Higher End DACs


I am looking for a DAC (potentially streamer&DAC) to be paired in a mcintosh system (c1100/611). Its my first foray into digital streaming and I have no need for a CD player.

I see a lot of love for Esoteric, however, most seems to be around their transports? Are they not as renowned for pure digital streaming and/or standalone DACs? I see DCS (for instance) often referenced for standalone DACs - how does Esoteric compare?
ufguy73
The biggest problem in audio is the 100% fact that most audio products can not even reveal all aspects of sound. This can easily be proven by sound and stage. 

People do audio by trial and error. So they never have an idea why the sound and stage is what they hear. What they do is replacing a part (amp, source, loudspeaker, conditioner, cable, etc) for another one. But they forget that they replace it with a product that also can not reveal all aspects of sound.

This is why each trial&error system will always be incomplete and miss different aspects of sound. So people will experience and describe it as less emotional and intense.  

The biggest problem in audio is the 100% fact that most audio products can not even reveal all aspects of sound. This can easily be proven by sound and stage.

People do audio by trial and error. So they never have an idea why the sound and stage is what they hear. What they do is replacing a part (amp, source, loudspeaker, conditioner, cable, etc) for another one. But they forget that they replace it with a product that also can not reveal all aspects of sound.

This is why each trial&error system will always be incomplete and miss different aspects of sound. So people will experience and describe it as less emotional and intense.
Wow! this is a first for me here.... You are right on the spot...

I say that in my thread for the last year...And I describe there my own experiments and experience that lead me to the exact conclusion your just write...

The only difference between you and me, I am only an ordinary guy with no background in science, I conduct my own experiments with my ears and listenings experiments without any knowledge... And I devise solutions homemade, new, and low costs a step at a time to please my ears ...Your solutions are probably better, but my own solutions drives me to the same conclusion than you.... I wrote the same thing in my thread....

Buying a new electronic component is not the way to upgrade a system because most people dont even know the real potential of their actual audio system and they dont even know that they dont know....

You said: «most audio products can not even reveal all aspects of sound» and for me the reason is linked to the deficient manner with which most people worked with the 4 points I described in my precedent post....Any relatively good product can reveal emotion and a good S. Q. if these 4 points are addressed.... The most important one being the electrical grid of the house( breaker panels, wall plug unused, router, box of optical cables etc). This is the reason why I think your product is probably very good...The electrical grid produce this electrical-smog that plague all audio system and is underestimated even by pro in audio....


I will not say something more here, because I dont own a high end dac and I dont want to derail this thread ….And people who are interested in high end dac are not interested by homemade low cost solutions in general.... My best to all...



I do not wish to derail this thread, either, but I feel it’s worth repeating that by the time the signal arrives at the DAC it’s too late, the damage has already been done. The signal is irrevocably distorted as soon as the laser touches the metal layer on the CD and attempts to read the nanoscale data encoded thereon. It’s mostly because of the fluttering and vibration of the disc itself whilst spinning, the effect of external and internal vibration on the signal in wire, fuse and laser assembly, etc. AND the introduction of scattered CD laser light into the photodetector. The Error Correction Codes and the Laser Tracking servo system can’t save it. All the King’s horses and all the King’s men can’t put Humpty Dumpty together again. 🥚

No matter how much you have in the end you would have had even more if you had started out with more in the beginning. As the little mice say in the movie Babe 🐷 - That’s the way things are! 🎶 You can paint a donkey different colors but it’s still a donkey. 🦓
We have done many tests with many different separate DACS, and each time we hear the same limitations. Humans are 100% unfit for audio, but they even don't know yet. Facts will always lead in life after time.

It is really sad to see and hear how limited the level is of most digital network players and DACS. Manufacturers need a different focus to create new audio products who are able to reveal all aspects of sound. 

When you are not able to perceive all aspects of sound within 1/10 of a second, you can never make the right and best decision. Humans focus often on 1 aspect of sound at the same time. And a maximum of 3. 

When we audition system at shows, new clients or at shops, the sound and stage prove that they are all incomplete. They always miss different aspects of sound. We are talking about 100% facts. This is why they all lack emotion. Based on the fact that all different aspects of sound can independently influence our emotions when we listen to music.

EACH AUDIO SYSTEM THAT IS ABLE TO REVEAL ALL ASPECTS OF SOUND, WILL BE EXPERIENCED AS MUCH MORE EMOTIONAL AND INTENSE COMPARED TO ANY INCOMPLETE TRIAL&ERROR SYSTEM.

Trial&error make all people believe that audio is all a matter of personal taste. This is just an assumption like you believed in Santa Claus or Sinterklaas when you were a child.  It has no real foundation and is not based on truth and facts.

Voices and instruments have their own sound when they are recorded. They even have their own size/dimension as they have their own delimitation in space. You will find all the details and different aspects of the music on each recording.

WHEN YOU WANT AN AUDIO SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THESE DETAILS AND ASPECTS OF A RECORDING YOU NEED A SYSTEM THAT IS ABLE TO REVEAL THIS ALL.

EACH INDIVIDUAL PART OF YOUR SYSTEM NEEDS THE FULL DNA OF ALL ASPECTS OF SOUND.

EVEN WHEN ONE PART OF YOUR SYSTEM LACKS ONE OR MORE ASPECTS OF SOUND, YOU WILL LOSE A LOT OF THE EMOTION OF THE MUSIC YOU PLAY. AND YOUR SYSTEM WILL BE INCOMPLETE.

YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO USE THE WORD HIGH-END WHEN A SYSTEM CAN PROVE BY SOUND AND STAGE THAT IT IS ABLE TO REVEAL ALL ASPECTS OF SOUND.

IN ALL OTHER SITUATIONS YOU OWN A HI-FI SYSTEM.

Trial&error and the silly assumption that audio is just a matter of personal taste made all humans become 'sleepers'. They all forgot the truth and the essence of audio. When you do not understand sound and music it becomes 100% impossible to understand audio at all.

The money will never help you a lot in audio. When you can not relate sound and audio it becomes impossible what you are doing and want to change in any system. People need to face the truth and let go of trial&error as soon as possible.

EMOTION WILL ALWAYS BE THE ONLY KEY TO SUCCESS IN AUDIO.

Most people think and believe that a separate DAC is a better solution than an inbuilt DAC. This is only based on an assumption. But life is all about the real truth and facts. 

Our modified Lumin network players easily outperform network players with separate DACS. Because we can prove by sound and stage than we can reveal all aspects of sound. And second, we can show that all different aspects are being independently being played at a much higher level.

You can not buy an ultimate sound in digital audio by buying products out of a box. We had to adapt so many aspects of creating an ultimate level in digital audio. It was not available so we had to create it ourselves. 






bo... i don’t think you’d be much fun to work with. too serious and verbose concerning audio. should be fun! imo