Digital Drive

RE: Are you happy with the performance of your DAC's

207.242.206.146

This Post Has Been Edited by the Author

In Reply to: RE: Spending $$$$ on digital. posted by Iczerman on April 10, 2017 at 18:51:42

in your system?
I use the one in my old HK AVR520 (Toslink) for some signals - like streaming from Chromecast and I am very happy. I also use the AVR for digital in from my Oppo BDP103 and it serves me very well - though in my system I can bypass the AVR using the Oppo's DAC's and drive into a mixer that drives my stereo amps. I've level equalized the two inputs and performed blind testing - just once. Couldn't really account for any difference with an SACD or CD playing from the Oppo. Now my preference is often to use the receiver because I can use its surround emulators to optimize my playback experience - depending on the source production.

I also use a high quality ($$$) Audio interface to connect to my computer server. (Sound Devices USBPre2). I use this devices for Test & Measurement as well.

As always - unless there is something inherently wrong with the DAC or Audio Interface most audiophile would be hard pressed to note "displeasure" with the sound reproduction coming from the unit. I all come down the confidence the listener has in their reproduction chain. For some users the analog out from their iPhone (or cheap tablet) is acceptable for their purposes - I fall into this category - My brain is an easy sell into imagining a real performance. I am always eager to get lost in the music.

Others, just knowing there is (or may be) something better out there is sufficient for them to doubt the imagined "reality" of sound reproduction. And this is the essential core of our hobby. I enjoy swapping gear and trying new stuff. Without listeners like this there would have never have been a push to high Res, and better sound performance.

Enjoy.

"The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat" - Confucius

Follow Ups: