Vintage DACs. Do they hold up over time?

Had to kill some time so I did it for you.

TIMBRE TT-1 CS4328 – CS8412-CP is Delta Sigma

SONIC FRONTIERS SFD-2 Mk II 2x UA D20400A – PMD100 – UA AES21 is Multibit

THRESHOLD DAC 2 2x UA D20400A – PMD100 is Multibit

WADIA 25 4 x PCM1702-K + DSP is Multbit

Altis Reference is Delta Sigma

MARK LEVINSON No 36 4 x PCM1702-K – PMD100 – CS8412-CP is Multibit

MERIDIAN 566.20 CS4329-KS is Delta Sigma

EAD DSP-9000 PRO 2/4 x PCM63P-K – SM5803APT – CS8411-CP
EAD DSP-9000 PRO SERIES III 2/4 x PCM63P-K – PMD100 – CS8412-CP are both Multibit

Kora Hermes tube dac is Delta Sigma

My pick of these from working and listening to some of them.
For PCM RedBook CD is the

MARK LEVINSON No36
Wadia25
Threshold
Sonic Frontiers
Then both EAD's.

Cheers George

I think the Vimak DS-1800Mk2 dac still holds up well even today. It is the one of the best Delta Sigma dacs ever made & was designed as an incredibly complex and heavy, all-discrete Delta Sigma architecture designed by the company which invented the Delta Sigma converter, as opposed to the current crop of miniaturized Delta Sigma chips. It was really a sight to behold, wrapped in a thick, heavy copper-plated aluminium chassis with copper-clad C-core transformers in a separate shielded compartment. It was also known to have expensive taste in transports ;) You can see photos of the Mk1 version here.

You surely forget the JADIS JS1 MK1 (tubes unit in 2 pieces), FORSELL DAC REFERENCE and also on a budget CALIFORNIA AUDIO LAB ALPHA. I am pretty sure they are still in the game despite they are nearly vintage ...

I'm still using my Muse Model 2. I do wonder what it would take to better it, other than a better Muse.

Theta has always sounded incredible.