I've heard tremendous differences between DAC's. I've awoke to the fact that we live in a new era where price doesn't necessarily dictate performance, especially with DACs that utilize multi-bit R2R technology.
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Celo, we each have our own experiences and I'm not trying to discount yours, I've just had a dissimilar experience. I'm able to hear differences in similar priced gear. I've owned 6 different DAC's in the sub $1000 range and I've yet to hear two that sound the same -- different sound stage depths, different widths, different abilities to render details or nuances in music, different abilities to replicate wooden percussion instruments, etc. Sometimes I find very dramatic differences, i.e. Audio GD vs Denefrips Ares. I also hear differences in DS vs R2R, preferring R2R by a wide margin. I have friends and family (wife has golden ears) that hear the same differences I hear. My point is that some people do hear differences and price doesn't necessarily matter. Two of my favorite DACs I own right now happen to be the lowest priced. |
@4hannons: I actually wrote my last comment at the same with you. If the messages had also the seconds shown, probably we had 5 secs difference:) English is my second language. Sometimes I write things that can’t express what I actually mean. I totally agree with you. Price doesn’t matter. My Bitstream is around $400 and if it was new today, it would have cost around $1400 (1992 price was $800 I think). So, it was never a crazy expensive DAC back then. However, I like it better than more expensive DACs even today. When I listen to new gear, I usually want to be wowed. Like you say, dramatic difference. That’s what I was trying to say. Little differences do not affect my purchase decision. I had to get the Bitstream without listening and I took the risk because it was not too expensive and I could always sell it at the price I bought at. This was a dramatic difference for me vs. other DACs. I may be writing fancy words to explain how it sounds but what matters for me the most, this DAC just makes me enjoy music only. My wife who also has golden ears :), thinks the same. |
- 59 posts total