TEST: Older R2R Tube DAC vs Newer Delta-Sigma Solid-State DAC


After reading a lot lately about the resurgence of R2R multi-bit DACs, and other strong opinions about one DAC vs another, I decided to do a little experiment, and do a direct AB comparison between two DACs:

1) Wyred4Sound DAC1LE (with Femto clock and other upgrades): Purchased new 3-4 years ago.  MSRP was around $1,300. Uses ESS Sabre 9018 delta-sigma 1-bit DAC chip. Solid state output.

2) Lector Digicode 2.24 (recently serviced and replaced tubes with new Gold Lions). Purchased used (came out around 2002). MSRP was >$5k. Uses 4 Burr Brown PCM1704 multi-bit R2R DAC chips in fully balanced configuration Tubed output.

Both DACs were connected to a Sonos Connect unit feeding a BAT VK-5i preamp, and VK-55SE amp.  I warmed up system for an hour or two, then with each song I played, switched between the two.  I adjusted the volume to match levels.

Result?  Very, very close.  The older Lector unit sounded like it had just a tad more 'air' and a bit more soundstage depth, but I had to listen very closely, and the difference wasn't always that apparent.  There were no other obvious differences that I could detect.

What does this mean?  Well, I don't purport to have golden ears, and have not had my hearing checked, but I have had some 'training' (I was a recording engineer for a while, and was an amateur musician for many years).  I do believe that there are some *very small* differences that I just can't discern very easily, and have to listen quite closely to discern the ones I *think* I can hear!  I do believe that quite a bit of the differences we hear are because we *want* to hear them (not criticizing for this BTW; just my belief).  I was surprised however given the differences in age, topology, architecture, etc. between the two DACs, that I couldn't hear a bigger difference.

By the way, I do understand that some don't believe in the idea of direct AB testing.

What do you guys think?


smeyers
Lower resolutions you will hurt your self trying to hear any major difference...

I do not agree.  The right DAC with the right front-end (USB or Ehternet) will make a huge difference even at 44.1.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

+1!!!  Steve N.
Redbook CD (44.1) with suitable high quality digital components provides excellent resolution/sound quality. Limiting factor has been equipment not the format.
Charles

There's a couple of press launch video's of Martin Mallison vice president and chief designer from ESS, in one of the lengthier ones on the design and performance of the top ESS Sabre dac, he apparently says, with this ESS chip we have finally come "close" to the Redbook performance of best R2R Multibit.
Make of that what you will.

Cheers George