The idea that DAC’s don’t get better but only a different sound is just like saying there’s no difference between preamps and amps. Can only speak on the current RME ADI-2 fs to the DAC in my Bluesound Vault 2 and DAC inputs on my Oppo UDP 205 and Cambridge 851C. All these DACs have a clear sonic signature that is indeed different from each other just like the NAD, Sonic Frontiers, Audio Research and ModWright preamps I have owned among others.
What the RME is doing, is extracting information off CD’s or streaming of music I know or thought I knew well. I’m hearing minute things for the first time and yes preamps, speakers and etc. have done the same but not by this margin. I don’t know if it’s the reduction of jitter, crazy low noise floor or just good engineering but it’s not just changing things a little. Agree the only way to know or believe is try in ones own system and fortunately many retailers that sale RME do indeed offer a refund.
Obviously it takes ears that have been trained to listen and equipment that is revealing in the first place. It takes time to dial a system in with proper set up, room treatment speaker placement and etc. so just having expensive equipment doesn’t mean anything as I’m sure most here have heard systems costing far more than one’s own that sound horrible. If the DAC in a NAD is similar in sound quality to a Bluesound, then it’s not even going to be close.
What the RME is doing, is extracting information off CD’s or streaming of music I know or thought I knew well. I’m hearing minute things for the first time and yes preamps, speakers and etc. have done the same but not by this margin. I don’t know if it’s the reduction of jitter, crazy low noise floor or just good engineering but it’s not just changing things a little. Agree the only way to know or believe is try in ones own system and fortunately many retailers that sale RME do indeed offer a refund.
Obviously it takes ears that have been trained to listen and equipment that is revealing in the first place. It takes time to dial a system in with proper set up, room treatment speaker placement and etc. so just having expensive equipment doesn’t mean anything as I’m sure most here have heard systems costing far more than one’s own that sound horrible. If the DAC in a NAD is similar in sound quality to a Bluesound, then it’s not even going to be close.