What DAC upgrade made you say “DAMN, that sounds SO MUCH better than my last DAC”?


As the title suggests, what was your overall system and DAC at the point where you bought only a new DAC and said “DAMN, that sounds SO MUCH better than my last DAC”?

I’m a novice and so many people talk about improvements from new equipment as if they were only listening to varying degrees of static until they bought more and more new equipment which added up to them finally being presented with music. It’s like Salome and the seven veils. But when does the last veil get peeled away? 

So what system did you have and what DAC did you swap in that made you say “DAMN!!!!”?

I guess I’m looking for night and day differences, not gradual progressions……


pip_helix
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Moving from a AQUA LA VOCE to a AQUA LA SCALA.
Oh great! I really like my S3. I didn't need to know that the LA Scala is a big step up.


I own an Oppo Udp205 which uses two ESS Pro Sabre chips. To me, it sounds great. 
I just listened to the dCS Bartok DAC which used proprietary ring technology - not chip based.

I was blown away at the difference. Yes, both units are in different price points, but I’m distinguishing, many times, you get what you pay for…I would recommend to audition DACs at different price points. Select maybe a few suggestions from this thread. 

Good luck!!