thanks the tt2 was too revealing imho....I hear the dave is even ruthlessly revealing.....
my favorite cd player are a touch warm like the playback design mps-5 so maybe that is where I need to settle on....for this system |
Yeah, I would be happy with an accurate, but warmish sound. At the same time, though, I am enjoying hearing some fine details through the Pontus that I cannot recall having heard previously. And I certainly wouldn't call it clinical. |
for those that are wondering why good dacs sound different, here is my post from last september -- points c) and d) are significant in determining the sound character of a dac jjss49 2,132 posts
09-01-2020 10:44pm
as to what matters in a dac, let’s make this simple, even though it isn’t...
a) the digital (bitstream) input signal needs to be received and timed correctly for d-to-a conversion, so clock circuit and jitter reduction is key, this is done by electrical isolation, reclocking as needed
b) then the actual d to a conversion / filtering needs to happen with low distortion both in freq response and in timing (phase response) - this is done by the internal dac chip/circuit or discrete ladder network, depending on design
c) then the analog output (post conversion) needs to be prepared for output to the receiving device... this is done by internal amplifiers, or transformers, or some other method... very rarely is the output ported straight out of the dac chip (there can be impedance mismatches with preamps/amps/whatever device is to receive the signal to amplify to drive speakers/headphones you listen to)
d) all the above needs to fed clean and strong power so they do what they do without added noise, so internal power supply design and quality (and power supply isolation of the analog from the digital sections) is key
so when knowledgeable people correctly say, "it isn’t just the dac chip (akm, burrbrown, ess sabre, wolfson...) or the ladder chip (philips tda, etc etc) or fpga (custom circuit) that makes a difference, it is the IMPLEMENTATION of it", that means ALL THE ABOVE designed and working in concert to produce good analog sound, as a holistic system
’what goes into a dac to make it good’ class 101 now in recess
hope this helps |
op
you make an opening post, with a title... asking for TIGHT BASS ("tight moderately deep bass" were your words), unqualified for other parts of the frequency spectrum
i read what you posted, and i am responding to your query, as stated
the chord dacs have a bright fast open treble, they have a grainless but slightly lean midrange - but they have tight fast strong and very deep bass... they are exemplary in that regard, notwithstanding their overall tonal balance
if what you actually want is a slower more mellow overall sound, with somewhat fattened midrange and an accentuated midbass that makes the treble and midrange sound recessed in comparison, then that is an entirely different sound character altogether -- and you should specify that as your target tonal palette
metrum, sonnet, ayre are your non tube options in that case
i can try to answer your questions in good faith, as asked, but i cannot read your mind
last point, i actually listen to all the dacs in my system, i may read some reviews but my findings are first hand
good luck and hope you find what you seek
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Thanks @jjss49 – that was helpful. |
