DAC Shootout Starts This Weekend

ime microdynamics are tricky - there is no right or wrong, sometimes more detail is better, sometimes it is for the worse

what matters a lot here is low noise floor, black background (sometimes it is the gear, sometimes it is power feed/conditioning, sometimes it is cabling), and detail that is present in an easeful way, without a trace of edge or harshness - lots of systems produce detail in a highly unnatural, extruded, pressure washer shooting at you way - nooo buenoooo

listening for microdetail is tricky too... it can really get one to focus on the system rather than the music as a whole

Thank you for this civil and informative discussion.

@jjss49 That is one of my favorite descriptions I’ve seen yet regarding detail — “detail that is present in an easeful way, without a trace of edge or harshness - lots of systems produce detail in a highly unnatural, extruded, pressure washer shooting at you way - nooo buenoooo”

I have been following this thread from the beginning. My very subjective opinion is that you can not "intuit" your way into audio assumptions. This thread involves an assumption that if you keep the music server constant the DAC comparisons are valid. The reality, imho, is that the choice of music server, connecting cable, and DAC all play a significant role. The folks that shun vinyl as being too complicated fail to realize that at the highest level, digital playback is equally complicated. As just one example, my Aurender W20 and my SW1X DAC III Balanced will sound radically different simply by substituting very highly regarded S/PDIF cables. 

@fsonicsmith    I don’t disagree that choice of server, cable and even the connection between server and DAC (USB, AES, etc…) matters and can have an impact.  
In the end, I am limited in that I don’t have an infinite number of servers lying around or cables. It is not perfect but do think it has value.  

In regard microdynamics. I do understand it as integral with resolution. But I  also believe I hear it as separate sound quality not allied to resolving powers. Its what I'd call the breath of life. I exclusively use tube amps and preamp, and Iike the Brits, I like to think of tubes as valves. Valves also connote what our lungs do, thus, I like to think of microdynamics as the breath of life. And its part of the reason I prefer tube amps and pre's.

Now, I've long considered my system to have this breath of life, but my latest dac improved upon prior dac's performance in this aspect.  I can now more clearly hear formerly masked inflections and vibrato in the voice and wind instruments, more nuance in the fingering and bowing of string instruments, and strength with which struck instruments are hit.  What I'm describing is the dynamic changes down to the millisecond, these minute dynamic changes could also be descibed as elasticity. It is at once both natural, soothing, yet salient in that it demands your attention. I find it nearly impossible to listen casually anymore,and far less work to have the illusion of performers in room.

Certainly this is understood as greater resolution, but the improvement  I'm hearing is more likely allied to the power supply of the dac. I posit conversion schemes and output sections carry more weight in resolving powers, while PS certainly have a role in this,  PS carries more weight in micro and macro dynamics.

Reviewers commonly speak about power supplies when reviewing amps, and sometimes preamps, but I rarely hear reviewers compare power supplies in dacs. My take is dac power supplies are critical to optimum performance of dacs. Take two dacs with identical or virtually identical conversion schemes and output sections, the dac with better power supply will outperform the other in microdynamics, and perhaps other measures of sound quality.


I do observe  manufacturers paying more attention to design, and increasing capacitance of dac power supplies, its obvious they hear the benefits here.