Difference between ESS Sabre Burr Brown Wolfson DACs

I agree with mahler123.   Judge the entire implementation, not just the chip.

For example, the ESS chips are produced in great quantity and are therefore less expensive than some others.  Its basic technology is used in DACs costing $100 and others justifiably costing several thousands of dollars.

#4: AKM Asahi Kasei Microsystems.

Implementation is everything.

A smart designer goes far beyond the spec design in the tech manual, manual that specifies the given build out of the chip's implementation.

That manual spec, makes the chip work and work well for a long time. It says nothing about sound quality, in the vast number of cases.

It is there so that people can implement the chip properly and it is also there so that if the chips fail often in the given finished design, that the chip maker can justifiably point to the 'proper' implementation rules not being followed.

99% or more of consumer gear follows these rules (to the letter!)  laid out in the tech manuals for all the chips in gear.

That's a notable part of why mainstream audio gear sucks.

Implementation matters more.

In the older generations, BB was my favorite. In some modern implementations as well.
One thing to listen for, the best modern DAC's are TERRIFIC with Redbook playback. The mediocre one's only sound great with 96/24 or better.

Best,
E

I still prefer R2R in a DAC over the chip.  Happy Listening.