kbkaran Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I would dearly love to hear some of the inexpensive DSD DACs up against the top level PCM DACs like dCS. From memory, I think they would be close - way closer than I would have believed a year or two ago. I would also like to hear them up against really top flight vinyl. Most of the popular amps these days are switching amps like bel canto, wyred4sound etc. May be these can be outfitted with a DSD input and can directly convert bit stream to analog with power for delivery to speakers. I think Sony and some japanese mfr had amps like this. It would be a nice migration for people like me who do not use a dac (but use pure digital amps). We can convert PCM to DSD on the fly (like Paul suggested) and would still keep the same architecture. It would also avoid the cost of one bit-stream to analog signal conversion. Link to comment
mwheelerk Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Well, I walked into a lucky buy yesterday, found a Bel Canto 2.5 DAC for sale at a neighbor's garage sale. When I mentioned they could get a lot more money for the thing than the price tag asked for, they asked if I had two twenties or not? So... a really *really* good deal. Looks to be in all working condition, but I am a little disappointed in the USB. Seems to be limited to 24/96K? In any case, I plan to try listening to this DSD version of The Carpenters - Singles 1969-1981-DSD, purchased from AcousticSounds tonight through the Bel Canto (down sampled as noted on the Bel Canto website), the Wavelength Proton (down sampled the same as for the Bel Canto) and through the iDSD at DSD2X resolution. The metadata in the music files tell me it was created with Korg's Audiogate software, and the literature claims it is from the original DSD. We shall see - or rather - hear. -Paul By the way, least anyone think I am insanely greedy, I doubt I will keep the Bel Canto DAC, but it will make a nice donation to our church's spring bazaar. Holy crap Paul! $40? "A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open." Frank Zappa Link to comment
Paul R Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Holy crap Paul! $40? Yep, except the output sounds terrible right now. Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat DAC. Robert A. Heinlein Link to comment
mwheelerk Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Yep, except the output sounds terrible right now. That's surprising as I owned the 1.5 and thought it rock solid. I run the C5i now. Still, a great find and deal. "A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open." Frank Zappa Link to comment
kbkaran Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 That's surprising as I owned the 1.5 and thought it rock solid. I run the C5i now. Still, a great find and deal. I think you did not read all of Paul's posts and missing the humor in this. The output stage is fried in the DAC and it does not work at all. Otherwise, we all would have been green with envy by now :-) Link to comment
mwheelerk Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 I think you did not read all of Paul's posts and missing the humor in this. The output stage is fried in the DAC and it does not work at all.Otherwise, we all would have been green with envy by now :-) And you are correct and I apologize. I was so enamored with the $40 I responded to that. "A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open." Frank Zappa Link to comment
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