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Seeking Advice on NOS DAC

Looking to purchase an NOS DAC, budget is $1500.
Currently available for sale are:

- Metrum Acoustics Hex digital converter  (used)
- Metrum Acoustics Amethyst DAC       (new)
- Acoustic Plan Digimaster Tube DAC     (used)
This is a German-built NOS, 24-bit R-2R resistor ladder network, PCM1704U-K converter with 4 tube EC 86 triode outputs.
- HOLO Audio Spring DAC – LEVEL 2    (new, but over my budget of $1500)

My primary listening is via the PS Audio PWT, while music files on my Mac are steadily increasing. I’m thinking NOS due to my large collection of Redbook CD's.

So, any experience or comments on which way to proceed is appreciated.

128x128lowrider57
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
@audioengr , I'm using a PS Audio PWT for 16/44.1 playback. USB from my Mac. SPDIF cable is 1.5m from Empirical Design. 
I'm wondering if any reclocking would be beneficial and if upsampling would hurt the native 16/44 input stream to an  NOS dac.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
@georgehifi, Border Patrol has a good rep. I like seeing the quality parts being used, but no hirez from audio files?

@chayro , thanks, I'll check out the Doge. I'm not all about specs...R2R DACS don't really measure all that well. But they do have a nice organic sound.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

@lowrider57 , Upsampling will not hurt, it will usually help, and most NOS chips support 24/96.  Simpler to filter this too.  Depends on the vintage of the D/A chip though.  If its a TDA1543 chip, maybe 44.1 would be better. 

You can also get the Synchro-Mesh in 44.1 flavor at minimal cost and select 16-bit.  Also great sounding.  I would recommend 24/96 standard version if the D/A supports it.  30-day money-back.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
"most NOS chips support 24/96"
That's true, thanks.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
lowrider57
 I like seeing the quality parts being used, but no hirez from audio files?

But you did say in your first post. " I’m thinking NOS due to my large collection of Redbook CD’s."

To me pcm (redbook) once converted right, makes me think hi-rez is BS.

You can get discrete R2R ladder dacs, that can convert native DSD high-rez, but they are very expensive at the moment, but there are more and more coming onto the market, which could see the price come down.

Remember what MoJo Music says:
" When a PCM file is played on a native DSD single-bit converter, the single-bit DAC chip has to convert the PCM to DSD in real-time. This is one of the major reasons people claim DSD sounds better than PCM, when in fact, it is just that the chip in most modern single-bit DACs do a poor job of decoding PCM."  
  

Cheers George
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