boatheelmusic Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Since 2009: PS Audio DLIII Emotiva XDA2 Emotiva DC-1 (best value) Cambridge Audio StreamMagic Oppo105 BMC Puredac NAD M51 PSAudio PWD Grace m920 ......done, journey over! Link to comment
One and a half Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Although I am a bit puzzled on your USB experience. I truly wish USB would be the easy ticket! Tried the Mac mini, with/without USB2 hub, HPZ800 workstation, direct connection, connections with/without the Icron Ranger, with/without ifiUSB you name it. AC power is from a balanced transformer, connections are all OK & in good order, the software, well is software. The sound contains that background grit that obscures finer details, and once you detect that problem, the brain doesn't let go of that defect until its gone. Now I know what tranz and others have heard, and it does take some extraordinary measures to at least put a dent into taming this 'digititis'. AS Profile Equipment List Say NO to MQA Link to comment
Daudio Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Four different DAC's in four years isn't that much for some, but that odyssey was enough for me for quite a while to come I'll be focusing on other parts of my system and not worrying about DACs, because the one I have now has all the features and controls I need, and looks good on the shelf. Sounds damn good too M-Audio Audiophile 192 (pci) sound card * Benchmark DAC1 ** Benchmark DAC1 HDR *** Benchmark DAC2 HGC **** * DAC and ADC, SP/DIF source. Not particularly good, or bad, sounding, but very flexible - for a while... ** The 1st DAC1 model (non-USB) was missing some upgrades that appeared in the DAC1-USB, and continued for the rest of the DAC1 line. And due to that, they didn't sound as good, but still better then a lot of the competition. *** Great feature set for my system, SQ step up. **** Significantly better feature set, better SQ too. My current DAC. I still have all of the old DACs and pci card. Just haven't gotten around to selling them yet... (if you are interested...) Link to comment
Sonic77 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 DACS: Emotiva XDA-1 Dac Yulong D18 Dac Anedio D2 Dac Chord Hugo Dac Resonessence Mirus Dac Ps Audio Direct Stream Dac Accessories: Logitech Squeezebox touch C.A.P.S v3 micro Zuma with A/O & Jplay ect ect HDPLEX Linear Power Supply V-link 192 Sotm mbps-d2s SOtM tX-USB PCI-e Sotm Dx-usb Hd Usb to S/pdif Converter Legato USB-SPDIF Asynchronous Converter PS Audio’s NuWave Phono Converter Korg MR-2000s Musiland Montor 03 Sony Walkman ZX2 Sony PHA 3 and various cables, cords.... This does not include my amps, preamp, speakers, phono preamps, turntable ect. I'm going to stop for awhile and enjoy what I got, I don't have the best, but I like what I have.........for now. Link to comment
bhobba Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Let me count: Both Buson DAC's Both Tranquillity DAC's Playback Designs MP10 Wyred For Sound Metrum Accoustics Chord with upgraded power supply 2 PDX Klein DAC Killer DAC Upgraded Nad M51 Upgraded Oppo Thanks Bill Link to comment
lkypeter Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Benchmark Wyred4Sound DAC 2SE Mytek DSD192DAC Ayon Stealth All previous are sold Gradient Revolution mk iv Active Speakers, Gradient Stealth DAC, SOTM SMS200 Network Player, Synology DS 1817+ NAS as filer server, Jriver MC23 OSX as Music Server Software, Mac Mini 2011 as Music Server, JRemote on IOS as Remote Controller Link to comment
firedog Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Can you rate them in order of SQ - best to least? BenchmarkWyred4Sound DAC 2SE Mytek DSD192DAC Ayon Stealth All previous are sold Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
bixby Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Wow, I never counted them before. E-Mu 0404 PCI E-Mu 1820 PCI Ack Dac California Audio Labs Sigma Enlightened Audio Design DSP-7000 III Benchmark DAC1 (two of them) Lavry DA-10 Blue Circle BC-509 Ross Martin PCM1794 Purepiper dac HRT Headstreamer HRT Microstreamer Yulong D200 HRT Music Streamer HD Matrix X-Sabre HRT Music Streamer II+ Link to comment
Hierge Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Wow, I never counted them before. E-Mu 0404 PCI E-Mu 1820 PCI Ack Dac California Audio Labs Sigma Enlightened Audio Design DSP-7000 III Benchmark DAC1 (two of them) Lavry DA-10 Blue Circle BC-509 Ross Martin PCM1794 Purepiper dac HRT Headstreamer HRT Microstreamer Yulong D200 HRT Music Streamer HD Matrix X-Sabre HRT Music Streamer II+ I think we may have a winner here. Anyone keeping count? Link to comment
kurb1980 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Nuforce Fiio Portable ODAC/O2 Benchmark Dac1 Benchmark DAC 2 HGC iFI Micro iDSD Link to comment
Linh Ngo Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I got my frist true dac after the Beresford 7250 is Medrian Dac 203. That showed that even the good old dac can out performs the new dac with better chipset spec. My list continues in 4 years with: - Music Fidelity X DAC - PS audio Perfectwave - Cambridge Audio 840 - Wadia 121 - Belcanto DAC and later upgrade with Bel Canto Ulink usb converter and iFi usb power and Dual usb cable. - Currently is Lumin D1 .... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment
Guest Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Lavry DA10 Valab NOS Dac X3 Matrix Mini-i Wadia 121 Audio-gd Ref 5 Audio-gd Ref 7 Audio-gd NFB-1.32 Audio-gd NFB-28 Mhdt Havana x2 TC Electronics Konnekt 8 Yaqin Dac K9 L.K.S. Audio MH-DA003 Audioquest Dragon-fly Maverick Audio D2 Maverick Audio D1 Link to comment
TarnishedEars Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Over the past 20 years I've owned these discrete DACs: CAL Alpha (original) CAL Alpha 24/96 Then I downgraded back to the Original Version (which I greatly prefer and still enjoy the sound of) (For about 10 years in here I stopped using discrete DACs and ran some VSE modified SACD players) The next one I tried was the: Teac UD-501 (A Good little DAC) Then I ran the: DIY-Audio DAC END-R (a Very good sounding DAC) And finally: The PS Audio Direct Stream. This DAC is amazing, and is the first unit which I have ever heard which trounces my old VSE modfied SACD players. And I'm officially done searching now. This DAC is that good. Link to comment
mordante Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I got my frist true dac after the Beresford 7250 is Medrian Dac 203. That showed that even the good old dac can out performs the new dac with better chipset spec.My list continues in 4 years with: - Music Fidelity X DAC - PS audio Perfectwave - Cambridge Audio 840 - Wadia 121 - Belcanto DAC and later upgrade with Bel Canto Ulink usb converter and iFi usb power and Dual usb cable. - Currently is Lumin D1 .... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Hod do you like the D1? I have seen and heard the more expensive Lumin models. However they are out of my budget. The D1 might be in it. Lavry DA10Valab NOS Dac X3 Matrix Mini-i Wadia 121 Audio-gd Ref 5 Audio-gd Ref 7 Audio-gd NFB-1.32 Audio-gd NFB-28 Mhdt Havana x2 TC Electronics Konnekt 8 Yaqin Dac K9 L.K.S. Audio MH-DA003 Audioquest Dragon-fly Maverick Audio D2 Maverick Audio D1 How does the Wadia compare to the audio GD DACs? I heard since Wadia has been taken over it's not the Wadia it used to be, less cutting edge more commercial. [br] Link to comment
misterspense Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Since 2008: Bel Canto Dac mk1 (sold) Rega Dac Hifimediy 24/96 usb (for headphone use) Link to comment
Guest Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Wadia121 vs Audiogd My review is here Digital Drive Link to comment
Bolts Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Mdac (gotta start somewhere) TEAC UD 501 (still analogue -ly memorable) Auralic Vega (great, one of the best) Chord Hugo (still have this; superb) Pro ject DAC Box RS (great, flexible and super sound, selling it though) Bricasti M1 (I feel lucky to have been born while this exists) Link to comment
TrivQuad Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 This is going to be embarrassing: Audio Research DAC 1-20 Audio Research DAC 2 Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 21 Mark Levinson 360S HRT Music Streamer II Mytek Stereo 192 DSD Berkeley Audio DAC Series 1 and 2 Audio Research DAC 8 Ayre QB9 Moon 100D Moon 300D Schiit Bifrost Multibit USB2 Theta Gen Va Wadia PowerDAC Mini Musical Fidelity V DAC, V90 Musical Fidelity M1 Audioquest Firefly V1.2 Wyred 4 Sound DAC 2 DSD SE Schiit Modi 2 Yep, that was embarrassing and I probably forgot a couple of them. Link to comment
mourip Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Yikes! How time flies... Audio Alchemy DAC Scott Nixon USB DAC PS Audio DAC1 Audio Note DAC1 MHDT Paradisea Bel Canto Dac mk1 Twisted Pear Buffalo I Twisted Pear OPUS Twisted Pear USB to SPDIF(used as DAC) TEAC UD 501 Wyred 4 Sound DAC 2 DSD SE Auralic Vega (very nice for Saber) Schiit Yggdrasil x2 (Current. Best so far by far) "Don't Believe Everything You Think" System Link to comment
johndoe21ro Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Squeezebox Classics Weiss DAC2 Lite DAC83 & Audiophilleo exaSound e20 MkIII Triangle Magellan Concerto 2 < AQ Everest < Vitus Audio SS-010 Mk2 < AQ Dragon High Current < AQ WEL XLR < Chord Qutest DAC w UpTone JS-2 & AQ Dragon Source < AQ Diamond USB < Innuos Phoenix USB w AQ Dragon Source < Aurender N100H & AQ Dragon Source < NetGear GS105GE Switch w UpTone LPS1.2 < Supra CAT8 Ethernet < Gryphon PowerZone w AQ NRG-Wild < Stillpoints UltraSS, Ansuz Darkz D-TC & D2, Omicron Harmonic Stabilizer, Gold Evolution SE & Classic < Furutech FT-SWS (R) < Synergistic Research Orange Quantum Fuse < Solid Tech Hybrid < GigaWatt G-16A 2P Circuit Breaker Link to comment
ecwl Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Started off using a Marantz CD63SE player then went on the DAC path: Benchmark DAC1 Audioquest Dragonfly v1.0 Chord QBD76 then upgraded to QBD76HDSD Chord Mojo Chord DAVE Link to comment
Doak Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Been 25 years or so here and I won't try to enumerate them all. Here's what the last 5 years looks like: 1. PS Audio DLiii - Cullen mod 2. TEAC UD501 3. Schiit Gungnir 4. Lampizator Amber 5. Lampizator L4G5 - new one year ago. Each has been a distinct improvement over its predecessor with the exception of the Gungnir which I didn't like as much as the TEAC. Doak's Audio System Link to comment
kurb1980 Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 NuForce DAC about 1 year ODAC 1 year Benchmark DAC1 30 days Benchmark DAC2 HGC 3 years 4 months The DAC2 HGC balanced out to the Mjolnir 2 sonic bliss w/tubes for my HD800's and has enough power to drive my HE:6's I'm hard pressed to find a better DAC at the moment in my price range that can beat this. Link to comment
2string1 Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 North Star Design Model 194 Transport and DAC 3 years Grant Fidelity Dac 11 3 years Auralic Vega 1 year Link to comment
semente Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Used w/ CD transport only: 1991/07 - Audio Alchemy DDE 1.0 (w/ Audio Alchemy DTI 1.0 jitter reducer) 2007/09 - 47 Labs 4715 Shigaraki DAC 2009/10 - Parasound D/AC-1000 Used w/ PC transport only: 2010 - M-Audio FireWire Audiophile 2010 - KRK Ergo 2014/16 - TEAC UD-H01 2016 - HifiBerry DAC Pro+ R "Science draws the wave, poetry fills it with water" Teixeira de Pascoaes HQPlayer Desktop / Mac mini → Intona 7054 → RME ADI-2 DAC FS (DSD256) Link to comment
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