2. digital
  3. 167974-152584

What DAC upgrade made you say “DAMN, that sounds SO MUCH better than my last DAC”?

As the title suggests, what was your overall system and DAC at the point where you bought only a new DAC and said “DAMN, that sounds SO MUCH better than my last DAC”?

I’m a novice and so many people talk about improvements from new equipment as if they were only listening to varying degrees of static until they bought more and more new equipment which added up to them finally being presented with music. It’s like Salome and the seven veils. But when does the last veil get peeled away? 

So what system did you have and what DAC did you swap in that made you say “DAMN!!!!”?

I guess I’m looking for night and day differences, not gradual progressions……


pip_helix
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose
130 posts
 
Two years ago going from the entry Naim streamer to the dCS Bartok I traded fun for accuracy.  It left me scratching my head and holding my empty wallet, knowing I was hearing more of the recording, but it wasn't really that enthralling. After nine months with the Bartok I bought a used dCS Vivaldi stack.  I was pretty happy as it was more in all the good ways better than the Bartok (however, clearly the family sound), but I was holding my empty wallet again, thinking "I was expecting more".  It was still not the sound I envisioned. I bought that Vivaldi stack used and once I got it running I listened for a few weeks, then dug out the manuals and started through the settings. I realized that a software setting was set in which the clock was turned on and wired correctly, but the clock was not engaged. I changed the setting and that was when I had my WOW moment.  I get it now. I have been relentless in my search for that "liveish" sound I believed digital could produce. I have it now and I am extremely happy. It just costs a lot of money right now to get "that sound".
knighttodd
201 posts
 
+1@audiosaurusrex, that's a tough one. I also use the RME ADI2 Dac Fs with Teddy Pardo PS. It was my this is what I'm looking for moment. I tried a few dacs ranging from 1k to 5k and this has been the best. Audio mirror, SW1X Dac, Aurender, Chord TT2, too name a few. The RME for about 1100$ beats them all in my system. Teddy Pardo PS about 400$ if I remember. Using a Kimber Kables D60 digital coax between streamer and Dac.
andreastjahjadi
1 posts
 
Russian's Tchernov Apollo at $25,000 MSRP
refast
17 posts
 
Check out minidsp with Dirac!
falieee
1 posts
 
Hi, 
I used a Bryson BDA-1 for a number of years and enjoyed it. About 4 months ago I bought a used Museatex Bidat and sent it to Calgary to have upgraded by John Wright. After breaking it in on my second system (4 weeks) I brought it into my main one to see how it fared against the Bryson. Your words “night and day” are very appropriate. I have never heard my system sounding better. By far the best dac I have ever had. 
More to discover