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Next best exponential DAC quality level?

I recently did a shoot out of three DACs using my Hint6 + routing each of the other DACs to analog input on the Hint6:

(1) Hint6: ESS Sabre32 -- Integrated 

(2) SMSL M500: ES9038PRO D/A   ~$400 

(3) Khadas ToneBoard(v1): ESS ES9038Q2M - ~$99

I played the same song passages on Amazon Music and was able to cycle through each Hint6 input corresponding to each DAC.

The result?  Very small difference in terms of rendering.  Maybe a more open sound stage with better overall balance using the Hint6 DAC.  The Khadas was more bass / midrange pronounced w/ a more narrow soundstage.  However, I wouldn't suggest that any were head-and-shoulders "better" over the others.  In fact, they were all pretty decent with only small nuances (certainly not worth the price differences.   

I decided to keep the Khadas for my small headphone listening area. 

But it got me thinking - how much would one have to spend to realize an exponential difference in quality?  Is the Khadas that good, or is DAC technology differences more nuanced than I originally thought (meaning, we're paying 10x for only 5% better).  

 

128x128martinman
cindyment's avatar
cindyment
351 posts
 

@cindyment  Yes you must be right because the Aries Cerat Kassandra II DAC weighs 120kgs and Lamm hasn't changed the design of their solid state 1.2 class A monoblocks for around 20 years.

These guys must be total clowns to build such garbage : )

Except there's plenty of people parting with $40k USD to buy each one.

 

Plenty? Unlikely. But enough that it makes sense as a business model to keep in their product line, absolutely. Louis Vitton sells a lot of hand bags too, even if cheaper ones are far better at the purpose. Price is 0 indication of fitness for the application.

 

cindyment's avatar
cindyment
351 posts
 

@teo_audio ,

 

I will just point out again, that your ongoing attempts at attempting to discredit me personally do nothing to validate the relevance or accuracy of what you have posted. I would encourage you to stick to the topic and address what I have wrote. If you feel the need to discredit me to advance your posts, that does not indicate to me that you can support what you posted with arguments. I could be wrong, but so far, you are proving me correct.

 

Then we get down into the nuts and bolts of how to implement the chip and methodologies, etc -that are in question. And that is the part that separates the knowledgeable/lore from the book learned.

 

Other than responding to your posts which are of a personal nature and not related to the topic, my posts have been on the nuts and bolts of chips, and DACs. Not hand waving and marketing speak but addressing real technical realities. If you would like to try to poke holes in my knowledge on DACs, feel free. If your attempts are flawed, I will point them out. I would love a discussion about the nuts and bolts of chips and DACs. Have at it. I thought that was what this thread was about? I have clearly, and concisely addressed exactly what the OPs post was about, and presented counter arguments based on real knowledge and experience, not "lore", in the hopes the OP will not be mislead. That is my goal. Can you please communicate to me what your goal is so that I can better respond?

I expect your response will illustrate my post. You could prove me wrong though.

 

teo_audio
2,197 posts
 

Perhaps if you knew how to be less of a reactive and gasoline throwing pedantic ass, your presence might be more tolerated.

secretguy
1,739 posts
 

Nice to see a poster, new or not, who doesn't buy into the nonsense.

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

@cindyment  Manic, bi-polar?

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