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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.
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charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
@david_ten,
The vintage movies versus current movie themes and production is a good analogy. I believe that there’s always been a sincere effort in High End audio to pursue sonic "accuracy ". How would one consensusly define this goal of accuracy is an entirely different matter.

No doubt that the definition and means of obtaining it via audio components has changed or evolved over the ensuing decades.l believe that the manufacturers of the various DACs presented in this thread are honestly aiming for their interpretation of digital accuracy in reproducing music in the homes of their customers.

As The OP has clearly and tirelessly demonstrated, very definite sonic presentations/signatures exist in the relentless quest for accuracy.
Charles
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
it is hard to know what sound is exactly accurate, it is also hard to know who’s rendition of an accurate, ’high fidelity’ sound presentation is most true, even if a number of different designers/firms are trying to achieve that same goal (and not a purposely 'beautified' presentation)

some traits can be quickly called out as unwanted and defining of poor implementation - such as a noticeable grain, or electronic haze, or clearly rolled off or smeared frequencies... but there are various presentations that avoid these pitfalls but still sound rather different

i suppose in the end, which version is most accurate becomes unimportant, what matters is what pleases a particular user in their system, their room
rsf507
2,347 posts
 
@jjss49 +1 well stated
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
@jjss49 

" i suppose in the end, which version is most accurate becomes unimportant, what matters is what pleases a particular user in their system, their room."

Agree, and can not see how in the end it can be any other way.
Charles 
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
So, a case of:  Accuracy is Dead, Long Live Accuracy!  : )

i suppose in the end, which version is most accurate becomes unimportant

So, as with (most) current mainstream music a move from mastery of musical elements to purely entertainment values (?)

what matters is what pleases a particular user in their system, their room

Subjective (dystopian) reductionism to 'n' as absolute 1 (?)  

I (have faith) expect that there is an emergent, higher ordered structure that we can have relative agreement on/around.  Otherwise, the OP's efforts lack purpose for anyone other than himself.
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