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Sweet Sounding DAC

Ok, here's another one of those threads seeking DAC guidance.  Certainly, I have started more than my share of such questions.

This search started as a need to find a smaller DAC and streamer due to overcrowding in my cabinet.  Current players Bricasti M3 and M5.  But as I started looking and listening, I realized there is a sonic search as well; just to complicate the process.  As much as I like the Bricasti gear, I have always yearned for a softer- perhaps more tube/ analogue sound.  So the search got  harder.  Here are some of the contestants with my questions/ comments or concerns.  I seek advice from those who actually own or know the gear to follow ,  I will try to be brief.  BTW my budget is essentially what I can recoup from selling the Bricasti gear.  So lets say 3500 to 5000 ( if I sell both pieces). The first 4 I have sampled, the rest I have read about

1.  Wattson Madison;  great size.  Found vocals a little off/ sounded better w external streamer - but then whats the point of the DAC / Streamer

2. Lab 12 DAC: loved the sound; too big a footprint.  Great vocal tone

3. Konus : real nice, still a strong contender

4. Merason Frerot with LPS: not for me ( suprisingly)

5.  Audio Note: would need to be entry level due to size.  Is it good enough?

6. Gold Note DS-10 + Evo.  Looks good on paper; has anyone heard it?  Some dealers are not so high on it

7.  Ferrum Wandla:  looks good on paper but would add a box ( LPS ) to my cabinet.  Anyone hear it?  Word is that is a rich - smooth tone

8.  Audio 11 Sagra:  not much to go on but supposed to be smooth and sweet sounding

9.  Border Patrol:  some love it and some don't.  Cannot fathom who is right.

10.  AudioMirrow Tubadour.  Seemed like a strong contender until a user told me its not that sweet sounding.  More neutral in tone.  I was bummed to hear that. Not sure it has the Lab 12 tone I seek.

I think thats enough to choose from.  

Any insights would be appreciated.  Please refrain from snarkiness....I much too tired for snark,  But I do appreciate the help.

mdrone
deep_333
880 posts
 

This thread largely reads like an assortment of dac advertisements put together. The higher end dac sales must be struggling these days,  eh dealers? Lol

 OP, get any decent R2R or multibit dac and skip delta sigma. That constraint alone will weed out all the overpriced delta sigma being  advertised for your price bracket. To fully address your need for soft analog sound, get the Schiit Lokius or Loki max analog EQ. Start fine tuning  the eq knobs, reduce the air, thicken up the lower mids, etc till it sounds very analog to you. It is a easy solution actually.

mdrone OP
114 posts
 

I appreciate all of your suggestions.  Incredible how many choices there are out there.

I had the opportunity to demo a Synthesis Audio Roma 69 DAC.

It provided great tonal density and timbre.  Perhaps a bit on the darker side of the sound spectrum, but overall quite nice.

May be the winner.

Has anyone had experience with the Synthesis brand?

jwpstayman
391 posts
 

To address the topic, I have used the Eleven Audio Sagra DAC (R2R Ladder DAC) for almost 3 years and found it to be on the sweeter side, non-fatiguing, but still dynamic.  It is a 1/2 width DAC ( which was desired), has USB, Co-Ax, and I believe AES/EBU ( I used USB from my server).  Price is right in the ballpark.  Be aware, it comes in a box with a checklist from the factory testing and nothing else- no manual, no power cord, no cheap digital cable, just great sound.  Recently replaced by the T+A DAC200 at double the price.

jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 

get any decent R2R or multibit dac and skip delta sigma

uninformed and far too simplistic

dac conversion method is but one of several equally important elements driving a dac’s sonic performance

deep_333
880 posts
 

uninformed and far too simplistic

dac conversion method is but one of several equally important elements driving a dac’s sonic performance

Uninformed and far too simplistic, eh? Try fooling someone else...For his 3.5k to 5k budget for that ’analog like’ sound, it actually costs around that much to fab certain R2R dacs. He’ll get his money’s worth. When someone’s charging 5k for a delta sigma dac, yeah right, the extra fluff’s worth all that much...NOT.

The fpga gimmicks in some DS offerings to provide that ’analog like’ sound tend to be priced at the price of an arm and a leg, but, you probably peddle one of them, don’t you?

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