Higher End DACs

to be clear, you find some similarities between DCA and T+A house sound? How would you generalize?

@ufguy73 I do not find similarities (between dCS and T+A)...IF I define "similarities" by sound signature.

dCS clearly makes wonderful and high performing components. I know many audiophiles love what dCS does and how it goes about doing it and are ecstatic with dCS in their systems.

To my ears, let me repeat: to my ears and preferences... they come across as too clean, too pristine and lack that elusive emotional connection and involvement. Something major is missing for me.

Whether this was due to the other parts of the systems I listened to, I can’t say with certainty. However, how I experience their ’sound’ hasn’t changed across multiple systems. The only way I can tease this out is to have one or more of their units in my own system and to optimize it’s performance per my needs and preferences.

The T+A SDV 3100 HV simply checks all of the boxes I need it to check for my personal sound quality and sound performance metrics and needs.

You need to find out which house sound does the same for you. Is it dCS or MSB or CH Precision or T+A or another manufacturer. How these components ’play’ within your system (specifically your other current components) will also be a major factor.

P.S. I second @audiotroy ’s point about the SDV’s pre-amplification stage. It is excellent!!!

DCS I’ve heard lately would not be called uninvolving. They just do great digital. Obviously opinions vary. I found the Rossini to be extremely involving and quite the opposite of sterile. That’s an old hit that’s been around a long time. Same for ML as dark and Krell as bright. Bias never goes away in audio. 

A Rossini and I expect a Bartok are great digital front ends like a great turntable would be. Any sonic issue will be found elsewhere. IMHO

David Ten hit the DCS vs T+A sound differences perfectly.

We have heard many DCS setups and they do tend to be extremely clean and detailed, a lot of air as well. 

The T+A offers similar levels of clarity, also a huge soundstage, the T+A house sound does hit a warmer full bodied balance whiich is why the HV series is called that, HV stands for High Voltage, which is  a technique where the internal rail voltages are run at the same kinds of voltages seen in a tube amplifiers, T+A engineers have found that by running their internal rails at high voltages produce a much more liquid sound. 

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ T+A dealers

audiotroy do you sell dcs ?