unattached newbie seeks compatible dac
I'm using the MHDT Labs Paradisea. Very simple. Very nice with a WE 396A output tube. I use an AX and Toslink with Mac Mini and separate hard drive. Not even thinking of anything more. Cost of Paradisea was $620, shipped. Go here.. |
Hi twilight. You already have a good DAC. A tube DAC might give you what you're looking for, but I'm thinking a high end clock to go between your IMAC and your DAC. Something like the new Bel Canto USB or the Empirical Audio Off-Ramp TurboIII w/ Superclock 4. You might log on to the Empirical web site and send an e-mail to Steve N asking his advice. You might do the same with Wavelength and w/ Weiss. |
I owned the Apogee, and while good, the Havana was superior to my ears. The Perpetual 3a is good, but frankly in my setup it also fell short of the Havana. There is something MHDT does in the execution of this piece that is unique. Now, in case someone might think I'm claiming that this is the best DAC going, no, I'm not. There are numerous dacs that sound better to my ears. In my own experience, the Electrocompanient ECD-1 sounds better in the big stereo rig, but for my iMac application the usb enabled Havana is amazing. Just my 2 cents, the value of which drops dramatically each time little Timmy Geitner opens his mouth. |
Thank you for the responses. I still wonder about new versus old. For example: a new Havana costs about $900. A new USB Benchmark about $1300. On Audiogon there is a used Bel Canto for $1750 (current model) and a used Mark Levinson 36s for the same price. Do you think there have been advances in DACs such that the new ones are better for a lot less money than the old ones cost when new? Also, re the Havana, for what I want to do, what would be the advantage of a non-upsampling DAC? |
Well, non oversampling, oversampling and up-sampling dacs all have their lovers and detractors. I have owned many, and I must say it's all about the design philosophy and execution and how that meshes with your system. Some feel that non-upsampling dacs yield a less digital sound, while others feel the upsampling brings higher perceived resolution. Every dac you mentioned above has it's merits. The Levinson, in my experience, is quite different in it's delivery of a smoother, rounded sound. But side by side with the Electrocompanient ECD-1 I owned, the ECD-1 yielded a little more detailed yet "airy" presentation. Neither of those units have USB input, but of course there are plenty of options to meet that need. I guess to summarize, I don't think you'll learn how these units "sound" from our responses. You will really need to test drive. |
