2. digital
  3. 169752-3610

DAC That Punches Above Its Price Point

I’ll make it short. I’ve spent some hours reading the DAC threads on this forum. I am aware quality of digital matters as superior DACs usually the costlier ones will sound better than cheap DACs, making music sound more analog, lifelike, real, believable with all the soundstage and detail etc. All the good things. There are some who thought it’s the music that matters, and although different DACs may sound different it’s the music that makes the most difference. In other words, the differences that exist between DACs are not that important as it's all about the music. I can see the point that people are trying to make.

Back to the topic. I’ve read great things on the Denafrips Ares II and Pontus II, and other costlier high-end DACs. I’ve read about the Chord DAVE. I personally own a Chord QBD76 and have no urge to replace it with anything else since it sounds splendid in my system, for the money. I may be setting up another system and was wondering if there is a DAC in the lower price bracket that punches way above its price point, sounding close to if not better than the costlier designs.

I presume the Audioquest Black, Red or Cobalt are not worthy of consideration and sound noticeably inferior to the costlier options? FWIW I tried the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC and this one really sounded poor to my ears. Very digital sound and I stopped listening to it after a while. The Chord sounds a lot more analog, lifelike and real to my ears.

I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.


ryder
rfnoise
153 posts
 
The Black Ice/Jolida Glass FX Dac. Doesn’t seem to get a lot of mention on this site, but I sure love mine. Worth every penny of the $600 I paid new.
robshaw
242 posts
 
No one mentioned the Benchmark DAC3. They have 3 levels,  just a DAC, or one that you can use as a preamp, and  another with a headphone amp, different combo, go to the website. 30 day trial period, 5 year warranty.  Sounds great in my system. I use their line amp( preamp) and DAC 3B, all balanced. Amp  Peachtree amp 500, audiolab 6000 transport, Tekton Double Impacts, SVS SB 4000 sub. RORY, Great contact. Their reputation for service is great too. Brought out more than I could have imagined. Robert TN
westcoastaudiophile
275 posts
 
@lemonhase: 
"if you are measuring the right things” agreed 100%, tests should be aligned with real sound performance metrics. 

"I can swap out a cap of same value in a speaker crossover”
-capacitor has many electrical characteristics beyond capacitance and max voltage values, to name a few - ESR (equivalent series resistance), inductance, resonance frequency etc. In general, two identical capacitors, matched by all characteristics, will perform the same in speaker with crossover. Some type of capacitors, oil capacitors (I am using those in my speakers) for example, have less resonances, thus produce less distortions, or “coloration” in other words.

"Also explain how two different amps that measure exactly the same can sound quite different”
-power amplifiers mostly measured using ideal, Re-Z, loads (e.g. 4/6/8 Ohms). Real speakers with cables, crossovers, drivers, and finally resonating cabinets, never match any of ideal loads, and have complex frequency/power-level dependent impedance. 

westcoastaudiophile
275 posts
 
@herman I was responding to “measurements mean zero” attitude, not specific posts. Please point me to any of sound components “certified” by audition at the end of “measurements based” production line.
herman
2,238 posts
 
Please point me to any of sound components “certified” by audition at the end of “measurements based” production line.

I have friends who are very highly respected designers/builders of sound components who would not think of shipping a component without listening to it. There are various small shops who do this. I’m not talking about the Marantz’s of the world, I’m talking about smaller shops that care about how things sound and know that measurements can’t tell you everything.

I was responding to “measurements mean zero” attitude, not specific posts.

Then you were responding (as far as I can see) to an attitude that does not exist. I don’t see where anybody advocates that measurements mean zero.

What I and others do advocate is the other end of the spectrum. That is...

measurements do not mean everything.. a very different thing.

But if you go to ASR that is what you get. If he can’t measure it then it does not exist. Measurements done with his audio analyzer are the only things that matter. He usually does not even say anything about the sound of an audio devices that he "reviews", and if he does and hears something that disagrees with his measurements he discounts it to expectation bias.

so to summarize, measurements are very important. Things that don’t measure well will not sound well. However, measurements are not the only thing.

The idea that we have identified and can measure everything that affects how something sounds is ludicrous. Can we definitively measure everything that affects our other senses (sight, touch, taste, smell) ?? Of course not. So why would anybody think we have gotten to the point we can definitively measure how something will sound?

we can’t
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