Digital Drive Upsamplers, DACs, jitter, shakes and analogue withdrawals, this is it.

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Are you serious?

Posted by JoshT (A) on June 16, 2012 at 22:54:30

In Reply to: ?Best Dac under $2000? posted by fstein on June 16, 2012 at 04:06:12:

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I don't understand these kinds of posts. What is the point?

No one is going to have heard enough DACs in the same system to possibly answer this. People can list DACs under $2,000 that they liked more than others they heard, maybe in the same system, maybe not.

Of course, since you open the door . . .

After a lengthy home audition, I ended up getting the bel canto DAC 2.5 for $1,795 (after modest dealer discount) and I absolutely love what I am hearing with Apple Lossless files played on my MacBook Pro through USB using a modest AudioQuest Forrest cable (and CJ CA200 integrated and Renaissance Audio Preludes with entry level Siltech cables). FWIW I first auditioned the DAC 1.5 and found the 2.5 to be more dynamic sounding, presumably because of the upgraded power supply.

Adaptive or not, I think the USB implementation on that DAC is absolutely superb - As clear and open and neutral as my Simaudio Moon CD5.3 as a standalone player, but with better bass (deeper and more defined and controlled) and drive. Refined and gutsy. Plus it serves as a really nice headphone amp. And, though I am using its fixed output, it can serve as a preamp if I chose to use it that way in the future.

But who knows? Maybe the W4S is better? Or the Nekko? Or the Brifrost for that matter. I haven't heard any of them because I decided to go with a local dealer and home audition.

So why do I bother to reply and mention the bel canto? I don't know - I like it a lot and don't see it mentioned on this forum I guess. Always fun to plug what you own!
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"If you are the owner of a new stereophonic system, this record will play with even more brilliant true-to-life fidelity. In short, you can purchase this record with no fear of its becoming obsolete in the future."

Edits: 06/16/12

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