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In Reply to: RE: Not terribly surprising posted by morricab on February 14, 2015 at 12:17:37
but which ones, specifically?
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Some good choices with UltraAnalog DAC modules
Kinergetics KCD-55 ultra
Sonic Frontiers DACs 2, 2 mKII and 3
Mark Levinson No. 35 and 30 and 30.5
Threshold DAC-2
VTL reference DAC
STAX DAC X1-T
Manley Reference DAC and Manley Wavedac (first generation)
Resolution Audio Quantum DAC
Audio Research Ref1-20
Counterpoint DA-11 with UA module
Good DACs with BB PCM63 or PCM1704
Theta DS Pro Gen V
Monarchy Audio M22, M24, M33, NM24
Camelot Uther
Several Chinese players, particularly Lite DAC
Moon Eclipse
Older Accuphase DACs that used multi, multi bit (kind of like Metrum now) DACs (often the PCM1702 though, which is not considered to be quite as good)
Counterpoint DA-11 with BB module
Resolution Audio Opus 21 and new Cantata
Assemblage DAC 3.0
Less Loss DAC (PCM1704 I think)
There are many others but that is a good start
I so far prefer the sound with the UA dac modules to those I have heard using the BB PCM DACs.
What I haven't heard at length though are DACs based on the Analog Devices AD1865N (18 bit and preferred by Audio Note UK) and the AD1862 (20 bit but not used by too many people for some reason).
These might also be very promising.
Do Ultra Analog and Burr Brown chips have a general "house" sound charachter? How would you compare them?
Don't have enough extended, hands on experience to say this for sure but the UltraAnalog sounds more alive and resolved but at the same time with lots of great tone and body.
Hi i see that many acclaimed dacs are not multibit
The Bricasti M1 for instance uses one AD1955 per channel i think
Maybe there is much more than only the dac chip ?
Kind regards,
bg
Well the AD1955 is not a R2R ladder DAC and I am not sure that I have heard it in anything so I honestly cannot comment on the Bricasti DAC. I do know the main reason to go to the other chips is cost...R2Rs are expensive relative to the delta/sigma or hybrid types.
Look at what MSB technologies is charging for their own made R2R dac modules...big bucks!!
Also, the French TotalDac wants serious money for their DAC also with self-made modules.
Hi and thanks again for the kind and helpful advice
I have never listened to the Bricasti dac but reviews are very positive indeed.
I understand that some dac chips are quite expensive but my point is that when the aim is to build a top dac it would be at least surprising that they skimp on the dac chip quality.
I read one comment about a listening test of 3 dacs with same dac chip (quite cheap by itself) and very different level of cost and build of course.
The most expensive was completely in another league soundwise compared to the cheaper ones.
So it really seems that excellent performance can be obtained even from today dac chips when well used.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 02/16/15 02/16/15 02/17/15
check out the PCM1704 or 1702. Earlier examples were the PCM63. None of these are that easy to find in new production DACs, but I think Tentlabs still has stock of the PCM63 for its designs, and I bought a fantastic 1704K DAC last year (listed in my system).
Ultra Analog 20400 DACs are supposed to be amazing.
The Philips 1541A is great - if care is taken to maximise its potential (see the AMR CD77 or the Zanden series). The has been used in many a NOS design.
New, proprietary chips can be had from Metrum or MSB, but those are $$$. Schiit Audio is rumoured to be releasing a new R2R DAC (Yggdrasil) but that is still mythical at present.
That's a decent start.
Big J
"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."
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