing to do with equalization. It has to do with micro and macro inter transient timing and placement in the singular and complex whole. Which is where the R-2-R dac type excels and the delta-sigma types fall flat on their face. tubes have it LP’s have it Speakers have it. (not as perfect, but it is intrinsically in there) Reel to Reel tape has it (IF the electronics are tubed--even better!) Tube based cutter heads have it (Doug Sax’s set up) V-Fet and SIT transistors have it List of things that don’t have it: All known FET, MOSFET and BJT transistor based designs of any type or nature. As in all class D amps, all BJT based solid state amps, all DACS, and so on. anything solid state. The R-2-R Dac type has enough of it that it seems more believable and real to the ear. |
thanks djones51, The qutest does have some filters that you can enable to warm things up a bit. 3 levels of it but there isn't any fine tuning available. I find though that the DAC retains its character with the highs rolled off a little with these filters. Both my girlfriend and I agree that when we put on a record there's an "ahhhhh" moment where the music just feels in the room with you. There are areas where digital sounds better but I guess I'm looking for that magic of vinyl and I was wondering if the R2R comes closer |
Analogue‘s euphonic virtues are indeed best emulated by R2R Dacs, conversely euphonics tend to go along with reduced resolution. Delta Sigma DACs in my experience depend on very good clocking accuracy: ideally you should compare R2R to Delta Sigma Dacs clocked by a 10m clock. I‘d posit that the resultant trade-offs between euphonics and resolution are not obvious. |