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In Reply to: what about the DACs on the sound cards? posted by Triodeuser on October 15, 2006 at 17:24:20:
I am interested to hear what others say about the DACS on the LynxTwo B. The idea of having six channels of high quality sound is tempting. I currently have an M-Audio 2496 and an M-Audio 410 (internal pci). The sound quality of the M-Audio DACs are not nearly as good as sending a digital signal out to my external Audio Aero Prima SE DAC/preamp (but it has a tube output stage). The M-Audio DACs sound strident in comparison.On the other hand, I have a Marchand XM9 active crossover. While the Marchand will drive anything, I think it does enough damage to the sound where I don't want to use it in the system. In comparison, the software based foobar crossover plugin does no damage that I can hear.
I would love to get my hands on a Lynx for a comparison to the Audio Aero, but at $900 it is a bit of a scary risk.
Follow Ups:
As for the quality of the Lynx 2b, I can say that I like it better than the DAC it replaced...the $300 or more expensive Birdland Odeon AG.Nothing against the Birdland, it upsamples to 24/192, and have a variable out. I liked the sound of it, and would have no problem recommending someone with that budget give it a listen. I still use it for headphone listening, but it doesn't compare with the Lynx. The Lynx is just another league.
Also, I definately think the ability to tri amp with digital crossovers for less money than the Birdland is a huge selling point for the 2b. It definately gets my system to another level. Before that, I had a Dynaco CDV-2 tubed cdp that I liked, but it never had the resolution of the Lynx PC based system.
Personally, I think there is a bigger difference in doing away cleanly with the passive crossover versus the difference between similiarly priced DACs.
Now, if you can afford 3 dacs of good quality, or are using digital amps, then something like a Lynx AES 16 may be the ticket. But I don't think 3 $300 dacs will sound as good...given that the $1200 dac I have doesn't.
Tubes tubes tubes. THis is the only challenge I see with the Lynx 2b/ crossover approach. If you want them, then it really means you HAVE to use tube amps. May not be an issue for you at all, but, for me and my Maggies, it does limit amp choices if I want to go tubes.
Thanks for the Marchand info. I was seriously thinking of getting one of their tubed units, but decided not to since the computer could do the job better.
I am sure there are places that will allow you to get your money back if you don't dig it. I would be surprised if you didn't dig it.
Never ordered from them, but they do seem to offer a complete refund, and are somewhat close to you I think.
I have just enough budget to do what it will take for high resolution digital x-over.However, I don’t have the budget to buy one that doesn’t get the job done, sell at a considerable loss, buy another, etc. and so on and then at the end of the road find that the DACs aren’t up to snuff and equal to the quality of the Burr Brown DACs in the DEQX.
If that’s the case, I would be $250 better off to buy the Lynx L22 and just use the PC as a transport and do digital out to a DEQX.
The DEQX is a little bit of a stretch for me, but is doable.
However, I don’t have the bucks, not to mention the time, energy and inclination to go down a path of trying this, that and the other.
T,Here is a post you may find interesting.
In Reply to: what about the DACs on the sound cards? posted by Triodeuser on October 15, 2006 at 17:24:20:
I saw that earlier -
He sent me some links.He has a beautifully done system.
Truly impressive.
To be sure of the differences in DACs he would need to complete his system and do some A/B with them -
Maybe all of that seems a little overwhelming at the moment _grin_
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