2. digital
  3. 154586-137654

Comparison of latest DAC chips

I own a Bluesound Node 2i which greatly improved sound after I added the Cat 6 cable.  I do not own a separate DAC but am told it would be the next step improvement.  I have done enough reading that it appears the two latest chips are the Sabre or ESS ES9038PRO and the AK4499.  The brands I have looked at are Sabaj d5($469) and a Topping D90($699).  I saw a great review on Audiocircle of the Sabaj D5 which is now a year old.  The Topping D90 is newer and I hear the build quality of the Topping as well as customer service are both better.   Other brands cost more and most don't use these new chips. 

Is there a difference in how these chips sound?  I would appreciate any comments. 
128x128daledeee1
abraxalito
93 posts
 
@georgehifi : which Exasound DAC is R2R? I've never seen one, they're all ESS.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Don’t know abraxalito, got that list from someone else they sent me, didn’t bother to check all of them.

Also can say all the MSB’s are R2R Multibit save for the very first 1999-2000 LinkDac models that used bit stream Delta Sigma PCM1738-32’s then went discrete R2R in 2003 with the Platinum LinkPlus and never looked back at Delta Sigma again.

Cheers George
rossb
185 posts
 
Didn’t say "all" sunshine, I said the better hi-end ones, now your generalizing, with that "preposterous statement".
So the better ones are ... better. Can't argue with that logic.
Post removed 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Can’t comprehend the Queens English either sunshine, there’s no hope for you!.
Then maybe there is, after you answered this. Now you just need an R2R dac to get the best from PCM that you prefer so much.


n_brio OP12 posts08-14-2019 7:19pmrossb -> do you use upsampling to dsd?

rossb80 posts08-14-2019 8:17pmNo, I prefer PCM.

More to discover