You want a DAC that sounds *different.* What factor helps you find it?
I'm thinking about trying a new DAC, adding one to the stable.
What's most important is that it sound different than my present DAC.
If you were to look for a new DAC to try, what weight would you assign to each of these factors in predicting a different character of sound?
1. chipset
2. design of DAC --- R2R etc.
3. power supply
4. tube or no tube
5. ? (some factor or combination not mentioned)
I've become somewhat skeptical of user reviews because of uncontrollable variability related to tastes, system components, and vagueness of language used by reviewers.
So, without some appreciation of the ability for the above factors to affect the sound character, singling out just one or another factor seems like random guessing.
I'd love to learn from you all. I'd be curious to know, for example, that most R2R DACs sound similar, overall. That would help by directing me away from trying another R2R DAC. Or maybe they don't all sound similar; ok, that keeps them in consideration.
Same question with chipsets, power supply, tube/no tube.
So, again the hypothetical -- simplified:
You want to get a DAC that sounds much different than what you have. What factor helps you find it?
“Again, it’s all about the clock” No doubt N30SA is a great streamer but unless you’re clocking both N30SA and your DAC with a external Master Clock like MC20, your AES output to T+A DAC isn’t much of a difference maker. You may prefer this connection over USB but you have not tapped the true potential of N30SA until you’re in a aforementioned setup. I do agree, the quality of clock is super important, among other things. If you like, I am happy to continue our conversation over PM :-) Cheers! |
@lalitk " Agree with your list of attributes except the emphasis on AES / USB. Once you hear Ethernet based DAC’s, you would never wanna go back to rely on AES or USB." That assumes someone is streaming. I spin CDs and the Simaudio 260DT transport in my 2nd system is optimized for AES/EBU. There are others that also do for us CD guys
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Obviously at the end of the day everything matters but in my own experience the most important factors have been:
Analog output stage Power supply Design topology i.e. NOS, filterless etc. Chip selection being a distant 4th. My two current Dacs Audio Note Dac-3 (awaiting a donor transformer) is R2R using a multibit chip, with a tubed analog output stage and beefy power supply. Yamamoto YDA-1 delta-sigma but no digital filter signal goes right to a transistor, also a beefy power supply. Both Dacs sound great and more alike than different though very different design choices. |
What color do tube DACs add? Green, Blue, Chartreuse? Matching the inputs to what your source does best will allow you to realize the full potential of the DAC's presentation. After that it's matching a DACs sound presentation to your system to create your preferred listening environment. Whether you use no tubes, all tubes or a mixture to create it, the environment you prefer is the only important factor. You must first decide what you are trying to achieve and then build the "system" to get you there (realizing that along the way your priorities will probably evolve.) Changing the DACs sound can be as easy as using a different input or connecting cable. The source matters and contributes to the presentation and should be the foundation on which you build a digital system. |
Good point. The Ethernet based DAC’s I am referring to all sports the AES input for backward compatibility and flexibility. I wanted to make it a point that DAC with Ethernet capabilities are way to the future. As they continue to evolve, they will eventually eliminate the need for a high end external server or streamer. There will be always those who prefer to remain on the path of separate streamer / server or CD transport with external DAC’s. I was there not too long ago :-) |
