2. digital
  3. 179753-139155

You want a DAC that sounds *different.* What factor helps you find it?

I'm thinking about trying a new DAC, adding one to the stable. 

What's most important is that it sound different than my present DAC.

If you were to look for a new DAC to try, what weight would you assign to each of these factors in predicting a different character of sound? 

1. chipset
2. design of DAC --- R2R etc.
3. power supply
4. tube or no  tube
5. ? (some factor or combination not mentioned)

I've become somewhat skeptical of user reviews because of uncontrollable variability related to tastes, system components, and vagueness of language used by reviewers.

So, without some appreciation of the ability for the above factors to affect the sound character, singling out just one or another factor seems like random guessing.

I'd love to learn from you all. I'd be curious to know, for example, that most R2R DACs sound similar, overall. That would help by directing me away from trying another R2R DAC. Or maybe they don't all sound similar; ok, that keeps them in consideration.

Same question with chipsets, power supply, tube/no tube.

So, again the hypothetical -- simplified:

You want to get a DAC that sounds much different than what you have. What factor helps you find it?

128x128hilde45

Showing 1 response by bigkidz

bigkidz
3,408 posts
 

I am a tube person as that is my preference.  I have not heard a SS DAC that compares for dimension, air and separation, etc.  All of the comments above have some truth in the price range those DACs fall into.  R2R is my preference but we have build Sabre 32 BIT Chip DACs that also are fantastic. We also have modified or heard most of them many times.  What makes a reference component is the power supply and the parts used.  Most DACs use many capacitors in the power supply, nice but nothing special (think the $43,000 DaVinci - Light Harmonic).  Excellent sounding DAC but to our ears not reference quality.  The design separates them apart and like mentioned above most sound very similar.  Once you get into the design of the power supply and how the parts are used in the design then you will understand what makes something sound the way it does.  The use of chokes versus resistors and capacitors, V-Capacitors, Audio Note, etc.  Even the Audio Note while using really good parts to our ears is not a reference sounding DAC.

Happy Listening. 

 

    

More to discover