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Worlds best DAC

Went to CES this year to work on my transition to high Rez digital. I've heard many of the highly regarded players in my room or in others systems in the past. I'm actually very happy with my current cd based sound. As I listened to various DACS playing CD then high Rez, I was not bowled over. High rez was better, but only slightly so. The best (and most different) sound I heard happened to have one similarity. They were 2 non oversampling DACS with tube analog stages(Zanden and Ypsilon). These were without question the most natural sounding digital systems I heard at the show. They made CDsound miles ahead of high Rez. What gives?

PS: I understand the limitations of show auditions.
bflowers
rja's avatar
rja
2,370 posts
 
Fascinated by the new Berkeley Reference DAC. If anyone gets the opportunity to hear one please post!
bhobba's avatar
bhobba
303 posts
 
Had a look at the review of the pre-amp - then the price.

Guys - get a grip on reality here.

Its easy to drool over mega priced gear and think because of the price tag it must be the best.

However in practice I can assure you it's far from the truth.

On the few occasions I have heard of comparisons of the mega priced stuff, and been involved in some myself, with stuff I believe is up there with the best but at a MUCH saner price - guess what - the saner priced stuff won. On the DAC front it was a DAC shootout with a number of DAC's but the two finalists were a DCS stack at its mega price and a $5K DAC called the Killer - the Killer won - much more musical and involving. My most recent experience was at an amp GTG where a hugely expensive Gryphon was at. Some thought a dark horse highly upgraded old Leak amp was the best - at an all up price of about $5k. I was so impressed I am going to get one and have ordered the Leak to get upgraded.

The issue with mega priced stuff is the way we generally find out the REAL truth about gear is not by reviews in magazines - they have well known issues - but by enthusiasts like the people that post here reporting on then from direct experience. Due to their cost they are rarely if ever subjected to that very probing scrutiny. So it easy to get caught up in the romance of it devoid of the reality.

Thanks
Bill
mover
10 posts
 
I currently own a CH Precision C1 dac with a Trinity preamp so definitely curious about
the Trinity dac but very content with the C1 for now. I chose it over MSB, Totaldac, dcs
as well as others. My dealer gets in the Trinity dac in two weeks so I'll keep you
updated. Marshall Nack is correct though about the pre - it's unprecedented...
4orreal
91 posts
 
Bhobba,
You are right. But would would you have bought that amp based on reviewes/raves? You bought it because you had the chance to hear it. I think irrespective of the reviews/raves, one owes it to aution/hear it for themselves before pulling the trigger. However, that is not always possible, so one will have to rely on reviews/user opinions and take a chance.
wisnon
700 posts
 
Damn right Bill!
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