Six DAC Comparison

@no_regrets - Yes, I wrote:

"I recall a slightly dryer presentation from the non-NCZ version, that I do not perceive with the X SE NCZ or with the EVO Pro."

That comment is part summation and part paraphrasing from notes I took and emails I traded with Benjamin regarding my impressions from last year of my EVO Pro vs. the X SE that I originally owned, and I believe it is accurate. I did not have the original X SE here at the time of my recent six DAC comparison, but I do still have my listening notes and emails with Benjamin. I was pretty honest with him at that time.

Benjamin calls the EVO Pro "warmer" than the X SE. We may be saying similar things while using different words. Here is an exact quote that I wrote to Benjamin when I decided to sell that original X SE:

"in comparison to the [EVO] Pro, which I found to be smoother and perhaps a little more tonally rich, while only giving up a small bit of bass impact and vocal projection, I simply find the EVO Pro to sound more natural to me."

What I can say now is that the X SE NCZ that I currently own seems to be a closer call against the EVO Pro than both my recollection and notes/emails would indicate from my initial comparison between my EVO Pro and the non-NCZ Mystique X SE DAC. That may be because the Mystique X SE NCZ is a little smoother and richer sounding than the oringinal X SE DAC I owned, it may be that there was an issue of some sort with the original X SE DAC, it could be that my listening preferences have changed a little, or it could be a combination of those things.

I still really like the sound of the Mystique EVO Pro that I have here and I find it to be everything I wrote in my write-up in this thread. I believe Benjamin is right and that the X SE is probably objectively a better DAC from the standpoints of resolution, drive, and low noise, but I am still drawn to the engagement I perceive from my EVO Pro that has AD1862NZ chips. Sorry, but I just don’t have a more definitive answer. I like them both, they are both similar and both sound good, and it is just about a draw wrt which I like better.

Regarding your power question, I am fortunate to live in a neighborhood with all in-ground electrical lines, although there are above-ground transmission lines feeding the neighborhood. It is not an old house so I have a 200 or 225 amp service, and run 3, 20-amp dedicated lines to my music room using 10 awg Romex. The amps get a line, the preamp and volume control get a line, and the streamer, DDC, and DACs get a line that first feeds an Isoclean 60A power conditioner. PCs to the digital stuff are all shielded. The network gear also has its own dedicated 20A line (a fourth line). Since we are not in what I would call a "city environment" and are not close to commercial/industrial entities, I doubt we have the fluctuations you speak of, and I haven’t noticed anything leading to different types of sound at different times of the day. Internet seems adequate also, and is consistently somewhere between 300-400 Mbps.

Thank you Mitch for your follow up to my questions!  I appreciate the time you take to further help me better understand your thoughts.

I'm impressed with the extent that you have gone regarding the incoming power to your audio system.  Outstanding job there! 

Thanks again and best wishes,

Don

@mitch2 "Interesting that you were able to change the sound of the Aero with different tubes.I believe Michael Lavorgna at Twittering Machines was planning to post a Part 2 to his Aero review after trying some tube rolling."

I'd find it interesting if Michael doesn't have different takes on the Aero based upon various tubes given they generally all sound different to one extent or another. I have a Modwright Elysee DAC and tube changes are apparent in it and no different than in my tube preamp or 3 tube integrated amps.

@mitch2 

I added a eithernet to optical to eithernet to my streamer a year or two ago, but the last couple of meters is still Cat8 cable. I have upgraded most of my system since I put the optical gap in.  After I’m done A/B ing a couple of USB cables ( a Silversonic Mirage USB with a Clarus Crimson USB.). I’ll pull the optical out and see if I can hear anything different.

Some of these comparison posts catch my eye and peak my interest enough to read a few of the posts. My take away in the end is all that is accomplished a lot of the time is a bleeding corpse lying on the operating room with no definitive cause of death… In my case I find myself using the ole adage “if you find yourself tapping your foot and bobbing your head to the tune,” your ahead of the game and chances are your DAC is performing well enough to make you happy. Toe tapping provided by, Denafrips Pontus II with most recent upgraded board and RME ADI-2-Pro. A side note, my newly acquired Sound Artist LS3’s (desktop setup) are pretty damn impressive, glad I took the risk..