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Keep investing in peripherals to make expensive an DAC work in my system, or get a new DAC

I recently purchased a DCS Bartok for headphone use and I’ve had some real struggles getting it not to kill my ears with slam, transients and edgy highs. I have a great Shunyata-based power/cable system, a Innuos Zenith as network server connected with Shunyata Sigma Ethernet, and a number of headphone cables for my Meze Empyrean. I just didn’t like the Bartok’s headphone amp, so I’m using an Audeze The King MkII, which sounds a lot better. I also found that the USB input, while generally inferior, is easier on my ears. 

I liked what I heard at the retailer reasonably well, but did not have a chance to audition on my own system. And I can’t return it.

Anyway, for a system where the transducers are right by my ears I’ve had to make a lot of tweaks and it looks like I now have two options:

1. Put my hopes into upgrading my ethernet connection with an EtherRegen and even more spendy ethernet cables to get a smoother sound AND buy another expensive headphone cable with a warmer balance. AND maybe even try a different power cable.

2. Sell the almost new Bartok at a loss and get a smoother USB-centered DAC like a used EMM Labs DA2 and an Innuos Phoenix for using USB. This will ultimately cost me quite a bit over what I’ve already spend (yikes) and take me away from network playback, though my Innuos is a streamer anyway. 

At what point do you conclude that it isn’t the digital sources, cables etc. and just get a different DAC, after having sunk so much money already?
ianb52
yyzsantabarbara
4,582 posts
 
I have the Meze Empy but not a lot of headphone experience. I get fatigue real quick with a bad setup so I was reluctant to go to headphones but I took a chance. I now have the Benchmark HPA4 and the Bryston BHA-1 headphone amps. I upgraded my Meze cable to the WyWire Platinum XLR. In fact I sent it in yesterday to WyWire to upgrade it from 5 foot to 9 foot length.

The WyWire with the Bryston was too fatiguing with that amp (the bass was not tight). Switching to the warmer stock Meze cable for the Bryston amp made the fatigue go down by a tremendous amount. I currently only play the Bryston with the stock cable and a warm sounding 20 year old Sony SCD-1 SACD player. It is a very enjoyable sound.

The WyWire and the Benchmark HPA4 are an incredible combo. I would not trade it for anything. The extra details in the WyWire cable is presented in a non-fatiguing way on with the HPA4. I listen to the Meze about 4+ hours a day (8 hours today) since I do not have 2 channel amps this month. I flip the Meze cable between stock and WyWIre when I switch amps.

So my suggestion is to try the warmer stock Meze cable with your Bartok first. It has less detail but maybe can tame whatever harshness you are encountering. I find my Bryston BHA-1 inferior to my Benchmark HPA4, especially in the control of bass. I also think the Meze is an incredible headphone.

BTW - you will get better answers than mine here,
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dcs-bartok.901647/

ianb52 OP
40 posts
 
Thanks for your suggestion. Going back to the stock Meze cable *almost* totally removes the fatigue, but as you said it is a bit warm and less detailed. 
I actually had a BHA-1 for a while, but it was way too edgy for me. I've heard good things about the HPA4. 
yyzsantabarbara
4,582 posts
 
Why not give the HPA4 a free home trial. You put the Bartok  XLR outputs into input #1 of the HPA4 which is supposed to be optimized for DACs. 

Last night I went to bed listening to the BHA-1 + Meze and Springsteen's River album. That edginess you and I hear bothered the heck out of me. What did you replace your BHA-1 with? The BHA-1 does s few things I like, such as analog inputs and XLR outputs to external speakers. I would love to find something that has that feature set. I only paid $900 for my 10/10 used unit so I am keeping it around but I do get annoyed by it.
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