DAC Shootout Starts This Weekend

verdantaudio,

I've followed this thread, because I currently have a Chord Dave DAC and I'm looking for the next level DAC without spending $20K. I've read that the Chord Dave can be analytical and thin, but compared to the PS Audio Directstream, Bricasti M1, Jeff Rowland Aeris, and Rockna I don't hear it. I've had all of the aforementioned DAC in my system and I prefer the Dave. Based on my experience it seems DACs are like all audio components...the system/personal preference is the most significant factor determining what DAC is "best".

@verdantaudio 

I currently have Bryston Mini-T speakers (with Yamaha PC2002 power amp) and was thinking of moving towards a fully Bryston system...but came across your post commenting about microdynamics.

Based on your experience, it it worth pursuing building a system around the Mini-T's if i want Microdymics?  What i mean to say, is it the Bryston speakers or amplifiers that are the limiting factor for microdynamics?

The microdynamics are a huge part of what I have have been focusing on in this thread.  It is the fine details.  Subtleties in the way a drum roll comes together, speedy bass notes, sound effects, separation of notes in bells and piano.  These little things are inherently the difference between very good and extraordinary and they do add up.  

That being said, you do need to have a system capable of delivering those microdynamics to you.  You need a resolving enough amplifier and speakers that are sufficiently detailed.  Years ago I did a demo of a bunch of stand-mount speakers in the $1000 to $2000 range and a couple floor standers.  One test track I used was Don't Give Up by Peter Gabriel off of Secret World Live.  What I discovered in that session was that multiple speakers were simply not capable reproducing the fine details of things like crowd noise in certain parts of that song.  It was an entirely Bryston system with a speaker switch so it wasn't the amp or DAC, the only change was the speakers.  You can get the most detailed DAC in the world and if your speakers are your systems bottleneck you will not benefit.  

Regarding imaging, separation of instruments and soundstage, all of these things vary wildly from dac to dac and there is no objective "this is how it should sound" benchmark to know if your DAC is doing well.  The closest you can come is Q sound recordings but those are problematic in the opposite direction in that virtually any DAC and system should be able to make those sound incredible.  

@fai_v     I have never heard the mini-Ts and cannot speak about there ability to deliver micro-dynamics. That said, I am biased heavily against standard wood box speakers when it comes to production of fine details. My bias shows up in my own designs and the lead products I offer. My speaker cabinets are made from either Carbon Fiber or Fiberglass and the two lines I most focus on are Vivid (fiberglass) and Wilson Benesch (carbon fiber) as I understand why they are so good. It makes sense to me. I may not be best person to ask because of my bias.

That being said, Bryston hardware (amps and preamps) will not be a bottleneck in your system. It is VERY good electronics. I have not heard their DAC personally but I know it is supposed to be very good. Key is system matching. I would demo speakers you are interested in in home or on Bryston gear if you can. If not, work with someone who know the brands really well.

$4K entry - A DAC I have been waiting a year for finally arrived. The Canor DAC 2.10. When I signed on to be Canors’s distributor in the US, this DAC was promised as in development. They kept their promise with delivery was only delayed ~1 month for final tweaks. I arrived about two weeks ago.

This is only the second tube DAC we have reviewed. The much higher end Vu Jade was reviewed back in the earlier stages of this thread.

This is a Delta Sigma chip based DAC using and ESS Sabre chip. It supports MQA fully via the hardware. There are 9 filters including one to optimize MQA unfolding and a NOS filter. There is a re-clocker and an upscaler built in. It supports DSD up to 512K. It is fully balanced. What it lacks is a preamp stage. There is no volume control and no analog inputs. The output stage uses four 6922s.

In all cases, testing was conducted with upsampling and re-clocking on. Upsampling made a small but obvious difference. In regard to re-clocking, via synchronous connections (SPDIF) I heard no difference. Via USB from the Chord streamer I heard a small but noticeable difference. I did test from my laptop direct and the re-clocking made a noticeable difference. Clocking quality matters. @antigrunge2 I agree.

Performance wise, this DAC fits in the ~$5K DAC range. Although it is at the low end of the price range at $4K, it’s performance is comfortably in line with the Wavelight, HydraVox, TT2 and M3. The absence of a preamp and utilization of off-the-shelf DAC Chips explains the high level of performance at a more modest price.

The DAC shipped with 48 hours of burn-in on it and I immediately pushed it to get an extra 150 hours. The unit takes a good 30-40 minutes to completely warm up. It sounds a hair flat until it is completely warm like most tube units.

This is the warmest DAC in the price range that we tested. I did a direct compare to the Wavelight to be certain. The Wavelight is a hair more forward. Unlike the Wavelight, the output is a bit more balanced without the slight emphasis on bass that we get with that unit. Different filters offer different sound profiles but even the MQA and NOS filters leave this DAC a hair warmer than the Wavelight.

The sound is exactly what you would expect from a tube DAC and a DAC leveraging and ESS Chip. The soundstage is wide and deep. Detail and separation are brilliant. My initial test used RCAs but since the unit is fully balanced, I did hunt down a pair of XLRs (all of my AQ and Clarus cables are on loan). This had a noticeable impact on the noise floor and the DAC was slightly quieter with XLRs than with RCAs.

Regarding our test songs, In a Sentimental Mood sounded big and engaging. There is sparkle at the top end of the piano but less than it’s SS competitors. Separation in the drum roll is brilliant and wonderful air around the cymbals.

Be still my beating heart sounded huge as expected. Sounstage extends well beyond the outside of the speakers and completely immersed me. No sibilance in Sting’s voice and no glare.

Liberty is spectacular. Blacks are Black. Bass is not overly boomy. Effects are where they should be. Anette Askvik’s voice is in your face the way it should be with no glare.

Instrument separation at the beginning of Duende is superb rivaling the Audiobyte or Chord in terms of clarity. Instrument separation in Berg was superb with no glare from the strings though the intimacy of the chamber is lost given the scale of the soundstage.

The net result is that if someone is looking for a detailed DAC with good soundstage on the warmer side of the audio spectrum and they don’t need a preamp stage, this DAC should be a serious contender. In my system and to my taste, this is a hair warm. A final test outside of the scope of this was to swap in the less warm Hegel H590 (vs AVM A5.2) and I found the tonal balance more to my liking with a touch more sparkle.