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AMR DP-777, what am I missing ?

There are a lot of people here who love this DAC, I purchased one (used) based on the many glowing reviews, but feel like this DAC falls short.
To be sure it bested (by not a lot) my Wavelength Cosecant (better imaging and bass) but I still prefer my modest analog setup (Rega RP6, Shelter 500).

I am sure my digital front-end is not super tuned: IMac, audirvana, no-name USB cable to DAC. But before I spend more money I would love some advice from the good folks in this forum on how I can make this $5000 retail DAC at least come close to my modest analog setup that cost much less retail without spending too much coin.

Do I need to invest in a music server, or maybe a USB to SPDIF, or better USB cable or all of the above.

Rest of my system.
Coincident Line stage
Coincident Dragon mk2 monoblocks
Verity Parsifal Encore speakers.

Thanks.
essrand
essrand OP
295 posts
 
I am currently evaluating using a iMac 4GB with regular HDD, vs mac mini 8GB RAM and fusion drive.
Do not hear a difference worth changing to mac mini with more memory and SSD.
Next up will be trying a USB/SPDIF converter.

Thanks Williewonka, I will try out dbpoweramp.
williewonka
3,072 posts
 
Essrand - Did you setup Audirvana to up-sample or not?

I do not up-sample at all and disable the volume control - my DAC seems "happier" with that config

WRT iMac vs Mac-Mini
- When my iMac's hard drive failed the technicians really messed up the display while trying to fix the drive
- wished I'd gone with the Mac-Mini - also easier to transport to the Apple Store
- But I did get a new iMac due to their cock-ups :-)

Regards...
trainleader
16 posts
 
Yes.. powerconditioner, powerchords, the choise of cables and musical transparent amps with detail and soundstage to get the most out of the DP is necesseary. "There is no shortcuts to the perfect sound" said onkel Barbro! Vinyl for 5000$ should be a bit better in everything but its nice to get all this music from loosless streaming to search for new great music and the DP is not bad at all to enjoy music with! I will keep going for warm, transparent, detailed and musical sound myself.. see if I'll ever get there.. 😄
plutos
224 posts
 
AMR digital gear is relatively a veiled sounding in my experience. I have no experience with the DAC but I have listened to CD-77 and CD-777 in my system. The filter options will not help much also.
Maybe better tubes will but I don't thing that these will make it a top digital anyway.
No offense please but this is just my experience based on my system.
plutos
224 posts
 
I tested CD-77 and CD-777. Both nice and musical but not very natural and not pleasingly detailed for me. Anyway enjoyable but not the top of a hill digital.
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