• Re: What did you use before? - Bergen4 19:47:11 08/04/04 (7)
  In Reply to: What did you use before? posted by rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com on August 03, 2004 at 12:16:54:

  Hi Rick, I have heard many dacs over the years but the best ones were those that came out of collaborations between Kevin Carter of K&K Audio and myself. The two I prefer, one of which I currently use in a headphone only system (a 6SN7/5692 driving 2a3's), are based on the Burr Brown pcm1704. Both had a single amplification stage, one was tubed and, the one I built, had a single ended dual JFET output stage. Up until I started using the RAKK, these were the best dacs I have ever heard, bar none. It seems as though one can lump all the previous dacs into different catagories, sonically, but still identifiable as digital. The RAKK dac does not sound like digital sound. Badly recorded CDs sound bad but good recordings sound like music. We could play the comparison game all day long but until a RAKK dac is heard, the conversation is based on nothing. Please don't take my word for it. Buy one and build it, listen to a friend's and make up your own mind. It's a very inexpensive kit that surprises me every time I hear music through it. BTW, I have heard cd players/dacs from Mark Levison, Naim, ARC, Proceed, Adcom, Musical Fidelity, Wadia, Marantz, Sonic Frontiers, Sony, Art Audio and on and on. I keep trying to put my finger on the sound of the RAKK dac but I end up getting lost in the musical content and forget about critical listening. Also, as Dave and Kevin have stated, you do not need a fancy transport to make it sound good. This is the reason I have posted these sound updates, the experience of using this dac is changing the way I listen. That's why it's so exciting and I keep writing.
  
  

  ---

  • Re: What did you use before? - mispelbay 02:56:45 11/24/04 (0)
    In Reply to: Re: What did you use before? posted by Bergen4 on August 4, 2004 at 19:47:11:

    Hi there,
    
    In your posting you said that you had several experiences with dacs, among which are Wadia's. I am thinking of buying a RAKK-dac but I also have a chance to buy a Wadia 12. This one would cost twice as much as the RAKK. Could you tell me what the differences between a Wadia(12) and a RAKK-dac?

    Thanks,
    Martin
    
    
    

    ---
  • comparisons are useless but essential - rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com 14:26:03 08/05/04 (0)
    In Reply to: Re: What did you use before? posted by Bergen4 on August 04, 2004 at 19:47:11:

    I certainly agree with your main point. The comparison game usually goes nowhere. But at the same time, please forgive me the fact that I had no idea of your depth of experience. It is easy to be effusive about the sound of a component when it is the first GOOD thing you have ever used.

    I agree that until one inserts the component into their system there is no way to know the relative quality of the device. But, before one spends the money, and I certainly agree, the price asked for the RAKK components is more than reasonable, it is good to know whether one is likely to be making a step up.

    I am using the Theta V porcessor and I find myself ready to stop listening after about an hour. With LP's I seem to, all of a sudden, no longer need sleep. I can stay up for hours. I guess the Theta would be good to insert at the end of a listening session!

    I want the RAKK to allow some of the same pleasure and excitement that LP's give. At least, I would like for it to be more enjoyable than the Theta. At the same time, a part of me fears it is unlikley for a $1000.00 device, albeit a kit, but still such a reasonably priced device to be "better" than the rather expensive Theta. Not that I would be disappointed for this to be so. I consider the Theta worthless so there is no ego involved here.

    I have no experience with other DACS. I bought the first version of the Theta a LONG TIME AGO and went through the updates. I am not much of one for component swapping. I have never had another DAC in my system. I thought I could safely assume I had a decent device. But I do know that I get tired of listening to the thing. So I would welcome the ease you describe. It sounds like you have much experience with what is out there. I value your opinion. As soon as I can I , too, will have to put one of these together.

    Thanks,

    Rick McInnis
    
    
    

    ---
  • What equipment do you have in your "main" system? (nt) - AnandR 19:58:58 08/04/04 (4)
    In Reply to: Re: What did you use before? posted by Bergen4 on August 04, 2004 at 19:47:11:

    nt
    
    

    ---

    • Re: What equipment do you have in your "main" system? (nt) - Bergen4 14:32:15 08/05/04 (3)
      In Reply to: What equipment do you have in your "main" system? (nt) posted by AnandR on August 04, 2004 at 19:58:58:

      Here we go. These two systems are always in flux. All the custom stuff uses Lundahl transformers which I think sound the best. I have experience with others but I come back to Lundahl repeatedly. The dacs and my heaphone amp both use Lundahl transformers. I can't wait to upgrade my K&K Audio phono stage to the hotrod version. Once again, for a price like $75.00, you can't beat the quality. The new dac has been so much fun to use. I still use last years dac which I think sounds very good but the RAKK is clearly better. There is remarkably more resolution and focus. I have been experimenting with power conditioning for a couple of years and am still unsure about what each component does to the sound. I'll let you know in the future. The balanced power transformers and the differential filters are Jon Risch designs. They work in my system, especially on the front end. I feel as though you have to try these sorts of things instead of just talking about it. The big chokes(Richard Gray style) are brand new.

      Main System:
      Sony DVP-S7000
      Toshiba SD-2109
      RAKK dac passive output
      Magnum Dynalab FT101A
      Tascam 102
      Micro Seiki BL51
      Grado reference 'the reference'
      K&K Audio phono preamp (hotrod soon)
      Stevens and Billington TX102 w/Seiden switches
      Custom built speakers(Vifa 5.5"mids, sealed and 1"silk dome tweeter w/Eclipse woofers, ported)
      Custom built subwoofer(Eclipse isobaric floor loaded woofers)
      Sonic Frontiers Power2 (Sylvania Gold Brand 5687s, Bugle Boy 6DJ8s and Svetlana 6550s)
      balanced power transformers with differential line filters
      AC line chokes in parallel L to N
      Custom power cords
      Silver Sonic wires

      Headphone system:
      Rotel Rdd-980 cd transport
      Burr Brown pcm1704 based dac (Dave Gill designed digital board and Kevin Carter designed JFET and transformer coupled output, built by me)
      Custom hadphone amp (designed by Kevin Carter and built by yours truly)
      Sennheiser HD600 and HD650
      
      
      

      ---

      • Re: What equipment do you have in your "main" system? (nt) - AnandR 18:11:00 08/05/04 (2)
        In Reply to: Re: What equipment do you have in your "main" system? (nt) posted by Bergen4 on August 05, 2004 at 14:32:15:

        Way cool! All you need to do now is replace the Sonic Frontiers Power 2 with one of Kevin's KT88/6550 push pull designs or push pull/push pull parallel 300B designs.

        You'll be really cookin then! Nice to get your impression on the RAKK dac, mine is arriving tomorrow. I will let you all know as soon as I have designed a custom chassis for it...

        Best regards,
        Anand.
        
        

        ---

        • Re: What equipment do you have in your "main" system? (nt) - Bergen4 19:55:45 08/05/04 (1)
          In Reply to: Re: What equipment do you have in your "main" system? (nt) posted by AnandR on August 05, 2004 at 18:11:00:

          Thanks for the thumbs up, AnandR. I'm headed down the path of a 6SN7 driving two 2A3's push/pull into four KT88/6550/EL34s, push/pull. I have the Lundahl LL1679 P-P transformers from a friend who replaced them with the new amorphous core LL1679. It's big project but I'll be able to build them with Kevin's help. Good luck with your RAKK, you will enjoy it. The break-in does not take too long and is very graceful. I just turned the tubes off for the night after a couple hours of listening. WOW! the tone, harmonics, sense of space and wholeness are just premium. Have fun.
          
          

          ---

          • Remember this post? - AnandR 08:45:01 08/06/04 (0)
            In Reply to: Re: What equipment do you have in your "main" system? (nt) posted by Bergen4 on August 05, 2004 at 19:55:45:

            You wrote this about 1 year back, its what got the whole ball of wax rolling...

            Anand.
            

            • http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=kandk&n=710&highlight=Philips+TDA+1543&session=   (Open in New Window)

            
            

            ---

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

VH Audio

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---