I think you'll find quite a few fans here. I'm currently using an MHDT Lab Pagoda (PCM1704) which is 24/192 input/output capable. I can listen all day without fatigue and yet it's nuanced and detailed. I also have a dB Audio Labs Tranquility (TDA1543). This DAC can handle higher-res input but outputs at either 16/44.1 or 16/48. The sound quality is gorgeous nontheless and is another DAC I can listen to all day. For my headphone system I use a Schiit Bifrost Multibit (AD5547CRUZ) which is NOS only at 24/176.4 and 24/192 sample/bit rates. I guess you could say I'm a fan.
Unfiltered NOS DACs sound
I Have been experimenting with some NOS DAC chips and redbook material.
I very much like the NOS sound, and frankly think in terms of transparency it trumps any of the modern DS DACs Ive heard. The biggest drawback is THD and noise levels, on paper the modern chips out perform the older NOS chips and I think thats easy to hear but its superior ability to preserve of timing and spatial information in the music makes that problem relatively insignificant.
I have experimented with high quality software based upsampling, the conclusion is that any form of oversampling loses the ’’special’’ NOS sound.
Steep analogue filters did not affect transparency as much as software digital filtering, but the sound became dull and lacking vibrancy. I would choose the ’’processed’’ digitally filtered sound over this dull analogue filtered sound any day, but still NOS remains sounding the best.
I tried gentler (simpler circuit) analogue filters and more extended (filtering higher into the ultrasonic range), and the gains from the filters were never worth the filters influence on audible frequencies.
So as it stands the best sound I can achieve with these NOS chips is with a raw unfiltered PCM output.
The artifacts within unfiltered 44.1kHz PCM are very significant but ultrasonic, so it seems that the audible influence of this ultrasonic noise has on the system is not as siginificant as the means of removing it.... but this is probably not true in all systems.
What amazes me the most is that this is with redbook material... DS DACs and upsampling are supposed to be the more advanced methods of dealing with the limitations of 16 bit 44.1kHz data.
Unfiltered NOS naturally seems the most transparent and accurate way of experiencing Hi Res DXD and 192kHz material.
I know that unfiltered NOS has a sort of cult following, are there any other fans of it here?
I very much like the NOS sound, and frankly think in terms of transparency it trumps any of the modern DS DACs Ive heard. The biggest drawback is THD and noise levels, on paper the modern chips out perform the older NOS chips and I think thats easy to hear but its superior ability to preserve of timing and spatial information in the music makes that problem relatively insignificant.
I have experimented with high quality software based upsampling, the conclusion is that any form of oversampling loses the ’’special’’ NOS sound.
Steep analogue filters did not affect transparency as much as software digital filtering, but the sound became dull and lacking vibrancy. I would choose the ’’processed’’ digitally filtered sound over this dull analogue filtered sound any day, but still NOS remains sounding the best.
I tried gentler (simpler circuit) analogue filters and more extended (filtering higher into the ultrasonic range), and the gains from the filters were never worth the filters influence on audible frequencies.
So as it stands the best sound I can achieve with these NOS chips is with a raw unfiltered PCM output.
The artifacts within unfiltered 44.1kHz PCM are very significant but ultrasonic, so it seems that the audible influence of this ultrasonic noise has on the system is not as siginificant as the means of removing it.... but this is probably not true in all systems.
What amazes me the most is that this is with redbook material... DS DACs and upsampling are supposed to be the more advanced methods of dealing with the limitations of 16 bit 44.1kHz data.
Unfiltered NOS naturally seems the most transparent and accurate way of experiencing Hi Res DXD and 192kHz material.
I know that unfiltered NOS has a sort of cult following, are there any other fans of it here?
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