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T+a dac 8 dsd


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I made my decision based on listening with my CAPS Pipeline without NAA.

Although I had a SGM in my system for a weekend and therefor know what it can do with the T+A, it already works brilliantly with a computer built to normal audiophile standards (e.g. linear power, audio USB card, isolation devices, etc).

 

I have exactly the same expectations for a DAC as Keith, therefor my Lampi was balanced and with volume control as well (although with Mundorf silver/gold/oil caps instead of Duelund).

The T+A did outperform it and did so at a considerably lower price (in Europe) and until then the L4 was always the price/performance champ in the DAC market for me.

The money I gained from the switch I spent on some room acoustic treatment that should be arriving soon.

 

The Atlantic does seem like a great DAC, although with comparable features (balanced, with volume control and PCM/DSD512) and after EU/US taxes, it costs almost 3 times as much as the T+A (based on list price, actual price may be lower).

 

This makes the T+A for me the steal in the current DAC market.

Consultant to Taiko Audio

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Norman,

 

You seem pretty versed for on a product you have never heard??

 

I haven't heard the SGM but I think the a "QUALITY SOURCE" recommendation can be applied to ANY Dac under consideration, not just the T&A. The T&A works great with a CAPS as the NAA which I consider a "QUALITY SOURCE"

 

Pre, what can I say? I have lots of pals in high and low places. LoL

 

I didn't say that a home PC with the Dac8 won't sound great, I said it wont be anywhere as great as with a SGM server. That beast cots $20K and makes ANYTHING sound excellent. Just tempering expectation, as I know a couple people who heard them all together and apart. In a few weeks you will be able to read about it. Just to be clear, the Dac8 at 512 is outstanding, even without SGM, but with it, its another jump again.

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I made my decision based on listening with my CAPS Pipeline without NAA.

Although I had a SGM in my system for a weekend and therefor know what it can do with the T+A, it already works brilliantly with a computer built to normal audiophile standards (e.g. linear power, audio USB card, isolation devices, etc).

 

I have exactly the same expectations for a DAC as Keith, therefor my Lampi was balanced and with volume control as well (although with Mundorf silver/gold/oil caps instead of Duelund).

The T+A did outperform it and did so at a considerably lower price (in Europe) and until then the L4 was always the price/performance champ in the DAC market for me.

The money I gained from the switch I spent on some room acoustic treatment that should be arriving soon.

 

The Atlantic does seem like a great DAC, although with comparable features (balanced, with volume control and PCM/DSD512) and after EU/US taxes, it costs almost 3 times as much as the T+A (based on list price, actual price may be lower).

 

This makes the T+A for me the steal in the current DAC market.

I hope you enjoy it thoroughly. That is what this hobby is about, no?

 

The Atlantic config you mentioned should be about 6,500euros plus VAT, so quite bit more than the Dac8. If you only want to upsample the Dac8 is indeed the bigger bargain. Native rate is likely another story...based on feedback I have received.

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I will try everything, just need to get the DAC first... I'm going for the Atlantic, not sure in which configuration yet though.

 

No matter how much I love to discuss about LampizatOr, this is the T+A thread and maybe we should respect that...

 

 

Agreed, I only brought it up here because of Linux limitations regarding the use of a Microrendu. Both Lampi and Dac8 use Amanero.

I hope the official Amanero Linux upgrades happens soon for all, so that folks can start enjoying the music in Linux too. The uRendu is a nice & elegant solution.

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Maybe difficult to say or speculate, but do you think PCM384 would actually be preferred over DSD128 (DoP) with current Amanero/Linux limitation through microRendu and this new Lampi DAC?

 

No, 384k is still doomed to have the typical PCM ladder performance problems. Just like Metrum has.

 

Lower the rate, more horrifying the technical performance becomes though.

 

At 44.1/48k you get severe roll-off above 10 kHz plus huge amount of image frequencies above 22.05 kHz plus lot of intermodulation products back to the audio band.

 

For example, look at Metrum Musette playing 19+20 kHz IMD test tone @44.1k sampling rate:

musette-imd-narrow-44k1.png

 

musette-imd-wide-44k1.png

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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Pre, what can I say? I have lots of pals in high and low places. LoL

 

I didn't say that a home PC with the Dac8 won't sound great, I said it wont be anywhere as great as with a SGM server. That beast cots $20K and makes ANYTHING sound excellent. Just tempering expectation, as I know a couple people who heard them all together and apart. In a few weeks you will be able to read about it. Just to be clear, the Dac8 at 512 is outstanding, even without SGM, but with it, its another jump again.

 

Have you heard the T&A?

 

In prior posts you said you haven't heard it?

 

Plus "it won't be anywhere as great" without an SGM server may be a stretch. I am sure the SGM is excellent and but a CAPS as an NAA with good USB card and good LPS being fed via a computer capable of seamless upsampling to DSD512 with HQP may be pretty amazing.

 

Despite all the above I am still sold on my MSB no matter how good the T&A sounds in my system so different strokes for all.

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OK, so it is best to be always fed at that 384k then... :)

 

I guess Phasure NOS1a is the only one that can take in higher than 384k? (Metrum also tops out at 384k)

 

Of all people Jussi, I am surprised that you forget the iFi micro iDSD accepts 768K. :)

 

I got one of those on sale (it's pretty good) and I was using HQP last week to compare DSD256 (from my Mac via DoP) to PCM768. Was surprisingly close, though some of that may have been because DSD256DoP with your better modulators is pretty taxing to my quad-core i7 Mac mini (still running older HQP version pre-pipeline option).

 

PCM768 with Poly-sinc-short sounded extraordinary.

 

--Alex C.

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Of all people Jussi, I am surprised that you forget the iFi micro iDSD accepts 768K. :)

 

I was thinkin/talking about R2R ladders, although didn't explicitly state that... ;)

 

I got one of those on sale (it's pretty good) and I was using HQP last week to compare DSD256 (from my Mac via DoP) to PCM768. Was surprisingly close, though some of that may have been because DSD256DoP with your better modulators is pretty taxing to my quad-core i7 Mac mini (still running older HQP version pre-pipeline option).

 

You should update your HQPlayer to latest versions!

 

Technical performance of the iDSD Micro is certainly better at DSD256/DSD512. But feeding it at 705.6/768k PCM already provides 2x faster rate than the on-chip digital filters can do (352.8/384k).

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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I have only put 20 hours on my T+A so far. I sold my amp and hence it is not being used anymore. However, my early impression about the dac is phenomenal. It is very musical without making the sound anymore warmer than it is staying perfectly neutral and yet very detailed. I think that would be the highlight for me about this dac. The soundstage is big and very realistic. I was also very impressed with it's non unsampled PCM playback too. I used it as a analog volume control for a couple of song. It did sound harsher as a preamp compare to my Melody P2688 preamp. Which is not surprising given my preamp is suppose to be world class.

 

However, due to a recent change in my situation, I am planning to sell my entire audio system as I need cash. My amp is already sold. PM me if you are looking for a good deal on T+A which is practically new and my other equipments. The T+A comes with 2 years manufacturer warranty.

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Hi all. Have some technical question regarding this DAC. I see it have 4 digital filters for PCM. So there is no way to bypass it for PCM. But what with DSD is it going also through some digital filters ?

 

I think if you upsample in the PC to 352.8/384kHz you will bypass the DAC8 DSD internal upsampling (as it also upsamples to these rates) and send the data directly to the PCM1795 for conversion. This way you can try different PCM filters to see if you like them better than the built in ones.

 

For DSD there is no digital filter and it has a separate discrete conversion path.

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  • 2 weeks later...
I think if you upsample in the PC to 352.8/384kHz you will bypass the DAC8 DSD internal upsampling (as it also upsamples to these rates) and send the data directly to the PCM1795 for conversion. This way you can try different PCM filters to see if you like them better than the built in ones.

 

For DSD there is no digital filter and it has a separate discrete conversion path.

 

Yep. When I feed it with DSD all filter diodes are off. I like the way this DAC play. Just waiting for new processor to check DSD512.

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How is the DAC8 DSD with PCM DXD files? Could the DAC8 DSD owners compare the 24/352.8 files from 2L sent to the DAC at their native resolution with the same files HQP upsampled to DSD512?

 

2L High Resolution Music .:. free TEST BENCH

 

 

HQ Player applies its magic to DXD source material too :-)

Sound Test, Monaco

Consultant to Sound Galleries Monaco, and Taiko Audio Holland

e-mail [email protected]

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Will the T+A DAC8 and the Sound Galleries server be demonstrated at the upcoming RMAF audio show in Denver (Oct 7 - 9) ?

 

Didn't see it mentioned in the list of exhibitors.

 

@EuroDriver will know about the SGMS, but Rutherford Audio will be there (Marketplace), and they're the US distributor for T+A, so I'm assuming they'll have a DAC 8 DSD there.

 

--David

Listening Room: Mac mini (Roon Core) > iMac (HQP) > exaSound PlayPoint (as NAA) > exaSound e32 > W4S STP-SE > Benchmark AHB2 > Wilson Sophia Series 2 (Details)

Office: Mac Pro >  AudioQuest DragonFly Red > JBL LSR305

Mobile: iPhone 6S > AudioQuest DragonFly Black > JH Audio JH5

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