New DAC or Offramp 4?

[jb5200]

Hey everybody,

 

I was wondering if you could help me out! What would be the best upgrade - A new DAC or add an Emperical Offramp 4 to my current setup?

 

My current setup:

HP Elite/W7 64 (Media Monkey)

M2Tech Hiface

PS Audio DLIII DAC (Stock)

Anthem D1w/ARC

Emotiva XPA1's

Paradigm Signature S8v2

JL Fathom F112

 

Here's my thinking: I brought my DAC to my buddies house to compare. He has the W4S DAC2 with the exact same setup as me and we compared the 2 DAC's and you wouldn't believe how close they were. The W4S had more detail in the upper end especially the hard siblance that people say and had a pinch more grungier bass. The DLIII didn't have the detail up top but actually had about the same bass but a little more pitch/definition.

 

Unbelievable since the age difference between the two but my DLIII held it's own and then some! I know people claim that the W4S is in a different league but we both heard the exact differences so I have to believe our ears.

 

Since the 2 were so close, does it even pay to upgrade the DAC? I thought about adding the Empirical Offramp 4 in place of the Hiface since people claim that is the S@#t! Most reviews I've read was that it made a HUGE difference with their W4S DAC.

 

Thanks!

 

Jeff

 

[koogook]

I have no idea on real world, but i guess a theory would be because you have an improved interface this could lessen the difference between 2 DACS, from the 2 ages of DAC you tried.

In other words, It is quite possible an upgrade to a better interface may improve your results again, and keep you entertained until another DAC and performance upgrade has a greater jump in the future.

 

Which of course will see you right because of improvements before you hit the DAC, for this my untrained and non real world brain would suggest this as a starting point.

 

For me anything with i2s against non i2s is interesting, I am looking at:

 

E/A off ramp 4 turbo clock upgrade $1499

Weiss Int 202 (firewire) $1499

Audiophilleo 2 (non i2s) $579

Hiface Evo+ batt pack (non interger, havei2s) $700

 

for example to add, im confused, what makes it more confusing is when you go to a site like Audiophilleo it has a comparison sheet, but it is outdated and uses data in a typically bias view.

 

Im not sure i helped?

 

[dallasjustice]

I had that dac in a second system and had the off-ramp v4 at the same time. I used them together. I also used the off-ramp v4 with a MF VDac with VPSU at the same time so I could compare them in the same system. The VDac was significantly better than the PS Audio with the off-ramp V4. You don't need to spend that much on a DAC if you are using a high quality usb to spdif converter in front of it. IMO, the bang for the buck is much greater on the usb to spdif gear than on DACs costing less than $2,500 or so.

 

I believe the VDac represents one of the best value products in audio as long as you use it via spdif and not usb.

 

[koogook]

This jumps my attention to which i have been reading, it seems most people, with lots of different gear are making consciously or subconsciously this estimation on their system. (Everything else aside or as best as you need it to be) At the price points we are talking about my opinion would be for the future of your system and for greatest improvement spend it on an interface to last you. The Dac which has greater room for advancement and price point for movement.

 

There are so many Dacs with so much competition, this saga will go on for an age or more.

 

Again mine is not a real world test.