Which good discrete R2R multibit DAC & why NOS ?

Some of the best very expensive Wadia dacs use PCM56 and PCM63 chips in them, with what they called the discrete "Sledgehammer" output boards.
They also had what I found to be the best way to link it to their transports with AT&T glass BNC optical link, using a dab of very expensive "optical indexing fluid" on both ends, so there was no air gaps to the AT&T receivers

And Accuphase used the AD1865 in great numbers their top line expensive dacs also.

Mark Levinson, Linn and Naim were a big user of the (best I felt PCM1704’s) in their top end players and dacs.

Naim got amazing sound from the CD555 and PS555 power supply combo. Even today you won’t get this pairing cheap anywhere. https://www.naimaudio.com/product/cd555

Cheers George

Just further on the K2 of the Reimyo, I had many moons ago the flagship JVC K2 player, it used the Bur Brown R2R PCM56P dac chips in it.

Also today the Zanden Model 5000 MkIV is a K2 player also, it uses the R2R Philips TDA1541 double crowns in it.
But I can’t find what the Reimyo uses for dac chips, my guess would be the R2R PCM1704K’s, I don’t think it’s discrete R2R

The Zanden didn’t get much love from JA on the Stereophile test bench. For one I can’t believe how much it was rolled off in the bass
https://www.stereophile.com/content/zanden-5000-mkivsignature-da-converter-2000-premium-cd-transport-measurements

Cheers George

Yes Mojo also do good R2R Multibit dacs now.
They wrote a great article a few years ago on DSD vs PCM and the d to a conversion to do each. R2R (multibit) vs Delta Sigma (single bit)  Here's what they said.

When a PCM file is played on a native DSD single-bit converter, the single-bit DAC chip has to convert the PCM to DSD in real-time. This is one of the major reasons people claim DSD sounds better than PCM, when in fact, it is just that the chip in most modern single-bit DACs do a poor job of decoding PCM.

https://www.mojo-audio.com/blog/dsd-vs-pcm-myth-vs-truth/

Cheers George

rost OP

Which good discrete R2R multibit DAC

Can't remember where I found it, but here a list of today's manufacturers making R2R Multibit dacs, and this is getting old I think.

If you have more to add please post them up and the price, and the numbers are slowly growing.

 

Up to $3k:

Border Patrol, Monarchy, Denafrips, Audio-gd, MHDT, Holo, Soeskris, Metrum, Schiit

$5-$15K:

Audio Note, MSB, Metrum, Computer Audio Design, Aqua, LessLoss, Totaldac, Lampizator

$15K+:

CH Precision, Aries Cerat, Light Harmonic, Audio Note, MSB, Totaldac, Lampizator

**Special mention to MSB, Monarchy and Audio Note, who never gave up on R2R. Even after the short lived takeover of delta-sigma, for doing PCM Redbook conversion.

 

Cheers George