The PSUs are available to match. As I said, its an odd one to describe but you do hear it as it brings a sense of rightness to rhythm tracks. I don't understand why Chord DACs have to be so damn ugly! This would help to take your digital playback upa few levels. You'd expect Audiosanctuary to understand what a gutless amp sounds like, and at least put a headphone amp in front of that DAVE, if they wanted to sell people either the DAVE or the headphones. Thanks. Mola Mola is another well built great sounding https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rothschild-70aab85/, Headphones and Personal Audio with Pitch Perfect Service. EAR FILLERS HiFi Pig Playlists on Qobuz, Transatlantic Dispatches: A New World Disorder, Astell&Kern Launch Three New Products At High End Munich 2022. I still did not found better audio source. I haven't yet come across one DAC that is best and will completely dominate other great DACs across all audio evaluation parameters. I listen mostly to classical music, particularly with symphonic work, I prefer DAVE to MSB. heard, I could easily live with the Aeris, Dave, or Wavedream. "OK, it would be. However, there are also products that manage to straddle both sides of the electric fence (whilst being careful not to electrocute their nether regions) and give us a tremendously enjoyable reproduction of a recording whilst remaining true to the source material. Still would like to listen to the Soulution 760 DAC, Mola Mola DAC, Trinity DAC, MSB Select DAC, and maybe the Light Harmonic Da Vinci DAC, Gryphon Kalliope DAC, TotalDAC of some kind, Phasure NOS1A DAC, Esoteric Grandioso DAC, TAD DA1000 DAC, Audionet DAC, Chord Dave DAC . By clicking links on our site, we may earn affiliate commission, but our editorial remains entirely independent and unbiased. The Chord Qutest DAC has the same DAC architecture and filters as the Chord Hugo 2. I don't like Dave with or without upsampler but I do like Auralic G2 with their upsampler and clock. And the Jeff Rowland Aeris DAC with new PSU. I thought the DAVE was just as stunning with DSD as PCM. Cheers @Stereophilus II cannot do anything but award this DAC our highest award, but that award goes with the caveats that it should be used directly into an amplifier and that Id like to have had the options for analogue inputs. But of course, I love window shopping and perusing top tier systems including illustrious more familiar gear like Lampi, TD, MSB, Ares Cerat, Aqua. An FPGA does not have analog output, in the Chord DACs, the FPGA handles digital processing only, not conversion from digital to analog. Looking forward to the your additions to the list. Some silly sausage plugged a white power cable into a black device. Even at very low listening levels, it was clear that the MSB was delivering a clean analogue output to the ampand Im aware that sounds a bit vague. more might come to mind and I will add them. MSB Discrete Dac with one additional basic power supply. Anyway, I switched out the valve power amplifier and put in its place the Krell KST100 (all fully fettled and brought up to a better than new spec by Krell in the States) with my intention being to see what effect was the DAC and what was down to the amp basically isolating the effect to a component. Astrostar here, said it completely blew away any dac he had before, and mind you, he has the entry level AC model. Can it output a Low or High Voltage on a single pin in a bitstream? comparing top dacs directly is a bit challenging, even if you have them both together. In comparison to spdif which feels more 3D but relatively smaller sound stage, with better separation, vocals are more focused/accurate, everything sounds more evenly balanced. The MSB Discrete, as I mentioned, came with two power supplies but you can operate it with just one with the supplied doodad. Now, this is an important and quite a cool lesson in what is going on with the two PSUs. In that price range, you would be mad not to addthe MSB Premier DAC to your list as well. After reading that review, and remembering the reverence APL had back in the day, alongside the Stahl Tek and Trinity dacs that were the heavy hitters 10-15 yrs ago, I was just curious as to whether . First let me preface my comments by stating that I have not heard a lot of high end DACs in my system. The sonic signature is detailed and yet easy to listen to, with the Discrete bringing a sense of the recordings scale (big or small) to the listening experience. Does anyone have formula for that? Toggle signature. Wherever I read I see unanimous praise for the MSB Select II. Since this forum is mainly USA based and we are in the UK, I have very little to gain business wise here. @yyzsantabarbara, your dealer quote is interesting, I suspected that the Mola Mola was that good. turns out that with the Extreme USB slightly pulls ahead of the Ethernet with the Renderer, then adding the Pro USB there is now a significant step up over the Renderer. Others might disagree but these are my findings. If you have a turntable, for instance, the Discrete will have to act as a standalone DAC and go into a preamplifier/integrated amplifier which will then add its own flavour to the mix. Sound Media Group Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved. With two prime DACs, we yield an unprecedented level of detail, reproducing the musicality, soundstage, and texture of an original performance, bringing the artist to you. I've also learned that a DAC's performance will depend heavily on the music player. had if for 2 years now. the Extreme has some special optimization for USB. I've owned a PS Audio The Chord DAVE was also on my list, but I decided to pass (my Chord retailer was very 'pushy' and not helpful). I have great synergy in my system and see no reason to listen to every new DAC out there. Mike, Scott has been absolutely wonderful in his support, despite my purchasing the Found-Music 2A3s used (from Art S.) He has visited once and is planning another visit after the trip your way. It's easy! Would love to hear your opinions of which was better and why? Not a bad idea Snoop! The bottom line for me is that great DACs can make a difference over good DACs. It's not just a matter of being polite, it's also about acknowledging that what we hear and what we prefer is uncertain and changes; that the comparisons were made at different points in time wherein my system had varying levels of resolution/ noise; the fact that making a change requires greater energy and usually more money than staying with what you have; and that sometimes the differences between components are not significant or actionable. For the most part, I listened to the MSB through our LAB12 and Krell KST100 amps and TotalDAC D100 speakers. @astewart8944--two years ago in Feb of 17 i did audition the original Formula dac in my system directly compared to the Lampizator GG 1.5 and the Nagra HD and preferred the Formula for its greater space, lower noise, and more neutral and fast presentation. but with digital things change quickly, and a month ago I got a new server, the SGM Extreme. Up to 32 bit 768kHz There is a real sense of spectacle and scale when the MSB is in the system. Much appreciated. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (in part or in full) without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Of course your opinion on sound quality is your own, and valid, but to suggest that the reason for the difference is because the Chord is an "FPGA DAC" is technically incorrect. Sit back and be immersed. A modular I/O card keeps even the discrete DAC flexible, repairable, and upgradeable. The in-house discrete design is then constructed into its own shielded CNC pocket for optimal isolation. Congratulations on the upgrade and enjoy it in good health. There are a lot of people that absolutely love the M-scaler. There is scale on bigger productions and intimacy on smaller-scale recordings and pieces, It wont make a pigs ear into a sows purse, but its majestic on really good recordings, Its very detailed but not harshly so actually, its a very easy component to fit in a system and live with, Its not cheap and you will want both PSUs once you compare with just one, No analogue inputs to make it the heart of a full system, You know that MSB have stuff that is out of reach financially and potentially better, Price: 11,000 plus 1,650 for a second power supply. luxury apartment hotels paris. Pass Labs INT-60. Focal Utopia ~ LCD i4 ~ ETHER FLOW open/C ~ LCD-2.2/XC ~ Nighthawk ~ K10 custom ~ JH Angie, Chord mscaler // Chord TT2 // Oppo PM-1 (Artisan silver headphone cable) // Beyerdynamic DT880 600 Ohm // WAVE Stream bnc cables // Kef LS50 Meta. And yes, you can improve it more by adding nice power source and cable. Thanks for the suggestion ecwl. Stuart Smith finds out. digital front ends. As a contented Qutest user, I would have hoped for "improved", performance from the Dave. Conversely, you could spend a lot more and not gain a great deal in real terms. It features the very best conversion technology available, using proprietary techniques never seen before, making DAVE the most advanced DAC/preamp amplifier in the world. He liked the Mola Mola Tambaqui over these others listed below. I havent heard the Rockna. Well, you may not have heard a lot of high-end DAC's in your system, but the one's you've listed are pretty darned good. For some folk, a highly resolving and accurate system may well be described as being over-analytical, and on the other side of the audio fence, some will suggest that some systems sound nice but flawed. Thanks guys! Auction bid 7 150 25 . johndoe21ro If I had been responsible for coding that display I would never tell anyone. ), Chord Hugo 2 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp), DAC Noise Modulation: Chord DAVE vs Topping DX7 Pro+, Digital To Analog (DAC) Reviews and Discussion, Amplifiers, Phono preamp, and Analog Audio Review. Of course this DAC is super pricey and out of the reach of many (including me). Sent from my SM-G928V using Computer Audiophile mobile app. I think is a good general rule of thumb, but there are some very transparent passive pre-amps out there. Jon Hopkins Music For Psychedelic Therapy was a beautifully enveloping experience, made all the more so as sounds come and go in the soundstage in a somewhat more solid way than without the usual DAC. Thanks for the suggestions Wisnon. And if I had to guess (given I haven't heard both), I'd guess it outperforms the Tambaqui. Our publication is supported by its audience. Hmm.. By Founded in 2010 Whats Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. I would just add budget and the other components in the system are major factors to consider. I like Aqua Formula xHD and Totaldac Six. 2. As you mentioned imaging better, incredible PRaT with MSB. I have the Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC, waiting for an upgrade. @ricred1, youre right to point that out. Personally we have A/B 76 different digital front ends. The DAC comes equipped with a single power supply, but can be augmented with a second discrete power supply to enable optimized power isolation between all major components. This is because one PSU is supplying juice to modules including the screen and USB input etc but not to the output module. The MSB DAC comes with one external PSU as standard. This latter recording gets played to death at shows, but that doesnt detract from it being a very good tune and a very good recording, though I have been known to take the piss a bit when it gets played for the tenth time in a day at audio events. Let us do the work of refurbishing and finding your current electronics a new hometheyll continue to be enjoyed for years to come. Good points by all. Ill not get into the whole detail of this here but the MSB website does have an excellent (and interesting) explanation of jitter and why having a very low jitter clock is favourable to having a very accurate clock theres a link at the bottom of this review. Too many DACs> Too many amps> Too many headphones. I dont know as that was years ago and I dont have one here to test against. 5 other people who only have 2 things in common with our system. So take it for what it is. Can I ask how you procured all those DACs? Specifications: Type: Digital to analogue converter with volume control. I think people buy what they like. Stuart Smith finds out. In terms of sound quality, it's the best digital front end I . comes down to knowing what you are actually trying to achieve in a high end Up to 32 bit 768kHz 2 DAC | Audionet Pre G2 preamp | Audionet Max mono blocks | Vivid Audio Giya G2 Series 2 | 4 JL Audio Fathoms | Echole ICs /SCs / Siltech Classic 550L jumpers, Shunyata PCs / Eth. Once you start playing a tune the DAC works out the sample rate and chooses the correct playback clock. DAVE is perfect for headphone system because you can save space and money of headphone amplifier. I've sometimes heard people say that DAVE is too bright or analytical for them. Chord Dave Replacement. Whats Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. All in all the Discrete DAC is beautiful looking, minimal, easy to set up (its all but plug and play if you turn both the PSUs on) and it feels like a proper bit of audio engineering. You already have a very top tier DAC. You'll be shocked by how much you lose by going through a separate preamp. Paired with performance increases, our modular design ethos increases flexibility for future updates and product support, guaranteeing a long-term product investment. The Discrete is around 11,000 whilst the Select is 120,750 with its power base. But DAVE also seems to me to highlight the original recording so if the recording is flat, the playback sounds flat (still with great accurate timbre) but if the recording really showcase the soundstage and the 3-dimensionality of the instruments and vocals, DAVE really portrays that well.

2014 Holden Colorado Gear Knob, Evonne Goolagong Siblings, Knight High School Schedule, Consovoy Mccarthy Doordash, Abandoned Places In Murray Ky, Articles M

Rate this post