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What DAC upgrade made you say “DAMN, that sounds SO MUCH better than my last DAC”?

As the title suggests, what was your overall system and DAC at the point where you bought only a new DAC and said “DAMN, that sounds SO MUCH better than my last DAC”?

I’m a novice and so many people talk about improvements from new equipment as if they were only listening to varying degrees of static until they bought more and more new equipment which added up to them finally being presented with music. It’s like Salome and the seven veils. But when does the last veil get peeled away? 

So what system did you have and what DAC did you swap in that made you say “DAMN!!!!”?

I guess I’m looking for night and day differences, not gradual progressions……


pip_helix
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

pip_helix
What DAC upgrade made you say “DAMN, that sounds SO MUCH better than my last DAC”?

For converting PCM RedBook 16/44 24/96 or DXD
Going from "chip based" R2R dacs eg: tda1541, pcm1702, pcm1704 etc, then going to MSB’s "discrete" R2R dac. Just like the best analog rig but with far better channel separation from top to bottom, and no noise.

Cheers George
ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
1,052 posts
 
http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/burl-b2-bomber-dac-review-holy-sh-this-is-good.9575/

(This link works better). This is from a headphone site, but includes discussion of sound quality
earlflynn's avatar
earlflynn
461 posts
 
I am embarrassed it was going to a simple design, went from a Simaudio 280D to a Border Patrol SEi. Simplicity at it finest zero upsampling just great sound and well under what may have spent here.

Also added a Bel Canto 2.7 to my main system and rather enjoy that also.
gmercer
193 posts
 
I went from a Meridian Media Source 600, which was an awesome DAC that I have only good things to say about, to a Brinkmann Nyquist, which is the last DAC I’ll own. My first mode of listening is analog, and the Nyquist does a fine job of making digital enjoyable. 
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Just don't build a lot of systems with your favorite. You don't want to pop the bubble. 


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