2. digital
  3. 138060-3787

A DAC that crushes price vs. performance ratio

I felt strongly that I wanted to inform the Gon members about a new DAC that ranks with the very best on the market regarding performance, but costs around $2,000.00.  The Lab12 DAC1 SE was compared to three reference level DACS that retail for over $12.000.00 in my review for hometheaterreview.com and was at least on the same level sonicly, if not better.  This DAC from Greece is not just "good for the money" but competes with virtually anything on the market regardless of price!

For all the details about the Lab12 DAC1 SE performance and what other DACS it was compared to take a look at the review.  If you are shopping/looking for a new digital front end to drive your system, you owe it to yourself to check this DAC out, unless you like to spend tons of more $ without getting better performance.
teajay
shkong78's avatar
shkong78
1,485 posts
 
@celander

I had talked with the owner of Rogue Audio who makes excellent product at reasonable price.

He know that some NOS tubes provide much better performance but could not provide those as stock tube with limited price of product.

Thus it is upto each customer to try out NOS tube.

It is same with high end fuse.
lordcloud
155 posts
 
There are not many stories of new stock tubes sounding better than their nos counterparts. Yes, it does happen, but it is more the exception than the rule.

The same can be said, in my experience, for many stock parts in general. Unless you're talking about the upper echelon stuff (MSB Select Dac, TotalDac 12, Aries Ceral Kassandra, etc...). And even then, you can make them sound better with better/different parts.

Most of the time, things are built to a price. Better parts usually mean better sound. Not always, but often enough to almost say always.
tweak1
3,679 posts
 
The audio Alchemy DAC/Pre MSRP is $2K and a sonic bargain. TAS reviewed it and the stereo amp in March of 2016
klh007
621 posts
 
tweak1, The AA line is discontinued as Elac purchased AA, now the AA line is in Elac full size chassis with some improvements on the sonic side.
tweak1
3,679 posts
 
Teajay, I just heard from Paul Laudetti. He's barely hanging on

I have oen 8ft pair of double shotgun that I would sell
More to discover