$10k DAC in a 3k system?

@fsmithjack

Regarding your recommendations and the Bricasti DAC, the M1 which MSRPs for 9 grand new includes "the stereo ADI 1955 D/A converter in a mono configuration".

Interesting to note that my $500 Emotiva ERC-3 also includes the same Analog Devices AD1955 DAC. It is the best CD player I’ve ever owned and does sound amazing, IMO.

So what am I missing?

In my humble opinion one part doesn't equal same performance. Based on my understanding, the power supply is very important with so many components,  including digital. Maybe Al can chime in,  he has way more technical knowledge than I have. 

Thanks, Richard (Ricred1).

In my humble opinion one part doesn’t equal same performance.

No question about it. There are of course countless variables and tradeoffs that contribute to the overall performance of a design. And, hypothetically speaking, even if the entire design of a DAC from each of two manufacturers was totally identical from an electrical standpoint, the two components still would not be likely to perform in an identical manner. Even differences in how signals are routed within the printed circuit board, and how the board itself is constructed, can affect performance significantly. That is especially true when digital signals are involved, which have very high frequency components associated with their risetimes and falltimes (i.e., the amount of time it takes the signals to change between their two voltage states). And even more so when that circuitry is in close proximity to analog circuitry.

The kinds of effects that can be involved are not even well understood by many practicing EEs. Which is why a textbook and course on High Speed Digital Design that were created by a noted authority on such matters, which I took in connection with my work a couple of decades ago, was sub-titled "A Handbook of Black Magic."

Best regards,
-- Al

@ricred1

+1

Power supply design sign is very important especially if you want to avoid power conditioners, fuses, after market power cords and all kinds band aids. (Another discussion for another time might be why high end boutique manufacturers so often get power supply design aspects so badly wrong - creating a "band-aid" market)

The Benchmark DAC3 and their ABH2 amp achieve performance standards that exceed everything else and one of the reasons is a Switched Mode Power Supply. In fact there is an interesting article devoted to debunking the myth that Switched Mode Power Supplies are noisy. I am not sure I entirely agree, as I have found SMPS to be troublesome in the past, however John Siau explains why SMPS done correctly can lead to tremendous reduction in the noise floor.

https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/152143111-audio-myth-switching-power-supplies-are...

In light of these advances I find myself forced to accept that linear Power Supplies may be easier to build correctly but SMPS done right can be SOTA and better than everything else.

https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/inside-the-dac2-part-3-power-supplies

30db additional reduction in noise floor over a linear power supply is a major paradigm shift in audio design!