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Different R2R DACs

Several months ago, I bought a used Hono Spring Level 2 DAC to see how R2R would compare against my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. I like the Brooklyn+ a lot, but, given the other components in my system, I'm thinking about building in a bit more warmth (without losing significant detail). I'm not looking for sweetness or holography. Unfortunately, I was thoroughly unimpressed by the way the Holo Spring Level 2 smeared the music. I returned it within two weeks. Perhaps the unit I bought was defective (though I bought it from a highly reputable seller of used equipment), but it started me wondering how much of the hype surrounding the newer generation of R2R DACs was just that, hype. However, I keep seeing so many glowing reviews of reasonably priced R2R DACS from Denafrips, Aqua, Lampizator and others. So I'm wondering whether I should give them another try. Unfortunately, where I live the only real (suboptimal) option is to audition by purchasing one DAC at a time. Before I start down that road again, I thought I would ask the collective brain of Audiogon about how much of a difference I might expect, as against the Holo Spring level 2, from a new Denafrips Pontus II or used Terminator II, a used Aqua La Voce or Lampizator, or some other R2R DAC under $5K. I don't require require resolutions greater than 24/192 (beyond which I discern no difference). I do like the option of MQA decoding, but it's not a deal breaker. 

The rest of my system (source components aside), at present, include a Parasound JC2 BP preamp, a pair of VTV Purifi mono amps, and Harbeth C7ES-3 speakers.

audio-satisficer
david_ten
5,480 posts
 

Finally:

- Don’t focus on the component...focus on the whole: the system, your room, and your own experience.

- Don’t worry about getting it wrong. You are learning. Learning is priceless. The payoff is waiting for you in your future.

 

 

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

Please remember "it is easy to build a system that can play music but very difficult to build a system that is musical".

+2

Charles 

itsjustme
681 posts
 

I never buy by technology. It is always in the implementation.

 

Bingo.  As i point out i once desigend three circutis - one tube, one BJT one FET.  They all had the same baic sound (except of coruse whne the tube on had a challenging load).

 

Things like the type of chip/chipset are far less deterministic than you might think.

 

When they have a "sound" it is often becuse everyone copied the same datasheet, so the implementationis the same. Not kidding.

 

audio-satisficer OP
30 posts
 

Thanks, everyone, for responding to my question, and offering good suggestions. I don't think it's the case that my request for assistance was futile because no one else hears precisely the way I do and no one else can know precisely what it is I'm after. I actually find it very helpful to have the advice and experiences others share. In this case, the information I found most valuable (I'm not suggesting everyone else should find it as valuable) are the comments suggesting that I should not look to affect sound quality by changing DACs (unless, I presume, my current DAC is obviously deficient, which it is not). I'm sure I could hear noticable improvements from other DACs that I have yet to hear). But, like most, I don't want to spend twice as much to get a few percent improvement. I might still spring for a new DAC down the road. If I do, as always, it will be an experiment.

m-db's avatar
m-db
970 posts
 

metaldetektor, Alex Halberstadt's Sonnet Morpheus review along with his $3K Sonore, Denafrips Iris comparison to the $1K Sonnet Hermes Digital bridge was all timely for me too. I'm looking to upgrade a Squeezebox, Metrum Acoustics Mini NOS.

For what it's worth the Stereophile reviewer and owner of a Denafrips Terminator, Halberstadt closes his review with, "I ended up buying one" [Morpheus]. Accommodation pricing? Must be nice.

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