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

---

[ Follow Ups ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Digital Drive ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

Wadia 27ix with DCS Purcell is Tough Act to Follow...

Posted by Todd Krieger (A) on May 17, 2003 at 16:54:10

In Reply to: Sold Wadia 27ix -> What Next ? posted by ARL on May 17, 2003 at 12:10:09:

Interesting you were using a DCS Purcell upsampler with that Wadia 27ix DAC... Did you think it improved upon the Wadia? I only ask this because the Wadia did use a "time-resolute" algorithm, and while I have a disdain for upsamplers, the Purcell may have the best filter algorithm of any upsampler made. (It would be the only upsampler I would try.) On the other hand, I thought later Wadia products had analog stages that sounded like ruthless solid-state... The reason why I say this is I think you may have jumped the gun in selling the Purcell.

I did own the original Wadia 27, but I preferred the Prism DA-1 to it. I thought the 27 was more-resolute, but not listenable long-term. I then got the Prism DA-2 DAC, which like the 27 has a "time-resolute" algorithm. I'd personally put this DAC up against anything out there, aside from maybe a Wadia 9. (The Wadia 9 is *still* the best Redbook DAC I've ever heard.)

I've never heard the DCS personally, but the fact the Purcell provides a near-unanimous improvement to the Elgar DAC suggests to me the Elgar might be overrated. (A really good DAC should not be improved-upon substantially by *any* upsampler.) So if you liked the Purcell, the Elgar *without* the Purcell may be somewhat of a "letdown."

In fact, I am not sure if some of the other DACs you mention have "time resolute" algorithms, but you might even be disappointed with the other prospects, because in my opinion, the Wadia 27ix and the DCS Purcell already set the bar *extremely* high.

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

Atma-Sphere Music Systems, Inc.

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

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

---