Dark Horse DAC

Here is a great sentence from a very good paper on DAC's and digital audioi.

"And don't even get me started on DACs with tube output stages: the lowest noise floor of a tube output stage is about 90dB which means despite whatever a manufacturer may claim no tube DAC can even resolve the dynamic range in a 16-bit recording let alone a 24-bit recording."

Here is the link to the paper

https://www.mojo-audio.com/blog/the-24bit-delusion/

I know Michael Lavorgna at Twitter Machines site really likes his Total Dac which has a tube in it. I have never heard one but love love my Reimyo solid state DAC that only plays redbook standard

jh

@audioman58 The Gustard R26 was designed and built in China.

This is the poor man’s Lampizator. 

@johnah5 The OP shared his experience with the Doge for the community's edification, not to receive a lecture on how he's a dupe. FYI there's many who don't care if a tube can only resolve 90 db of dynamic range if the sound is music to their ears. Actually it's ALL about the sound not the "dynamic range" to MOST folk here I'd say.

I have DACs like the Topping D90SE that sit on the shelf far more than my other DACs because its magnificent dynamic range fails when it comes to convincing  timbre and soundstage dimensions. Even my R26 is far better than the D90SE in those aspects.

Measurements like input and output impedence are useful when matching for example tube pres with SS amps - but other measurements like SINAD are much less useful other than for forum fodder for bored keyboard warriors looking to troll.