What is going on? I know that in the review he was comparing the Formula with the Terminator. However you stated that in the review he says they were voiced similarly......which he didn't. Even in the portion you just quoted, he says they're not only not voiced differently, but voiced at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Aqua on the transparent end, the Terminator on the full bodied end. This is not in contradiction to anything I've said that reviewers have said. I'm not sure why you're framing it as such.
Again, I think you've confused things I've said.
Resolution is not the same as transparency. I have no doubt that the Terminator is extremely resolving. Almost everyone has said as much. However, if it's voiced to be lush, then it is embuing everything that passes through the DAC, with that lushness. Which takes away from transparency. Yes, nothing is completely transparent (my Tortuga preamp might be). I know this. But that's not the same as being purposely additive. Which the Terminator is. And that's not necessarily a bad thing if you aren't looking for extreme transparency. But I'm not looking for musical. I'm looking for something to pass along information untouched. That's just not what the Terminator does.
I've read very few reviews that don't paint the Terminator as being an amazing DAC. In the next few months I might own one if I conclude that the Rockna is to far above my budget (it kinda is). I'm really wanting to spend much less than $16k. But at the same time, I don't want to be looking at DACs for a long time either.
Again, I think you've confused things I've said.
Resolution is not the same as transparency. I have no doubt that the Terminator is extremely resolving. Almost everyone has said as much. However, if it's voiced to be lush, then it is embuing everything that passes through the DAC, with that lushness. Which takes away from transparency. Yes, nothing is completely transparent (my Tortuga preamp might be). I know this. But that's not the same as being purposely additive. Which the Terminator is. And that's not necessarily a bad thing if you aren't looking for extreme transparency. But I'm not looking for musical. I'm looking for something to pass along information untouched. That's just not what the Terminator does.
I've read very few reviews that don't paint the Terminator as being an amazing DAC. In the next few months I might own one if I conclude that the Rockna is to far above my budget (it kinda is). I'm really wanting to spend much less than $16k. But at the same time, I don't want to be looking at DACs for a long time either.