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New dac

Hello everyone. 

  My question today deals with my dac and my quest for something better. I have a PS audio digital link iii that I believe might be the weak link in my system. What l like about the dac is its soundstage and clarity, but I find the bass lacking some punch. Not so much the lower octives but more the mid bass. I'm more a music lover then a technical audiophile so please bare with me while I try to describe the sound I'm lacking.

System includes 
Belles Aria int. amp
Bluesound node 2
PS audio digital link iii
Vandersteen sig 2Dr sig 2
Integra dpc7.7
Audioquest Gibraltar speaker wires
Audioquest Colorado ICs

Thanks


wmbode
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Before you replace the DAC, see if it isn't the jitter from the Bluesound and transport that is causing this.  Do both sources lack mid-bass?

Here is some typical jitter:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154408.0

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154310.0

You might try a Synchro-Mesh reclocker in the S/PDIF coax cable to reduce jitter to ~20psec.  30-day money-back, less shipping.

The Synchro-Mesh also has these sonic benefits:

1) Galvanically isolates the source from the DAC, eliminating ground-loops.

2) upsamples 44.1 to 96, so the digital filter used in the DAC is a better one, not brick-wall.

Also, I recommend to get a better S/PDIF coax cable, one that is high-performance like the Reference BNC with RCA adapters or the Standard BNC with RCA adapters.  The Standard BNC is only $275.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

gdnrbob
4,460 posts
 
Do you find lack of bass on both CD and Bluesound Streaming?
Are you using the Bluesound DAC or outputting to the PS Audio DAC?

Did you have this issue earlier-before DAC and CD player?

B
wmbode OP
66 posts
 
I'm actually using the PS audio dac instead of the node 2 dac, which sounds better to me. Music seems more alive with a wider soundstage then the node 2s  dac. 
   I do remember hooking up my marantz pm 8004 last fall and felt it had more punch, but vocals weren't quite as clear as with the Belles amp. 
   I guess what I want to know is if the  dl 3 is still a capable dac giving its age.
chuckjonez
34 posts
 
I had a DL3, sold it for a highly reviewed DAC-pre, and was quite disappointed. I tried a highly regarded one box CD player; disappointed again. Then I bought a newer PS Audio DAC and it still didn’t feel right. So I bought another DL3, thinking I’d wait while DSD matures and falls in price. But the magic is back! I think the DL3 is one of those special components where everything came together perfectly. Vandersteen 2Cs, Linn Sondeks, etc. I love mine. I think it’s going to be here a long time. 
chuckjonez
34 posts
 
I should add that part of my upgrade fever was what you mentioned—I was worried that DACs seemed to be improving so quickly. If I had to guess, I’d say the magic in the DL3 is in the excellence of its analog stage. PSA has been building superb analog gear for decades. 
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