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AMR DP-777, what am I missing ?

There are a lot of people here who love this DAC, I purchased one (used) based on the many glowing reviews, but feel like this DAC falls short.
To be sure it bested (by not a lot) my Wavelength Cosecant (better imaging and bass) but I still prefer my modest analog setup (Rega RP6, Shelter 500).

I am sure my digital front-end is not super tuned: IMac, audirvana, no-name USB cable to DAC. But before I spend more money I would love some advice from the good folks in this forum on how I can make this $5000 retail DAC at least come close to my modest analog setup that cost much less retail without spending too much coin.

Do I need to invest in a music server, or maybe a USB to SPDIF, or better USB cable or all of the above.

Rest of my system.
Coincident Line stage
Coincident Dragon mk2 monoblocks
Verity Parsifal Encore speakers.

Thanks.
essrand
jazzonthehudson's avatar
jazzonthehudson
277 posts
 
Essrand, did you stick with the DP777? Upgrading the tubes with great NOS helped a lot. Power is also, as always, important, I used at the end the SR Red fuse which has offers more dynamics than HiFiTuning Supreme and a CH X-20 power cord.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

Essrand Hi.

Your DP777 is a great dac, we had A/B,s with it against some very heavy hitters using just Redbook cd using it's "Classic Multibit 16-Bit DAC" NOT THE "High-Definition 32-Bit DAC" section, and it won out easily.
But it was used direct into the amps using it's own volume control.

As AMR states
"The exceptionally precise 71-step resistor matrix-based Analogue Volume Control system delivers unmatched transparency. To attain the highest sound quality, no digital volume control is anywhere to be found."

Cheers George
essrand OP
297 posts
 
Hi Jazzonhudson,

Yes I stuck with the DP777.
It's fantastic. It really came on its own after a 1000 hour or two burnin.
I might try your recommendations about fuses etc. at some point but for now am happy.

George, yes the preamp on dp777 is quite stunning.
Although I did prefer a shindo monbrison to going direct to amp.
But the dp777 preamp is so good that you wonder if that improvement with the shindo is worth the 10k expense.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,249 posts
 
Hi Essrand,
Did the Shindo replace your CSL?
essrand OP
297 posts
 
Hi Charles,

Yes it did. It just felt so right and was the missing piece in my audiophile search.

The CSL I was surprised didn't do it for me, despite the high praise garnered for it on this forum. Maybe tube rolling might have helped but not sure. It didn't give me the goosebumps like the shindo did.

The CSL was closer to going direct to amp in terms of sound (better musically) but the shindo (less transparent) made music.
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