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DAC Shootout Starts This Weekend

Okay...in another thread I promised to do a side-by-side evaluation of the Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap vs the Rockna Wavelight. Due to the astonishing incompetence of DHL this has been delayed. At the moment, I have a plethora of DACs here and am going to do a broader comparison.

I am going to do a compare of the Rockna Wavelight, Rockna Wavedream Signature, Audiobyte HydraVox/Zap, Chord Hugo 2, Chord Hugo TT2, Bricasti M3, Bricasti M1 Special Edition, Weiss 501 and the internal DAC card for an AVM A 5.2 Integrated amp as a baseline.

For sake of consistency, I am going to use that same AVM integrated amp driving Vivid Kaya 45s. I may branch out and do some listening on other speakers (Verdant Nightshade of Blackthorn and/or Wilson Benesch Vertexes) but want to use the Vivids for every compare as they are the fullest range speakers I have here. For sake of consistency I will use a Chord 2Go/2Yu connected via an Audioquest Diamond USB as a renderer. The only exception is the Hugo 2 which has a 2Go directly attached to it. I will use a Roon Nucleus+ as a server in all cases.

My plan is to use the same five songs on every DAC; In a Sentimental Mood from Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Be Still My Beating Heart from Sting, Liberty from Anette Askvik, Duende from Bozzio Levin Stevens and Part 1 of Mozart String Quartet No 14 in G Major from the Alban Berg Quartet. The intent is to touch on different music types without going crazy.

I will take extensive notes on each listening session and write up a POV on the strengths of each unit. I am going to start this this Friday/Saturday and will be writing things up over the next month or so. If you have thoughts, comments or requests, I will be happy to try and accommodate. The one thing I am not going to do is make the list of songs longer as that has an exponential impact on this and make everything much harder. If and when other DACs come in on trade I may add to the list through time.
128x128verdantaudio
treebeard1
148 posts
 
@verdantaudio, thanks for the info. Great stuff.

Yesterday I updated my system page and today I added this:

Speakers are 6 feet apart center-to-center and the back of the speakers are 4 feet from the front wall and about 2.5 feet from the side walls. Listening position is 6 feet back and speakers are on GAIA I's and slightly toed in to point over my shoulders. GIK bass traps are on the walls, corners and ceiling, which resulted in a big improvement in soundstage.

What I'm really missing is depth and space around instruments and depth of the soundstage.  Maybe in my price range the space between instruments and instrument height is a big ask?  I will admit that much of the music I listen to is not audiophile quality but a good amount is.
yyzsantabarbara
4,925 posts
 
@verdantaudio

yyzsantabarbara - all of the DACs tested produced what sounded like a clear bass line. It was only in comparison that I realized that it could be better than what I was hearing.
Yes, I understand that but I was a happy to notice that my cheaper DACs did not fail on that test. That album you used is awesome. Thanks for the musical discovery.
rja's avatar
rja
2,372 posts
 
verdantaudio,
Do you feel that the difference in sound quality between the M3 and M1SE warrants the difference in their prices? I realize the answer would be strictly subjective but I’d be interested in your opinion.
rsf507
2,346 posts
 
@rja I would think the OP can only answer your question if listening to each unit via their dedicated internal Ethernet ports. So far the OP has compared one unit via Ethernet (M1SE) and the other unit (M3) via USB. Apples to oranges. 
verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio OP
1,500 posts
 
@rja I have listened to the M1 SE and M3 via a renderer plugged into the USB.  I also listened to the M1 SE via USB and the Ethernet.  
In the end, I think it very much depends on your musical tastes and how much precision matters.  Via the USB the M1 SE is objectively the better DAC.  That being said, “better” from a technical perspective doesn’t mean it would be more enjoyable.  
If precision and accuracy is important and the extra $4500 is not financially taxing, then yes, I think it is worth the step up based on my listening.  As I said above, it might be possible that the gap between the M3s USB and Ethernet board is much greater than M1s.  If that is the case then maybe I am wrong.  
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