Accuphase dac 60

@duketbrd88

if you need to turn the volume of your accuphase integrated to 2-3 o’clock in its rotation, something is very wrong -- no way the dac card is designed to have to run the analog pre/amp section at that level to achieve a suitable volume driving real world speakers in normal sized rooms

what component is supplying your digital input into the dac-60 card now installed? is it the same component being used to feed the ps audio d link dac?

or you have been sent a defective card - or - something is wrong with the insert slot connection ...

@jjss49 

everything is the same. The sources are the same. I can get them both pretty close in sound, well volume wise turning the accuphase up, like 12db higher on the volume. It’s more of a difference for me from low to moderate listening levels, is where there is the biggest difference. Just has no body or oomph at lower normal levels.

I honestly don’t think there is anything wrong with the integrated or the dac 60 card. It installed like butter and everything works fine. Could not get any easier installing it. I looked everything over, didn’t touch anything with my bare hands and went in without a hitch. 

I do believe it is at least just a gain issue between the two dacs. The Dac 60 just sounds kind of boring and lifeless at lower listening levels, especially the bass in the B&W 804S drivers and the rel T7x sub. That is the biggest difference the more I listen and switch back and forth between the two dacs. Dac 60 seems lifeless in the bass department. The only way to match that is to push the comp button on the front, which gives it that boost in bass or as some described it as a old fashioned loudness button.

when a track is playing and it’s loud enough, it sounds good, maybe even a little smoother and a bit more musical then the ps audio, but not $2,000 better at all. 
 

nothing changed throughout the process except the dac 60 card and switching the optical and coaxial cables from one to the other. The ps audio is still in its spot and plugged in. 

Thanks everyone for your help, I am trying real hard to like this new dac, but this should be a bit more exciting like when I traded my classe cp500 pre and Classé ca2200 amp towards the Accuphase.

That was a nice noticeable difference in sound for the better. My ps audio dac was also in that pre/pro combo and the same speakers and cables. The Accuphase e380 rated @ 120 watts per channel sound better than the Classé delta series, e we which I was shocked. 

Any way. Just thought I would give an update on the dacs and it is what it is. Totally different sounding and the gain difference. It’s not often I get to upgrade or mess around with this stuff. To me 18 years to say, maybe I should switch out that Classé gear and try something else.

I meant to say the accuphase e380 integrated amp itself is a treat to listen to and I enjoy it very much. 

I will admit, it is sounding better the longer it runs. Just have to turn the volume up more. It is crystal clear. Everything is running through my equitech son of q jr balanced power supply. Dead quiet background. Not the slightest bit of hiss coming from the speakers. The ps audio seems to be better in the midrange and bass and the dac 60 is better in the highs. The verdict is still out. Still playing around. I do have a comp/loudness button I can turn on at lower volume for better bass or tone controls. Right now I’m just trying it with everything deactivated on the integrated just like I had the ps audio.