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another thread on DACS/players...thoughts please

Looking to upgrade my digital front end...now PS Audio Perfect wave d/t...it sounds pretty good on the transport mode using I2S; but the DAC alone on my Qsonix server falls a bit short.
Units I'd like to consider:
Ayon CD-5S; tubed dac integrated preamp and transport
Accoustic Arts DAC mark IV
Weiss DAC 202; but none of my connections are Firewire; which is how many feels it sounds best
dCs Puccinni
Playback Design
Berkeley alpha
I'd like to try to eliminate my preamp; if the dac can run directly into amp with volume control. Only sources are transport; Qsonix digital music server; and Directv and Oppo 95 for combined home theater...no analog...amps are Bryston 28sst's...so this list is a mix of tubed dacs and ss...
Looking for something close to SOTA while keeping budget more upper real world of around $10-12k...presently using Purist audio aes digital cable
Thanks for chiming in; and enjoy the holiday weekend..

I'd like to hear from folks who have gone through this exercise before me; to learn from their evaluation process. I do have the Ayon piece being shipped for their two week in home audition; not arrived yet..
mribob
edorr
714 posts
 
I will soon be able to add an additional datapoint to this discussion. Zodiac Gold + Voltikus will be arriving this week (on trial), Mac Mini is in the house. Only difference is I my shootout is against perfectwave DAC + Bridge, which also buffers data in memory.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
the orginal zanden is my favorite dac. it is pricey, and probably hard to find. if you go with the zanden,i doubt it has usb, so you need to find a transport other than a computer. if you have the bread, zanden makes a decent transport.

i found the later zanden dacs lost some of the tube magic which the first has.
tedmbrady
208 posts
 
Eric,
Make sure you break in the Gold/Voltikus. It's a PITA but it come into its own at 500 hrs and sounds its best over 700 hours. anything less than 300 you;'ll want to return it. Let the flames begin.
Ted
edorr
714 posts
 
I have it on 3 week trial so I will burn in for about 300 hours before serious listening. While on the subject, do I need to connect the DAC/Pre to a poweramp and if so does it need to be turned on? I would think without a downstream load there is no current - just voltage, so I do need to play music for burn in. Am i wrong?
tedmbrady
208 posts
 
Connect the DAC to an amp or preamp, but no need to turn on. If just breaking in (i.e no music to listen to) then I run a series of break-in tones via XLO or Ayre or whatever demo test disc you might have.
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