How Many DACs Have You Owned? Your Journey

[davide256]

modded Adcom GDA 600 - 2 years

PS Audio DLink III -2 years

now using Metrum Octave I - 3 years

 

likely to replace in the next year but still sorting out multi bit and FPGA DAC design arguements

[photonman]

Been in Audiophile mode since 1991. The journey started out when I got my first real job when I ran to the stereo store to buy my "Made in USA" Adcom GFA-535 amp and using a Carver Z-Band coupler, I pumped up my Harmon Kardon receiver. I have only been in CA since 2012 so as for my DAC's (===> amp):

 

Bryston DAC board (installed into BP-20 Preamp) ===> Byrston 4B SST2

Chordette QuteHD ===> First Watt J2

Chordette 2Cute ===> Pass XA30.8

Lampizator Amber

 

Every iteration of sound keeps getting better which just keeps fueling the desire to change equipment.

[Darksolstice]

I was never a believer in digital audio, I am into analog, vinyl, and tape, I broke down and bought a Schiit Modi with optical output ,down loaded Hdtracks Gaucho an damn !! It sounds so good I cant decide do I upgrade to the Bifrost multi bit or the Gungnir multibit? suggestions please. and yes I have Emotiva gear that can handle the balanced output of the Gungnir

[mordante]

Still on my first DAC, bought my Wadia 12 anywhere between 6 and 12 years ago. Cannot remember when I bought it. Used it with my Marantz CD94mkII ate first. When the Marantz broke down I bought a CEC T51x. Now the Wadia is connected to my Aries LE by AES/ebu.

 

Now looking for a DAC to replace the Wadia. I think I would prefer a DAC with AES/ebu. I have a sneaky suspicion that the AES/ebu output is better then the USB. Also when I see how many gadgets are needed to get USB sound good I think I'll pass.

[Jud]

Theta DS Pro Basic - ~1991 - ~2012

 

Schiit Bifrost - ~2012 - ~June 2013

 

Semi-Customized DAC - ~June 2013 - present

[wisnon]

Mmmm?

 

Chord Qute EX

Cambridge Audio Dac 4

DSpeaker AM 2.0

Several Lampizators traded up from L2 to Golden Gate.

ifi iDSD Nano and Micro

Geek Pulse

[Timb5881]

About 6

musical fidelity x-dac

msb

audio alchemy dac in a box

adcom gfd600

psaudio link dac III

cyberdrive clarity feather

 

I still have the last 3

[ericuco]

Beresford TC-7520 (various versions ... was the US reseller for a few years)

 

Weiss DAC2

 

Metric Halo LIO-8

 

BMC PureDAC

 

Twisted Pear Buffalo-IIISE w/ JLSounds I2SoverUSB board

[juanitox]

hello doctor can you do something for me ?

 

madrigal proceed ( first) was a ungly grey box

wadia 25

JADIS JS2dac

EAD Encore

Audio aero prima 2

Lessloss 2004

Altman BYOB

Wavelength audio brick

PASS D1

LA Rosita streamer

Weiss 202

berkeley alpha dac1

Audio note DAc 4 ( kit)

Metrum

Lampizator

Ec design Mosaic Tdac

T+A DSD8 ( actual )

 

sorry for those i can't remember

[misterspense]

hello doctor can you do something for me ?

 

....

Lessloss 2004

Altman BYOB

Wavelength audio brick

....

 

sorry for those i can't remember

 

Really, you're the first one I've geard that bought the BYOB. It's a, well, 'special' dac. What was it like?

[juanitox]

The Altmann Attraction DAC

 

yes i know it"s ugly and it works as bad as it looks

[hifial]

Wadia 861 SE (used as a CD player and DAC)

 

PS Audio Perfectwave MK I and MK II with Bridge

 

exaSound e20 MK III with .082 Clock

 

T+A DAC8 DSD

 

I don't think I forgot any.

[cmarin]

Wadia 850

Playback Designs MPS5

CH Precision C1

Trinity

Pacific Microsonics M2

[Vitor]

Wadia 850

Playback Designs MPS5

CH Precision C1

Trinity

Pacific Microsonics M2

 

wow! La créme de la créme

Which one is the resident? Or do you have it all?

[cmarin]

wow! La créme de la créme

Which one is the resident? Or do you have it all?

 

Hi Vitor,

 

Currently have the Playback Designs MPS5 for DSD and the Pacific Microsonics Model 2 for PCM.

[PeterSt]

Wadia 850

Playback Designs MPS5

CH Precision C1

Trinity

Pacific Microsonics M2

 

Hehehehe

[manisandher]

- Musical Fidelity X24k (total cr*p, like the rest of the MF gear... IMHO)

- Esoteric D70 (my first venture into slaving transport clock to DAC clock via BNC - trounced PLL and large FIFO buffer)

- Pacific Microsonics Model Two + Weiss AFI1 with Paul Hynes PSU ("Ah... so this is what digital is all about")

- Phasure NOS1 ("Interesting...")

- Phasure NOS1 'a' upgrade ("Oh yes...)

- Phasure NOS1a with Intona ("Goldilocks DAC... everything is just right...")

 

Loads of others bought or borrowed for trying out over the years. None could come anywhere near the PM2 let alone the NOS1a+Intona.

 

Mani.

[mourip]

Now looking for a DAC to replace the Wadia. I think I would prefer a DAC with AES/ebu. I have a sneaky suspicion that the AES/ebu output is better then the USB. Also when I see how many gadgets are needed to get USB sound good I think I'll pass.

 

Consider a Focusrite RedNet D16 ethernet to AES converter via AES to a Schiit Yggy.

 

Magic....

[hornytoad]

Radio Shack Super Dsd Dac

Sansui Premium Ultra Redbook

Daiwoo Predator 32/987 upsampling dac

 

All with an Intona Industrial Isolator.

[esimms86]

TNTC(too numerous to count). I'm left with the following 3 plugged in and running in my home:

 

Geek Pulse Infinity Special Education(family friendly system - sounds great with microRendu; the Pulse and microRendu are both powered by an Uptone Audio JS-2 power supply)

 

Chord DAVE(headphone system with Hifiman HE1000 and an order placed for an aftermarket Double Helix Cable)

 

Phasure NOS1A(main system with Intona and updated hard drive for XXHE PC)

 

It's almost embarrassing to own both DAVE and the NOS1a, either of which would easily be many people's idea of an end game DAC. My DAC buying days are over unless I, for some reason in the future, decide to cycle back to multichannel.

 

DAVE costs more than the other two DACs combined and I bought it with the promise to myself that I would never buy another DAC again. Still, you could buy a dCS or an MSB for far more than what I paid for all 3 of my DACs combined(he said in a weak attempt to rationalizie his purchases).

 

Reminds me of Adrian Belew's story about seeing Frank Zappa's sizeable guitar collection. When asked how he could afford such a treasure trove of guitars, Frank replied "I don't do coke."

[MikeJazz]

Beresford TC-7520 (various versions ... was the US reseller for a few years)

 

Weiss DAC2

 

Metric Halo LIO-8

 

BMC PureDAC

 

Twisted Pear Buffalo-IIISE w/ JLSounds I2SoverUSB board

 

I am curious about BMC PureDAC.

Can you comment your experience with it?

[Always.Learning]

Since 2004, three primary digital players:

 

Exemplar mod of Denon 2900 (2004-2009)

Ayre QB-9 (2009-13)

Ayre QB-9 DSD (2013-16)

Chord DAVE (2016)

 

I've also auditioned or played around with a bunch of other dacs in my system, but not owned them.

 

The DAVE is by far the best dac I have ever heard in my system.

[cmarin]

Hehehehe

 

And yes of course, a Phasure NOS1a DAC that awaits the arrival of Peter's new Mach II XXHighEnd PC that's on its way.

[PeterSt]

Audio Note DAC 3 Signature (+mods)

TwinDAC+ (with its successor, the CrazyT really being the first Async USB on earth - I never owned that though)

Phasure NOS1, NOS1-USB, NOS1a, NOS1a+B'ASS.

(Buffalo I just for fun)

(Pacifics Microsonics Model 2 for recording)

(Mytek Stereo 192 DSD - never unpacked)

 

Somehow this list feels too short but I really don't even recall a dedicated CD Player prior to the Audio Note (I had a TEAC P1 transport in front of it). I did have a few DAT recorders though (Stax, Tascam, Sony) but I think they were all used in combination with the Audio Note. And 400+ DAT tapes still wait to get ripped (if something is still on them ).

 

Peter

[wanta911]

Musical Fidelity M1

Oppo BDP-83SE

Oppo BDP-105

Auralic Vega

Primare DAC30

Metrum Pavane

 

The journey from the 105 forward got me to the sound I was looking for.